…In Mysterious Ways

Lucy, Ace Reporter and Church Dog here to report on something that happened immediately following a groom.

Markel, aka Baby Dog, has been coming to us for almost a year now. This is Markel.

After his last groom about a week ago Groomer Mom carried him out to his Mom’s car. His Mom set him in the seat in his car and closed the door. She and Groomer Mom were looking at the calendar to schedule the next groom when they heard a “click.” Yep, our talented Markel had locked himself in. His Mom’s purse, keys and phone were all in the car with Markel. (I was hoping her didn’t start the car and drive himself home, leaving his Mom here!)

Markel’s Mom said the button to open the door was at the end of the door near the front window, much further down the car door than the first “lock” button Markel had hit that locked him in, and there was almost no chance he would hit it. Knowing Markel is a schnauzer, Groomer Mom knew he is food-driven. She went back in the grooming room and got the jar of dried liver from which he had treats during his groom. His Mom had borrowed Groomer Mom’s phone and was on a call with a locksmith while Groomer Mom shook the jar of treats near the front of the side window and prayed. Prayed hard. Markel kept edging closer and closer to the edge of the door near the front, and all of a sudden there was another “click.”

Before anything could reverse, Groomer Mom grabbed the door handle and opened it. His Mom stood there with her mouth hanging open while Groomer Mom was saying, “Praise God!” and “Good boy, Markel!” and giving him lots of treats. His Mom cancelled the locksmith.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, with a successful post-groom report! (And Lucy, Church Dog, saying “Praise God!”)

A big thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!

Grooming with Mom on Thankful Thursday

Thanks to Brian for hosting Brian’s Thankful Thursday!

Lucy here, with another episode of Grooming with Mom on Thankful Thursday. We’re all real thankful today and every day that Groomer Mom’s Small Dog Grooming business is thriving, and that she’s able to offer the kind of service that creates a less stressful environment for all the pups who come to be groomed.

Today I have a new dog to introduce and a second groom on a puppy. First, the new pup.

This is Annie, a three-year-old Berma-doodle. This is the best picture we could get of her before her groom. ( I think she was looking at me, her Zen Dog.)

Annie used to belong to a family who had a lot of health issues and related expenses. When it became too much for them to take care of her, her new Mom got her. She may be three, but she’s still very puppy-ish, and very “busy” on the table. Here she is after her groom and bath.

Oops, looks like Groomer Mom missed a little strand of hair hanging on her ear. That’s OK, she clipped it after this picture was taken. Isn’t it funny how pictures show up things that someone might miss after staring at the dog (or anything) for over an hour? See ya’ next time, Annie!

You may remember Pippa, a tiny 4-month-old yorkie who was here for the first time back in February. Oops, just remembered that we never told you about Pippa. Groomer Mom forgot to get an “after” picture and when Pippa’s Mom sent her one, she forgot to have her Ace Reporter report on it. Wonder what we can do about Groomer Mom’s memory… So, better late than never, here is Pippa from February at 4 months of age. You can figure out which one is the “before” picture, BOL!

Shortly after Pippa had been here she fell off her people sister’s lap and broke her ankle! She was diagnosed with weak bones. How awful is that!

Now, three months later, Pippa came back for a “full” groom. Previously, Groomer Mom just did some touch-up, what she calls a “mini-groom.” This time Pippa’s Mom wanted “the works!” Her nails had gotten really long but were no bigger around than a tiny pin. And her hair had gotten long, too. Pippa was extremely good on the table, just like was used to it. Groomer Mom kept showing her the tools she was using and talking sweetly to her, and Pippa just let her do what needed done! And you can bet that Groomer Mom was extremely careful that Pippa didn’t fall or jump off the table! Here she is, seven months old, before and after having her “second-ever” groom.

You can probably see that she’s grown some, but she’s still really tiny, probably not more that a couple of pounds. We hope she stays well and comes back to see us soon!

What are you thankful for today?

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with *wags* and *smiles*.

Grooming with Mom: Bear and Rosie

Lucy, Ace Reporter, coming to you live from WGWM with another episode of Grooming with Mom. We are so thankful for all of Mom’s wonderful clients and their pups! Today we have two new ones to introduce to you.

But first, a big thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!

First up is Bear. He’s JoJo’s brother. We introduced JoJo back in January. You can see that episode here. Some of our friends suggested in comments that JoJo be treated for yeast. This is JoJo:

She was here getting groomed with Bear, and still very “yeasty.” So Groomer Mom showed her Dad what she has been giving Xena, a set of 3 powders called “Yeast Free Fido” from Four Leaf Rover, and suggested he try it. It’s really helped my sister Xena’s yeasty ear and this is the first time her tummy has looked “normal” in years. He asked for the link and said he would try it. Groomer Mom did warn him that it would take at least a month to start seeing results. Paws crossed it works for the dear little poodle JoJo.

Back to Bear. He’s also a miniature poodle, silver, and will be 13 this July. This is Bear before grooming.

He really didn’t look too bad. And yep, he’s got a mohawk. His dad wanted him to keep it, just trim it a little shorter. Remember that when you see his “after” picture, please. Groomer Mom would never suggest a mohawk on a poodle, but she also doesn’t argue with a client (most of the time.)

Bear was very timid, and did not want his toenails cut. Who does? I mean, I don’t, but I also don’t make a big production of it. *clears throat* Sorry. Didn’t mean to make this report personal. Anyhow, here is Bear’s “after” picture.

Moving on…

This next pup, Rosie, was referred to us by Brinkley’s dad. If you missed Brinkley, you can see him here. Rosie had been going to a different groomer who had her Dad sign an agreement that said they would not groom her if she had any fleas. The last time he took her, she had 3 fleas and they refused to groom her. They set another appointment for her and he took her home and gave her a flea bath. Then they called to reschedule that appointment. That was the final straw. He loved how Brinkley was groomed, so he got the referral and came the next day.

Here’s Rosie before her groom. Well, almost before her groom. Groomer Mom had already shaved her body when she remembered to take a picture. She is a nine-year-old shih tzu, and looks and acts much younger.

When Rosie arrived Groomer Mom used three different blades on her tummy for her Dad to decide what length he wanted her hair. It ended up that he wanted the longest one. She was a very good girl on the grooming table. Then it was bath time. Groomer Mom had the sprayer hose going full blast when Rosie decided to leap out of the tub. Groomer Mom dropped the sprayer and grabbed Rosie on her way down to the floor. Meanwhile, the sprayer sprayed the ceiling, the walls, the table and the floor. “Popcorn” rained off the ceiling onto everything, including Groomer Mom. It took three big towels to sop up all the water and wet “popcorn”on the floor. Groomer Mom didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, so she laughed.

After all that, here’s Rosie’s “after” picture.

And she looks so innocent.

Ace Reporter Lucy signing off, with wishes for a great “popcorn-free” weekend!

Grooming with Mom Recaps on Thankful Thursday

Lucy, Ace Reporter, coming to you live (well, I AM alive!) from, WGWM with another episode of Grooming with Mom. We are so thankful for all of Mom’s wonderful clients and their pups! And a shout out of thanks to Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday

My usual M.O. is to report on new grooms. Today I would like to show you how some current grooms have changed, as well as other pupdates.

Let’s get the sad one over with first. You may remember Barkley, a one-year-old rescued schnauzer/yorkie/poodle mix. He was here last December for his first groom since being rescued. A couple of months ago he escaped from his house and ran into a yard that belonged to a bigger dog. Precious Barkley didn’t survive the encounter. May he play like the puppy he is on the other side of the rainbow bridge.

We’ve been following puppy Dixie since her first groom here. She’s now nine months old. This time her front right leg had shorter, curlier hair than her other legs. Her Mom said that she had broken her leg in two places when she jumped off their bed. She had her surgery and her leg now has metal plates, but she is getting around like nothing happened.
Dixie has grown a lot and Groomer Mom decided it was time to do something different with her face. Dixie’s Mom agreed. And her Dad wanted all her leg and body hair trimmed as short as her one leg. Here are pictures of her previous groom (L) and the one done this time. Let us know which way you like her face best.

Dixie still has crazy puppy ears, and that’s just going to have to take time.

Molly came to us from downtown for her first groom here several months ago. In response to a reminder text, her Dad called from L.A. saying he was visiting his son over the Christmas holidays when he fell and broke his hip. He wasn’t going to be able to bring Molly, since she was stuck there in L.A. with him. When he was finally able to make the trip back, he hobbled into the small grooming area with his walker and Molly on a leash. He told Groomer Mom she could cut Molly’s hair how she thought it would look best this time, as opposed to making it look like a picture he had of another dog that she modeled the groom after last time. Then he asked what she’d been doing. She told him she’d been to a nearby Mexican restaurant the night before and how great the food was, and the band was really good too. At that, he said he’d go wait there, get a beer, watch the game on their many TV’s, etc. That was a great solution, since Molly was un-groomable with him here. Here’s Molly from her first (L) and second times here. Personally, this reporter really likes the second groom better.

Molly’s Dad got a late lunch and declared both the food there and the groom here excellent!

Next up is Winston. He is a multi-poo/shih tzu mix. Winston first came to Small Dog Grooming in 2017. He came back two years later, then in a year, and seems to be a more or less regular client now. His Mom gets busy and keeps forgetting to make an appointment. His last time here was the beginning of January, when he got a “mini-groom” because the weather was cold. These are his before and after pictures from this past weekend. He was terribly matted, but thankfully no fleas. And he was very good for his groom!

This time his Mom made an appointment for 6 weeks, and wants to keep doing that so she doesn’t keep forgetting.

Let’s wind this up with a wish for a Happy St. Patrick’s Day from our friend Laila.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful episode of Grooming with Mom.

Grooming with Mom

Many thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday! And thanks to all my readers for joining me in another episode of Grooming with Mom.

Today we have a new groom to present to you, a big Aussie Doodle boy by the name of Basil. Basil’s brother, Chief, comes regularly for his grooming needs. That’s the reason Groomer Mom accepted Basil, even though he’s already bigger than any of her “small dog” grooms. Here’s Basil before his groom.

If this isn’t already Awwww-worthy, I don’t know what is! At four months he still has a lot of growing to do, which means Groomer Mom may have to decline continuing to groom him. But that decision is for the future.

Basil’s Mom and sister stayed to help. He did prove to be very difficult because 1. this was his first time on a grooming table, and 2. he’s a puppy! He had to go into the dreaded sling to get his nails and paws done. In case you don’t remember, here’s Chia in “the sling.”

Getting back to Basil, (sort of) this was the first time Groomer Mom met his Mom and sister. His Dad always brings Chief, but Basil’s appointment was for a Friday when his Dad had to work. Groomer Mom says she gets a lot of her socialization needs met from visiting with her clients, and she really enjoyed the time spent with them while they helped her with Basil. I was also called to come use my powers of Zen to help out, and I was glad to oblige. Groomer Mom forgot to get a picture of Basil when he was finished so his Mom sent us his “after” pic.

Even more adorable, right? This is Lucy, Zen Master and Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Grooming with Mom on Happy Tuesday

This is Lucy, with Happy Tuesday’s edition of Grooming with Mom. But first, a big shout out to Miss Sandee at  Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday.

As you will see, this seems to be White Dog Tuesday. First, we got back a pup who was here only once, in July of last year. It’s been six months, and the long hair and mats to the skin indicated that he hasn’t been anywhere else since then to get groomed. Presenting once again Teddy the seven-year-old maltese. Here he is before his groom.

Teddy looks like a fluff ball, but is actually matted clear to the skin; they’re the kind of mats that won’t just come out, not even with dematting spray and comb. So Groomer Mom had to shave him everywhere except for his head, ears and face. His Mom must have been brushing those areas. He was shaking-on-the-table nervous, so I was called to come in to be a calming presence for him.

Teddy liked me and did settle down some with me there. After all the shaving was done, he asked me to come closer so he could whisper in my ear.

“Tell that person she’s all done and I can go home now,” he quietly woofed.
I told him to just stay calm while he got his bath and finished up. At “bath” he started shaking again. Oops.

Teddy’s bath and groom was finally done, and here he is, definitely ready to go home.

Teddy, are you giving us a raspberry?

While Teddy was waiting for his person, Groomer Mom got a call from a fellow whose neighbor had given him one of Groomer Mom’s business cards. He has an 11 year old white miniature poodle named JoJo who needed groomed. Groomer Mom told him she was ready for JoJo right then and to come on. Here is JoJo before getting groomed.

JoJo has been going to get groomed every 4 to 5 weeks, so she wasn’t in too bad of shape. She’s a good girl, and it was easy to tell she is used to being on the grooming table. Strangely, she didn’t like her right leg messed with and kept trying to bite the clippers. Then she would look guilty, like she knew she wasn’t supposed to be doing that.

JoJo is on two medications from her vet for bad allergies. Can you see that black area on her chest? Under both of her front legs her skin is black too, and the hair there was matted with a gooey, stinky, tan-colored substance. Her vet said to just keep those places washed. In all her years of grooming and five years of working at a vet, Groomer Mom has never seen anything like it. She had to wash it off of her clipper blade when she was done shaving under those legs. She is requesting that this reporter ask if any of you might know what that is, and if so, please leave that information in the comments.

Anyhoo, here is JoJo after a good bath and groom.

Her Dad was pleased, so we are hoping to see this dear pup again in the near future.

This is Lucy, signing off with *wags* and *wiggles* from another episode of Grooming with Mom.

Grooming with Mom: Molly and Dixie

This is Lucy, with Happy Tuesday’s edition of Grooming with Mom. But first, a big shout out to Miss Sandee at  Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday.

Groomer Mom was covered up with grooms all of December, and I hope you’ll forgive this Ace Reporter for being lax in reporting new grooms. Here I present you with one new groom and a second-timer. Hold onto your seats, cause here we go!

Late one evening Groomer Mom got a call from someone who apologized for the late evening call, but that he was a lawyer and had been tied up in court. Well, while some lawyers may deserve to be tied up in court, I never knew that actually happened! I wonder what he did?

Anyhow, he claimed that three folks he interacted with in his downtown condo complex and doggie group told him he had to bring his pup, Molly, to Groomer Mom to get groomed. They talked a while, and he seemed legit — except for that tied up in court part. He wanted Molly to have a teddy bear cut. Groomer Mom asked him if she had ever had one. No. And did he know what a teddy bear cut was. No. She suggested he look it up on-line. So they made an appointment for him to make the half hour drive out here in two weeks and she would see what Molly’s hair would do.

Here’s Molly pre-groom:

Molly is a one-year-old, eleven pound shih tzu/bichon frise mix, aka shih-chon. She was crazy on the table and even in her Dad’s arms while trying to get her nails cut and pretty much everything else. It finally reached a point where Groomer Mom hung her head, trying to figure out how to tell the lawyer man she couldn’t groom his dog, while he sat there chattering and anticipating a teddy bear cut, whatever that is. Finally, Groomer Mom told him that she was going to cover Molly’s eyes while he went through the door into the hallway where there were comfortable chairs. And for him to be very quiet so Molly didn’t know where he was. He did — guess he didn’t want to get tied up again — and within a minute Molly settled down and let herself be groomed. Of course, in that minute there were some meaningful finger shakings and looks from Groomer Mom, after which Molly proved herself to be a smart little shih-chon.

Her Dad had also provided Groomer Mom with a picture of another dog, saying that was the groom he would like. (It wasn’t a teddy bear cut.) Groomer Mom did the exact cut she was shown, right down to the strange cut over the eyes.

OK, so she clipped that little bit over Molly’s right eye after she took the picture. She released Mr. Lawyer Man from the hallway, and he was thrilled with the groom. He made an appointment for six weeks.

Some of you may remember Dixie, who came for her first groom in August when she was two months old. Here she is after that groom, crazy ears and all.

Groomer Mom suggested she be groomed every six weeks. Her Mom must have heard, “When she is six months old.” She came back in December for her second groom. This mini poodle/Australian shepherd mix had really grown! It had been so long that she forgot anything she had learned the first time here, and it was like a first groom all over again!

Her Mom stayed and helped hold her, and it ended up being a success. (I also assisted with my zen presence.)

That’s all for now, friends and followers. This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with two challenging but successful grooms.

Awww Monday Grooming with Mom

Lucy, Ace Reporter with another episode of WG(rooming) W(with)M(om). And many thanks to Miss Sandee at  Comedy Plus  for hosting Awww Monday! 

I mentioned in a previous report that dog breeds seem to come to Groomer Mom in three’s. We now have another two of the breed King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. A new family moved in just up the road and they saw the now-leaning-against-a-pole-next-to our-driveway grooming sign. They told Groomer Mom that it had been four months since the pups were groomed. They took them to one of the big box pet stores and the groomer there “did an awful job.” Now it was Groomer Mom’s turn! We think the Cavalier’s’Mom was already impressed when Groomer Mom started talking about how that breed should look, and what she planned on doing and also NOT doing as a groom for them.

First up is Mr. Chester, who is 6 years old and about 16 pounds. We don’t have any “before” pictures, because the groom is so minimal. It’s the bathing and drying time that really adds up!

Chester is a sweet, loving, outgoing boy, leaving a big kiss on Groomer Mom’s nose! Notice he still has the Cavalier trademark, the “feathers” on his feet!

His sister, Miss Dixie, is next. She’s quite shy, but still gave Groomer Mom a little kiss on her hand.

Their Mama stayed and held them for their nails. This reporter thinks it was just an excuse for her and Groomer Mom to visit and get to know each other a bit, as the pups gave no resistance. We found out that they recently moved here from Southern California, where, according to their Mom, things were getting a bit too “crazy” for her to stay. They chose Chattanooga on a whim, and are loving it here.

The Cavaliers’ Mom was delighted when she came to pick up her precious pups, and said they now officially have a new groomer!

Lucy Ace Report signing off with two more successful grooms!

Grooming with Mom on Awww Monday

Many thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday! And thanks to all my readers for joining me in another episode of Grooming with Mom.

Even though Groomer Mom’s business cards and sign reads, “Small Dog Grooming,” we had another large dog on the table this past week.

Chia: It seems like they just keep sneaking in.

Lucy: No Chia, they are scheduled.
While Groomer Mom also worked at the Jewish synagogue, she promised her young co-worker that she would teach her how to groom her new puppy. Fast-forward four months, and the Golden Doodle is six months old and ready for her first groom. This is Willa, another precious puppy who has never had an accident in the house, never chewed anything, never misbehaved, never run off…Riley, Chia and Xena are trying hard not to hate her.

Willa’s Mom, who we will call L, used to help her Mom groom their shih tzus, so she’s been around the block once or twice. Groomer Mom demonstrated how to do a particular grooming task, then handed the tool to L to do it. Seems that L is what’s called “a natural.” She’s very artistic, so we think that helped. After a couple of hours, the “masterpiece” was finished.

Hi, I’m Willa, and I was a good girl for my first groom.

Groomer Mom emailed to L the Amazon links of the tools she will need. With that, we say bye bye to sweet Willa knowing she’s in good hands.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off ’til next time, with *wags* and *smiles*.

Grooming with Mom: Theo on Thankful Thursday

Hey there folks, this is Lucy, Ace Reporter, reporting to you with another episode of Grooming with Mom. Let’s shout out a huge thanks to Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!

We get emails every week from Dogs Naturally, where we learn lots of stuff about good nutrition. They’ve been giving us a little quiz with one question each time, so we thought it would be fun to share those. Here is this week’s:
Which breed’s name means “curly small dog?” Answer at the bottom of this post.

Groomer Mom got what she thought was the strangest call ever from someone wanting a groom. The person said he has a miniature schnauzer whose groomer retired, and he couldn’t find anyone to give his dog a good groom. Then he saw a schnauzer with a great cut, a real “schnauzer” groom, and asked the owner where she took her dog. You can see where this is going, right? So far, nothing strange. The strange part is that he lives in Dalton, GA, which is almost an hour from us. We’ve had people drive 30 minutes, but not an hour! Groomer Mom even asked him if he was sure he wanted to come this far, and he assured her he did.

Theo – short for Theodore – is on the tall side for a mini at 20 pounds. He’s solid, though, no fat to make up those pounds. This is his “before” picture.

Theo’s legs and feet were very matted and a bit of scissoring and shaving had to happen to remove the worst of the mats. The last groomer had cut the hair straight cross that was growing out of his ears, instead of pulling it out. Groomer Mom growled a bit about that, and Theo sat perfectly still while he was tortured all that hair got pulled out. However, he absolutely would not allow his nails to be cut or have the Dremel used. His Dad holding him didn’t help and hanging him in the sling (you’ve seen Chia in it) didn’t help, either. Finally, Groomer Mom asked Theo’s Dad if he wanted her to stop, and he said yes. In the end, his groom was the same as our Xena’s!

Theo was happy cause he got lots of treats and his Dad was happy cause he loved the cut! He said he’ll be back next time Theo needs groomed, and promised to keep him combed out in between.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The breed whose name means “curly small dog” is the Bichon Frise. Bichon means a small, toy or lap dog, and frisé means curly.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another episode of Grooming with Mom! (*wags*)

Grooming with Mom on Thankful Thursday

I am Lucy, Ace Report, welcoming you to another episode of Grooming with Mom. Today we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!

Hello, dear Readers. It’s time to report on another new groom. A young couple moved into our neighborhood – across the street and one house down from us – a few months ago. A quick note that the other pups living here are determined to stop by to welcome them with some pee mail! The man with the same name as my Dad saw Groomer Mom’s *grooming sign and made an appointment to have their 13-year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel groomed.

*Perhaps a quick background on that sign is in order. Shortly after Groomer Mom revived her grooming career in our new house, she mentioned to Groomer Helper Dad that she was going to have a sign made and put it in the front yard. G.H. Dad actually laughed and said, “Do you really think that’s going to bring in clients?”

Of course, Groomer Mom just went ahead with her plan. Now, many years and three signs later, she has quite a few people who have become “regulars” because they saw her sign! This is the current one.

Back to Everly. She was rescued from a cruel puppy mill several years ago. At the puppy mill her tail was docked to “provide better access.” This reporter is not quite sure what that means, just that Groomer Mom choked back tears when she heard this. Everly is a quiet “soul”, gentle and cooperative. Her Mom said they named her Everly because they were giving her a for-“ever” home!

Everly’s Mom wanted her shaved, and her ears left long. Her “before” picture isn’t as dramatic as many of the first-timers’.

A groom, a few treats, a bath and a little over an hour later, she looked like this:

We think she even looks happier! She tied Maggie, the poodle/shih tzu mix for our Best Behaved on the Groom Table Pup. And since she was even better at getting a bath than Maggie, we think Everly may take the lead!

We’ve noticed that some things, such as different dog breeds, really do “come in three’s.” Mom and Dad’s good friend brought her King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, River, to Groomer Mom a couple of weeks ago. That was the first one. Now we have Everly. Who will be next?

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Grooming with Mom: Toby

Lucy, Ace Reporter here with another episode of Grooming with Mom. Many thanks to  Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday.

Today we have another new poodle puppy to introduce. Toby is five months old and never been groomed. I, Ace Reporter, personally met and interviewed Toby. First, Toby’s “before” picture.

Under all that hair is a sweet, 3 pound baby. Groomer Mom’s original plan was to brush him out (that’s a grooming term) and take a couple of inches off that mop, all the way around. But the brush wouldn’t go through his hair. The comb wouldn’t go through his hair. She sprayed him with a de-matter and used the de-matting tool, and it wouldn’t go through his hair. His mats were almost to the skin; there was no way to get some sharp shears there without risking cutting him. So next, Groomer Mom tried a long, #5 blade. It wouldn’t go through the mats. She then moved to a #7 blade, which cuts a little shorter, with blades closer together. Sure enough, with a little work, it found it’s way through. Of course, Groomer Mom also had to use the table strap to keep the little guy on the table and not trying to crawl on her shoulders while being groomed. Here he is again, partway through and wondering what this thing is around his body.

It was at this point that the groom got really tricky.

“Do NOT shave my front legs! Do NOT put that noisy shaver near my throat! Do NOT cut my nails!” declared little Toby with his screams, his teeth, his claws and all his energy to fight. It was at this point that Groomer Mom unstrapped him, carried him upstairs to Groomer Helper Dad and said, “I need help. Now.”

Groomer Helper Dad went downstairs, taking this reporter with him. At that point, I was wearing my proverbial Zen hat. While I sent calming thoughts Toby’s way, Groomer Helper Dad held him, got peed on, got scratched, and nearly dropped him. Then Groomer Mom wrapped Toby in a towel and pulled out or uncovered only the body parts she needed to work on. Groomer Helper Dad agreed to a picture as long as he remained anonymous. I’ll look up what that word means later…

The towel actually worked better than my zen thoughts, if you can believe that! Toby calmed right down and the groom was able to be completed. Here he is after his bath and touch-up.

Since Toby’s Mom couldn’t pick him up for 30 minutes, Groomer Mom brought him upstairs and put him in Xena/Chia’s kennel. Xena and Chia immediately ran up and started barking at him, which our Mom immediately put a stop to, saying, “Stop that! How could you be so hateful to this poor little puppy?!” Xena harumphed and walked away, but Chia decided to stay and try to make friends with him.

In the end, Toby’s Mom – who had never before had an “indoor” dog – loved the cut and understood why it had to be different from what was planned. She bought a grooming comb from Groomer Mom and made a new appointment for six weeks from now. She also told Groomer Mom that her 7-year-old son was very worried about leaving Toby. He asked his Mom how they knew they could trust “that lady” they left him with. She explained that his great-aunt brought both of her Yorkies (Molly and Cooper) here, and that she would never do anything to endanger them. Groomer Mom suggested that the boy be given a chance to stay and help during the next groom, so that option will be presented when Toby returns in October.

Lucy, Ace Reporter and Zen Master, signing off with another successful groom.

Grooming with Mom: Tucker

Lucy, Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat.
Today, we have only half a story. The ending has not yet been determined.

I know you’re all used to seeing cute pups come in looking a mess and go out all spiffed up. Groomer Mom forgot to get an after picture–she was too upset. No, there were no accidents during the groom. But there were no grooms during the past 12 months for this poor, elderly schnauzer. This picture was taken after Groomer Mom cut a path for him to be able to see a little bit while she kept grooming.

Tucker if 14 or 15 years old. His Mom, an elderly lady, died a year ago, at which time her son took in Tucker. The son had never had a schnauzer, or any dog who needed groomed. He lives in the neighborhood and saw the grooming sign in our front yard. He was hesitant to bring Tucker because he was so embarrassed, but Groomer Mom kept telling him how glad she was that he did. Tucker’s new dad said they couldn’t stand the stink anymore.

Tucker is a good boy and was used to being on the groom table. He was not used to having his face shaved. The hair on both sides of his schnozzle was matted to the skin, so there was no saving his beard. Upon trying to shave the terribly matted left side of Tuckers face, a cauliflower-like growth was uncovered, and the shaving had to go over and around it. That was Groomer Mom’s breaking point with this schnauzer, and her tears started to leak from her eyes. Anyhow, Groomer Mom thinks it’s a papilloma, with hope that the other, smooth ones are also benign. Some are bigger, some smaller, on his back, his cheeks, and his foot. It shows red here from having to shave the thickly matted hair off it.

Groomer assistant Dad had to be called in as Groomer Mom tried – unsuccessfully – for 20 minutes to shave an oblong, hard, matted area on the other (right) side of Tuckers snout, under his eye. The little she did manage to shave and showed red, inflamed skin underneath. She finally quit when Tucker became extremely agitated. And she cried some more.

Groomer Mom used a medicated shampoo with Chlorhexidine and Ketoconazole. Unfortunately, he still had an odor to him when he dried.

When Tucker’s dad came to get him, Groomer Mom showed him this 3/4″ thick, half dollar-size lump of hair on his face. She told him to take Tucker to the vet soon for him to be lightly sedated and have the vet’s office remove that mat. It is notable that in all the years she has been grooming, Groomer Mom has never before met a mat she couldn’t conquer. Then she showed him all the tumors for the vet to look at while he’s there. She was emphatic that he do this soon! He told her that Tucker had missed his spring annual checkup so he would get it all done at once. At that, Groomer Mom again emphatically told him to not allow the vet to give this elderly dog vaccinations, and explained why. She ended by telling him that she had a product called Anti-Vaccinosis to be given right after vaccinations to help counter the heavy metals and other not-good things mixed into the vaccinations, and said she would let him use it if he decided to get the vaccinations for Tucker anyway.

He left with Tucker, promising to bring him back before he gets looking too bad. If he doesn’t, Groomer Mom knows where he lives, only two houses away, and told us we could all poop in his yard.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with hopes of giving you a successful “after-picture” in about six weeks.

Sunday Guest Selfie: Markel

Many thanks to  The Cat on My Head  for hosting Selfie Sunday!

Lucy: Originally, Groomer Mom said I could do a Grooming with Mom feature on our newest pup who came for a groom. But she was so excited about finally having another schnauzer on the table that she forgot to get his “before” picture. Markel is the only schnauzer Mom has ever seen whose hair is like our Angel Lexi’s. Xena’s breeder said that there was poodle somewhere in Lexi’s family tree. Her hair — especially her leggings — had a tight, thick curl. Markel’s hair is almost as curly! Anyhow, take it away, Markel!

Hi, I’m Markel, but everyone calls me Baby Dog. My last groomer shaved all the hair off the top of my schnout, but my new groomer said something like, “Uh, uh, homey don’t do dat.” OK, BOL, maybe not in those words, but she said that is NOT how a schnauzer is groomed! So it’s growing out nicely. The rest of me was groomed like a Scottie, but my new groomer fixed that, too.

I don’t really like getting groomed, especially my feet and ears, but I do like looking handsome for my girl Peaches. She was super sweet to me after my 1st groom at this new place, so I guess I’ll keep coming. Groomer Mom has good treats, too.

Can you tell I love posing for pictures? I think it’s a “thing” with us schnauzers. Anyhoo, nice meeting y’all, and maybe I’ll see ya next time. *wags* Baby Dog

Grooming with Mom: Teddy

I am Lucy, Ace Reporter, coming to you on the Groom Beat! Today we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!

Once again one of Groomer Mom’s regular clients sent us a referral. Teddy is a six year old Maltese. He was adopted as an adult, and has sired several litters of Maltese puppies. He has a good home and is a Velcro dog with his Mom. Even so, he is very unsure of himself and afraid.

With his Dad’s permission, Groomer Mom gave Teddy a dropperful of valerian liquid to calm him. It didn’t work. He continued to shake throughout the time he was visiting. But Teddy is a good little boy, and Groomer Mom enjoyed having him “on the table.” (That’s a grooming term.) The last groomer had cut his hair short all the way around his ears. There’s wasn’t much could be done there except even up the bottoms and let them grow out more. And boy oh boy, under all that long hair he was matted to the skin like felt.

When Teddy was finished with his groom, he got a nautical bow on his collar and sat in Groomer Mom’s lap waiting for his Dad to pick him up.

His Dad came and told Groomer Mom, “We won’t wait so long next time to get him groomed,” and left her a $10 tip.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, hoping for a good treat tip for reporting on another episode of Grooming with Mom!

Grooming with Mom: Murphy & Maggie

Lucy, Ace Reporter here with another episode of Grooming with (my) Mom. Thanks, Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus, for hosting Awww Monday!

Today we have two new grooms, referred to Small Dog Grooming by Rhett’s Mom. First up is Murphy. Murphy is supposed to be a Morkie, but we agree with his Mom who thinks he has more poodle in him than Maltese or Yorkie. Here are a couple of “before” pictures:

Murphy just turned one year old, so naturally still has a lot of puppy ways. He gave kisses and wanted to climb on Groomer Mom’s shoulders and sit on her lap. He tried so hard to jump out of the grooming sink that Groomer Mom dropped the sprayer (twice), which caused water to fly everywhere. Among thing soaked were the Groomer from head to knees, the grooming table, and the floor. During the bath, Groomer Mom kept wondering if Murphy had chewed up styrofoam at home because of the little, round bits of puffy white things she kept finding in his fur and on the bottom of the sink. Then she saw the white film on her smock, the grooming table and the top and outside of the sink. After getting Murphy rinsed, toweled and under the dryer, she looked up. Sure enough, the water had reached the ceiling and removed about a foot portion of the popcorn ceiling! Another first! Anyhow, Murphy is still welcome back. Here he is, finished and cleaned of all the ceiling popcorn:

Next is Murphy’s sweet sister, Maggie. Maggie is also supposed to be a Morkie. You be the judge. No before pictures, and no funny stories.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with wags and wiggles and the wrap-up of two more successful grooms.

Grooming with Mom: Zoey

Lucy, Ace Reporter, with another episode of Grooming with (my) Mom. We are joining Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!

Today I am featuring a 13-year-old shih-tzu named Zoey. Her folks were referred to us by another new groom, of whom Groomer Mom forgot to take a picture, both before and after his groom. His name is Kylo and he is a standard poodle. There’s a story I’ll tell you about why Groomer Mom took this “not” small dog to groom, as soon as they come back in a month or so and we get some pictures.

Anyhoo, Zoey is a very well-behaved pup. She has bad areas on her skin which might be seborrheic dermatitis. Her folks are going to take her to the dogtor for it. She was at the dogtor not long ago and found out that she has fluid around her heart and also in a small pocket in her lungs. It could be pneumonia, her Mama whispered to the Groomer.

I would love to show you a “before” picture, but it seems that Groomer Mom simply forgot how to use her phone camera for the couple of weeks. However, she recovered her memory enough to get an “after” picture before Zoey went home.

Groomer Mom really liked this little shih tzu, and hopes they will come back fairly soon for the next groom.

That’s all for today, but check back soon for another edition of Grooming with Mom. *wags* from Lucy, Ace Report.

Grooming with Mom on Awww Monday

Hey there folks, this is Lucy, Ace Reporter with another episode of Grooming with Mom. Let’s shout out a huge thanks to Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!

Today we have three new grooms to wow you with. These folks found Groomer Mom on our local Nextdoor app. Let’s start with Rudy, a six pound yorkie who hadn’t been groomed for a while.

Besides pooping and peeing all over the floor, he was (mostly) a good boy. Here he is after his groom.

Now I can hold up my head with pride! Thanks, groomer lady.

Next up is Ollie, a four pound senior citizen yorkie. Groomer Mom failed to get a “before” picture, but she does want me to note that he was the best behaved of all three…other than pooping and peeing on the floor, of course. He was in constant motion, so this is the best picture we could get.

I didn’t know my eyes are so big! Can I go home now?

Finally, here is Trinket, the smallest of the trio, weighing in at two pounds. She was scared and very “active” on the grooming table. She also found it necessary to “relieve” herself all over the floor. Next time the yorkies three will have to stay in their kennels when they’re not on the grooming table or in the tub. Here’s Trinket’s “before” picture.

Trinket’s Mom gave specific instructions on how she wanted her groomed. After Groomer Mom took this picture she cleaned up some hairs sticking out. She also wanted to cut the hair along the sides of her face, but Trinket’s Mom wanted it left, so don’t blame us!

Wags and wiggles from Lucy, Ace reporter, wrapping up today’s session of Grooming with Mom.

Happy Tuesday Grooming: Izzy, Allie and Izzie

Lucy, Ace Reporter here, on the Groom Beat.

Today we’ll start out with a pair of pups who have been to us twice. His Mom was referred to us by Griffin’s Mom. If you don’t know Griffin, you can read about him here.
There are no “before” pictures since they get groomed every three weeks. First up is the most unusual three-year-old, Izzy, a Biewer Terrier. This is pronounced “Beaver Terrier.” No, really, I am a reporter, and I am not kidding. You can read about the breed here. I didn’t write it, but it’s still good reading. Groomer Mom followed Izzy’s Mom’s grooming instructions, with Izzy ending up looking like this.

I don’t like having my picture taken.

Izzy’s “sister” is a two-year-old Maltese, Allie. Groomer Mom used her longest blade (a 3.5 blade) all over her body and legs, then did a lot of scissor work to make it look good. These are both very good and sweet pups. Here’s Allie after her groom.

With Allie and Izzy’s next groom already on the calendar, let’s round things out with a pup we forgot to introduce back in November of 2020. One of our other regulars referred her to us. This pup’s name is also Izzie, just spelled differently. She is a Maltese/shih tzu mix. Izzie was born May 3, 2019, so that makes her, uh, let me get my calendar and calculator. Hey Mom, how old’s Izzie? Uh huh, uh huh. Dear readers, I’ve ascertained that Izzie will be three years old this May. Here is a picture from her last groom.

Izzie’s hair is very fine with no undercoat. I can see her freckles! Her Mom brings her every two to four months. She’s a quiet, sweet and sort of scared dog. But she doesn’t take long to groom, so she gets to go home quickly, which is her favorite part of the groom.

That’s all for today, folks. Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with many thanks to Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday.

Grooming with Mom: Then and Now

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, with pupdates on Millie, Gus and JoJo

Gus and Mille began coming to “Small Dog Grooming” (Groomer Mom) back in June of last year after their previous groomer passed. You can click here to read the story and see the pictures of their first groom by Small Dog Grooming. They have been coming every month since then. Groomer Mom took fresh pictures the last time they were here in February.

Millie

Gus

Next up is JoJo, a yorkie who has come every three weeks since April of last year. She is five now. You can click here if you want to see the story and picture from her first groom at Small Dog Grooming.

She got a real different groom from previously…more off her face and less off her body. Her Mom said the cold makes her eyes run. We like this look better.

Chia has been bugging me during this entire report. She wants me to post a picture of her.

Are you taking pictures of me while I’m asleep?

Lucy: There you go, Chia, not one, but two pictures.

Chia: Sheesh, Lucy, I didn’t mean those pictures!

Lucy, Ace Reporter signing off with groom updates (and sweet revenge).

We are joining Comedy Plus with much thanks for hosting Awww Mondays.