05/20/2026
These pictures aren't usually the type I share on my social media, but I did a groom last week on the sweetest little treasure of a pup, and it's one of those grooms that sticks with you for a while afterwards.
It's inevitable in a groomer's career that we will come across owners who are either unaware of their pet's grooming needs or unable for some reason to meet those needs, and as a result, their pet is in poor condition and in need of a reset. Many groomers have to turn these pets away, recommending a vet shave their pet for liability reasons. In many cases, this is the right call. Shaving matted and pelted coats can reveal, or even cause, damage to the skin and irritation, as the stretched-taut skin is under great stress and there is no real way of knowing what damage has been done until the groom is over.
But veterinary care is (understandably) expensive, and most vets and techs aren't specifically trained to safely shave down matted pets while teaching them to understand and tolerate grooming, which is what this little dude needed, so I told his mom the same thing I tell any owner with a severely matted pet: "I'll do my best." There are no promises when working with a sentient creature. I would do whatever Pluto would safely allow me to do.
Pluto rose to the occasion. Despite sore spots on his skin from matting, and a sore leg, this sweet puppy did not protest one bit as I freed him from his coat. For his first groom, this was a doozy, and this little treasure of a dog trusted me through the process and really, REALLY enjoyed his zoomies around the garden afterwards (I didn't let him zoom too much, because of his sore leg, but oh my heart the pure JOY on his face as he zipped among the dandelions was beautiful).
Pluto is booked to return next month so we can work on maintaining a little more fluff, something more practical and easier to maintain at home. I'm looking forward to getting to know him better and helping his owners give him his very best, most comfortable life from here on out. Great work, Pluto! ❤️🐾