My unforgettable experience was with a shih tzu, Bobo, which has since been adopted by my sis-in-law, Kim ..3 yrs?..4 yrs? ago! I remember vividly, it being the first dog I groomed for $$$$! Nails clipping on his earlier visits had always been such a commotion (he kicked, howled, bit), that his previous owner, Mdm Sin, decided to pop into his throat a sleeping pill before sending him to my shop!
With a "Please help me get the long (indeed very long, quick extended, too) nails cut at whatever cost!" and a "No one can ever get to do it!", she left. My brother, Seng, happened to be around. Bobo looked at us, ready to launch an attack, groggy (effects of the pill) though it may be!
No way this fella gonna sleep... get me the clipper... hold him tight lest I'll be bitten!" said Seng. What he did next was terrifying ..... snip! snip! snip! amidst Bobo's shrilly cries and ferocious protest and oblivious of my cries too, for him to halt!! Within seconds (though it seemed a lifetime), he had all the nails cut closed to the pads!!... and timely too.... I was losing my grasp on Bobo ... he was far too strong for me! Blood oozed with each cut staining the floor and my brand new tee-shirt (which cost more than what I charged Mdm Sin)! My hands were coloured by the potassium permanganate administered to stop the profuse bleeding!
"Traumatic for the dog? Well, he acted traumatised anyway.. thus it makes no difference! Sometimes, you need to be cruel to be kind. He will be exposed to more injury with nails as long as they were!" explained my brother.
To Mdm Sin, I related the whole scenario and was apologetic. However, her never ending "thank you" made me wonder if I should agree with my brother's drastic action..... What say you?
Incidentally, since I am on this topic, let me share my personal nail experience .....
It was my day off on a Monday. I checked into this newly opened salon operated by my customer for a pedicure. Honestly, I have past the age of vanity but was there for moral support. I've always envied people with long nails because I've never had long nails all my life. My weak nails (when wet, can even be bent backwards!) chipped off easily, so when the manicurist suggested the gel extensions, I fell for it!
Throughout the session, I was attended to by 4 manicurists. My initial allocation of 2 hrs for a pedicure, dragged to 7 hrs in all, and was slapped with ..phew...a whopping bill!
The following day, at my pet shop, I kept flaunting my nails and demonstrating the colour changing from peach (body temperature) to pink (wet my hand, place it before the air-conditioner to cool it) ! Two days later, a nail extension came off and another and another .........! Could it have been due to rough handling with dogs, ...drumming the table with the finger nails ....? What about the toe nails coming off as well? I don't groom with my feet?! Anyway, to make up, the proprietor suggested another session .....
Ignoring all advices, I clipped off the nails till the raw nail beds surfaced! I flinched each time I slipped my hands into my jean's pockets, reaching for one thing or another ....or rummaging through my handbag .....
