15/06/2026
Full Circle life moment with a Standard Poodle π πΎ
I got a phonecall last year from a lovely owner who told me she was "at the end of her rope" with her Standard Poodle called Prince. He couldn't be washed or even touched with a brush he was so panicked. He had been turned away by groomers and had only been groomed under full sedation, and his Mum was desperate to find an alternative, as Prince was now understandably terrified of his own shadow when it came to grooming. When he first came to me he was carried in in a large crate as he was so shut down he couldn't even walk himself in through a doorway or walk on a lead outside of his own environment.
So fast forward to today, and Prince arrives at the salon now walking on the lead beside his Mum, he steps up into the bath himself, and he stands on the table and looks out the window while I groom him. We keep his grooming very basic so that he's familiar and comfortable with the routine, and he doesn't have to stand for hours of Poodle brushing and sc******ng and shaping. And when he leaves, and I watch him crossing the road camly with his tail up and wagging - that's the best moment for me always! I was involved in Greyhound rescue and rehabilitation/rehoming for many years before I became a dog groomer, and the joy of seeing a dog come out of his shell and be a dog, with all his fabulous personality on show, it never gets old!
When his Mum first came to me with him, I said the same thing that I say to every owner of "difficult" dogs - there are no guarantees. Dog Grooming can be the hardest job in the world at times for many reasons, and every dog is an individual. Sometimes things like muzzles, sedation, etc are necessary. All I do is the same thing that any groomer can do - I do my best with the knowledge and training and understanding that I have, but groomers are not magicians! Its lovely when people call me a dog whisperer or a miracle worker or stuff like that, but it's really not true, I just love dogs!! I'm grateful to every single owner who trusts me with their dog, regardless of what that dog is like, and I'm so glad I was able to help Prince because he's the best! Prince is not impossible, or difficult, or crazy, or ungroomable. He's just a little bit of a troubled soul. All I did was listen, and let him tell me all about it in his own language π₯°π§‘ππ©