Persia

Need good advice.

Persia was due for shots and I decided to make a grooming appointment at the vet's. I was told to drop her off at 8:30 and pick up was at 5:00.

I thought that since it was her vet that they would take special care of her because she is still a puppy. But no! When I picked her up she was very hyper.
I could also hear her barking in the back when I walked in. She was starving and very thirsty. She sat on my lap (instead of the backseat) on the drive home. She also became constipated until I gave her a little pumpkin. She never had stool problems.

The vet told me that she had behavior problems, because she fought her hard about looking in her ears, etc. (I think she was just hungry and wanted to be fed/soothed). She also scolded and terrified me when I told her about her recent RAW switch. She suggested Royal Canin or else Persia could risk going crippled.

The groomer did a beautiful job cleaning her ears (and why I even had her professional groomed so soon, they were bad!), shaving down her private parts and bath. That is all she did! I requested her paws to be trim, so that her nails showed but that didn't happened.

Since this is my first dog, I was hoping to consult with the groomer about taking care of her coat, products, ear cleaning, etc, but she had already left for the day. I paid 40 bucks! Which I would of not mind if I would of had the consultation. Heck! Petsmart charges about 12 bucks for what she did and they groom in plain sight of customers.

I will get over this and hopefully so will Persia.

What I'm disappointed about is that now Persia tries to bite me if I try to touch her.

She is more tolerant if there is food involved.

I think she is still upset at possible being mishandled. She had come a long way from her puppy biting. She also scratches and bites herself up a storm now. She never really did, and she is on RAW which is supposed to prevent this. I hurts me to see this and to think how scare she was.

Wondering if it was the shampoo? She smelled very strong but OH, so good!

My question is should I scold her about the biting (she is still listening to her other commands) or should I be more sensitive and train her AGAIN with plenty of treats not to bite.

What about the scratching/biting? Should I bathe her to wash off any product or play with her diet?
Thank you.

Fluffyspoos

I personally wouldn't give treats to prevent biting.. you could be rewarding the behavior if you're doing it wrong.

I dont think the bath/groom/vet visit has anything to do with her behavior, since it sounds like she was doing it before the visit as well. Get her in a puppy obediance class.

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Birdie

No offense, but it doesn't sound like she was mistreated at the vet. It sounds like she was very stressed and misbehaved while she was there (stress can cause the constipation, also). They took care of her and only charged 40 bucks for a bath and sanitary + ears. If she's a large poodle, that's a reasonable price. Sounds to me like they did what they could and were honest with you about why she might be acting strangely.
Give her a day or so to chill out, and be gentle with her. Don't scold, don't treat, just go about your normal routine.
Do some positive reinforcement at home to help her get used to being touched/handled like she would being groomed. The groomers can't really help it if your dog is biting, fighting and hates to be touched by them. They certainly won't feed your dog to appease it.
I agree with Fluffyspoos; it sounds like she might need to be in an obedience class.

fracturedcircle

i also think that puppy school sounds like a good idea.

cbrand

Good vet/grooming manners start at home and it is an owner's responsibility to teach these things to her dogs.

1. Why was Persia barking in her crate? Are you crate training her at home? Are you teaching her to be quiet and settled in her crate? Crate training is an important life long skill.

2. Puppies are not born knowing how to stand quietly for examination. Everyday, you should put your puppy up on a table and touch her all over. You should be able to look at her teeth, look in her ears, handle her feet etc. Teach your Poodle to stand, sit and lie down on a table. Once your puppy is good for you, invite a friend over to do the same. Your vet and groomer will thank you.

schnauzerpoodle

And my groomer thanks me by giving me a 10% discount because (1) Nickel is quiet in the crate while waiting and (2) allows him to do whatever that needs to be done and (3) is well brushed out and has minimum or close to no mats.

Persia can do it if you are patient and consistent with the training.

Aidan

It's not a dog groomers job to train your dog to be good for grooming. It's your job to do that at home..and your groomer will thank you for it and you will get a better groom because of it!

It's a lot easier to groom a well behaved dog. One of the first things I teach my dogs is how to stand on command and "turn" while in the tub. They also know not to pull their feet away.

Also get your dog used to the sound and feel of a blow dryer..even if you just use your own at home on a cool setting. A dog can't get the best groom if they are not fluffed out properly..and many dogs won't tolerate it especially for head/ears. It's helpful to get them used to these things at home.

Your dog isn't going to starve at the salon for a few hours. Most groomers don't feed your pet while they are there...it usually causes accidents and other problems.

It sounds like your dog was stressed out by the experience. This will get eaiser as she gets used to it. Let your dog get used to you not always being there.

Also, at Petsmart you might be able to watch your dog getting groomed..but that will most likely make her even more stressed out by the fact that she can see you but can't get to you. I also know that it's at least the same price for a bath at petsmart..no groom shop will bathe a poodle for $12.

I'm sure she will get better for grooming with some training at home. Others have given you some great advice! Good luck.

Also..take in a picture. Some groomers hate it but some love it..it at least gives me a general idea of what the person is looking for.

neVar

well i hear ya on vets not supporting raw- i just left a vet and that was one main reason.

But other then that only thing i can think of to complain about is that her feet weren't trmmed as you requested.

Next time ask to talk to the groomre (or even give her a call) with your questions. Many shops your checking in/out with the receptionist or the bather.

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grab

It does not sound as if she was mistreated, and a groomer (nor vet, nor tech) can magically make your pet behave if the work isn't being done at home to teach them grooming manners.

If you didn't take food along and instruct that she should be fed, it is not surprising that they did not give her a meal. Many dogs have food allergies or get upset stomachs from food changes. I, for one, would be very upset if someone gave my dog a meal of food she wasn't accustomed to. I'd be cleaning up bloody diarrhea for a week or, if it was a chicken based food, I'd have a red and itchy dog. If she's to have a meal at a certain time, you should tell them that.

I doubt a day of grooming caused constipation. Most likely it was from the recent food switch.(switching to raw is fine, but any diet switch can cause digestive changes in the short term)

Many vets are not educated on nutrition..that in and of itself doesn't bother me. I'm confident in my ability to educate myself and don't rely on my vet for that. I feed some raw, along with grain free kibble. The vet I work with sees nothing wrong with a corn filled diet. We agree to disagree

fjm

While I agree that it is important to get a pup used to handling and grooming, that is a long time for a puppy to be in a strange place, and if she is reluctant to be touched it does not sound as if it was a happy experience for her. Is it her ears in particular she is now protecting?

I would go back to basics. Lots of very short sessions just touching with a brush or comb, and rewarding for calm behaviour. Gradually build up to a full groom for one treat, but recognise that may take several sessions a day for several weeks. Similarly, play the taptap game with her feet - at first a treat for each toe touch, building up to her letting you hold them briefly, then touch them with the scissors or nail clippers, and then snipping next to them, before actually trimming slightly. And also with ears - first a touch on the outside for a treat, then on the inside, then a rub on the inside, then tug out a microscopic pinch of hair.

I would also visit your vet for a fuss and a treat as often as possible, to dilute any bad memories.