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yipyap · 09-06-2013, 03:55 PM

I bathe, groom, and trim my Yorkie at home. It is not hard to do if you begin when your dog is young. Read-up on dog grooming articles for good advice, like always putting part of a cotton-ball in your dog's ears to keep water out of their ears while washing, and be sure to remove the cotton balls as soon as dog is out of the tub. Never use high heat temps to blow dry a dog! Use "non-stinging-eyes shampoo" on the dog's head and still try to keep the suds out of any dog's eyes, and comb-out snarls Before bathing your dog. Use good quality, non-drying of the skin, dog shampoo, NOT your human shampoo!!
I've only taken a dog of mine to a groomer two times in my whole life:
One time was when my parents paid to have my miniature Schnauzer bathed and groomed when they took their own Schnauzer to their long-time groomer. Both dogs came out with tails wagging and looked fine--we asked the groomer to put both dogs in adjoining dog crates at his shop...which we think KEPT my dog calm because he could see and smell "Schnapps" beside him until it was time for us to pick them up.
The second time was 20 years later when I won a "free bath & grooming" at our local pet store's grooming salon. This time it was my 5 lb. Yorkie. He looked nervous, but the lady who groomed him talked to him constantly, and Taffy came out smelling and looking very nice. He actually loves to have his hair dried when I groom him at home, so the salon's hair dryer did not bother him at all. I enjoyed watching her trim Taffy's legs, and I later bought the same round-tipped scissors (Made by Yellow Dog Company) in the pet store's product aisle. They are much safer than regular scissors due to the rounded-off points and cut wonderfully.
It was SO sad to watch this older couple mourning their little Maltese, but if the dog tried to bite the vet's groomer, it sounds like the dog was scared to start with and the groomer should have spent more time talking to the dog. She also should have worn "protective gloves" if she sensed any signs of the dog being upset! She was probably hurried and reached in to take the dog out too fast...these dog groomers have to work quickly & steadily all day long, but it pays to watch any dog carefully before approaching it. If you are not allowed to watch your own dog being groomed (from a distance so dog is not distracted) then go somewhere else!! Some groomers do not want 'dog owners' in their shop, but in the end, it is your money & your choice about where to go & who grooms your dog!

09-06-2013, 03:55 PM	#17
yipyap Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA., USA Posts: 173	This is why I groom my Yorkie at home! I bathe, groom, and trim my Yorkie at home. It is not hard to do if you begin when your dog is young. Read-up on dog grooming articles for good advice, like always putting part of a cotton-ball in your dog's ears to keep water out of their ears while washing, and be sure to remove the cotton balls as soon as dog is out of the tub. Never use high heat temps to blow dry a dog! Use "non-stinging-eyes shampoo" on the dog's head and still try to keep the suds out of any dog's eyes, and comb-out snarls Before bathing your dog. Use good quality, non-drying of the skin, dog shampoo, NOT your human shampoo!! I've only taken a dog of mine to a groomer two times in my whole life: One time was when my parents paid to have my miniature Schnauzer bathed and groomed when they took their own Schnauzer to their long-time groomer. Both dogs came out with tails wagging and looked fine--we asked the groomer to put both dogs in adjoining dog crates at his shop...which we think KEPT my dog calm because he could see and smell "Schnapps" beside him until it was time for us to pick them up. The second time was 20 years later when I won a "free bath & grooming" at our local pet store's grooming salon. This time it was my 5 lb. Yorkie. He looked nervous, but the lady who groomed him talked to him constantly, and Taffy came out smelling and looking very nice. He actually loves to have his hair dried when I groom him at home, so the salon's hair dryer did not bother him at all. I enjoyed watching her trim Taffy's legs, and I later bought the same round-tipped scissors (Made by Yellow Dog Company) in the pet store's product aisle. They are much safer than regular scissors due to the rounded-off points and cut wonderfully. It was SO sad to watch this older couple mourning their little Maltese, but if the dog tried to bite the vet's groomer, it sounds like the dog was scared to start with and the groomer should have spent more time talking to the dog. She also should have worn "protective gloves" if she sensed any signs of the dog being upset! She was probably hurried and reached in to take the dog out too fast...these dog groomers have to work quickly & steadily all day long, but it pays to watch any dog carefully before approaching it. If you are not allowed to watch your own dog being groomed (from a distance so dog is not distracted) then go somewhere else!! Some groomers do not want 'dog owners' in their shop, but in the end, it is your money & your choice about where to go & who grooms your dog!