You glance out the window and see that the new customer you scheduled is approaching your door. You suppress a groan because you can tell, even at a distance, that their dog is severely matted. You begin to prepare yourself mentally for the upcoming conversation.
Mr. and Mrs. Dontownabrush enter your workplace with a bouncy dog at the end of the leash. You greet them and reach down to pat the pet, assessing its coat condition as you do. Indeed, it is as bad as it looks. In rare cases, the owner will tell you they know the dog is a mess and to go ahead and clip it short. If this happens, it's your lucky day. Consider buying a lottery ticket on the way home.
A more likely scenario is that you explain to the customer that their dog's coat is matted and tangled to the point where a very short haircut will be the only humane choice. They argue that their dog cannot be matted. They brushed it out just last night.
Next, the best thing to do is to put the dog on a grooming table and educate the client.
- Use a comb and show them you cannot comb through the coat on any body part. Put the comb in their hands. Let them try to get it through the coat, explaining that the comb must pass easily from the skin to the tips of the fur. Use a dryer on a low setting to show them the webbed, tangled mass of fur near the skin. Hopefully, the head, tail, or both will be brush-able, and some length can be salvaged. Show them the areas (if they exist) where you can detangle small areas to leave a little personality and fluff.
- Show them photographs of just what a short haircut looks like. You don't want them to be surprised when they pick the dog up. It is up to you to explain to them just what to expect from this grooming experience. The worst thing you can say is, "I'll do my best." This phrase will leave them expecting to retrieve a fluffy pet and guarantees disappointment. Explain that if they get the pet on a regular grooming schedule and learn to do some coat care at home, you can help them achieve their fluffy goals. But not today.
- If the customer insists they do not want the dog clipped close, and you, the professional, know they are requesting the impossible, consider sending them away. If you do, it means a loss of income and a hole in your schedule. But, if you keep the dog and clip it close against their wishes, chances are there will be unpleasant repercussions. They will likely be angry at the results of your hard work (and let's be clear, clipping matted dogs is hard work!) There is an excellent chance they will write a scathing review and tell every pet-owning person they know about their unhappiness with your business. A damaged reputation is far more costly than losing a single appointment.
As pet groomers, part of our job is understanding that not all customers have reasonable expectations of our work. We should do our best to educate them, but if they cannot understand the limitations of the condition of the pet's coat, it is sometimes the best choice to refuse service.
