I could have written a book by now if I had kept a record of all of the excuses customers have given me over the years for their dogs being matted.
Some I have heard were...
* He went out in the rain and got wet.
* I lost his brush.
* He chewed up his brush.
* He doesn't like the brush.
* The kids didn't brush him.
* He didn't have any mats last week.
* We went on vacation and no one brushed him.
* I got a new job and have not had time to brush him.
* He walked under our car and got matted.
* The new puppy chewed on him and matted his hair.
* He likes to roll on the floor and get his hair all knotty.
* He's matted? I have to brush him?
* What is a mat?
* He's not matted!
The list could go on and on.
There is one excuse that I have always hated to hear, and have had to learn over the years to just let it go and ignore it.
What is the excuse?
I bet some groomers can guess.
I am sure that some of you have heard it more then once.
Okay, okay I'll say it.
"He's matted because I had to wait for this appointment."
I have heard this excuse more times then I can count.
It does not matter if the customer had to wait a week for the appointment or a month or more, it is apparently my fault.
I had one in on Saturday.
This customer had used our Self-Serve before to bathe her Bichon.
After I clipped her dogs nails and she saw the pictures of my grooms on the wall, she wanted to make an appointment with us.
That was back in the beginning of December.
We were able to fit her in early in December.
You know, those couple of weeks after Thanksgiving and before the Christmas rush.
She called a few days later wanting closer to Christmas.
Out of the question for a new customer.
The two weeks before Christmas had been booked for over a year by my regulars.
"Can you call me if there is a cancellation?" she said.
"We can, but there is already a waiting list, and I rarely get a cancellation at Christmas time." we explained to her.
"Okay, call me as close to Christmas as possible," she finished.
Needless to say, there were no cancellations, and she did not get a call before Christmas.
She made another appointment after the Holidays, but did not keep that because it was not a Saturday.
She had to wait till this past week for a Saturday appointment.
I could tell as soon as she walked in the door that she had not had her dog groomed since using our Self-Serve.
November till February...way too long for a Cock-a-Poo.
As I picked the dog up, I could tell just how matted it was.
I put her dog on my counter.
"How do you want her groomed? She is matted." I informed her.
"I know. I usually get her groomed on a regular schedule but, I had to wait since November to get in here, that's why she is matted," she told me.
"Do what you have to. I know she will be short," she finished.
I just don't understand people.
There are at least 5 other grooming salons within a ten mile radius of my shop.
Why let your dog get so matted?
I understand that you would like to start coming to my shop, but take your pet somewhere else while your waiting for the appointment with me.
She could have taken her dog to another groomer at the end of December or the beginning of January and still kept this appointment.
I was able to HV the mats away from the skin enough the get a #4f blade through the coat.
It is sad to me that an owner will let their dog get this matted, and then use me as an excuse for why the dog is in this condition.
During the busy times, when we are booking 3-4 months out, we make a point of telling people to get their dog groomed somewhere else if their dog needs it before the appointment they scheduled with me.
The Groom
Body & Legs: #4f blade
Head: Dematt and scissor round.
Face: scissor round face, short around the mouth but not too short. (owners instructions)
The owner really liked her dog, and was pleasantly surprised that her dog was not shorter.
She made an appointment for 6 weeks from now. I hope she keeps it.
No more blaming me for the matting. :-)
Happy Grooming, MFF
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