[Love's_Sophie]

I prefer to not let owners stay; but it does vary on a dog to dog basis...we have a lady who stays with her dogs everytime AND talks to them during the grooming process, and it annoys the hell out of me, because the dogs don't stand still...THIS is the main reason I prefer the owner to leave; because as someone else pointed out, the dog's will often be more nervous, OR the owner doesn't just sit quietly...they gotta talk to the dog and make the dog more agitated!

However, if the owner keeps a decent distance, and doesn't address the dog I am fine with the owner staying if they want to watch the process.

[groupiestuff]

Originally Posted by Pai

The two groomers I went to both allowed me to watch. At Petsmart, from a distance (behind the glass), and the professional groomer also allowed it. There's a BIG difference between not allowing an owner to get up in the groomer's way and interfere (which I agree is wrong to allow), versus not allowing the owner to see what's going on at all.

Groomers are just like salons -- shop around and find one that you like, that has people you can talk to, and who will listen to what you want. Don't feel you 'have' to settle for anything just because other folks say you should.

I have a shih Tzu and the place I take it to, lets me stay in the room with him. I understand that some dogs get too excited and it's more work and harder to cut. I just would not be comfortable leaving my dog for 4 hours with someone who doesn't allow me to watch w/o some sort of great references. My dog was injured by a groomer one time and I don't have a clue why since he is good as gold and easy to groom when I'm there so I can only assume it IS the groomer if they try to tell me that he is hard to groom. The groomer that I use gets the dog done within an hour and hour and half. When they make the dog sit there for hours it can stress them out as well. My dogs eyes get bloodshot from the stress and I've seen other dogs with bloodshot eyes as well even if they act calm. My dog literally shakes on that table.