Would You Leave a Dog With Someone Who Smacked Your Dog In Front Of You?
By sidyboy
@sidyboy (284)
United States
November 7, 2008 5:55pm CST
We had a new customer come into work today for grooming. She had a 4 month old mixed breed puppy- he was part Schnauzer/Shih-Tzu. She had been taking him to another grooming shop, and they kept telling her that this dog was very difficult to do so she needed to bring him back in a week so they could finish him- this went on for three weeks. The last time she took him there, the groomer went to take the puppy out of the owners arms and he growled at her- and she smacked him across the face!
First of all, that is absolutly no way to treat a dog- especially a puppy. With puppies, you want to get them used to being groomed by making it as much of a pleasant process as possible. Secondly, if a 4 month old puppy is growling at someone that they'd met several times, there's most likely a reason for it.
I really can't understand why this woman allowed the groomer to groom her puppy after she witnessed her smacking the dog- I would not leave my dog with someone who did that. To top it all off, it didn't even look as if this puppy had ever been groomed at all!
I watched as the groomer at work groomed this dog- he was not a problem at all. It was very apparent that he was nervous- most likely due to what he'd been through with that other groomer, but he was not a bad dog to groom. It's a shame that some people are out there working with dogs who obviously have no business being around them at all.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
8 Nov 08
I would not leave my puppy with someone who did that. I agree what you said if that puppy was growling at her then there was a reason for it, maybe when she was alone with the dog she was very rough with him.
1 person likes this
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
7 Nov 08
I have a sense if someone is a dog lover or not. I will not leave my dog with someone who is cruel and would harm my dog. I love my mum a lot but I know she does not have a way with dogs therefore i will never leave my dog with her if i had one.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
8 Nov 08
No, I wouldn't leave my dog with someone that I felt mistreated animals. I would try to see if the groomer did this to other animals as well and see if something could be done about it. Worst thing to do is smack a animal with a hand. If we need to correct our dog we use a piece of rolled up newspaper to do so. This person might run a grooming shop but they still need to learn how to manage animals.
@thedogshrink (1266)
• United States
8 Nov 08
Wow! A groomer that hits puppies!!! Did you tell the owner how well behaved the puppy was for your groomer, and that the "difficulty" was with the old groomer, not with the puppy?
Are you saying when the groomer went to take the puppy from the owner and it growled and she smacked it, the owner STILL LEFT THE PUP THERE? I think I would have been furious.
I'm glad, at least, that she wised up afterward and found your shop!
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
9 Nov 08
Yes, the puppy was still in the owners arms when the groomer hit the puppy. The woman who owns the dog is a first time dog owner and really doesn't know much about dogs at all- even though she was shocked by what that groomer did, she wasn't sure if it was right/wrong for a groomer to do that.... until she brought the puppy to us.
@moonbeam94 (387)
• Australia
8 Nov 08
Would never leave my dog with some-one who felt the need to hit a four month old pup and why did it take three weeks to get groomed and did she pay for each visit . I'm so happy she finally saw the light and decided to change groomers,this should be looked on as a special event not something to fear. Did you give him a little doggy treat afterwards for him to remember for the next time he came to visit, anyway they lost a customer and maybe more once the story gets around . cheers.
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
8 Nov 08
She had to pay for each time the dog was there for grooming- even though it was obvious that nothing was done. She didn't tell us how much she paid, but she said that she couldn't understand WHAT she was paying for.
I've worked with dogs for 13 years, and I have hit one dog. He was a large mixed breed- I think Australian Cattle Dog/Border Collie cross, but couldn't be sure. "Tucker" grabbed a hold of my left arm and would not let go. This was winter time and I had on a jacket, but his teeth went through my coat and into my skin. He wasn't moving at all, just had my arm in his mouth- I kept telling him to let go and he just kept growling. I hit him in the nose (not as hard as I could but hard enough to get his attention) and he instantly let go and ran to the other side of the kennel. I followed him, reached down and grabbed the leash that was on him and took him out for a walk- never once have I ever had a problem with him again- but I'm the only one who works there that will walk him lol
@moonbeam94 (387)
• Australia
8 Nov 08
In that situation it seems you had no choice and you were lucky that one smack was all it took for both of you ,but it seems you two understand each other so thats wonderful.
@kaka135 (14916)
• Malaysia
8 Nov 08
Definitely NO! Especially for a groomer, she should take care and love the dogs. I will never bring my dog there if I see she does that.
When my dog was younger, she always like to 'disturb' my neighbor, that's because my neighbor hang her clothes or put her stuffs over my place, and dog's natural behavior is curious and naughty. Once I saw she pour water over to my dog! I didn't know if she beat my dog before or not, coz since then my dog always barked at her. (My dog used to like her last time.) Now, whenever I heard my dog barking next door, I always watch out, I really scare my neighbor will do something bad to my dog. I believe that dogs know and understand who is good to them, and they will always remember.
@newcommer89 (42)
• United States
8 Nov 08
Thats not right. If someone were to do that to my dog i would be real angry. I would yell at that person and demand he give me back the money i paid them to do nothing.
