Real-Life Communication -- Solution
Where didn't the apprentice go wrong might be a better question.
The
first mistake occurred when the apprentice ran over to the client and the
dog. The second happened when he shook the client's hand enthusiastically
and used an excited tone of voice. Loud, excited voices and quick hand movements
can make a dog feel protective and nervous.
The apprentice missed the
important step of offering the back of his hand for inspection. Instead, he
patted the dog aggressively.
The apprentice started a tug-of-war with
the dog by pulling him on the lead when the animal did not want to go. Then,
to make matters worse, he got angry with the dog when he got tired of pulling
the pet along.
Now you have an agitated dog on your hands. It will
bother everyone else in the salon, and could also potentially be dangerous.
Plus, the customer is totally less than impressed with your operation. This
kind of situation would never have happened if the apprentice had experience
with animals.
Anyone wanting to get into this field needs to be familiar
with animals and their behavior.
"Knowing how to handle animals is
a must," says Peter Moran, a pet groomer. "Take a dog through a basic obedience
class and read dog training books. There are many grooming and
training magazines available to read as well."