Dog Community

I cannot believe this groomer! UPDATE

Posted : 8/22/2007 11:12:32 PM

Colton's handler recently had to rehome her two cockers due to an emergency. Both were beautiful dogs, but not quite right for show. Paris(ASCOB) had too soft of a coat. She was placed with a wonderful family that I met a few days ago. They brought her in for grooming today and the woman said that she's never had a cocker before so she wasn't sure about the cut, but to do what cockers normally get. Meaning, a cocker clip. Paris was in a full show clip. Beautiful skirt almost to the floor! She had a couple tangles, but nothing bad. She just needed her back and head cut basically and her feed cleaned up. Later, I came in to train and I saw the woman with a dog...it was Paris, the groomer SHAVED her! She was very angry and talking to the manager. I went up and I couldn't believe it. I'm supposed to support Petco, but this is a dog that is very special to one of my very close friends and I've seen her from a puppy! I told the manager that it was completely wrong and explained that shes a show dog who had full coat that was in very good condition. I did this in front of the customer. I talked to him later, and he said that he could tell by my face when I saw the dog that something was really wrong.. Its going to take forever to get her hair back. I told the woman that I would groom her from now on. I said, "I'm not perfect at it but I will definitely try!" and she said "anything is better than this!" To make it worse, it was a horrible shave down. Pieces left everywhere choppy back. I was soooo mad! I'm rooting for the woman to get her money back completely because its going to take a very very long time to get all that hair back. Normally, I wouldn't back up someone so much, but I know the dog and there was NO reason for the shave down.

**UPDATE**
The woman got her money back. They are still insisting the dog was totally matted...which I will never agree with. The groomer was told that she needs to contact owners before making big decisions like that. Still, they think I'm an idiot for saying the dog wasn't completely matted. They said the belly and some inbetween the toes. Still, nothing to shave the entire dog over! I could have easily gotten the matts I felt out with a slicker brush and thinning shears. I'm sticking with that and not backing down. I'm pretty sure I made the groomer(who I actually like as a person) mad so I'm going to go talk to her. I'm going to just say that we had a big disagreement on grooming techniques and she did what she felt was right. I just agreed with the customer that it should have been done differently. I even discussed with the customer that had she received notice, she wouldn't have been as mad.

Edie

Posted : 8/22/2007 11:21:08 PM

Sheep shearers are easy to find,a proper groomer who knows how to groom to breed standards is definitely a rare gem these days [&o]

I know a groomer who will not "shave" unless the dog is really,really bad matted and there is no other way out,and even then she will do this only once and shows the owner how to maintain the coat inbetween visits,if they return with the dog in the same matted state she will not groom them again.
She sends clients who want their dogs shaved to the 'sheep shearer' down the road as she refuses to do it.She clips to breed standard and takes great care and pride in her work,because of this she is always booked out and has a waiting list,and clients come from miles around.

iiartisanii

Posted : 8/22/2007 11:24:59 PM

Precisely why people should learn to groom a dog if they intend to keep it in full coat. Groomers are by and large scissor-happy people and very rarely do you find one that knows how to do a show cut AND a pet cut. Unfortunately I've heard more than one of these types of stories. . most notably when a Poodle person left their show dog at the groomer for a Puppy-to-Continental and it came back looking like. . well. . a pet at the hands of an unskilled assistant. Petco and Petsmarts are notorious for screwing up haircuts so your best shot is to steer very.. . very. . clear.

ColleenC

Posted : 8/22/2007 11:34:45 PM

She didn't even do a pet cocker clip...its a complete shave! No skirt, no ear fluff or whatever you want to call it...nothing! Well, I've been wanting a dog with long hair to groom, and I guess I'll work my way up with her. The lady seemed so happy that I offered to groom her even though I told her I wasn't an expert. But, she knows I am familiar with the dog and with her former owner, so that makes a big difference. And, seeing that she has NO hair now, I can't make it any worse!

CoCo Chanel

Posted : 8/23/2007 1:40:34 AM

i get so nervous when i dropped CoCo off last week for her first "real" hair cut. I mean... she's been to Petsmart's groomer when she was a puppy a few times before, but it was only for the "puppy package" just so she can get used to being groomed....

if i wasnt such a wuss, i would do it myself... lol

when i picked her up (i took her to a private groomer), i swore it was not my dog.... i was so taken back by her new do...i had to do a double take...and if it wasnt for her whimpering and licking my legs, i wouldnt have recognized her!

i mean.... one of my favorite thing about her was her eye brows...it was so long and silly looking, it made her look like an old man.... lol and i totally forgot to mention that to the groomer.... so my fault.

she got a pet "westie" hair cut, and they literally took of like 10lbs of her as well...

she looked so different, it took everyone in my house some getting used to...but now that it kinda "grew out" and "grew on us" i think she's adorable...but then again i think she's adorable regardless! lol

but yeah... i would be SoooOoooO peeved if they shaved her down just for the health risk alone!

[:@]

Liesje

Posted : 8/23/2007 6:26:28 AM

That sucks! My in-laws have a pet cocker and he's always shaved a few times a year. Maybe that is the normal "pet" cocker cut? I think they shave his body and then trim up his ears, face, and paws.

Amber Murphy

Posted : 8/23/2007 6:58:35 AM

Finding a good groomer that listens and knows what their doing isn't easy. I took my Aussie in once, ONCE, and will never do it again. Her butt hair is really long and it drags in her pee and some of the time little

ieces of poop get stuck, so I wanted her butt hair cut. I specifically told the groomer to cut the hair on her butt and no where else. When I got her back the groomer had only taken like an inch off her butt, not enough to stop what I mentioned and she cut up their hair under her ears! So I figued though I'm no groomer I'd be much better off cutting her butt hair. Even though I butcher it, it looks better than what some people could do and it does what I wanted it to do.

My mom took her Pyr to this groomer and she won't bring him back as she cut him in all the wrong places so he looked ridiculous. She cut the hair around hid head and I believe she even cut off the hair on the back of his legs and she cut his butt VERY short, this part is what I wanted her to do with Dizzy. But still! At least Dizzy didn't look as bad as my mom's Pyr when I got her back.

Shiva

robinkay6573

Posted : 8/23/2007 9:59:09 AM

PLEASE let's not start a groomer bashing thread. My good friend is a groomer and she is AWESOME. She knows what is "right" and what is "wrong". Petsmart groomers (from what I understand) don't go to regular groom school they take Petsmart classes and are certified as "Petsmart Groomers". They learn the Petsmart "way" (same goes for their dog trainers). I have seen some bad grooms come out of that shop....just bad. Daily my friend deals with "mishaps" from Petsmart, Petco and other groomers in the area. She has is patient with even the most impatient (snapping, biting, nervous) dog and knows what is correct for each breed. She knows the difference between a Wheaten Terrier cut and a Scottish terrier cut...she does her homework and makes she she knows of ANY changes in clips. When someone requests a shave down of a dog that shouldn't be shaved she explains the consequences of shaving their dog. She has saved many a Golden retriever coat!!!

I am sorry this groomer screwed up your friend's dog. The least they should do is give her a refund. Honestly....if it were my dog someone would have to restrain me from jumping over the counter!! [>:][>:][>:]

I am going to count my blessings I found a GOOD groomer!!

meilani

Posted : 8/23/2007 10:16:50 AM

Eh, the biggest mistake was taking the dog to Petco for a groom. I highly doubt those who work for Petco and Petsmart are trained to do "show quality" cuts as the majority of people who use their grooming services do not own show quality dogs. If anything, I would ask the groomer about their expertise and I'd explain what I want done in great detail to make sure the groomer understands what you want done before they groom the dog. Anyways, I hope she gets her money back.

Liesje

Posted : 8/23/2007 10:34:44 AM

Eh, the biggest mistake was taking the dog to Petco for a groom. I highly doubt those who work for Petco and Petsmart are trained to do "show quality" cuts as the majority of people who use their grooming services do not own show quality dogs. If anything, I would ask the groomer about their expertise and I'd explain what I want done in great detail to make sure the groomer understands what you want done before they groom the dog. Anyways, I hope she gets her money back.

Yah, I think I agree. I don't really know any families who have their dog "pet" groomed in any way other than a major shaving and some trimming. If she's really unhappy, they shouldn't charge her for it, but I wouldn't assume groomers at pet store chains know their show cuts. The only place I've ever actually seen cockers with skirts is at shows. I don't think my in-laws even realize that their cocker is a skirted breed!

paulaedwina

Posted : 8/23/2007 10:36:44 AM

Eh, the biggest mistake was taking the dog to Petco for a groom. I highly doubt those who work for Petco and Petsmart are trained to do "show quality" cuts as the majority of people who use their grooming services do not own show quality dogs. If anything, I would ask the groomer about their expertise and I'd explain what I want done in great detail to make sure the groomer understands what you want done before they groom the dog. Anyways, I hope she gets her money back.

ORIGINAL: meilani

I agree. If I had that much invested in a dog's coat I sure as heck wouldn't be taking it to a box store grooming operation. Lesson learned; you get what you pay for. I do hope she gets her money back.

Paula

jennie_c_d

Posted : 8/23/2007 10:54:28 AM

*cough* Petsmart groomer.

Pet groomers and show groomers live in totally different worlds. If that Cocker were a show dog, she wouldn't have been clipped AT ALL. She would have been hand stripped. Petsmart groomers are not even allowed to *keep* hand stripping tools, because it is perfectly clear that we are pet groomers, and NOT show groomers.

That said, I would never shave down a dog who had coat like the coat that was described, unless the owners specifically requested it. I had a retired show Cocker come to me the other day, and turned her away, because the owner wasn't really sure what she wanted, and I was certain I'd make her unhappy. My manager groomed her in a long, pet Cocker clip, and the owner was happy, but meh. I'd rather let someone else groom them than make the owner mad.

dubilpie

Posted : 8/23/2007 11:08:24 AM

When I have tried a new groomer, I always brought in a picture of what I wanted.

VanMorrison

Posted : 8/23/2007 11:09:11 AM

I think all your responses are right on track and, as Jennie mentioned, there is a place in this world for the bix box store grooming sections. Just like hairstylists you have to go to someone with the skill level to do the cut that you want.
I take my dogs to PetSmart for a bath and brush out in winter so that they don't get too cold from me doing it at home. They are hunting dogs with short hair so they don't need any clipping. The folks that work there are fantastic with them and treat them really well so I've been pleased. I just wouldn't go there for a breed specific clipping.
I hope your freind gets their money back because a shave was way too drastic in any case.

willgroom4chocolate

Posted : 8/23/2007 12:38:39 PM

They brought her in for grooming today and the woman said that she's never had a cocker before so she wasn't sure about the cut, but to do what cockers normally get. Meaning, a cocker clip.

As in-correct of a hair-cut as it is (if you can call it that), didn't she do what most cockers noramally get? I've only groomed 5 or 6 in something similar to a "show clip", meaning there was some "skirt" and fuller scissored legs. Most of those dogs came back in way past the haircut expiration date, and had to be shaved-down. It's so frustrating.

I watched Sarah Hawks groom a little chocolate Cocker to perfection in a NDGAA certification workshop. Ah, it was so un-believeably pretty. [

] The under-carriage hung about 2" from the floor, and the coat so healthy and well maintained. And the dog was so well behaved. Nothing like the dozens of overweight, ear-infected, farting disgustuingly matted hyper beasts that only manage to get to my shop one or twice a year for their 1/16" shave down.[:@]

Sometimes I want to own the drop-coated breeds (along with St. Poodles and Bichons), just so I can keep them in full coat, and run a comb through them every spare minute. I'm just a bit obsessive about stuff like that.[

] People around here seem to want "function" (AKA no at-home maintenance), and little to nothing else.[8D]