Max

Today was a very hard day for me as a dog lover and groomer. An old Schnauzer named Max came in for a grooming appointment, his first visit with us. The old man who brought him in was kind of rude. He wanted Max to have a regular Schnauzer cut, and in the hustle of checking in all of the other clients Max was not inspected before being kenneled. The old man had told us that he had inoperable tumors growing off his shoulders, but we shrugged it off thinking it was no big deal. Finally, after the dust settled, we pulled Max out to take a look at him and see what work needed to be done. He was worse then we could have ever imagined. His tumors were huge. So big that they sagged off his sides around his rib cage and he couldn't even sit right without being almost spread eagle. Not only that, but he was soooo matted... I don't know how he moved. His eyes were also matted shut. We thought he was blind at first because he couldn't walk right and almost fell off the groom table, but I believe it was just the matts. His peepee area was so gooped up and matted, and once we shaved it, raw underneath. His butt was another story. I had to put on gloves because of all the matted poop, and beneath the matts... maggots. The stinch was unmistakable, and lingered. It took both of us to shave him down and moral support to the other to keep from breaking down in tears as we removed as much hair and matts as possible. The old man was angry in the first place. He didn't want to pay $40 to get his Schnauzer groomer a couple weeks ago, but I guess he changed his mind. When we called him to tell him there was no hope for a skirt, that he would have to be shaved, he said "and if I refuse?" We had to tell him that we would have to stop work because we couldn't bath a dog with matts as it would only tighten them, and we wouldn't be responsible for that. He finally agreed... but wasn't happy about it. Max wouldn't quit stairing me in the eyes, almost like he knew me... and was the sweetest old Schnauzer I have EVER encountered. It's typical of a Schn. to growl, bite, and be uncooperative, but not Max. He was happy that someone wanted to take his pain away. He sat so still as I shaved the corners of his matted eyes, every stroke revealing raw, bloody skin, and cut eyelids. I have a tear just telling you about it... but those eyes... he was telling me something... almost that he wouldn't be here much longer and he just wanted to feel good for the remander of his life... He knew me. I don't know how, but he did. It was probably the best bath any dog in the whole history of bathing that any dog ever had. He closed his eyes and relaxed as we slowly massaged his old, weak body. In that moment, I remembered the reason I wanted to be a dog groomer. Max was the reason I woke up this morning. Please, if your reading this, pass this story on to your friends, your family, your co-workers, anyone who will listen. Neglect is a serious thing, and only we can stop it before it begins. There comes a responsability when you get a pet. Food, water, shelter, grooming, and love. Please remember Max.