This is Broccoli, a very sweet Cocker Spaniel. He is an outside dog; his owners live in the country and have him groomed once per year. A friend of mine, who is also a groomer in the area, told me about him and his situation, so I felt that I was prepared for his appointment. But nothing could have prepared me for the creature that walked into my salon. He was matted to the skin, I was able to get most of it off with a #10, but had to use a #30 on his legs (it came off in the form of a pelt). His hind end was one big mat, and I can’t understand how he had been managing to relieve himself. He was absolutely wonderful for the whole ordeal, and such a happy, playful guy when it was all done. His owner was not able to drop him off orpick him up, so I wrote her a letter describing the grooming a Cocker Spaniel requires. I said I would be willing to work with her 100% to figure out a regular schedule for Broccoli, and that it would benefit him tremendously. I thought a letter would be the best route to take. I wasn’t sure I could be diplomatic on the phone, and verbally chastising her was not the answer.