One of my groomer friends recently told me, "I lost a customer today. I told her that I had noticed her dog had gained a lot of weight and was concerned about its health. She got all upset, told me to cancel her future appointments, and stormed out."
As professional groomers, we see many of our customers regularly, every four, six, or eight weeks or so, allowing us to notice physical changes. As pet care professionals, we understand that obesity is associated with a variety of serious health conditions, and we also know that grooming overweight dogs has a whole host of challenges.
It is estimated that 50 to 65% of pet dogs in the United States are obese or overweight. Obesity in dogs has been linked to degenerative joint disorders such as arthritis, increased cancer risk, heart disease, diabetes, endocrine-related illnesses, and a shortened lifespan.
Grooming obese dogs can be tricky on several levels. Overweight pets often have trouble standing for more than a few moments at a time. They may have respiratory problems that affect how they cool themselves, making drying them safely more difficult. Even something as routine as lifting a paw to trim the claws can make it hard for them to balance, and the typical ways we move and flex their limbs to brush and clip them may cause discomfort.
Heavier dogs are more challenging to lift and maneuver as we work, increasing our risk of back and muscle strain. Large and giant breed dogs that are overweight can damage our expensive grooming arms and tables because they have increased body mass.
Some groomers have a weight limit for pets they groom; for instance, in our studio, we only accept pets under 50 pounds. Things get problematic when we take in a dog that weighs 45 pounds, but then their weight creeps up. It may happen gradually over a few years; at that point, we have an attachment to the pet and its owner.
Conversations with people about their pet's weight can be hard because it is a sensitive topic for many pet owners. Focusing on the pet's health and comfort level and avoiding emotionally weighted terms like "obese" is important. I like to keep a body condition chart like this one handy to show customers.
Suppose the pet owner seems receptive to discussing the issue. In that case, I will suggest they talk to their veterinarian but also offer some easy-to-implement changes, such as substituting a portion of the pet's regular food with an equal amount of steamed green beans. Sometimes, giving people a proactive idea that is easy to implement gets things moving in a positive direction.
Keep your conversation health-focused and nonjudgemental, and hope they take your advice for the sake of the pet and your back.
References:
https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/obesity-dogs.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/obesity-in-dogs.
https://www.zoetisus.com/petcare/blog/client-conversations-pet-obesity.
