Getting Better

I'm about to hit my 9th month of grooming! On my birthday :) 

I'm very happy. 

I have been getting more requests lately. People are saying my faces look wonderful. I've finished a couple of dogs that a more senior groomer said I would have to send home.

I know I need to keep in mind that I'm still new, and not get overconfident. That's when I can make mistakes.

But it's just so COOL!!!

Seeing good results from working hard is awesome. And the dogs seem to be thanking me more too. I get more kisses :)

Maybe I'm finally getting into the zen grooming stage I have been wanting to be at. Where it's just cool and mellow and everything flows smoothly (even when it doesn't) ;)

Now I just need better equipment and I will be good to go :)

Screwed up...

So I messed up the other day. 

Big time.

It's like fight club...what's the first rule? Don't talk about it, right? Well in this case it's matting...don't be afraid to talk about it. And I was.

I told a lady I could leave an inch all over on her dog. But I knew the neck was matted tight.

I thought I could brush it out, I really did. I hate how the place I work is synonymous with shave everything no matter what. I really hate it. So I took it upon myself to do my best NOT to shave everything.

Even when I should. :/ 

My intentions were good. I wanted to save his hair. But I didn't have the tools or the know-how...maybe the tools and the know-how wouldn't have helped, I don't know.

The lady didn't keep her phone with her, so when I finally came to my senses and tried to call her I couldn't get hold of her. She showed up three and a half hours later to a dog that we now had to take down to a 1/16th of an inch on the neck, throat, and half the head. And the ears, which I hadn't even realized were matted.

I felt like crap. 

That's being clean about it. 

She was supposed to meet some people for lunch, with the dog. We made her an hour late. I made her an hour late. 

The people were expecting a fluffy dog. I had wanted to give them one. The lady upon checking in had told me that the vet had shaved him to the point she didn't know him once, and made her cry. I had told her I wouldn't do that.

:(

I made her cry. A lot. They comped her groom and I lost $40 commission. A coworker told me that it's ok, I'm new, it happens. But it's not ok, because I knew I couldn't do it.

Even though I thought I could.

Maybe I need to just fall in with policy, shave everything. 

And that makes ME cry. 

Days off

It's funny how one day off isn't enough and two is too much, isn't it? It's like being back in high school. After the weekend you just don't want to go back. Not saying once you get going it doesn't get better. It's the getting going that's hard.  

Take tomorrow for example...I just had two days off. My weekend. And I have no idea what's in store tomorrow. I think I have one shih tzu...the rest is a mystery. And that's where it becomes "mom I don't wanna go to school! " my poor husband hears that one every now and then. 

I love my job, I really do.

Sometimes. 

But sometimes....well lets just say my focus as been drawn from what's fun and put on what's not.

Drama drama drama. Such is life. I hope I have a more cheerful post tomorrow! I'm really going to try to write here everyday :)

New to this!

Two things in the last 6 months I never thought I would do. Start a blog, and groom dogs. The dog grooming started almost 6 months ago. I think I've learned a lot...I also know I will never learn it all. I get a lot of conflicting advice, some helpful, some not. It can be frustrating to be new to this business in a retail setting where the customers feel they know it all...and so do the coworkers. I would love to. Be good enough to open my own shop some day! This begins my adventures in grooming, and now blogging too! :)