# Need help, can't groom my dog



## InPinkClover (Mar 10, 2013)

For about 40 years now I have been grooming my own dogs. Nothing special, just getting rid of the hair so they could be more comfortable. When I was a kid neighbors paid me to do their dogs, so obviously I didn't do TOO bad of a job.

For months now I have been struggling, trying to figure out what to do to shave my new dog's hair. I know from experience that it can be hard, but Stella, OMG, she's part sheep! Seriously, I am not exaggerating. I've never seen anything like it. Every single day she's got new dreadlocks, it's awful. And the weather here in AZ is getting hotter so I have to figure out something soon.

When I first got her I planned on taking her to a groomer. Sounded logical to me since I realized the problem with her hair immediately. But that idea hasn't worked very well. Some of the big box groomers (Petsmart, etc) won't accept her because I don't have proof of shots (got her from someone else). That will be taken care of when the Spay & Neuter wagon comes back to our area (which has been slow to happen this year!) because getting her shots/license costs a lot more before getting her fixed. So I called some privately owned places and I am absolutely SHOCKED by the attitudes I am hearing.

My animals are part of my family. I love them almost as much as I love my human son, so if you want to groom one, you better at least LIKE animals and I better FEEL it. What *I* hear on the phone as I "interview" these people is far from caring about anything other than getting paid. Can't find a job? Be a dog groomer! _Please, if you are a groomer, don't take offense. I'm just telling you what *I* am running into._

I couldn't stand the stress of trying to find a place that made me feel secure about taking her in, so after a ton of research and realizing I cannot afford the best (I even shopped for SHEEP supplies!) I bought some new clippers. Andis model 21420, $70 for the set. Just came in the mail. Oiled them, and turned it on to see if Stella would freak out (she didn't). But they won't even TOUCH her hair!

Seriously, what am I going to? This has never happened to me before, and I have owned my fair share of animals of all sorts. I've been trying to stay on top of her mats, clipping her by hand every day, but I can't. That girl grows thick, curly, matted hair like nothing I have ever seen before! I don't want or need a "poodle" cut. I just want, no I NEED her hair to be gone. I can't even BRUSH her!

Now what? This is getting so depressing. Poor Stella! Can anyone suggest anything that might help? Does anyone personally know of a reputable groomer in the Glendale/Phoenix AZ area that I could call? I think that if I can just get that first, serious haircut for her things would be a lot easier on the both of us.


----------



## frankgrimes (Nov 28, 2011)

Oh my! That's quite the pickle! I'm no groomer so I can't help you there. Maybe you could book an appointment and stay with her to ensure she's being treated as she should be. Like you said, it's just getting that first groom done, sounds like you can keep her short and avoid this once you get it down. Hope it all works out for you both.


----------



## Dawnsohma (Jan 24, 2013)

so the clippers wont go though the hair??? if you dont mind how short it is you could shave her while she is wet it will cut much better. 

i know the petco here has a shot clinic every saturday if you want to just get low cost shots. as far as groomers go yeah it can be very expensive if you want a really good groomer especially if she is a standard which i assume she is. but dont give up home you might have to go a little farther a way but you can find a good groomer if you dont give up.


----------



## Ellyisme (Jul 17, 2012)

I wish I could come down and help you. :-(

PetSmart only requires rabies, so if nothing else, you could take her to go get one shot, wait a couple days, and the get her groomed. I know banfield vets (inside PetSmart) ha e vaccination clinic days where you don't have to pay an office visit fee. Might be so something to look into.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Look around for a spay/neuter vaccination clinic. One nearby me does rabies for $12 for 1 year, and $18 for 3 years. The Petsomethings only require rabies, but you have to understand with the smaller businesses that it's different if they get bit than for an employee of a corporate business. Are you sure you want to send your dog to a salon unvaccinated, where other pets frequently visit? You could have had all her shots done with the price you paid for the clippers, with money left over.


----------



## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

I didn't read where you said how old she is, but the matting thing sounds like she is in coat change. I know what you mean!! It's such a drag. However, the adult coat has such a cool texture, it's kind of smooth, like it combs out so nicely. So once you get a handle on this initial groom, and if she's out of coat change, I'm sure you can keep her looking nice. One thing you might want to consider is scissoring (very, very carefully so you don't cut her, especially if the mats are close to her skin) because of the mats. Once you get rid of the mats, you can at least brush her thoroughly (especially if her coat is short), and then bath and blow dry her. After blow drying, I bet you'll find it's MUCH easier to deal with her coat.


----------



## -Lilith- (Nov 21, 2012)

Yup go ahead and use scissors on those matts.... Then have an enormous bill when you slice your dog open...
Thick coat means heavy duty clippers. A pair of clippers for 80 bucks isn't going to go through at all! 
I don't understand why you feel the groomers you are interviewing aren't in it for the love of the dog. 
Gotta realize, us groomers get someone like you calling daily, stating you brush the dog every day, want the dog to stay long but it's matted. We honestly roll our eyes at ya over the phone. 
Even if I didn't work at a pet something I wouldn't take a dog without the rabies shot being UTD. Not taking that chance. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Dawnsohma (Jan 24, 2013)

i also would like to add even tho it might not seem like probably about 90% of groomers actually do love dogs and do/did enjoy what they do. everyone has a bad day or also might be very busy when you call and dont have time to play 20 questions over the phone with someone who may or may not want to come in. also when dealing with a matted dog that takes alot of time and delicate work which greatly increases the cost at most places. what id recommend is going down to the shop and visiting it a few times on a slow day just to say hi you could bring her down there and show them her as well. dont expect the groomer to drop what there doing and chat with you for 30 minutes but that is the best way to get the vibe of the place and see if you want to bring your dog there.


----------



## InPinkClover (Mar 10, 2013)

Thank you for your help, ladies. I got some Mane & Tale shampoo and conditioner, and although I still cannot do anything big with her, it sure is softer so I was able to manually cut her head hair without any issues (except for the eyes ....). I hadn't thought of trying to cut her wet, I will try that next. Thank you! BTW ... Stella is a Maltipoo or Cockapoo or something like that. I was going to show her to you all when she is groomed so you could help me figure that part out too. Just for fun, of course. Doesn't really matter to me what breed she is. 

No, didn't want to take her to a shop without her shots first, was just trying to make the timing work out better. I would like her hair to be gone before her surgery. But it hasn't worked so I will definitely change my "plans"! 

Ya, I know people can have a bad day. I actually called 4 of them more than once, also used my adult son to call to see if that made a difference. I'm SURE there are great groomers, I just gave up, thought maybe I could do it myself instead as I had done many times before.

Lilith, I specifically said please don't take it personally. And I am really offended that you made me sound like a freak when you don't know me. Someone like me that calls you every day and you roll your eyes at them? Who do you think you are? I never once said anything about brushing her daily, or any of that. I take full responsibility for her not being taken care of yet, and BTW, I saved her from being tied to a tree, outside in AZ for over a year. It's not exactly my fault she's a matted dog. I am doing the best I can for this wonderful little dog.

I was told by many of the shops I called that I could NOT sit and wait for her. I was told by a few of them that they require her to be at their shop from 7am (or 8am) until 4pm. Those are just 2 examples I do not find acceptable. I didn't want to go into great detail because this post was NOT about groomers. But your nasty post helped to prove my point better than I ever could. Thank you for that. It's your type that made me afraid to take Stella to a groomer in the first place. 

I was just trying to find a way to help my dog with all the details I could possibly think of without making the post 6 pages long. 
Gad, who needs this ....


----------



## Dawnsohma (Jan 24, 2013)

well most groomers prefer you dont stay it makes it worse on the dog the groomer and you. it causes everyone extra stress that is not needed. we charge extra if you want to stay and wait since then it needs to be a "speedy type groom" done as fast as possible. some groomers prefer all the dogs come in the morning so they can do all the washing at once then the hair cuts in the afternoon. we normally keep dogs 3-4 hours depending on how things go and what kind of dog. since she is matted it could go much longer then that. if she is a maltipoo shaving her wet should work really well cockapoo it depends more if there like a cocker or a poodle hair type. 

well and as far as the rolling your eyes thing i would totally do that if someone called and wanted me to leave it long and wasn't brushing it properly too but you have to realize that groomers have to deal with not only the dogs but the people who dont always understand and want things that half the time isnt possible lol. not that has anything to do with your sweet baby. anyways i am interested in seeing pictures do post.


----------



## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

If you are worried about about leaving your dog with a groomer,have you considered a mobile groomer? Someone who can come to your house park outside and work on your dog straight through?

I understand that you are concerned with who you leave your dog with, and you should be. It's unfortunate, but there are bad and irresponsible groomers out there.

BUT, you need to realize also that groomers get really busy, and if you call them in the middle of the day and keep them on the phone for 30 minutes you could be getting us behind, we may already be stressed out by our day and it sounds like your dog is going to be a big job, especially for her first groom. 
I recommend you go in person first thing in the morning or close to closing time. You also need to realize that many groomers walk in the door in the morning and start grooming and don't take any breaks, including skipping lunch breaks until they are done. Some of us are working 10-12 hr shifts with out any stopping. I love it when people come in to ask me questions because I can continue working on my dog while happily answering their questions and concerns. Plus they can actually see me in action and see how I respond to the dogs and how the dogs respond to me.

I don't see why you would be upset why it is required to have your dogs vaccinated. You are bringing your dog into a place with other dogs, don't you want to protect your pet? Doesn't matter how clean the shop is, because some viruses are airborne, one being bordatella(kennel cough) 

Us professionals pay closer to 200+ for our clippers, and each blade is 20-30 bucks on top of that. That's why we have the proper equipment that can safely go through the coat. 
Definitely do not cut through the Matts with scissors because that could result in a really bad accident that could cost you a fortune in vet bills and could be really upsetting to you and her. 

A good place to start looking is asking your vet for references to local groomers, and ask your friends or family where they take their dogs. 

I understand you are looking out for your dogs best interest, and please don't get offended by anything I have said, just like you don't want any of us to get offended by your comments about us.

Most of us get into grooming because we LOVE dogs, but grooming is not going to work everyday and playing with puppies dAy long. We get bit, scratched, peed on, pooped on, screamed at barked at and thrown all over the place all day long. It gets tiring, and when someone calls and has all these expectations from us for a dog in terrible conditions with no experience at a groom shop. We expect the worse case scenario. I would rather over quote you and tell you it will take twice as long, and then surprise you with a phone call in half the time and charge you half the price I quoted you, then to under quote you or take twice as long as I originally told you. 

Having the owner stay can be more stressful for the dog and the groomer.
The dogs get anxious because they want to go to their owner but are being restricted by the groomer, and the groomer is battling a wiggly dog, taking more time and increasing the risk of injury. 

Personally, the way I handle all my clients is by building trust with both the owner and the pet. If an owner wants to stay, I explain to them the reasons why we don't like to have owners stay, but tell them we will be happy to arrange it if that would make them feel better. 


Good luck, and just relax a little. If you find a groomer who meets a majority of your needs then go in and meet them in person. The biggest things you want to watch out for is, how clean? Are there loose dogs walking around? Are the groomers leaving the dogs alone on the tables? 




Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## PammiPoodle (Jul 16, 2011)

I'm not sure what length blade you're working with, but usually if a blade won't go through it means you need to go shorter. Of course, the shorter you go the more risk you run of nicking, especially under mats. Wet stripping is also an option, but once you've wet mats they will tighten as they dry. If you wet Daisy down to strip her and can't get it all off, the situation will be worse. If I'm judging this situation right (please correct me if I'm wrong), you've been battling mats on Daisy for a few months. Matting can get dangerously tight to the skin in that amount of time. It may be safest to hire a pro at this point. If you need to get the most bang for your buck, ask for them to shave her all over as short as they're comfortable. This will last the longest and give you more time to recover financially before she'll need a groom again. She will almost certainly cost more because she's matted. The upside is that it sounds like this may be a one-time thing since you could possibly groom her yourself once she's got a clean new start! : ) 

As far as finding a groomer you trust, perhaps, since this is an extreme circumstance, you can widen your range a bit and look in neighboring towns or counties. A long drive may be worth it to get Daisy taken care of this one time. Also, I'm glad you mentioned a few of the things you weren't comfortable with in a groomer, feel free to mention more. Maybe some of the other pros here can help in explaining to you why (or if) they're normal procedures. I'm getting the impression that you generally don't trust groomers. When a client calls to "test" whether we care about dogs or treat them well enough, it's obvious to us in a few sentences, and it's not a good feeling! I hope that those two examples you mentioned didn't give you the impression that those groomers didn't care. We have to make decisions and run our salons in a way that is beneficial to both the dogs *and* our business. If we serve one and not the other, we'll soon be serving neither! : P Our prices, scheduling, and policies are all designed to keep dogs safe and happy and our businesses running. If you've been getting attitudes on a personal level, it may be because the groomers sense distrust and feel defensive. Of course, you also could just have poor luck and keep calling grouches. : P As in any industry, there are good workers and bad ones! Perhaps asking some of these groomers for references could confirm whether they are qualified or not. If there are still no groomers to be trusted in your area, then the final option is a vet. There, at least, if Daisy gets a nick or anything like that you know she'll get the best possible care! : ) 

I understand your desire to groom Daisy yourself, both wanting her to be safe and preserving your funds. But I really worry about months-long matting being tackled by a non-professional. In that amount of time things can get really serious and clipping those kinds of mats can be really dangerous. Please keep us posted, and best of luck whatever route you take! : )


----------



## Lene (Jan 18, 2013)

I'm just wondering, if this is your dog's first groom...????

You've known the dog since 2011, apparently acquired her in December 2012....

Have you got any pictures of her? We'd love to see them...


----------



## Oodlejpoodle's mom (Sep 11, 2009)

InPinkClover said:


> Can't find a job? Be a dog groomer! _Please, if you are a groomer, don't take offense. I'm just telling you what *I* am running _


_

Sorry.....but I for one am taking offense to it. Look at all these LOVELY groomers that are offering you help and guidance. Maybe you could have phrased it something like...."I am having a difficult time finding a groomer in my area".......not "can't find a job, be a dog groomer".

Dog grooming takes education, skill, patience and money (the equipment professionals use is very expensive). You just can't pick up a set of clippers and call yourself a groomer. It is backbreaking work that often goes unappreciated.

On another note, why did you not (meaning why don't you) take this newly adopted dog to a vet for a checkup? They could look the pup over, give it rabies at the very least and clip the dog. It's a win/win.

Good luck in your search._


----------



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I don't think the way to pick a groomer is over the phone. Visit the shop and note the demeanor of the dogs there. A groomer who is curt on the phone might be in the middle of bathing or cutting a dog. Sometimes people are good with animals but not with people. If a groomer hears a dog is badly matted the groomer may well need several hours to work with a dog. Such a dog may not be use to grooming and perhaps the groomer would not do the whole groom in one shot but break it out so it is less stressful for the dog. My groomer can be very blunt if she does not believe a dog is being well cared for. Make sure the groomer knows this dog is a rescue. Your dog's coat may always be an issue as it is a mix. Hopefully she is just going through a coat change but this may just be her hair.


----------



## Abbe gails Mom (Nov 8, 2012)

Wow, Becky is a groomer that I have had for 6 yrs. She has never had a problem with any one staying with there dog . When my Ashley was in her last days, I all ways set there while she was being groomed. ( grooming is done in the shop behind glass ) so no problem, The day i get mine from the shelter,i take them in to Becky, she knows that there a mess, they get a buzz cut, a bath ( I provide the shampoo, )thats how I have her cut all my dogs hair.All 4 go every 6 to 8 wks.I would see if a vets office will trim her , you could ask,


----------



## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

This is a trick that I teach my clients if for some reason they feel the need to cut out a mat. This will go very slow for you but be patient & work a section at a time. Take your metal comb & slide it between the skin & the mat, then scissor on top of the comb. That way your shears never touch the skin. Go section by section until your whole dog has the mats removed. Now don't worry about being uneven. Next give your dog a really nice soothing bath & condition. Blow dry the coat & when about 85% dry start using your brush to lift, straighten & demat any remaining tangles. Now you may use your clippers hopefully with a SOC since metal blades get hot fast. Finish your dog with scissoring the sticky outies.


----------



## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

InPinkClover said:


> For months now I have been struggling, trying to figure out what to do to shave my new dog's hair ... Every single day she's got new dreadlocks, it's awful. And the weather here in AZ is getting hotter so I have to figure out something soon.


Please, for Stella's sake, get her to a groomer ASAP. If she is matted to the point of "dreadlocks", she is in pain. Bathing a matted dog only tightens the mats. Put the dog first, set your feelings aside and get her to a competent groomer right away. This job may be far beyond what a novice can do at home.


----------



## kukukachoo (Jul 26, 2012)

I am sorry OP, but I don't get a good feeling about this whole situation. "Saving" animals is more than just bringing them into your home and feeding them. I hope I am just incorrectly jumping to conclusions (and I apologize if I am) but from the care you describe this poodle has had from you (not paying for vaccines, vet visit or groom yet) and the fact that you chose to not name a number on how many cats you have (except for talking about the 4 most recently acquired) I worry you have too much on your plate.

Can we see a photo of your pups to put our minds at ease, please? I'd appreciate it so much! Good luck!


----------



## PammiPoodle (Jul 16, 2011)

I'm sorry I kept referring to Daisy in my previous post, when this thread is about Stella! Oops! : P Hope that's not one more tick in the "groomers are incompetent" score! We're none of us perfect! : )


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

The Maricopa Animal Control holds rabies clinics weekly .....shots/license is $20. I also saw that THIS weekend was the free spay/neuter so why weren't YOU there!!! You really need to be on top of this for the well being of your dog! 
It didn't take much to Google this information......Sorry if I sound mean but I am concerned for that poor dog!


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

The Maricopa Animal Control holds rabies clinics weekly ....

MCACC INFO;
Rabies Clinic Special; 
$20.00 rabies/lic 1yr

West Valley Animal Care Center
2500 S 27th Ave
Sun. 11am-5:30pm
Tues & Thurs 9am-11am


East Valley Animal Care Center
2630 W 8th St
Sun. 11am-5:30pm
Tues & Wed 9am-11am


----------



## Agidog (Jun 4, 2012)

*sorting through the tangles*

Firstly oiling the coat helps prevent matting/dreadlocks etc, we use pure wool fat mixed with water in spray bottle and this is applied pre wrapping and banding and specific brand of detergent used to wash out prior to using poodle specific dog wash /conditioning.

Secondly when I go to groomers with my dog she totally wants me to stay as she has told me that as a show dog I know exactly what I want done etc and she is guided by my input, therefore appointments are organised around close of shop time etc, I must add here that she is an ex show dog owner and fully understands poodles etc. but I would not be comfortable going to anyone who I did not know was an expert in show clipping a poodle.

As for your current dilemma with your dog, just use the scissors and cut the top layer(like cutting very tips not close to skin) off all over and progressively do this until you have cut away the majority of the matted hair and length is around 1 - 2" long and you should then be able to bath dog use heaps of oil or conditioner, there is a specific demat product you can get, and using a wide toothed comb or pin brush while dog is oiled up brush through gently (this will be time consuming but must be done), then rinse,blow dry, again another time consuming process, must brush constantly while drying, this should leave you with a fairly manageable coat and length which if you then wanted to you could use a clipper with wide teeth attachment to just clip through until you have a suitable length.

Hope this helps or by now you have resolved problem:bathbaby:


----------



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I am sure your method would work Agidog but I feel no matter how gently you tried to do this it would be very hard on the dog. There are good groomers, it sounds like Agidog has one, and the best thing for the dog would be to be shaved down by an expert and then made sure to keep on top of things from there. It sounds like this dog has been matted for a while which has to be painful. I hope the OP will give us an update.


----------



## Abbe gails Mom (Nov 8, 2012)

Not sure , but I don"t think Pink Clover is on the forum any longer, some of us here jumped all over her, we were not helpful or respectable at all, and because of that we will never know if the poodle will get the needed help that we all know that it needed to get.That is a shame, were here to try to help each other, and not all of us understand all things the same way.I myself still do not understand what all was going on or why.


----------



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I think you are probably right and she may no longer be on the forum which is a shame. Reviewing the thread I think members really did try to help her especially groomers. To be honest I am not a groomer but I found Pink Clover's comments about groomers harsh. I do think pointing out the risk of attempting to shave down a badly matted coat and providing several locations to get inexpensive shots was put forth out of concern for the dog. I did not see any mean spirited posts. I do hope she will come back to the forum and tell us how her dog doing. I know we all want the best for Pink Clover and her dog.


----------



## sweetheartsrodeo (Sep 19, 2012)

I have to say something here, and I don't know if I am saying it so much for me or others... I DO rescue. I am at my limit with a total of 7, it was 8 but my mother has fallen in love with Bella, my last rescue and she is living the good life with my mom... But, all of my babies are long haired.... When they came to me some were matted beyond belief and some were very malnurished... I spent no more than a week letting them be matted, and each and every one was taken to the vet within 24 hours. If you bring a new dog in, you have to take precautions for the saftey of them and your current pets. I love my babies, and spend much on their care - every three weeks, we have a grooming weekend, and the little ones get nails done, face, tummy and tush clipped. But let me back up, when Remington came to live with me, I was scared to death of such a big hyper pup, but I knew he needed to get rid of all the fecal matter and matts in his coat. We sat on the floor of my mudroom/small garage and I slowly shaved him as I pet him and talked to him, promising I would make his life from there on the best I could, I would find him a wonderful home... Getting a pup out of a bad situation is only the first step. I spent hours with the clippers, switching between the two I owned at the time trying to make him better. BTW - I owned two pair of $40 wahl clippers I bought at Walmart... Nothing fancy and not as good of quality as I own now... The point is I found a way to make it work, knowing he came to me on a Sat. and there was no way I could get him groomed until Mondy at the earliest... Did he look pretty - no... Was he cold - yes this was January - Did we make an emegency vet appointment as I drove in to get his shots before I took him into my house... yes and paid extra for it... There is no use in rescuing if you are not improving the care of the animal... I know that our hearts break to see one that we feel is not being treated right, but we also have to remember that we must take on what we can personally handle and what is within our budget... - I saw the sweetest standard poodle last summer when I was in TN, it was matted and in bad shape, it broke my heart, and I gave it a little bit of love but I knew I couldn't give this baby any better care - I can't affored to have another poodle - Remington and his meds are close to a grand a year - mulitply that by seven... 

I commend the OP for trying to do the right thing, I believe your heart was in the right place and you did make this pups life better... Now it is time for the logical side to kick in, do the things you know need to be done for this little dear one even if it means that you spend more than you wanted to... The spay part - that can be done down the road, but please take her in for a good full check up... Test for worms, get her ears checked, test for heart worms ect. I know that you have her best interest at heart  Best wishes and luch in your new little lady


----------



## Abbe gails Mom (Nov 8, 2012)

Yes your right. We all do wish her and the dog the very best. I don"t know about you, but when I post something here , it never comes across how I would like it to sound.I don't know what to do about that. There's got to be something.There are times that I go back and go over my post, and wonder to my self, what the H--- was I thinking, that and just how many pain pills have I taken today???? Please hang in there with me people , there are days( most of them ) that I don't know me, and i wont even bring up the days that I can't spell my on name. HUmmmmm.


----------



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Could not agree with you more Abbé gales Mom. With posts you can't see the expression and sometimes things are written quickly and do not come across correctly. I know I cringe sometimes at things I have written at times. I have never seen anything amiss in your posts; I doubt the same could be said for me. I am sorry to hear pain is an issue in your life - it does not shine through in your posts.

Sweetheart rodeo bless your generous heart for the wonderful life you have given your fur babies. I do commend the OP for trying to do the right thing but like you I am confused and concerned that a visit to the vet and the matting issue was not taken care of sooner.


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I too am sad that we will probably never know what happened to that little dog.......
Pink Clover....if you are reading this, it would be nice to know.
I just hate 'dangling threads'!!!!!!!


----------



## sweetheartsrodeo (Sep 19, 2012)

Abbe gails Mom said:


> Yes your right. We all do wish her and the dog the very best. I don"t know about you, but when I post something here , it never comes across how I would like it to sound.I don't know what to do about that. There's got to be something.There are times that I go back and go over my post, and wonder to my self, what the H--- was I thinking, that and just how many pain pills have I taken today???? Please hang in there with me people , there are days( most of them ) that I don't know me, and i wont even bring up the days that I can't spell my on name. HUmmmmm.


I agree... sometimes text can be mistinterpreted... I think that is where it becomes very important to know the person who posted it. There are very few time I would get my feelings hurt over something that some one has said... and if I did, I would PM them and let them know. This situation happened to me, and now the person I did PM, I have te upmost respect for what they say, as I now see their line of thought and understand where they were coming from... BTW I think this person is a dear soul and a very lovely person... So much can be gained from direct communication if you get your feelings hurt. We all have cruddy days... We are afterall humans, and not perfect poodles - ha ha... But I strongly feel that there is not a person on this forum I cannot learn something from, and find positive aspects with. Chagall's Mom's line under his picture says it all - Just be nice....


----------

