Grieving The Loss of a Client's Dog

When It’s Not “Just a Client’s Dog”

The other day I got the dreaded text : "Max has crossed the rainbow bridge. Thank you for all your years of loving him, caring for him and making him look so handsome!"

Nobody tells you that somewhere around year 2 or 3 or 4 with a regular client, you stop grooming A dog and start grooming YOUR dog. The one who knows your voice and your presence before you even open the door. The one whose paw print is basically etched into your heart.

And then one day, the call or the text comes and you’re standing in your grooming space, trying to figure out why you feel like you got hit by a bus over an animal that wasn’t even yours. You might feel silly for sitting there crying. It wasn't your dog but it wasn’t “just a client’s dog” either, was it? It was a relationship! Grieving it is not dramatic, my dear fellow groomers. It’s appropriate.

Years of caring for and grooming this dog, creating funny pictures and videos, lots of kisses, cute faces, smiles, laughter and hugs... That’s not a transactional relationship. It leaves a mark when it ends and, yes, it hurts.

I want to put it out there: you’re allowed to grieve a dog you weren’t even related to, more than you expected to, and it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with you. It means you care! And what a wonderful thing that is!

If you’ve been in this industry long enough to have “lost” a few over the years, it's not a sign you’re too attached or too sentimental. It's a sign you’re doing this job the way it’s supposed to be done: with your whole self, your whole heart, and not just your clippers.

The groomers who never feel this? They’re not more professional. They’re just not letting themselves in. So allow yourself to grief your way, whether that's crying, having an "off day", going to bed at 7pm watching Netflix all night, or any other way... It is okay.

💬 Table Talk prompt this week:

Tell us about a client's dog that crossed the rainbow bridge that you’ll never forget. Bring tissues if you need them. Bring the good memories too.

With respect, admiration, and a firm belief in your worth,

Your Fellow Business Thinker & Pet Groomer:

Marilou Lekanne

Marilou’s Method & Successful Grooming

https://www.successfulgrooming.com

Text COACH to 310-922-0282 for your FREE 20 min introductory coaching session

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