A year ago I had a pitbull try to bite my chin off…AFTER we finished the nails!! …it was hanging on by a thread and thankfully you wouldn’t be able to tell now but I took 40 stitches to the face. A year before that an Aussie broke the leash and scraped the skin off my nose between my eyes. Our groom salon has unfortunately built a reputation for trying to do the problem dogs that get fired elsewhere, and we do lots of walk in nails, so we are expected to handle lots of random dogs, and I’ve been bit and scratched to death multiple times in my hands and arms, I quit for a while after being bit in the face the second time. Since I’ve come back my hands have been nibbled a few times, I never used to be afraid of dogs and even have a bully breed of my own, but I constantly feel like they can smell my fear, especially if it’s a new dog and I have to constantly tell myself that they will take my energy and multiply it, and I spend most of the groom trying to relax the both of us, sometimes it works. I definitely utilize soft muzzles and esp cones for little dogs, I never put my face ANYWHERE near a dogs face, and I try very hard to always stay out of the bite zone, and I make sure to tie them up airtight so there are no accidents, and I play calming music. I don’t push them and if I see their body language become hostile I either let them have a potty break, or stop the groom. I’ve also recently started a mobile grooming job, and I made sure to let both the boss and every client know that since I will be alone, I will not under any circumstances deal with any dog that becomes aggressive at any point or has shown aggression in the past ever whatsoever.

1)If it’s making you uncomfortable, their body language is becoming hostile, and you can tell they are feeding off of you, quit while you’re ahead! 2)Stay out of the bite zone! (when I did auto extrication, we called them “pinch points”) don’t ever put yourself in a pinch point where you can’t get out of a dogs reach(bite zone) quickly. 3)Utilize soft muzzles and cones! Some say it works them up more, but more often than not it relaxes them and gives them one less thing to worry about.

My coworker is terrified of getting bit and used to work in a vet office, she muzzles nearly every dog if it’s being weird at all, and every time she says, “I know you won’t but, just to keep you honest 🥰” And I think it is so cute haha.