No matter what kind of job you have, working when you are hurt, sick, or otherwise not feeling well sucks! I think some jobs are harder than others, though, when it comes to working when you don't feel good. Grooming is definitely one of those.
One of the problems is that if you don't feel good, the dogs pick up on your negative energy and tend to misbehave more, which, of course, makes you feel even worse. The worse you feel, the more they misbehave, the more they misbehave, the worse you feel.
Also, grooming is a very physically demanding job. I usually spend most of my day on my feet, but I sprained my ankle a couple of days ago, so I need to sit as much as possible. Some groomers are more comfortable sitting, some are more comfortable standing. I prefer to stand. I find it easier for me to move around the dogs than to move the dogs every which way to reach all sides. So when I sit, I'm not as comfortable with my grooming style, which the dogs also pick up on. Also, I realized today, many of my request dogs are used to standing still and facing one direction the entire groom; they did not appreciate being manhandled so much.
Also, grooming (like most jobs I suppose) is a job based on habits. When you are used to doing everything the same way, the slightest change is annoying. I had to slightly alter a lot of things today, including how I pick dogs up.
I apologize, this blog post has been far whinier than I intended.
One great thing about my job is that some of the dogs can absolutely make you feel better when you don't feel good. They say having a pet reduces your blood pressure; I'll bet the same holds true for working with dogs.
Also, my regular customers actually care bout me as a person. Most jobs, you need to suck it up and pretend you are OK, ESPECIALLY when you are dealing with customers. My background in retail causes me to put on that fake smile with most people, but it is nice to be able to occasionally let my guard down.
It also helps that I really enjoy my coworkers, and they and my boss genuinely care about me and my well-being.
How about you and your job? What are the pros and cons about working when you are sick or injured?
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