Not Dog’s Best Friend

(We are a grooming shop inside a larger pet store. One of our bathers brings out a dog that is going home. Since she worked on the dog, she proceeds to inform the owner how it went.)

Bather: “[Pet] did pretty good for a first timer, but got a bit scared and tried to nip—”

Customer: “BAD DOG!”

(She then starts screaming and leans over our counter to take a swing at her dog with a closed fist. The dog ducks and hides behind the bather.)

Me: “Ma’am! Please don’t hit your dog in here!”

(She scowls at us and still looks angry, but we have no choice but to hand the dog over. A few minutes later one of the floor associates rushes in.)

Associate: “The lady that just left just started kicking the s*** out of her dog and is now trying to stuff it in the trunk!”

Me: “WHAT?!”

(The bather calls the cops while I and the associate rush outside. We can’t see the dog in the car but the owner is in the driver’s seat, on her phone and screaming at us, as we box her in her parking space to keep her from leaving until the police arrive.)

Police Officer: “I can take it from here. All of you get back inside.”

(We never saw the woman again, but I still think of that poor dog.)