As dog groomers, we’ve heard it all. We understand that life happens—schedules get busy, vacations are planned, and dogs can be stubborn. However, there are certain phrases we hear so often that they’ve become “red flags.”
While these might feel like simple explanations to a pet owner, to a professional groomer, they signal potential safety risks, health concerns, or a history of neglected maintenance. Here are the top excuses we hear and why they make us see red.
1. “They were at the boarder/pet sitter, and they didn’t brush them.”
This is perhaps the most common explanation for a severely matted coat. While it’s true that a week away can lead to a few tangles, severe, pelted matting takes weeks or months to form.
- The Red Flag: It suggests that the coat wasn’t maintained well before the trip. Matting is painful for the dog and dangerous for the groomer to remove. When we hear this, we prepare for a shave-down and a very uncomfortable pet.
2. “Brushing is my kid’s (or my partner’s) job.”
Delegating chores is part of family life, but a dog’s physical health shouldn’t be left entirely to someone who may not have the skill or the discipline to do it correctly.
- The Red Flag: If the person responsible isn’t doing the work, the dog suffers. This tells us that there isn’t a consistent grooming routine in the home, which usually results in a stressed-out dog during the professional grooming process.
3. “The nails are long because she won’t let us touch her paws.”
We hear this one right before a dog tries to snap at us for a nail trim.
- The Red Flag: This is a major safety warning. If a dog hasn’t been desensitized to handling at home, the grooming table becomes a high-stress environment. It also tells us that the dog’s nails have likely been overgrown for a long time, which can cause skeletal issues and pain.
4. “Fido isn’t up to date on vaccines because we can’t get him in the car.”
Vaccinations aren’t just a “suggestion”—they are a safety requirement for the pet, the groomer, and every other dog in the salon.
- The Red Flag: If a dog is so poorly trained or anxious that they cannot get into a vehicle for medical care, they are likely going to be extremely difficult to handle during a 2-hour grooming session. Furthermore, it places the business at a huge legal and health risk.
5. “Our last groomer was just lazy and shaved him for no reason.”
This is the ultimate red flag for any professional. Groomers love making dogs look like their breed standard; shaving a dog is actually a lot of work and very hard on our equipment.
- The Red Flag: Most of the time, a groomer shaves a dog because it is the only humane option due to matting. When we hear that the previous groomer was “bad” or “lazy” for shaving, we know we are likely dealing with unrealistic expectations and a coat that hasn’t been properly cared for.
Why Transparency Matters
We aren’t pointing these out to be judgmental. We point them out because safety is our priority. When we hear these “red flags,” we aren’t just hearing an excuse—we are calculating the risk to your dog’s skin, the stress levels of the animal, and the physical safety of our hands.
The best relationship you can have with your groomer is one based on honesty. If you missed a few weeks of brushing, just tell us! We can work with the truth, but excuses often hide the very things we need to know to keep your pet safe and happy.
Let’s skip the excuses and focus on a grooming plan that works for you and your furry friend!
