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The cost of choosing a dog grooming career!

© Chris Chamberlin

Ten Good Reasons Why Not To Choose Dog Grooming As A Career.

Today was one of those days, one of those dreadful days, which thankfully only comes once in a while. It is a day like today that I wonder why I continue to work as a groomer. While my intentions were good when I chose this career, as I have never come across a dog I didn't think I couldn't handle, now after twenty years at the job, I look back and see what it has cost me.

Don't get me wrong. I doubt that I am just quite ready to give it up yet, but I am close. Even though I truly love working with the animals, I am faced with the fact that I may be forced to retire soon. Why do you ask? I asked myself the same thing. Actually I asked myself, why are you continuing? Was it greed? No - because you'll never make enough to be considered well off. Was it refusal to believe I was too young to retire? Are you kidding, who wouldn't want to retire at forty-six? I think it is that I would miss the dogs too much. Really, what other job could you have where you could experience owning every breed imaginable, even if it is only for an hour or two?

But again I put off what eventually will be the top 10 reasons why I retire.

No. 10 After twenty-some years of grooming and cutting and clipping dog hair, I am certain my cough is due to hair lined lungs. I am a non-smoker, with no allergies, yet I cough like you think I had both for years. Once I used a painter's mask, you know the kind, those little paper-masks that cover your mouth and nose, and was horrified to see just how much hair had collected on the outside of the mask, almost dust-like particles.

No. 9 I am tired of clucking out hair that isn't even mine from parts of my body that don't normally grow hair. A top-quality grooming apron might solve some of this problem; however, I've bought the finest and still am amazed to see how much dog hair falls away in the shower.

No. 8 Even after years of training, there are some dogs that go home and forget everything you taught them, only to have to be re-taught again at the next grooming session. They say that patience is a virtue; I think my patience gets tested daily.

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