Just another wild grooming request

[Sue M.]

Just thought I'd share this grooming request. The other week, I had a woman call and ask what I would charge to groom her pregnant cocker bitch. Now this is a Friday and I'm thinking she probably has weeks to go yet and I told the woman that it is more of a risk so the price for the groom would be higher. I tell her my next available grooming time would be on Wednesday of the next week. The woman replies, "Oh, I was hoping you could groom her on Monday since her due date is on Friday." :shocker:

I couldn't believe she was trying to have the dog groomed 5 days prior to her due date! I just said, "Whoa... that's probably not a good idea. You should have had her groomed a few weeks ago." The woman said she was going to call around and see if she could get the dog in somewhere and that she would call me back if she couldn't get an appointment before Wednesday. I had to tell her, after learning the dog's due date, I wouldn't groom the dog and that I didn't think she should have her groomed by anyone at this point in time.

I'd say, "Now I've heard it all!", but... I know I haven't!

 

[Jeannie]

I had someone who bred a bitch and wanted to go on vacation. He was to be gone the dog's due date. He bring them here, me board and whelp the puppies. He said his vacation was planned before the dog was bred. I said NO WAY. You bred the dog be responsible, stay home and let your bitch have her puppies at home where she is comfortable. It was a yorkie and her first litter.

 

[Windancer]

The poor cocker may have been horribly matter....I hope they don't decide to scissor her up themselves,,,,that would be the only reason I would have said "bring her'..

 

[Sue M.]

The woman said the dog was not terribly matted but she also said the dog is an outside dog so I have my doubts. I just couldn't see picking this girl up to place her in the tub and putting her through a grueling grooming at this stage in her pregnancy. I imagined picking her up which meant my hands putting pressure on her belly causing her and the pups grief. I just didn't want to do that. I envisioned the process causing the dog to go into early labor and I certainly did not want to do that.

I understand what you are saying Julie but I am just not prepared to deal with the possibilities of what could happen. I'm by myself here and if something did in fact happen, I'm on my own. I don't want to sound cold here but the ole saying comes to my mind, "Bad planning on your part should not create an emergency on mine."

I typically bend over backwards for clients but I just couldn't deal with something like this at this time.

 

[new_2_newf]

I think you were right to refuse...I hate to imagine the grief you would have gotten if she had gone pre-term or something happened to her or the puppies.

 

[Jeannie]

Sue you did the right thing.

 

[Sheila B.]

:shocker::shocker::shocker::shocker::shocker: Thank goodness you had enough good sense for both of you!

 

[ozzysma]

oh an outside dog, pregnant cocker spaniel. can you say byb??? people discust me sometimes.

 

[Erika]

:crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::shrug: