08/27/2026
Saw this on a Grooming page-- it speaks truth:: There are dogs that leave the shop looking like a hot mess- it could be that they are aggressive, scared, matted or just hyper in general. It's very hard to get a beautiful groom on dogs like these- and a lot of time these ones are $20 more then normal price, because of the time it takes. It's always another side to what you see or hear. Grooming is not for the weak minded nor for those that expect perfection when the dog is just uncontrollable. You have bad grooms from want to be groomers that do not educate themselves- and then you have bad grooms from hard to handle dogs. It's a difference
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Accommodation Is Part of Grooming. Rehabilitation Is Not.
There’s an important distinction I think groomers need to become more comfortable making:
We can accommodate behavior without accepting responsibility for fixing it.
A fearful dog may need more time.
A senior dog may need breaks.
A dog uncomfortable with handling may need modified positioning, fewer expectations, or a different approach.
A behaviorally challenged dog may require us to stop altogether.
Those decisions absolutely fall within our professional responsibility.
But somewhere along the way, many groomers began feeling responsible not only for recognizing and accommodating behavioral challenges, but for resolving them.
Those are two very different jobs.
We don’t expect a veterinarian to completely rehabilitate a dog’s handling issues during a medical appointment. We don’t expect a trainer to resolve every behavioral problem in a single session.
Yet groomers are often expected to safely complete a physical service while simultaneously desensitizing, training, rehabilitating, and somehow returning a behaviorally different dog at pickup.
That expectation deserves to be questioned.
A grooming appointment gives us a limited window with an animal while we are simultaneously trying to safely perform a necessary service. Meaningful behavior modification requires repetition, consistency, appropriate timing, and work outside the grooming environment.
There are things we can absolutely help improve through thoughtful handling, predictable experiences, and accommodations tailored to the individual dog.
There are also things that require work beyond our table.
Recognizing that isn’t failing the dog.
It’s recognizing the limits of our role.
Sometimes the most professional thing a groomer can say is:
“I can accommodate this while your dog is here, but this is something that needs to be worked on between appointments.”
Boundaries aren’t about caring less.
They’re about being clear about which part of the work actually belongs to us.
-Article inspired by Girl With The Dogs 🐾
Groomers: where do you draw the line between accommodating behavior and being expected to change it?
Honest to Dog Grooming™
Preparedness. Grace. Clarity.
