Tag: ace reporter

Grooming Jema and Annie on Awww Monday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia29 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter here to woof to you about the latest two grooms.

Since Mom retired at the end of last month, she has gotten four new pups in to groom. Today I’m reporting on the last two. They are sisters, and older girls…like me. Oh, and Groomer Mom forgot to get “before” pictures. I think she was a bit overwhelmed. They hadn’t been groomed for 6 months. Their Mom explained that they’ve both had lots of medical issues and they’ve spent a small fortune at the vet. Mostly, they’ve been afraid to leave them with a groomer because of health and behavior issures.

This is Jema. She’s a 13-year-old maltese. She’s really tiny and really sweet.

Because of awful matting, she had to be shaved everywhere except the top of her head and ears. Speaking of ears, she kept rolling over on her right side and jerking away and even rolling onto her side when G. Mom tried to do anything with that ear. It was totally full of …well, of something. G. Mom showed Jema’s Mom when she came back. She said that Jema had already been to the vet once with that ear, and G. Mom said she needed to go again.

Next up is Annie the 14-year-old Maltese. She was an even bigger challenge.You can see where she had licked and chewed all the hair off the tops of her front feet. She has lots of allergies. She also had lots of really big mats, close to her skin.

Because of her white hair, G. Mom couldn’t use a short blade or Annie would have been bald, nothing but pink skin. So the struggle with a longer blade ensued. Oh, did I mention that Annie barked the entire time she was being groomed? She only stopped long enough to reassess her situation when G. Mom put her in the tub. Yes, it was “Bark.” pause “Bark.” pause “Bark” pause for almost an hour and a half.

G. Mom also experienced a “first” with Annie. She let her entire, full bladder loose on the grooming table. It took two grooming towels to sop it up and then clean the table. After a bit, Jema pooped on the table. No problem. G. Mom scooped it into a bag for disposal. After her bath, Jema managed to finish emptying her bladder on the table. *sigh* Wow did G. Mom grab her up fast so she wouldn’t step in it right after her bath. At that point, I thought my good mother G. Mom would loose it. But no. She gently took Jema’s face in her hands and said she would rather her mess on the table and bark than try to bite her. So I guess they were still on good terms when Jema’s groom was through.

Her pawrents returned and were very pleased. G. Mom told them about the health problems she found. Then she laughed and told them about Jema. They said she barked the whole time no matter where they took her, and also messed in the car and anywhere else she went. Well, at least it wasn’t a statement of hating to be here!

After all that, they rewarded (paid) G. Mom well, and are planning on coming back in ahout 6 weeks. We’ll have the ear plugs and clean-up crew on stand by!

Lucy, Ace Reporter, wrapping up my report on another set of new grooms. Hope to see y’all again soon!

Thanks to  Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Mondays!

Lucy, Ace Reporter, on the Groom Beat with Cooper

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia27 Comments

Thanks to  Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Mondays!

Hi friends! Lucy, Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat. Today we have a new groom, a senior citizen named Cooper.

We don’t think he’d been groomed lately… Anyhoo, his Mom ran into a friend while shopping and they started talking dogs. The friend used to bring her dear pup who recently passed to Groomer Mom (G.M. for short) and now brings Baby, her new, senior citizen dog. So Cooper’s Mom got G.M.’s phone number from her and here he is!

G.M. was instructed to give him a “summer cut.” Here is Cooper partway through his groom.

Look! He changed colors! Cooper has a bad hip, and he didn’t want to stand up, so G.M. had to use the strap to help him keep standing. He was pretty good until she started trying to groom his face. Oh no. Oh no in a BIG way. He jerked and threw his head up and down and this way and that way. We think he may have worn himself out a bit, cause he settled down just enough for G.M. to groom his face without worrying about hurting him. At last…

And that’s how we wrap up with annother successful groom!

But before we go, we want to bow our heads for a moment in honor of and thanks to all the brave men, women and animals who gave their lives for our freedom.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off until next time.

Pee Ess: I haven’t eaten a stone in a week.

Bailey Pup Returns on Happy Tuesday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia26 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter on the Groom Beat, here at
WGroomingWithMom. We have sad news and happy news all for the same pup today. Let’s get started

First the sad news…two years ago next month, one of Groomer Mom’s (GM) clients passed away. She was the sister of another one of GM’s clients, Marquita. Since then, the pup’s dad has had to take over everything she did, and the last thing he was thinking about was getting Bailey (who you will see shortly) groomed. Marquita, brought Bailey a couple of times when she was bringing her own pup, Peyton, to be groomed

This past weekend, Marquita brought just Bailey. GM was so glad to see her! Bailey’s hair had grown very long, and was actually quite pretty, except for places like her head and face and feet, where it really needed trimmed. Even so, Marquita wanted her shaved short like she used to be. It seems Bailey will be staying with her while Bailey’s dad tries to sell his house.

Bailey was extra good for GM during the entire groom. Here she is, all finished up!

Isn’t she a pretty girl with big, pretty eyes?

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Grooming with Mom and Fritz on Sunday Selfie

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia26 Comments

Hi folks! It’s been a while, I know. Since we last met, Groomer Mom (GM) has groomed five schnauzer puppies as well as their Mom and Dad!
She was so busy with the pups that she forgot to take pictures of all but the last pup, Fritz. Fritz was adopted by our neighbors, and 15-year-old Clare is his new Mom. If you missed our Christmas Eve post about this, you can find it here.

After GM got off her office job on New Years Eve, Miss Clare brought Fritz over to be groomed.

This is a picture of them on Christmas Eve when Fritz arrived at his new home and had played himself into a stupor.

It’s getting pretty cold around here, so the decision was made to leave most of the hair on him that usually gets shaved off from his back, head, chest and ears. He still didn’t like being groomed and kept grabbing GM’s hand with his sharp little teeth. She had to get firm with him, and he responded to that with slightly better behavior. He still didn’t want the sides of his face shaved, so GM had to use the scissors, which he didn’t like either. Miss Clare stayed and held on to him, but he was still a challenge. Here is Fritz, finished, although not quite to the satisfaction of his worn-out groomer, AKA his Aunt Amy. And we let Fritz have the selfie this Sunday!

In one more picture GM asked me to include, she used ChatGPT and placed Fritz in a fancy salon with a mirror.

On New Years Day Miss Clare told GM that after his groom, Fritz went home and fell fast asleep. He had worn himself out, BOL!.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter signing off with another (mostly) successful groom!

Thanks to The Cat on My Head  for hosting Sunday selfies!

Ty Beanie Bears Say Goodbye

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia22 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter, here to tell you about two of Brother Andrew’s collection of Ty Beanie Babies, who are leaving us (for the great unknown). He was cleaning out his stuff from the attic, and decided to sell all his T.B.B…except for the ones who were damaged. Here are April and September to tell you their own stories.

Hi new friends. When we got rescued from a box in the attic, we thought, “Great! now we can have some fun!” But, somehow, in a way neither of us can remember, we were “damaged goods.” So instead of selling us, Andrew gave us to his favorite pup, Chia. We had no idea…no idea…we thought it would be all fun and games with this talkative, very active dog. Then the chewing started.

I’m innocent, your honor!

September: Yeah, as innocent as a crocodile in a fresh water fish pond.
April: It didn’t hurt much. But our guts started to fall out.
September: The little beads were all over the floor.
April: Then the Mom saw what was happening.
September: She said, “You finished them off, Chia. Now they have to leave before you eat their guts.”

April and September: Ever since that we’ve been sitting here in front of the Minties the dogs eat.
September: I wonder if we’re next, after the Minties are gone.
April: No, we’re going to the final resting place.
September: *gasp* No! Not the…not the…
April: Yes. The garbage can.

Lucy: You’ve heard it in their own words, friends. Goodbye, April and September.
Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off and wishing everyone (except these Ty babies) a great weekend!

Coco’s Transformation on Happy Tuesday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia19 Comments

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!

Hello! Ace Reporter Lucy here with a new groom for your reading and viewing pleasure. Today I would like to share with you an amazing transformation of a shih tzu who only gets groomed two times a year.

Coco is a very nice and good girl. She came to us looking like this.

Groomer Mom needed to wash her first, but knew that she’d never get all those mats dry enough to shave if she did. So she got started and, made good progress. Here is Coco with most of the shaving part done. Lots of hair had already hit the waste basket.

G. Mom would have never gotten through this without Coco’s cooperation. She seemed to know G. Mom was trying to help her. Finally, after everything was off or trimmed and bathed and dry, Coco was like a new pup.

Just look at those beautiful big eyes! Groomer Mom had a talk with Coco’s Mom about bringing her more often. We kind of doubt that’s going to happen, though.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Lucy with Another New Groom

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia18 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter here, with another new groom. Although this pup will look sort of familiar, I promise you, she is a different dog. Let’s get right to it.

Do you remember Pumpkin, the Doodle I reported on just a few days ago? Well, this here is Gracie, who sure does look a lot like Pumpkin. In fact, she came to us looking a lot like Pumpkin did before she was groomed. Groomer Mom totally forgot to take any pictures at all, probably because Gracie’s Dad stayed during most of the groom in case G.M. needed any help with her (she didn’t). He was kind enough to send us this picture after they got home.

Gracie was born on July 29 of 2024 and is a Golden Doodle. She came to the family to keep Toby, their wild Doodle, company. She’s not too crazy about her big brother, but at least it keeps Toby busy and away from poor little Sammy, a shih tzu mix, who is 15 years old. Toby’s gotten too big for Small Dog Grooming, but Sammy still comes for a groom on a regular basis.

That’s it, friends, for this episode of Grooming with Mom.
Your Ace Reporter and Birthday Month Girl, Lucy

Fun with Mom’s Grooms: June and Cash

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia28 Comments

Hi there friends. This is Ace reporter Lucy with 2 more new grooms to tell you about. Groomer Mom once again forgot to take a “before” picture, but she said they weren’t in too bad of shape.

These sweet Maltese puppies were left for three days without any food or care before anyone discovered that their Mom had died of a stroke. A previous client, whose precious yorkie had died tragically at the paws and jaws of a Great Dane, was able to adopt them on January 1st.
Cash was born July 6 of last year, and is only five pounds. With G.M’s approval, his Mom stayed to help keep him calm. We think it may have been his first, or at most his 2nd, time being groomed.. Here is Cash after his groom, with his sweater on and ready to go back to his new home.

Cash wasn’t really on this blue blanket, but I asked my Mom if she would help me play with PicMonkey during this, my birthday month. I tried hard and hope you like it. Isn’t Cash pretty?

The other little Maltese goes by June. She was born February 16 of last year. She’s smaller than Cash at only four pounds. By the way, they aren’t related. It was obvious that June was used to being groomed and wasn’t in bad shape. She stood perfectly still on the grooming table while G.M. spiffed her up. Their new Mom had just given them both baths, so G.M. only washed their faces that had lots of eye goo (that’s a grooming term). Again, I asked Mom to help me show June off in a pretty PicMonkey picture.

It was a sad story with a happy ending for Cash and June. We’ll see them back in eight weeks at their next appointment.

Lucy, Ace Reporter and Birthday Month Girl signing off. But before we go, we want to thank Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Mondays.

Pee Ess: I may or may not be back tomorrow…it’s my birthday!!

Lucy’s Report on Millie’s Birthday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia9 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter here with a special video to show you today. One of our shih tzu clients – Millie – had a special birthday. She sent us a video of her dancing while her Mom sang Happy Birthday, and we want to share it with you, dear reader.

https://youtube.com/shorts/RBeclm0-88w

Even her little brother Gus joined in! I hope you enjoyed the enthusiasm with which Miss Mille celebrated her birthday.

This is Lucy signing off with wishes for a good rest of your weekend. *wags*

Lucy, Ace Reporter, on Ginger

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia23 Comments

Good day, folks. Lucy here, reporting from W Grooming with Mom. Today our story goes a bit of a different direction. My pack mates and I have found what may be a great new addition to our diet. Please read on…

The Word of the Day is GINGER!

How Much Ginger Can Us Dogs Eat?

Folks, feeding ginger to your dog (or cat) is simple and can be done in various forms, including fresh root, powder, tea, capsules, or tincture.
Did you know that us pups, and you pussy cats, too, can, in limited amounts, eat ginger? We can! And it has great health benefits, including:
1. Heartworm management
2. Joint Support
3. Digestive Aid
4. Bloat prevention
5. Flatulence relief

I hear y’all going, “Wow! How much do I get to eat?”
Here’s the answer, first for us dogs:

For fresh organic ginger root, peel the skin and finely mince the yellow part of the root. To feed fresh ginger, start with small doses and gradually increase to the recommended amounts:

  • For dogs under 10 lbs, give 1/4 teaspoon three times daily.
  • For dogs 10 to 35 lbs, give 1/2 teaspoon three times daily.
  • For dogs over 35 lbs, give 3/4 teaspoon three times daily.

For powdered ginger, the dosages are as follows:

  • For dogs 1 to 10 lbs, give up to 1/8 teaspoon.
  • For dogs 10 to 20 lbs, give 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon.
  • For dogs 20 to 50 lbs, give 1 teaspoon.
  • For dogs 50 to 100 lbs, give 2 teaspoons.
  • For dogs over 100 lbs, give up to 1 tablespoon.

Ginger tea can also be given in small amounts:

  • For dogs 1 to 10 lbs, less than 1/4 cup, 1 to 3 times daily.
  • For dogs 10 to 20 lbs, 1/4 cup, 1 to 3 times daily.
  • For dogs 20 to 50 lbs, 1/4 to 1/2 cup, 1 to 3 times daily.
  • For dogs 50 to 100 lbs, 1/2 to 1 cup, 1 to 3 times daily.
  • For dogs over 100 lbs, up to 1 cup, 1 to 3 times daily.

Now, more info for you sweet pussie cats:

Start small. Moms/Dads, mix a tiny amount of shredded or ground ginger root into their food. Observe your cat’s reaction to the new addition. Some cats may find the spice irritating, so it’s crucial to monitor for any signs of digestive discomfort. You can also boil it before offering it to your baby. However, speak to your vet about the appropriate amount and frequency of giving ginger to your kitty.

Groomer Mom, A.K.A. Mom, already has ginger tea in the house that she likes and uses when her tummy is a bit upset. So she’s going to start with that. None of us (except Riley, who won’t be getting this) have any health issues, especially since Xena’s gotten that nasty yeast cleared up.

Now, here’s my disclaimer, and it’s important for your folks to read this if they are considering giving you some ginger.

Cautions

While ginger offers many benefits for dogs (and cats), there are certain situations where it should be avoided.

Ginger has blood-thinning properties, so it should not be given to dogs or cats on blood-thinning medications or those scheduled for surgery.

Pregnant cats and dogs should also avoid ginger, as it can stimulate the uterus and potentially cause complications.

Additionally, ginger may lower blood sugar and blood pressure, so it is important to consult a veterinarian before giving ginger to dogs or cats with diabetes or heart conditions.

Consulting your holistic vet is crucial before starting your dog on ginger, especially if your cat or dog has existing health conditions or is taking any medications. Your vet can help determine the appropriate dosage and ensure that ginger will not interfere with any ongoing treatments or exacerbate any health issues.

Exacerbate…wow….can you tell I copied and pasted that word. Now where’s my dictionary…

With thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop, this is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with wishes for a healthy day!

Xena: Is my ginger tea almost ready?

Lucy: Taste tests are in. Unfortunately, it’s three paws down. That’s one paw each from me, Xena and Chia. We just couldn’t get past the smell. Oh well. So, if you decide to try ginger, please let us know if you like it.

Full Guide: Safest Flea And Tick Prevention For Dogs

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia22 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter here with relevant information on how to safely keep those nasty bugs off of us dogs and (cats).Plus, bonus information on the popular flea prevention sold by vets that has been sickening and killing us since 2012 — at a rate of over three times all others out there.

Here’s the link to read all about it from the source, Dog’s Naturally, which is run by holistic veterinarians.

Remember, please don’t poison us to save us. *wags* Please.

Lucy, your friendly ace reporter, signing off *smiles*

Grooming with Mom: Laslo

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia21 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter back with a first time groom. Read on…

Laslo is a 5 month old Yorkie, and she was here for her first groom. Through the years, Laslo’s Mom’s family have brought all their yorkies to Groomer Mom. Her Mom held her for her nails, and the first nail Groomer Mom cut bled. So, since G.M. had not cut it very short, she decided to just use the dremel on the rest of the nails. Not! Poor Laslo freaked. Maybe next time…
Here is Laslo before her groom.

Laslo was not happy about the groom, either. It was all so new to her. And the bath…let’s not even talk about the bath. Groomer Mom -with her owner’s permission – tried CBD oil. It didn’t help. A kind but firm tone of voice did help. And treats. Lots of treats. Here is Laslo as she waited for her Mom to come for her.

We hope to see Laslo again in the near future!
Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Grooming with Mom: Funny Ears

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia15 Comments

Today’s grooming report, brought to you by Ace Reporter Lucy (me) at W-Grooming-With- Mom, is about one of her current clients.

Those of you who have been with us for a long time may remember Maggie, the pretty little poodle/shih tzu mix. Here is the story of her first time with us. She was almost 3 years old. Since then, her Dad, who started bringing her when her Mom got cancer, but don’t worry, her Mom is doing fine now, uh, her Dad agreed to Groomer Mom grooming her as a poodle. So her face and paws got shaved. He brings her every six weeks like clockwork, unless, of course, he or Groomer Mom are on vacation.

Xena: Is this all really necessary? Just get on with it! *yawn*

Ace Reporter Lucy: Xena, go back to digging in your critter holes and leave me to do the reporting!
So where was I? Oh, yes. So this last time it was 7 weeks because Mom and Dad and me and Xena were all up in Inn Dee Anna at their usual six week appointment. As Dad Dan was handing her to Groomer Mom, he commented on her “crazy ears.”

Groomer Mom was unable to get an after picture, as her Dad Dan showed up and she went crazy with excitement. Just imagine her shaved all over except her poodle head and her now not-crazy ears!

This is Lucy, signing off from the crazy ear groom.

Grooming with Mom: Doobie

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia20 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter, here on the Groom Beat. Today we have another new pup to introduce to you. Nothing exciting, but I think the word is “sweet.”

One of our current regular clients has a young teenage girl living with her. The girl has a seven month old beagle. She wanted Dooley to get a bath and a nail trim. Here is Doobie:

I didn’t get to touch her ears, but Groomer Mom said they feel like velvet. She is a very precious girl, and a bit scared of the nail trim and also the bath and dryer. Groomer Mom tried to give her cheese (with her owner’s consent), but she was too nervous to even eat it! Wow, look at those big eyes!

Before too long, Doobie heard a car pull up, and she was right; it was her Mom come to get her.

Well, folks, that’s all for now. Lucy, Ace Reporter signing off with another successful, uh, bath and nail trim.

Grooming with Mom on Thankful Thursday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia24 Comments

Thanks to Brian for hosting Brian’s Thankful Thursday!

Lucy here, with another episode of Grooming with Mom on Thankful Thursday. We’re all real thankful today and every day that Groomer Mom’s Small Dog Grooming business is thriving, and that she’s able to offer the kind of service that creates a less stressful environment for all the pups who come to be groomed.

Today I have a new dog to introduce and a second groom on a puppy. First, the new pup.

This is Annie, a three-year-old Berma-doodle. This is the best picture we could get of her before her groom. ( I think she was looking at me, her Zen Dog.)

Annie used to belong to a family who had a lot of health issues and related expenses. When it became too much for them to take care of her, her new Mom got her. She may be three, but she’s still very puppy-ish, and very “busy” on the table. Here she is after her groom and bath.

Oops, looks like Groomer Mom missed a little strand of hair hanging on her ear. That’s OK, she clipped it after this picture was taken. Isn’t it funny how pictures show up things that someone might miss after staring at the dog (or anything) for over an hour? See ya’ next time, Annie!

You may remember Pippa, a tiny 4-month-old yorkie who was here for the first time back in February. Oops, just remembered that we never told you about Pippa. Groomer Mom forgot to get an “after” picture and when Pippa’s Mom sent her one, she forgot to have her Ace Reporter report on it. Wonder what we can do about Groomer Mom’s memory… So, better late than never, here is Pippa from February at 4 months of age. You can figure out which one is the “before” picture, BOL!

Shortly after Pippa had been here she fell off her people sister’s lap and broke her ankle! She was diagnosed with weak bones. How awful is that!

Now, three months later, Pippa came back for a “full” groom. Previously, Groomer Mom just did some touch-up, what she calls a “mini-groom.” This time Pippa’s Mom wanted “the works!” Her nails had gotten really long but were no bigger around than a tiny pin. And her hair had gotten long, too. Pippa was extremely good on the table, just like was used to it. Groomer Mom kept showing her the tools she was using and talking sweetly to her, and Pippa just let her do what needed done! And you can bet that Groomer Mom was extremely careful that Pippa didn’t fall or jump off the table! Here she is, seven months old, before and after having her “second-ever” groom.

You can probably see that she’s grown some, but she’s still really tiny, probably not more that a couple of pounds. We hope she stays well and comes back to see us soon!

What are you thankful for today?

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with *wags* and *smiles*.

Grooming with Mom: Bear and Rosie

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia27 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter, coming to you live from WGWM with another episode of Grooming with Mom. We are so thankful for all of Mom’s wonderful clients and their pups! Today we have two new ones to introduce to you.

But first, a big thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!

First up is Bear. He’s JoJo’s brother. We introduced JoJo back in January. You can see that episode here. Some of our friends suggested in comments that JoJo be treated for yeast. This is JoJo:

She was here getting groomed with Bear, and still very “yeasty.” So Groomer Mom showed her Dad what she has been giving Xena, a set of 3 powders called “Yeast Free Fido” from Four Leaf Rover, and suggested he try it. It’s really helped my sister Xena’s yeasty ear and this is the first time her tummy has looked “normal” in years. He asked for the link and said he would try it. Groomer Mom did warn him that it would take at least a month to start seeing results. Paws crossed it works for the dear little poodle JoJo.

Back to Bear. He’s also a miniature poodle, silver, and will be 13 this July. This is Bear before grooming.

He really didn’t look too bad. And yep, he’s got a mohawk. His dad wanted him to keep it, just trim it a little shorter. Remember that when you see his “after” picture, please. Groomer Mom would never suggest a mohawk on a poodle, but she also doesn’t argue with a client (most of the time.)

Bear was very timid, and did not want his toenails cut. Who does? I mean, I don’t, but I also don’t make a big production of it. *clears throat* Sorry. Didn’t mean to make this report personal. Anyhow, here is Bear’s “after” picture.

Moving on…

This next pup, Rosie, was referred to us by Brinkley’s dad. If you missed Brinkley, you can see him here. Rosie had been going to a different groomer who had her Dad sign an agreement that said they would not groom her if she had any fleas. The last time he took her, she had 3 fleas and they refused to groom her. They set another appointment for her and he took her home and gave her a flea bath. Then they called to reschedule that appointment. That was the final straw. He loved how Brinkley was groomed, so he got the referral and came the next day.

Here’s Rosie before her groom. Well, almost before her groom. Groomer Mom had already shaved her body when she remembered to take a picture. She is a nine-year-old shih tzu, and looks and acts much younger.

When Rosie arrived Groomer Mom used three different blades on her tummy for her Dad to decide what length he wanted her hair. It ended up that he wanted the longest one. She was a very good girl on the grooming table. Then it was bath time. Groomer Mom had the sprayer hose going full blast when Rosie decided to leap out of the tub. Groomer Mom dropped the sprayer and grabbed Rosie on her way down to the floor. Meanwhile, the sprayer sprayed the ceiling, the walls, the table and the floor. “Popcorn” rained off the ceiling onto everything, including Groomer Mom. It took three big towels to sop up all the water and wet “popcorn”on the floor. Groomer Mom didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, so she laughed.

After all that, here’s Rosie’s “after” picture.

And she looks so innocent.

Ace Reporter Lucy signing off, with wishes for a great “popcorn-free” weekend!

Grooming with Mom Recaps on Thankful Thursday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia28 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter, coming to you live (well, I AM alive!) from, WGWM with another episode of Grooming with Mom. We are so thankful for all of Mom’s wonderful clients and their pups! And a shout out of thanks to Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday

My usual M.O. is to report on new grooms. Today I would like to show you how some current grooms have changed, as well as other pupdates.

Let’s get the sad one over with first. You may remember Barkley, a one-year-old rescued schnauzer/yorkie/poodle mix. He was here last December for his first groom since being rescued. A couple of months ago he escaped from his house and ran into a yard that belonged to a bigger dog. Precious Barkley didn’t survive the encounter. May he play like the puppy he is on the other side of the rainbow bridge.

We’ve been following puppy Dixie since her first groom here. She’s now nine months old. This time her front right leg had shorter, curlier hair than her other legs. Her Mom said that she had broken her leg in two places when she jumped off their bed. She had her surgery and her leg now has metal plates, but she is getting around like nothing happened.
Dixie has grown a lot and Groomer Mom decided it was time to do something different with her face. Dixie’s Mom agreed. And her Dad wanted all her leg and body hair trimmed as short as her one leg. Here are pictures of her previous groom (L) and the one done this time. Let us know which way you like her face best.

Dixie still has crazy puppy ears, and that’s just going to have to take time.

Molly came to us from downtown for her first groom here several months ago. In response to a reminder text, her Dad called from L.A. saying he was visiting his son over the Christmas holidays when he fell and broke his hip. He wasn’t going to be able to bring Molly, since she was stuck there in L.A. with him. When he was finally able to make the trip back, he hobbled into the small grooming area with his walker and Molly on a leash. He told Groomer Mom she could cut Molly’s hair how she thought it would look best this time, as opposed to making it look like a picture he had of another dog that she modeled the groom after last time. Then he asked what she’d been doing. She told him she’d been to a nearby Mexican restaurant the night before and how great the food was, and the band was really good too. At that, he said he’d go wait there, get a beer, watch the game on their many TV’s, etc. That was a great solution, since Molly was un-groomable with him here. Here’s Molly from her first (L) and second times here. Personally, this reporter really likes the second groom better.

Molly’s Dad got a late lunch and declared both the food there and the groom here excellent!

Next up is Winston. He is a multi-poo/shih tzu mix. Winston first came to Small Dog Grooming in 2017. He came back two years later, then in a year, and seems to be a more or less regular client now. His Mom gets busy and keeps forgetting to make an appointment. His last time here was the beginning of January, when he got a “mini-groom” because the weather was cold. These are his before and after pictures from this past weekend. He was terribly matted, but thankfully no fleas. And he was very good for his groom!

This time his Mom made an appointment for 6 weeks, and wants to keep doing that so she doesn’t keep forgetting.

Let’s wind this up with a wish for a Happy St. Patrick’s Day from our friend Laila.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful episode of Grooming with Mom.

Grooming with Mom

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia19 Comments

Many thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday! And thanks to all my readers for joining me in another episode of Grooming with Mom.

Today we have a new groom to present to you, a big Aussie Doodle boy by the name of Basil. Basil’s brother, Chief, comes regularly for his grooming needs. That’s the reason Groomer Mom accepted Basil, even though he’s already bigger than any of her “small dog” grooms. Here’s Basil before his groom.

If this isn’t already Awwww-worthy, I don’t know what is! At four months he still has a lot of growing to do, which means Groomer Mom may have to decline continuing to groom him. But that decision is for the future.

Basil’s Mom and sister stayed to help. He did prove to be very difficult because 1. this was his first time on a grooming table, and 2. he’s a puppy! He had to go into the dreaded sling to get his nails and paws done. In case you don’t remember, here’s Chia in “the sling.”

Getting back to Basil, (sort of) this was the first time Groomer Mom met his Mom and sister. His Dad always brings Chief, but Basil’s appointment was for a Friday when his Dad had to work. Groomer Mom says she gets a lot of her socialization needs met from visiting with her clients, and she really enjoyed the time spent with them while they helped her with Basil. I was also called to come use my powers of Zen to help out, and I was glad to oblige. Groomer Mom forgot to get a picture of Basil when he was finished so his Mom sent us his “after” pic.

Even more adorable, right? This is Lucy, Zen Master and Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Grooming with Mom on Happy Tuesday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia33 Comments

This is Lucy, with Happy Tuesday’s edition of Grooming with Mom. But first, a big shout out to Miss Sandee at  Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday.

As you will see, this seems to be White Dog Tuesday. First, we got back a pup who was here only once, in July of last year. It’s been six months, and the long hair and mats to the skin indicated that he hasn’t been anywhere else since then to get groomed. Presenting once again Teddy the seven-year-old maltese. Here he is before his groom.

Teddy looks like a fluff ball, but is actually matted clear to the skin; they’re the kind of mats that won’t just come out, not even with dematting spray and comb. So Groomer Mom had to shave him everywhere except for his head, ears and face. His Mom must have been brushing those areas. He was shaking-on-the-table nervous, so I was called to come in to be a calming presence for him.

Teddy liked me and did settle down some with me there. After all the shaving was done, he asked me to come closer so he could whisper in my ear.

“Tell that person she’s all done and I can go home now,” he quietly woofed.
I told him to just stay calm while he got his bath and finished up. At “bath” he started shaking again. Oops.

Teddy’s bath and groom was finally done, and here he is, definitely ready to go home.

Teddy, are you giving us a raspberry?

While Teddy was waiting for his person, Groomer Mom got a call from a fellow whose neighbor had given him one of Groomer Mom’s business cards. He has an 11 year old white miniature poodle named JoJo who needed groomed. Groomer Mom told him she was ready for JoJo right then and to come on. Here is JoJo before getting groomed.

JoJo has been going to get groomed every 4 to 5 weeks, so she wasn’t in too bad of shape. She’s a good girl, and it was easy to tell she is used to being on the grooming table. Strangely, she didn’t like her right leg messed with and kept trying to bite the clippers. Then she would look guilty, like she knew she wasn’t supposed to be doing that.

JoJo is on two medications from her vet for bad allergies. Can you see that black area on her chest? Under both of her front legs her skin is black too, and the hair there was matted with a gooey, stinky, tan-colored substance. Her vet said to just keep those places washed. In all her years of grooming and five years of working at a vet, Groomer Mom has never seen anything like it. She had to wash it off of her clipper blade when she was done shaving under those legs. She is requesting that this reporter ask if any of you might know what that is, and if so, please leave that information in the comments.

Anyhoo, here is JoJo after a good bath and groom.

Her Dad was pleased, so we are hoping to see this dear pup again in the near future.

This is Lucy, signing off with *wags* and *wiggles* from another episode of Grooming with Mom.

The War on the Stuffies

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia36 Comments

Lucy, Ace Reporter, coming to you with breaking news. Our house’s Dog Nation has declared war on the Family Stuffies.

There were small incidents beginning before the Thanksgiving holidays. An antler here, an ear there. Mom had been in bed sick for a few days with a bad cold, so at first it was all chalked up to boredom. And, as usual, the stuffies were easy targets. Riley’s stuffie, Ratty D, lost his nose in one incident. Mom super glued it back on. And, as usual, Chia was blamed.

Chia: Excuse me, Ace Reporter Lucy! I didn’t do it! I really didn’t! Really!

Yes, that’s what Chia claimed the entire time, but no one believed her. Then we found out she was telling the shocking truth!

Last Friday Christmas decorations and stuffies had been brought down from the attic, including Christmas Reindeer. Chia immediately claimed the reindeer (NOT Riley’s reindeer, Rainey) and carried it everywhere through the house with her. I was carefully watching, waiting to catch her in the act of wanton destruction, but all seemed quiet (OK, maybe not exactly quiet) on the home front.

Then, one evening when brother Andrew was here, Riley walked into the living room with his reindeer Rainey’s head!!! Mom gasped in shock and Riley wagged his tail. He had beheaded one of his best friends, the only stuffy he had never harmed. This was going on two Christmases that Riley had loved and cherished Rainey, and now this! WARNING: Picture of graphic violence to follow:

All the stuffing had also been removed from Rainey’s body.

Mom was getting ready to give Rainey a proper burial in the garbage can when brother Andrew, always quick on his feet, stuffed all the stuffing back into the lifeless body, and set it, with the head on top, on the kitchen counter. His ploy worked. Mom, an excellent seamstress, sewed the gaping neck wound closed and reattached Rainey’s head.

We think Rainey will be disabled the rest of his stuffy life. He can no longer hold his head in one position, but it flops down or to the side. This reporter wipes away a tear as I continue to report that Rainey’s first request was to be near Riley. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing.

This reporter was wrapping it up when Racky D asked to be able to say something on the record. Go ahead, Racky D.

Racky D here. As you can see, I’ve been the the victim of stuffy abuse. After the Mom super glued my nose back on a week or so ago, I thought, great, I’ve still only got one eye, but at least I can smell again. Then, out of nowhere, Xena bit off my nose. Of course, Chia got blamed at first, but the truth always comes out in the end. And that’s all I’ve got to say.

Lucy: Wrapping it up, I see that we still have a large contingent of stuffies on the victrola. Hey there friends. You’ve been up there a long time. Is there something you want to say?

Hey there Lucy, Ace Reporter. This is Chippie, appointed spokes chipmunk by our leader Guru Larry Lemur. The six of us have fled as refugees from the environment that has turned hostile toward all stuffies. And we want to say we were appalled at what Riley did to Rainey. We plan to stay up here where it’s crowded but safe. A kind person has given us our own Christmas tree, and, like I said, we have sought refuge here where it’s relatively safe. We aren’t having fun anymore, but at least we have our stuffy lives. And Santa Paws knows where to find us.

That wraps it up folks. I hope to be back to you soon with news of peace in our Dog Nation, good will toward stuffies.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off.