 |
I've never trusted groomers. I've never felt comfortable enough to leave any of my beloved dogs at a groomer's. Initially, this suspicion stemmed from the horror stories told to me by a professional groomer who came to my house to cut my dogs' nails years ago. And then later, I saw the steady stream of hideous articles about dogs who had been injured at grooming facilities that flowed into PETA's office, filling up a fat file called "Grooming Accidents." There were dogs who had been burned, dogs who had been cut, dogs whose tails had been broken, and dogs who had died of strangulation or heatstroke.
Just last month, a little dog named Bendi came home from a PetSmart grooming facility and had to go straight to the vet because her paws had been burned during a flea treatment. PetSmart paid the vet bill.
I have actually taken dogs to grooming facilities myself, but I've always stayed and watched the proceedings. One year, I wanted to try having my late husky, Darby, shaved down for the summer, so I took him to a groomer. When I made the appointment, I stated that I wanted to watch, so they made me take the last appointment of the day, which was fine. And just last week, I took my three foster Chihuahuas to a local groomer to have their nails trimmed and their anal glands expressed, and I thought the groomer did a wonderful, professional, and very speedy job. We didn't even have to leave the reception area―we were done in less than 10 minutes.
However, I could see back into the grooming area, and what I saw really worried me: An unattended dog with a noose around his neck standing on top of a grooming table. I spoke up and said to the groomer, "Hey, I'm really worried that that dog over there is going to jump and hang himself or get his neck broken." She looked momentarily annoyed with me and then said, "It's fine. I know that dog." Well, I know my dogs, too, but I can't predict their every movement. And when the stakes are that high, I think a groomer should have been standing next to that dog as long as he was on the table.
Many people saw the grooming exposé "Pet Grooming Dangers," on the Today show on August 1, which was prompted by the grooming death of Sushi, the 2-year-old Labrador retriever of one of the Today show's employees. Sushi had been left for a week at a boarding facility and was supposed to get a bath before being picked up. When her guardian, Amanda, arrived to pick her up, instead of the thrill of a joyful reunion, she experienced the horror of learning that Sushi was unconscious. Not long after that, Sushi died at the vet's. Later it was determined that Sushi had been put inside a "cage dryer" for 30 minutes with the temperature set at 100°F.
I took one look at those dryers in the Today piece and shuddered. I couldn't believe my ears as I watched person after person, including someone from The Humane Society of the United States, repeat some version of the mantra, "These cage dryers are safe if used properly." Excuse me? First of all, the cage dryer has a setting that goes up to 100°F, so it has a built-in setting for death. Secondly, machines malfunction. A groomer might think that the dryer was set at 80°F, but in reality, it might go haywire and shoot up to 100°F or even 135°F. Thirdly, there are many dogs who, for various reasons, are automatically going to be at high risk inside one of these contraptions. These include dogs with flat muzzles, older dogs, dogs with heart problems, dogs with respiratory problems, etc. Finally, the dryers are run by mere mortals, who work for a largely unregulated industry. On any given day, a person can be distracted, tired, hung over, ill, depressed, or just plain stupid―any of which could cause a careless mistake, leading to tragedy.
And what is the purpose of these cage dryers anyway? There is nothing inherently necessary about them. According to a leading professional groomer who was interviewed on the Today show segment, a cage dryer "gives the groomer the ability to do more dogs in one day." That's the ONLY raison d'être for cage dryers. Money. Cage dryers don't make dogs safer, and they don't make dogs healthier. They just make groomers wealthier.
I have nothing at all against groomers per se. I think groomers provide a wonderful service, especially for people who are unskilled at trimming nails, expressing anal glands, or giving a dog a summer shave. But a bath can certainly be given at home. (And dogs don't even need to be bathed that often.) In any case, there is no reason on Earth to drop a dog off at a groomer's and just leave. Doing that just so that you can cram more activities into a busy day is just not acceptable. Your dog's life is at stake. In my view, leaving a dog with a groomer is riskier than leaving a child with a sitter because (a) the dog can't tell you what happened while you were gone, and (b) the groomer has a cage dryer.
I think cage dryers should be banned outright. A plain old fan will do just fine.
For more information about grooming accidents, how to prevent them, and basic grooming that you can do at home, click here.
Comments ( 13 )
[This comment is updated]
i think a lot depends on the individual groomer.
i had a dog that we took to the groomer and upon bringing him home bit one of us for the first time ever -- and it turns out the groomer gave my dog drugs to 'relax' so she could do a faster job because she had a date. also, she sliced off 4 of his nipples, and sliced open his testicle sack.
and we did NOT authorize drugs for the dog (he was a SWEET dog and did not need drugs!), and also, what if he was allergic to the drugs? we had no say in what she did, she just did it!
so, there are horrible groomers out there, no doubt!
however, there are great groomers out there. we had an older dog who would take a long time to groom because he couldnt handle much at a time. he also had a ton of warts, which needed to be trimmed around. we found a groomer who would work on him 10-15 minutes every hour, going through his fur a couple inches at a time to make sure they didnt clipper his warts. then let him take a break. then did it again.
i dont think they had cage fans though. but those were really good groomers.
we even took our shelter animals to them, and the groomers would stop even if an animal was half done if the animal decided they had enough. to me, that is the mark of a great groomer too. to be able to listen to the animal, and not force them into it if they have clearly had enough.
Posted by rachel | August 5, 2008 6:31 PM
Posted on August 5, 2008 18:31
yeah cage dryers should be banned...
no animals should EVER have to go through that!
Posted by erika | August 5, 2008 8:32 PM
Posted on August 5, 2008 20:32
I always thought water, soap, towel, and a brush worked. Maybe I'm crazy.
Posted by ian | August 6, 2008 10:16 AM
Posted on August 6, 2008 10:16
just saying that people should clean dogs at home is too simplistic for real life.
i had an older dog with warts who overheated in the summer and needed to be shaved down. i did not have training to do it properly without hurting him. and i didnt have the right equiptment!
my grandma has a dog that needs to be frequently shaved, and he bites people he doesnt know well. but he loves his groomer and she does a good job with him.
some people may not feel comfortable clipping nails, etc. some people are not capable of bathing or grooming and cutting their pet's fur.
it is silly to say all groomers are bad and people who use them are stupid or lazy. that is a blanket statement that just does not fit.
but it does make sense to check anyplace you take your pet out very well before allowing them to work with your animals.
>>>KP's Response:
Hi Rachel,
Would you mind going back and rereading my post? I don't think you really read it, because I certainly did not say that all groomers are bad and that people who use them are stupid or lazy. I also specifically said that groomers provide a very important service for people who are unskilled at clipping nails, shaving their dogs, etc. Take another look. Thank you.
KP
Posted by rachel | August 6, 2008 3:21 PM
Posted on August 6, 2008 15:21
KP-
my comment wasnt directed at you. it was the person here - and a lot of people in the duplicate post made on the general blog- saying that people not bathing dogs at home are lazy, stupid, etc, and that all people should only bathe dogs at home.
Posted by rachel | August 7, 2008 10:48 AM
Posted on August 7, 2008 10:48
hi, i just want to say i understand your concern because some grooming shops aren't good, but i have been working at Pet-i-care pet grooming for over a year now for school and it is an AMAZING place.Everyone who works there does there best to keep each and every dog who comes in safe, there safety is our #1 priority, no dogs are ever left unattended or mistreated , and anyone who dose not think of the safety of each and every one of the dogs would most likely be fired. Each dog has its own personality , some dogs are angels at home and when they come for a groom they are nervous or scared or bite but we find somthing that works for each dog.Some people bring there dog in every week for day care because there dogs love to come to the shop and play and socialize, it is good for dogs to socialize especially new puppies. I am working toward becomming a professional dog groomer because i LOVE the job and the people and the dogs so much and some of the dogs that come in are like family to us. Everyone treats the dogs like they are their own and it is a very caring, gentle, professional place. I know not all grooming shops are like this but maybe you should consider that some places like pet-i-care are AWESOME places who care about the needs of your dog almost more then you do.
~sincerly~
a dog groomers assistant
Posted by nicole | August 8, 2008 5:09 AM
Posted on August 8, 2008 05:09
cage dryers at my work are set to one temperature that is warm, a timer is also set for each individual dog and they do NOT go thru hell, if used properly they are a good device especially for dogs with very thick fur because if u had to dry that fur yourself it would seriously take all day, even when goldens and shelties come out of the dryer after 20 mins some still take about 2 hours just to dry alone. shops shouls not be careless and shove shaved dogs in there wich there is no need for or older dogs or leave dogs for outragous amounts of time that could harm them in any way , there has to be rules and people checking on every dog all the time.
Posted by nicole m:) | August 8, 2008 5:15 AM
Posted on August 8, 2008 05:15
I walked into the PetSmart by my house recently to check out their grooming services. It was a Saturday and they were packed. What I saw was most groomers were on their cell phones chatting away, showing more interest on their phone conversations. The rest of the groomers looked bored with their jobs.
I walked out, never to return. --- Actually I went to the parking lot, saw little pieces of broken glass EVERYWHERE, where people with their dogs on a leash walk through... so I walked back in to tell them to clean it up asap and to keep better maintenance of their lot!
I found a groomer that I trust and that I really like. My advice to people, hang around and watch while your dog gets groomed.
Posted by Jaclyn | August 11, 2008 4:42 PM
Posted on August 11, 2008 16:42
my grandma takes her dog, daisy to the groomer and the other day she was talking about how they put her in an "oven" to dry her after she had taken a bath. obv. the cage dryers... but she told me that daisy always acts lethargic after she comes out of them. she told the groomer not to dry daisy like that anymore. that dog is loved too much for anything to happen to her!
i also think that the cage dryers should be banned. it just seems logical
Posted by presley | August 13, 2008 3:52 AM
Posted on August 13, 2008 03:52
I think that you are making a very wide generalization of all groomers. My sister is a groomer and she is one of the most carefull people I have ever met. Also, why would you fave a husky shaved? Their coat keeps them warm and cool and it also protects them from the sun.
>>>KP's Response:
Hi Sara,
If you go back and reread the post, I think you'll find that I didn't generalize about groomers. I generalized about cage dryers and about human imperfection.
Regarding giving Darby a summer shave ... I had heard both positive and negative about that and didn't know which was right, so I thought I would try it. We had just moved from Maryland to Southeastern Virginia, where it's always about 10 degrees warmer and very humid, and I thought Darby would suffer in the heat. He did OK with the shave--it wasn't that close--but I know there are differing opinions on whether or not to shave dogs who live in warm climates. I'm still not sure which is better.
KP
Posted by Sara | August 15, 2008 11:09 AM
Posted on August 15, 2008 11:09
Not all groomers are evil.
It all depends on the groomer! I have seen people literally slice their own dog to bits trying to give it a haircut themselves-and it cost them big time at the vet-much less the poor dog thats all cut up!
I used to groom for 6 years before changing careers and Every animal was treated with great care. We also never used cage dryers too.
People with breeds that NEED haircuts should seek out a groomer that doesn't cage dry. And do your homework! Ask to see the shop, how clean it is, and watch the staff how they interact with the dogs before making an appt. Cheap haircuts do not always equal quality. You get what you pay for.
Posted by Heather | August 23, 2008 10:14 AM
Posted on August 23, 2008 10:14
My baby is a yorkie and I have taken him in a few times to te groomer, just this last time i happen to stay down there while he was being groomed and saw the whole dyer thing for the 1st time. I was aghast by this nightmare that I had put my poor baby through. he was so frighten and to tell y
Posted by Anonymous | September 19, 2008 11:29 PM
Posted on September 19, 2008 23:29
You are a horrible person for putting down the entire grooming industry. You decided to merley educate yourself on the bad things that can happen in grooming. How dare you. You don't have the slightest idea of what a groomer does during the day and why those dryers are necessary. Of course, shame on groomers for using cage dryers to make more money! I don't know if you realize this but we don't groom because it's our hobby. Groomers aren't all independently wealthy, I'm sorry to say. Yes, we use cage dryers. YES, THEY ARE ***SAFE*** WHEN USED PROPERLY!!! Obviously there are people who are far more educated and experianced in the field than you (like the Humane SOciety of The United States) who arent going to lie to you about whether or not a dryer is safe. If it wasnt they would pull it. I'm so sick of people like you giving me a bad name. I work hard. I love all the pets I take care of. I've been bit in the face twice, had my hands ripped open by nasty dogs more times than I can count, cleaned out infected ears, shaved off literally fist fulls of poop off infected butts, cleaned absesses, and cleaned up and taken care of more OWNER INFLICTED cuts, and scraps from your home groom jobs and still people like you think because we use a peice of equipment to make our lives a tiny bit easier we are horrible an incompitent.
So... to put your mind at ease.. I worked at Petsmart. THey have 15 min timers on their dryers that sit ontop of the cages. the air has to go thru 10 feet of tubing before it reaches the cages. each dryer has 3 tubes on it so you can imagine even a warm air dryer the temperature would dramatically drop before it ever hit the dog. Not to mention they have checks every few hours by management. 1 dryer per each small and medium cage and 2 for a big one. obviously I dont know how all mom and pop shops are run but I do know it is MANDATORY all cages have water at all times and animal control does random checks to ensure the dryers are used properly, water is in cages, that the shop is clean and well maintained. The grooming industry is not out to get you. we dont hate your dogs.
If you are concerned about your groomer find one with experiance. the shelf life of a fly by night groomer is 2 years. Find one that has been working longer than that and you have yourself a professional. I take great offense to your "blog" I went to school to learn my profession. I take great pride in my work and am very good at my job. Ive been in the pet care industry for 7 and a half years, a groomer for 6 of them. If you take your dogs to the cheapest place you can find its on you when you dont get a professional. I'm sure you wont post this on your site but I hope you at least take into consideration next time you post something the harm you are doing to the reputaiton of those of us who know what we are doing. Do more research next time. Your blog is one sided and seems you made up your mind long before you had all the facts.
Posted by heather | September 20, 2008 8:52 PM
Posted on September 20, 2008 20:52