# Pet Professionals... who trusts them?



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

There have been several threads lately about vets, groomers, kennels, trainers, etc. and how awful and terrible they are, and how you don't trust them to touch your dog, take your dog out of the room, you don't want to leave your dog, etc. 

It surprises me that I see so many of these posts, because 95% of my grooming clientele don't seem to have that attitude. Maybe I have an honest face or something, but most people seem to automatically trust me and have no problem handing over their dog for a few hours. They are great people to work with and after reading the threads here and hearing other groomers' horror stories about clients, I feel tremendously lucky to have them.

I do encounter a few people who are overprotective of their dogs and do not want to "leave" their dog, people who expect me to have a nanny-cam, people who ask a gazillion questions and second-guess my responses. Because 95% of my clients are NOT this way, I regard these as outliers, and I avoid doing business with them. I am booked out for 3 weeks with regular returning clients, so at this point in my career, I can be picky about the new clients I take on.

What I'm wondering is, is the percentage of non-trusters equal to about 5% of the dog-owning population, or am I seeing a larger number of them here because this forum is skewed toward a certain type of dog owner? Or are the non-trusters simply more vocal?

If a certain vet, groomer, kennel, trainer, etc. came recommended to you, would you automatically trust them, or would you still feel compelled to "check them out" first? I assume that if anyone went to a place and got a bad vibe, they would leave, but would you play 20 questions with the proprietor? 

After a fire destroyed my grooming salon in 2009, I had no place to groom my own dog, and she needed it badly. Since all the groomers I used to refer to have scattered to the four winds, I just picked up the phone and started calling around. I found a groomer who was just starting out and had a place in a pet supply store. She could take me on my day off, so I made the appointment, dropped off my dog, talked to the groomer for a moment about pick-up time, and went about my jolly way with no worries. So I guess I'd be in what I perceive to be the majority of people who do not get unnecessarily worried about leaving their pet in the hands of a professional.

What about you?


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

If it wasn't for pet professionals Jonas wouldn't be alive. Yes I trust them 100% with his life.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

It really depends on the professional.

And the thread about the terrible experiences was about just that: terrible experiences. 
There are capable and incompetent people in every profession. If I don't trust a service provider, I found someone else who I can trust.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree with Sunflowers(I didn't vote in the poll)...some I'd never ever let my dogs near/ and some I know personally who I'd trust. 
Because my dogs are a handful, I wouldn't hand over the leash to just anyone(even my vet!)


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

I guess I will re-word mine. I would not just let anyone with Jonas I check them out first, and see how they are with him. Jonas's first vet was really bad and all they wanted was money, money, money. But they did warn me about his heart and I heeded their warning. I went got a second opinion and they told me something was not right. I then took him to a well known heart specialist in my area. He has been on medication since 5 months old. I would do anything for my boy and I wouldn't let just anyone handle him. For regular vet checks I take him to the vet Taz went to. The vet I took him to for a second opinion is afraid of German Shepherds, so he will not be going back there. The vet that found the heart problem ...well I can't afford vets like that, they do weird things to dogs there and charge a lot of money to do it.....Anyways I just wanted to say I definitely would not just anyone handle my dog.


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

Our old groomer was fantastic! Not only was it a decent price ($35 to groom a very large german shepherd in LA, on Ventura blvd to be exact is GREAT) and they did a great job, but Metro loved them! Hated the grooming (he only like us to brush him, hated bathes!) but loved the people! They loved him too! He was one of the few dogs that was never placed in a kennel or crate, they would secure him to the wall with an 8ft lead and let him hang out with them! We moved, so we can't take Sabo there unfortunately, but we have a U Wash Doggie just a few miles away so we can do it ourselves now if we have to (and if the hose isn't an option).


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Sunflowers said:


> It really depends on the professional.
> 
> And the thread about the terrible experiences was about just that: terrible experiences.
> There are capable and incompetent people in every profession. If I don't trust a service provider, I found someone else who I can trust.





onyx'girl said:


> I agree with Sunflowers(I didn't vote in the poll)...some I'd never ever let my dogs near/ and some I know personally who I'd trust.
> Because my dogs are a handful, I wouldn't hand over the leash to just anyone(even my vet!)


My thoughts exactly. There is one vet at the practice that gave me a very wrong diagnosis and cost me a few hundred dollars. She may be a good vet but she's very new. I'd prefer she not learn on my wallet. One tech manhandled Jax in a way that scared the **** out of her. Another tech dragged Sierra across the floor with a prong collar on. It doesn't mean I don't trust everyone. It means I've had experiences that make me cautious.

These threads are just getting ridiculous.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

I voted yes, I do trust them. I've only met one vet I do not trust, he is very smart and knows his job, but I think he preys on people's emotions and pushes them into treatments that are futile. When you decide not to act on his recommendation he becomes curt. He is an ER vet and was the only one in town, but not anymore.


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## jafo220 (Mar 16, 2013)

Sunflowers said:


> It really depends on the professional.
> 
> And the thread about the terrible experiences was about just that: terrible experiences.
> There are capable and incompetent people in every profession. If I don't trust a service provider, I found someone else who I can trust.


 
Ditto this comment......

There has to be some trust there until the professional gives you a reason to not trust them. But it doesn't hurt the express your concerns and beliefs to reinforce to them you won't tolerate incompetence or lack of attention to detail.


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

Crooky's an easy groomer (at his last visit he got quicked twice during a nail trim and barely reacted except for a little flinch) so I don't have too many concerns handing him over to someone.

Pongu is not easy to do _anything_ with and he really does freak out if he's taken out of my sight -- to the point of knocking tables over and injuring himself -- so I'm sure I occasionally come off as an "overprotective pet parent" when I'm telling people about him, but oh well. He is what he is. I let groomers take him to a back room if they want to, but I try to tell them what'll happen first. Our regular groomer knows what to expect now, but if it's a new person I try to be the one to hold Pongu.

I don't have issues with vets. We've been lucky on that front.

I don't have issues with our trainers either, but that's because I have learned to be very picky about where I go and who I trust -- and we only train in dog sports, not "problem behaviors," so there's a certain minimal level of competence required of _any_ instructor at our club. When I was new to dogs, it was a different story. There are about a million and one "trainers" that I wouldn't trust to handle a rutabaga.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I didn't vote because it didn't have an option for me:

Yes, I trust *SOME* pet professionals.
No, I don't trust *SOME* pet professionals.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Freestep said:


> Because 95% of my clients are NOT this way, I regard these as outliers, and I avoid doing business with them.


LOL 10000 lemmings can't be wrong! 

Not only 'pet professionals' but any other doctors, lawyers, accountants and call center representatives love this approach as well; can't blame any 'professional' for not liking to add a hassle like answering questions to a work day.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

GSD07 said:


> LOL 10000 lemmings can't be wrong!
> 
> Not only 'pet professionals' but any other doctors, lawyers, accountants and call center representatives love this approach as well; can't blame any 'professional' for not liking to add a hassle like answering questions to a work day.


So I take it you don't trust anyone?

To be clear, I don't mind answering questions. In fact I have an extensive FAQ on my website to address this. What I do mind is when someone is an armchair expert, and second-guesses everything I have to say, as though I'm on trial. I have been in business long enough that I shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. When someone has never been to a groomer before, of course there will be questions, and I'm happy to answer them. But if you don't like my answers and you don't want to trust me, it wastes both of our time to continue the conversation. If you don't feel comfortable with me, don't come to me, that's all I ask.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i voted yes i do trust professionals. i trust the ones i use. if i had to
leave my dog with someone i'm definitely going to ask them questions
and feel them out. how coud you leave your pet with someone without
questioning them so you can have a feeling for them?



Freestep said:


> There have been several threads lately about vets, groomers, kennels, trainers, etc. and how awful and terrible they are, and how you don't trust them to touch your dog, take your dog out of the room, you don't want to leave your dog, etc.
> 
> It surprises me that I see so many of these posts, because 95% of my grooming clientele don't seem to have that attitude. Maybe I have an honest face or something, but most people seem to automatically trust me and have no problem handing over their dog for a few hours. They are great people to work with and after reading the threads here and hearing other groomers' horror stories about clients, I feel tremendously lucky to have them.
> 
> ...


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i think as a professional you should expect people to ask you questions.



GSD07 said:


> LOL 10000 lemmings can't be wrong!
> 
> Not only 'pet professionals' but any other doctors, lawyers, accountants and call center representatives love this approach as well;
> 
> >>>>> can't blame any 'professional' for not liking to add a hassle like answering questions to a work day.<<<<<


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Freestep said:


> So I take it you don't trust anyone?


 Your guess is wrong. How a person can live in a society with trusting no one? 

I trust professionals, and I do not trust 'professionals', and I have my own way of evaluation who is who, based on many years of experience . When I look for a vet or a trainer I do not wait until something is wrong with my dog but just go and meet the people and do my due diligence. If the vet/trainer have problems with my questions well, I surely will not waste my time and call the money for the consult well spent. Maybe, it's not so important with grooming, I have never had to use professional services in this area.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

arycrest said:


> I didn't vote because it didn't have an option for me:
> 
> Yes, I trust *SOME* pet professionals.
> No, I don't trust *SOME* pet professionals.


What I mean is, once you have decided on a place and made an appointment, do you then trust the judgement of the professionals? So, say you're at the vet and they want to take your dog back to the treatment room for a blood draw. Do you trust them to take the dog out of your sight?


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

they don't know they're uncomfortable with you untill you
answer they're questions.



Freestep said:


> So I take it you don't trust anyone?
> 
> To be clear, I don't mind answering questions. In fact I have an extensive FAQ on my website to address this. What I do mind is when someone is an armchair expert, and second-guesses everything I have to say, as though I'm on trial. I have been in business long enough that I shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. When someone has never been to a groomer before, of course there will be questions, and I'm happy to answer them. But if you don't like my answers and you don't want to trust me, it wastes both of our time to continue the conversation.
> 
> >>>>> If you don't feel comfortable with me, don't come to me, that's all I ask.<<<<<


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

making an appointment doesn't warrant trust. you have to talk
to the people and to see them in order to get a feel for them.



Freestep said:


> What I mean is, once you have decided on a place and made an appointment, do you then trust the judgement of the professionals? So, say you're at the vet and they want to take your dog back to the treatment room for a blood draw. Do you trust them to take the dog out of your sight?


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I voted yes.

There are tools in every profession, including mine

When it comes to the care of my family or pet I do my due diligence and ask the appropriate questions. If I feel comfortable & confident you get my business. If I am not happy i move on. I also rely on word of mouth. For me it's really simple.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> they don't know they're uncomfortable with you untill you
> answer they're questions.


I'll say it again: I don't mind people asking questions, I'm happy to answer them. I have an FAQ on my website that helps people get their questions answered, and if they have further questions or concerns, I happily address them.

What bothers me is when they don't like the answers, and continue to cross-examine me as though I'm trial for animal abuse, or try to convince me to do things the way THEY think it should be done, for the price THEY want to pay. 

If you don't feel comfortable with my way of doing things, that's fine--find another groomer who makes you feel comfortable. For example, if you want to stay with your pet, and you can't accept the fact that I don't allow it for liability reasons (as well as the fact that most animals behave a lot better once their owner is gone), that's fine, I'm not going to argue with you, but neither am I going to cave in. It's just my way, it's not the only way. I'll suggest a mobile groomer that comes to your home, so that you can stay for the whole procedure if you want to. 

I've made exceptions to my policies in the past, and might again for the right person, but I don't cold-call professionals and ask them to change their policies because I think I'm entitled to special treatment. Personally, I think it's rude to do that. I don't mind talking to people and taking time with them, making them feel comfortable, assuaging their fears just like I do with animals. But if we come to an impasse, there's no point in going further. I don't have unlimited time to spend with people that aren't going to schedule an appointment; there are animals in my care that need grooming, whose owners paid for my time, and they deserve my time and attention first.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I don't trust them. This industry isn't regulated - groomers, boarders, trainers - and I've had some bad experiences, so definitely not! That said, I might trust you in particular Freestep, but that would only be after you've proven to be trustworthy, lol. 

I remember when I had to board my last dog on short notice right before Christmas. He was only 6 months old and several kennels that I called were going to house him outdoors.....in winter....huh? One said they'd make an exception and keep him indoors and when I went to check it out, they were going to keep him in a wire crate in the garage with a space heater going. It was a garage full of paint, and all I could smell was the oil fumes. Lovely! Another one kept the dogs in a portable trailer, and each kennel partition had linoleum on the floor, and each one had been badly scratched at exposing the wood sub-floor, and it reeked of lysol. Lovely again! I found a very nice kennel on the fourth try, lol. 

I used a groomer to clip nails a long time ago, since my GSD at the time hated having them done but this groomer could whiz through the job no problem - she was recommended by a friend so I thought that was good enough. Yeah, except she quicked more nails than she didn't, and I had to use my own styptic powder when we got home. Never again will I let someone else do a job that I can manage. 

No offense to the pet professionals out there, but some of you are just awful, and we owners have to pick and choose where we take our pets and not just believe the advertising. Hats off the the good ones!


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Freestep said:


> but I don't cold-call professionals and ask them to change their policies because I think I'm entitled to special treatment. Personally, I think it's rude to do that.


 What I hear in your posts is just 'me, my time, me, me, I won't, I don't, me, me'. Why do you expect a special treatment from your customers? Their pets are special for them, they do expect special treatment. Customer service, anyone? A person just calls and asks about options, how rude.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

GSD07 said:


> What I hear in your posts is just 'me, my time, me, me, I won't, I don't, me, me'. Why do you expect a special treatment from your customers? Their pets are special for them, they do expect special treatment. Customer service, anyone? A person just calls and asks about options, how rude.


I don't expect special treatment from clients, I expect normal treatment--just to be civil and polite, is that too much to expect? I'm rarely disappointed, so I'll just keep expecting that.  Thankfully, I don't run into rudeness very often.

Of course everyone's pets are special and of course they are all given special treatment, I bend over backward for my clients. I am talking about people who call out of the blue, people I have never seen before, who expect me to change my policies just for them. That's what I find rude. If a good client asks me to go against policy, I might, depending on the client and what they want, but there are some things I don't budge on.


For example, people will call out of the blue for an appointment and expect me to clean their dog's teeth. I don't do it, for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it's basically illegal. I've actually had a couple people try to talk me into it, but that's something I'm not going to give in to. They're going to have to find someone else to do it; there's no point in arguing with me about it. I recommend their veterinarian because that's the only person who can legally clean teeth. I know there are others who do it, but they're treading on thin legal ice, so I can't in good conscience recommend them.

I don't know, but when I am looking for a service, I go with the one that can do what I want. If I call someone and they don't do what I want, I don't argue with them, I just go on to the next. No hard feelings.

Not sure what you mean about a person calling and asking about options.


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

This has already been said several times in the thread, but I do trust pet professionals ,but am picky about who I send my pets to. Overall I look at how my pets act after I pick them up. I ask a few questions and will look at the facility, but I don't come in like the police either. I don't mind leaving my pets behind while I run errands or other things, but I only do that I feel comfortable with


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