I have been averaging a few new customers a week lately.
I guess I have gotten a little too used to my regulars customers.
It is nice to have regulars.
You know exactly what they like and don't like on their dogs.
You can breeze through the grooming knowing that you are doing exactly what your customer wants.
It may just be me ,but lately I have had a run of new customers that give the most confusing instructions for how they want their dogs groomed.
Or, I just can not get straight answers out of them.
My grooming pictures help out a lot, but not always.
Even with looking at pictures, some of these new customers just can't seem to answer my questions.
Then there are those times when the customer answers all of your questions, but you still have doubts about whether or not they really realize what they are asking for.
Today was one of those days.
This is 'Chrissy'.
She is a 4-7year old rescue.
The rescue was not sure old old she is.
I think she is around 5.
Anyway, when her new Mom called, she made an appointment for a Standard Poodle.
When she came in today, 'Chrissy' was now a Labradoodle. :p
We started to talk about what she wanted done.
The owner wanted her short, but not too short, but would not be specific about the length.
"You know what to do." she said.
My favorite line.
She wanted a 'poof' on the top of her head.
She wanted her ears shortened, and her feet shaved.
"You want her feet shaved?", I asked, to make sure I had heard her right.
Her feet certainly did not look like they had been shave any time recently.
"Yes, shave them." she said.
"You want them shave to look like a poodle?" I asked one last time just to make sure she knew what she was asking for.
"Yes." she said.
"Oh, and she is very shy and scared." she added.
"She had a bad experience the last time she was groomed."
'Chrissy' was very skid-dish.
I could not help but hesitate as I picked up her foot to shave it.
Her feet were VERY long, and had not been shaved in a long time, if ever.
She did not act like they had been shaved before either.
By the time I talked her through the first two feet, she was calmer.
By the time I got her to the tub, she was no longer scared.
She turned out to be a great groom.
This is 'Chrissy after the bath and blow dry.
Her Mom had really done a number on her head.
It was time to pull out those magic scissors, and try to get a topknot out of that uneven mess.
Well, at least it is a little round.
I hoped that it would be good enough for the owner.
I held my breath taking her up to the owner.
Would she conveniently forget that she had chopped the heck out of the topknot?
Would she conveniently forget that she told me to do poodle feet?
Did I take her too short, or leave her too long?
What is wrong with me?
I have been doing this way too long to still let an owner get to me like this.
The owner was happy!
Thank you.
Next.
This is 'Finley'.
He was another rescue.
His Mom has only had him for 2 weeks.
I was running behind and forgot to take a before picture.
'Finley' came in with a very long coat, and his head and face chopped up short, like in the picture.
His Mom wanted me to make him look in proportion with his head.
"Don't take anymore then 1/2 off." she said.
"Leave his face and ears. I want them to grow out" she added.
"And DON'T make him look like a poodle."
Another one of my favorite lines.
I have no idea whether she liked what I did or not.
She was one of those customers that looks over the dog when she picks it up, but does not say a thing.
You just can't read them.
These were my last two new customers of the day.
This is 'Dannie'.
This is 'Sammie'.
This owner is very nice, but boy, he could confuse the heck out of you.
He answered all of my questions, only he kept contradicting himself.
I ended up translating all of my questions into a bath and heavy trim, more then half off all of the feathering, and very short feet.
Their owner liked them, BUT he wants poodle feet on them the next time.
Uhg, poodle feet!
Go figure.
Give me my regulars anytime.
My brain hurts.
I can't read minds anymore.
Actually, I am not sure my brain works half of the time anymore.
Just ask my kids.
I seemed to have turned stupid when they became teenagers. :)
At least the dogs still like me.
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