Horsefeathers!

1 Akita 1 American Cocker Spaniel 2 American Pit Bull Terriers 1 Border Collie 2 British Bulldogs 2 Bull Terriers 1 Boxer [u][b]2[/u][/b] Chihuahuas 4 Newfoundlands 4 Saint Bernards 2 Shar-peis 2 Staffordshire Bull Terriers 9 Mixed breed dogs 1 West Highland Terrier 2 Standard Poodles 1 Toy Poodle 1 Miniature Schnauzer 1 Labrador Retriever 3 Lhasa Apsos

[quote name='Cassie']what breed do you specialize in HF???[/quote] Poodles, hands down. I've been practically stalking some of the top Poodle people in the country and studying profiles and even a little Poodle genetics (mostly in reference to color). I am hoping to eventually get into showing Standards (well, maybe) and I can't learn enough! I intend to begin competitive grooming later this year. I keep saying, "not ready yet!" but then I attend the competitions and feel confident that I could do what they are doing. Not only do I love taking a nicely built Poodle (really prefer Standards, but any Poodle) and turning it into a head turning masterpiece, but I also LOVE taking a not so well built Poodle and doing the corrective grooming required to make it LOOK correct. It's just my "thing." My Toy has the worst conformation in the world, but boy does she "correct" well. She's been my guinea pig as my Standards really don't need a whole lot of corrective grooming except that one of them is cowhocked. Easy to fix and not as much of a challenge as fixing a roach backed, short legged, cowhocked, straight reared, etc., etc., etc., dog like my beloved little Toy. I am very interested in terriers as well, though. I've done some handstripping, but not nearly enough to show groom. I would like terriers to be my second specialty. I am considering eventually getting an Airedale. I dunno... I just love terriers in general, but with me, the bigger the better, I suppose (Standard Poodles over Toys and Airedales over smaller terriers). :D

Here's a viable solution if the rental car thing doesn't work out. Tell me where you are in Alabama and I'll come get the dog, myself. I'm in GA and am willing to travel. I only ask that your aunt make out a check [b]to the vet clinic[/b] I'll be taking the dog to for the euthanasia and disposal of the body. I'll gladly relay you the number so that she can contact the vet herself to ensure that I'm not ripping her off. The time and gas is on me. They also offer cremation services if she's interested. If need be, I'll cover the euthanasia, but I think the aunt could AT LEAST invest that much in her longtime companion's journey to the afterlife. Let me know.

[quote name='DogPaddle']Ummm, for those of you who work at groomers or vet clinics, so I know how you feel about nervouse poopers - what about barkers. [/quote] The parrot trick often works nicely. Most times, I can drape a towel or blanket over the front of the kennel (the only part that's open... the rest of it is enclosed) and the dog will usually eventually settle down and go to sleep. Of course, there are always a few who don't. Some will just bark bark bark at nothing their entire stay. For some reason, it really doesn't bother me that bad unless it's one with that shrill, high pitched squeal. Fortunately, I don't have many who do that (except for one of my two weekers coming in tomorrow... love ya, FeFe, but ya make me want to stick my head under a truck tire sometimes). [quote name='Cassie']HF, do you have a bather/blow dryer...or are you alone...? [/quote] I do it totally alone from start to finish. I do all my own bathing, fluffing, phone answering, appointment scheduling, bow making, cleaning, sanitizing, did I mention the bloody phone??, and quality control. I did try hiring another groomer a couple of years ago. She had an impressive resume and over 30 years of experience. She was active on many internet groomers' lists and really gave the impression that she was da bomb. I was beyond honored to have the opportunity to work with such a highly regarded professional and was eager to soak up all the information she had to share. The passion died quickly when I learned that she was a hack and, worse, abusive. She didn't get the dogs clean, her work sucked, but I fired her for mishandling a dog. I will never forget watching in horror as she yanked a first time Cocker puppy up off the table by a leash (off his feet!) and shook the crap out of him because he wouldn't be still and (her justification) she felt bad that day and didn't like the table she was working on and, oh, she didn't have time to coddle every dog and I'd feel differently about it when I'd been doing it as long as SHE has (or so she said... if I EVER find I have to abuse dogs to get them done, I think I'll take an early retirement). I fired her for that. That left a really rotten taste in my mouth for EVER hiring another groomer. I still groom that Cocker now, two years later, and he has finally gotten where he doesn't shake and pee and cower in the corner when he comes in for a groom. It was sooooooo hard to earn this dog's trust and I used to cry every time he came in because he was so frightened and I felt so bad for him just seeing the terror in his eyes. Geez, how could I explain that to those owners who have faithfully had that dog groomed every six weeks his entire life and are generous tippers on top of it?? Every dog I've started from a puppy will actually pull the owners through the door and greet me like I'm their best friend. If I were an owner, I know I'd be really concerned if my dog was obviously unnerved every time he came in for a groom if he'd been coming to the same salon his entire life. I did try hiring an assistant and training her the way I wanted, but I just found I like working alone better. Besides, my favorite part of the groom has to be drying. I hand dry virtually every dog that comes through (no sitting under heat dryers here) and I just go off into my own little personal happy place when fluffing out a nice coat, or faux fluffing a not so great coat. It would almost be worth it to me if I could find a really good groomer and *I* did the baths and blowdrying. I think I'd be perfectly happy fluffing dogs all day. Weird, huh? :D [quote]All the other groomers in our area either took correspondence courses or attended a local grooming school which still has prehistoric grooming techniques, and the students are not taught to use the high velocity dryers, they are taught to put the dog under a stand dryer...now, try getting a standard poodle straight this way![/quote] Schools are teaching this??? Ack!! Someone is sure getting ripped off, students AND the poor clients whose dogs they are doing. A Standard Poodle just sitting under a stand dryer... *shudder* I have to admit that the staff at the clinic I work in cage dries every bath dog that comes through. It's hard sometimes telling people that a kennel bath is NOT the same as a bath by me. The kennel staff soaps 'em up, hoses 'em down and sticks 'em in a kennel to dry. A little pat with a brush and a LOT of cologne later, they are done. Oh well, at least my regular clients know to book their between groom baths with me. The techs at that clinic are GREAT techs, but they suck as bathers.

Another Standard Poodle lover! Wonderful!! First, it's probably a good idea just to make sure there isn't something wrong... no bugs, infections, or any of that. Is she spayed? She could be approaching that age where they get that urge to let all the little boy dogs know they're around. I've housetrained several adult Standards who were kennel dogs their entire lives (years) before coming here. Talk about a task. The thing that worked best for me with all of them was literally tying them to me. Seriously. I really didn't want to try to crate train these guys since they had been in kennels their entire lives and were perfectly used to pottying in the same space they had to live in. However, I kept them (not all at one time, of course) leashed to me, or tethered near me virtually all the time. When I was at the computer, they were tethered to my chair, when I moved about the house, they were leashed to me and even when I went to bed, they were tied right beside me. When they would get up and decide they needed to potty, I could feel them moving around and get up with them. My guys were 2, 3 and 4 years old and intact males (since been neutered) when they first came here. It was certainly a job, but it worked out wonderfully. Standards are notoriously bright dogs, so I hope you find your solution. Again, be sure there is nothing physically ailing your dog (vet check might be in order) and then try the potty training boot camp. Good luck! I would LOVE to see pictures of Tia.

[quote name='MajiesMom']

Actually, Hillside has always been one of the most objective posters here, not afraid to share an opinion whether it's a popular opinion or not. Anyone can stand in the amen corner and nod in agreement. I'm glad she doesn't. She'd also be the first person to come to your defense in a situation she saw fit to, whether it was the popular opinion or not. I'm so sorry you feel she is personally attacking you. I happen to agree with every word of her post. Not only that the dog deserves better treatment, but to have allowed it to get this bad... matted, smelling so bad that apparently no one on earth can stand to get near her- that is outright longterm neglect. I have no compassion for rich aunt with the new Cadillac, regardless of how well intentioned she appears to be. The road to h*ll is paved with good intentions. I just can't understand someone who could have a dog that many years and then just basically abandon it in the twilight of its life. I don't think anyone is blaming YOU for letting the dog get in such bad shape, but it is hard to hear someone justifying this type of neglect. There is no justification. The situation described is absolutely deplorable and disgusting. Whatever it takes, get the dog to a vet. Walk her, carry her, call a friend, steal the poor misguided aunt's new Caddy, hire someone else to drive, just get it done, smell be dam*ed. She can't be THAT far from civilization and cut off from the rest of the world that there's absolutely no one who could help.

[quote name='Lucky Chaos']I have a confession to make. Lucky is from a pet shop. [/quote] I guess I must confess, too, but two of mine are from pet shops. Not only that, I bought them both with the intention of breeding them. Of course, this was many years ago, back when I thought that spending several hundred dollars was a guarantee that I was getting a "good" dog. What I got were allergies, bad skin, rotten temperament and, now that I'm older and better researched, a poor example of breed conformation, all other issues aside. I had every intention of breeding this bitch to the male I also bought at another pet store. Thank the powers that be that I learned what I know now. Still, I don't hold the pet stores accountable for my impulse buys (went to the mall for something else and came out with a puppy, no research, no nothing... was just an impulse buy because it was my gee golly favorite breed and she was just so gosh darned cute). While I do agree that what they do is deplorable, they are simply filling a demand. People want what they want and they want it now. I hold myself accountable for not having done my own research. I don't consider myself a victim of the pet store, but rather a victim of my own negligence and failure to do my own research. After all, the information is out there. Just because it doesn't fall in someone's lap doesn't make them an innocent victim. Then again, I'm a huge proponent of personal accountability. Sometimes ya just gotta learn the hard way. There is education galore available out there. People just need to look. I did and anyone else can. I lost a ton of money and got a "lemon" of a dog (I love her, though!), but I used it as a personal growth experience rather than blaming the pet store for MY impulse. I think the way to shut these people down is to simply stop providing the demand; then the supply will automatically have to end, or be seriously cut. Mills wouldn't be able to stay in business if pet stores didn't provide such a huge venue and pet stores couldn't be that venue if consumers weren't so demanding ("I want it and I want it now!"). I know both sides of this issue... pet store impulse buyer and now rescuer. It's just a hard pill for me to swallow every time I see someone say they are suing someone else because they simply weren't aware of the risks involved with a decision they made. I believe that if someone truly wanted others to learn from their mistake, more energy should go into educating others and spreading the word and getting involved in rescue rather than settling it in a court room. To me, all that does is reward bad decision making and teaches no one anything. Where's the education? Sorry if it's not the popular opinion.

I must be very lucky, or have the most conscientious clients in the world. I very seldom ever have a pooper... probably not even once a month, and most of the dogs here are with me all day as most owners drop off before work and pick up after. I do provide afternoon potty breaks, but I still almost never get poopers. I do have a few piddlers, but since they are on towels, it's almost never a problem as long as I change it out immediately. I know some dogs do poop as a reaction to stress, but I've seen too many people who rush in with their dog and virtually throw it out of the car as they whiz off to where ever else it is they're late for. Now, THESE guys I'll walk first, but it doesn't happen often. Geez, Cassie, I feel for you. I can just imagine how irate I'd be if I had to face that all the time. I believe if it were a chronic thing (same dogs every time), I'd be tacking a little somfin onto that bill for the cleanup every time that dog comes in. This may sound cold to some people, but even the stress poopers would face an extra charge. Time=$$ and if I have to spend a lot of time cleaning up behind a dog that has finger painted its kennel after a bath, therefore needing to be rebathed in addition to the cleanup, well, I'm going to charge for it. I agree that it shouldn't be considered part of the job when the owners could just walk their dogs before coming in. It's amazing the things some people expect you to put up with as "part of the job," aye (biting, chronic poopers, picking off ticks, playing vet and diagnosing conditions... NONE of these are part of my job!)? Come to think of it, that may be why my clients are so diligent about making sure Fluffy took her morning constitution before coming in. :lol:

[quote name='Kat']Oh come on folks, this is getting very disrespectful. Guida is [i]not [/i]a troll. [/quote] What WUZ I tinklin'? I'm so glad I didn't get drawn into "debate" with this non-troll. :o

I'm thinking troll. If it bugs you, don't kennel/crate/cage your dog. Problem solved.

[quote name='courtnek']:oops: :oops: :oops: what are Greenies?[/quote] 8th graders!! At least that's what we called them. *snort*

So where does one go to file a complaint against PETA? *mutter* :x

[quote name='hillside']You slay me HF. :grins: Look at it this way, you don't have to install a pool.[/quote] Now you've gone and made me paranoid. We DO have a pool and that little Poodle loves to swim in it. Now I hope I haven't taught her that it's ok to pee in my pool. Ick. :-? [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0bwDLAusjkhA*tEKwtiSolX2BPoUlzZapsQDCzhBiYlarT71O8r1zLSwC1QG887!al2qEGILGsCQ9wmrf1gmaYXsnP78N8bwNPljjb5R8wzEBtKa9itXS7xzC191f*OmMXnro3EwBO686oj87IWb1Xl89mm!b*1iF/Peanut%20swimming%20to%20me.jpg?dc=4675379146939558895[/img]

I came home one afternoon and it was raining in record amounts. My yard tends to flood in spots when it rains, but nothing serious. The dogs are typically put into the back yard to potty as that is what is fenced, but when it rains, the back yard gets kind of muddy due to missing patches of grass ('cuz of all the dog traffic). The front yard is nice and grassy. Sometimes when it rains, I'll let some of my better behaved smaller dogs into the front so they don't get muddy (the couple who like to bolt just have to deal with the mud). I don't mind wet feet... it's the mud that gripes me. The big dogs can still go in the back because they are tall enough to avoid the puddles. The smaller dogs (and all that hair!) usually end up dragging through the mud and the pine straw. Anyway, I got home and my ENTIRE front yard was under water. I had never seen it so flooded. Still, the dogs HAD to go out. Soooo I let them out. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go (sorry for the huge photos). I think my next house is going to be built on a hill. :-? [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0ZwAKAychvOU*tEKwtiSolS52GXPXBBsnE16c9XpCBmp2KAgZGTkD038lfj7ncSsKimx36YgGfOUSzwOEl3hdAggiLelsVLA0kRIYLDkVOyBiCbupiW*nCIMRKesAqoL73*yuOAQSOlL*6*hp!*MOhw/Peanut%20pond%20big.jpg?dc=4675446487341062206[/img] [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0YgDUAtkf3V6wkvXO5o583!PrObT7JxVrI6V39OETZIn!ckSHScEn8wb689qStKktoVKQ!uKl!q2oHGbX1G6msPfuTvi2UuS1nypPNQeHPB9WNkmtXAhGYZsk!F4VhI7ditDZBzrgbv6nSAIZDHucoQ/raindogs%20big.jpg?dc=4675446487385177883[/img]

It's been a while (what, a couple of months?) since we were having problems with Pauly and my husband, but he's still doing absolutely great. They are bestest buds and it's hard to even look at Pauly now and imagine he ever had it in him to behave that way. He's a well mannered gentleman in every sense and willingly and happily respects my husband. It's almost like that whole thing was just a dream because it just doesn't even seem possible now. We are so tickled it worked out and my husband is beyond thrilled that Pauly seems to adore him so. I have to admit I was really worried, but I'm so glad my husband decided to buckle down and MAKE it work. Whew!

[quote name='kendalyn']Standard Poodles are just such awesome dogs.[/quote] *nods in agreement* :) I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't a dog oriented person. Even as a kid, I never enjoyed the company of other kids or people in general, but always had a fondness for animals, especially dogs.

RIP, sweet Tinkerbell. :(

I'm so sorry. This is the first I've read of this. I know that whatever decisions made were made based on love and the welfare of Rio. I'm so sorry for your loss. :(

[quote name='MajiesMom']No, sorry. The only word I know is platz because one day I decided it would be cute if I taught my German Shepherd commands in German. :drinking: I have a whole list of commands in German none of which I know how to pronounce! I

M4m, I'm certainly no expert on Caucasians, but I'll relay basically my interpretation. Just based on that show, Caucasians are supposed to be inherently human aggressive. Apparently they can weigh close to 200 lbs. The breeder they chose to provide air time to was demonstrating how she tests their aggression(?) at only a few weeks of age. She placed these dogs in ads and stated that they were "as effective as a .45 calibre bullet" at stopping someone. They are, according to that segment, supposed to be extremely human aggressive. No, they don't look mean, but if you'd been able to see how this one man's dog was dragging him pitifully down the street chasing and lunging at cars. Literally dragging the man. The man was off his feet and just sliding on his back while the dog charged ahead. I have a problem with the idea of someone who has such a lack of control having a dog that demanding and in what appears to be such a tightly knit community (rows of houses placed closely together, children out and about, people pushing baby strollers down the street). Again, all this was just what was on the show. Other than that, I know nothing about the breed. It was the breeder who went on and on about how human aggressive they were and the knobhead man that bought one from her who stated he felt he needed "that level of protection." I agree that they are beautiful and look like big teddy bears. That's kind of scary to me... as mentioned above, people on that show would see these dogs in the street and assume they were friendly because they didn't LOOK dangerous and brought their children and infants over to pet them. I guess it just illustrates that you never know...

This is interesting. I was just reading another article on the history of the Standard Poodle and came across this snippet. Could it be that Barbet and Standard Poodles are closely related? [quote]German writings from the sixteenth century describe the Pudel as a fairly large black water retriever. In the 1600's the Water Dog was begun to be called a Pudel. The dog was also found in Belgium and Holland as a working dog called the Poedel. Most likely, the English name Poodle, descends from these terms. [i]The French have long claimed the Poodle as their own. The dogs found a devoted following in France. First known as the [u]Barbet[/u], a term that means beard, and is used to describe any dog with long hair, and later called the Caniche, meaning duck dog.[/i][/quote] I just found it interesting when I read this post and then came across that on a Poodle site. It's the first I've heard of Barbet (that I'm aware of... unless it just didn't "stick" before).

That's right! I'd forgotten. Try Babelfish. I think it's supposed to be a good online translator (though I've never used it, myself). Good luck (again)!

It's funny you should ask that because... Well, no, I don't speak a word of German. I know "Volkswagen" and that's about it. Wish I could help. Good luck, though. :)

[quote name='hillside'] They also had the Caucasian. The guy they showed was litterally gettting dragged on the ground, INTO the street by his 180lb dog that was trying to attack a car! Um training anyone? [/quote] I saw that! My poor husband thought he was going to have to sit on me to keep me from flinging something through the television. It couldn't have a thing to do with the BREEDER who advertised those dogs as being as "effective as a .45 calibre slug" at stopping someone. This guy lived in what appeared to be a pretty tight community. He said it was worth it to him to have "that level of security." What is he, the neighborhood dope man?? THAT level of security? I didn't see where he had THAT much to worry about securing. Ooooohhhh, that made me so angry. So what happens when this dog gets hold of someone? The man obviously couldn't control him... the dog just dragged him along. He seemed so proud that this dog was so (what's the word I'm looking for here?) "tough." This is definitely a person who has no business with that kind of dog. He's in way over his head.