Are corporate groomers not allowed to grooming even slightly difficult dogs?

[jwf]

First let me say, THIS IS NO SHADE TO THE GROOMERS THEMSELVES! I have worked Corp, I know the hell they put you through.

I am a vet groomer and specialize in basically the rejects from all other salons. I do both sedated and non sedated grooms. And sedation isn't always unconscious, sometimes it's just Trazadone or something similar.

When I first started working at the vet hospital, I went around to salons on town with cookies and business cards. I told the other salons who I was and if they have any pets they are unable to groom due to health or severe behavior issues, I am here if they wanted to recommend me. And let me tell you, that worked almost too well but I absolutely appreciate community over competition.

But over the last year I have been getting a lot of Corp recommendations for animals that I would have absolutely been able to do when I worked there. Which is why I wonder if Corp has changed a lot in the last 5 years. For instance, today I have a Maltese coming in cause it barked a lot. And next week I have a 6 month old Yorkie puppy who they suggested the owner sedate. (Like Yorkie puppies are hell spawn, I get it, but sedation for a puppy seems extreme to me)

It's not just one Corp, but both PetSmart and Petco I'm getting these from.

Did it change so much where you can only groom like the best behaved dogs? I know likely a large part is those damn windows and being in a busy store with lookieloos who don't have any understanding about what we do. I know grooming a difficult dog with that pressure is sometimes not worth it. So I get it. But my God these corporations need to figure out something cause I can't think it's good for y'all's paychecks to keep sending so many clients elsewhere

 

[david1965]

@jwf So from what I understand Petco can't take pets on ANY calm down meds.

So the ones that are fine on Traz are probably that. I do my fair share of nutty dogs and sometimes it takes multiple visits but it's super rare we have to ref out to a vet. Only for the truly crazy or ones who refuse to try traz or gab.

 

[dabig88]

@david1965 We take a lot of problem dogs but we also don't allow dogs to be on trazedone or other anxiety medications (a standard dose of CBD is ok) because they can mask stress and we need to be able to gauge stress levels and give them breaks as needed.

But we've become known for handling difficult or senior dogs because we take the time to try and make it a calm and pleasant experience for them, and sometimes they are with us all day, being worried on in spurts.

 

[david1965]

@dabig88 Super fair! Me as PetSmart we used to not be able to take anything either but recently in the last year or two swapped to everything except ace as long as they are not like dropping over.

That was always my biggest concern when it came to the switch, not being able to see stress as well. Tbh it's been fine and most of our most undoable dogs have become angels. But I know where corp is coming from.

 

[jim_68]

@dabig88 Petco does not allow CBD or even Benadryl literally nothing. They updated this policy within the last couple years

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@jim_68 Yeah, I quit Petco in 2019 and they were really cracking down on any sedation of any kind.

 

[fashionmurdoc]

@dabig88 Not only that but the meds slow the heart when they're super stressed, so when they start calming down, and the meds are still working, the heart gets way too slow.

Edit: I don't actually know that for sure, but that's what my gsl told me