I cannot believe this groomer! UPDATE

All I know is, after reading this saga, that regardless of skill level, I would always call a customer whose dog was in full coat to see if they wanted to pay for the brushout or shave the dog.  No excuse for not doing that if there was a question.  Some people, even if they don't show, like their dogs in full coat.
And, an aside to the person with the Aussie - if someone took a bunch of hair off my girls' butts, I'd have a hissy fit.  I find it beautiful, and worth the trouble of using waterless shampoo and brushing out the crapola that gets stuck there.  So, again, not to be a jerk, it comes down to communication between the customer and the groomer. 
When I groomed, no dog went out of our place with hack marks - everything was properly blended, whether scissored or clipped.

Another Cocker came in today with full coat.  He had a matts under his front legs, but the rest was in perfect condition.  Earlier, the groomer had told me that the dog was completely matted...when I felt it later, there were only a few.  I don't see how she is feeling matts.  Maybe she isn't used to feeling the very thick fur of a full coated cocker?  This one would have had to have the couple of matts shaved and would have looked a bit weird, but the dog wasn't matted solid like she said.  But, she did make progess today...she called the owner when she realized the matts were too close to the skin.  She didn't check well enough before the owner left, but at least she called when she realized it.

As a groomer of many, many years I must say that I always listen to the dog owner's requests, and if it is possible I will do exactly what they want. However some people have no idea how to take care of their dog's coat between groomings. I had a customer just last week that had no idea that her dog was so matted. It is a very large standard poodle in a scissor cut, she went an extra month between grooming making it 3 months and the dog was so matted that I could not save any coat except the head and the tail, even the ears had to go, the hair was pelted to the skin.I had to show the lady with my big poodle come how tight the matts were to the skin, there is no way that dog could be combed out. I think this often the case when people blame the groomer for a groom they do not like, some groomer do not know how to do anythng but shave down dogs but many of us do know how to groom well.I learned to groom when poodles were the most popular breed so I leard to brush and blow dry and to scissor, so I can do those things well but if the owner won't take the time to come at home or get the dog done ofter enough what are we supposed to do?

What an enlightening thread!  erhaps I'm in the minority of pet cocker owners who maintain them the way I believe they should be...with long beautiful show coats.  I have a fabulous groomer that I wouldn't trade for the world.  My two have a standing pampering appointment every four weeks...and I ensure they are brushed out and matt free prior to their arrival at the groomers.  I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who "shave" their cockers.  Last weekend another cocker was at the same grooming shop my two were at.  The lady commented on how gorgeous my two were with their long coats. She said she shaved hers because "he didn't like to be brushed."  I wanted to ask her who the alpha was in the relationship, but didn't, I merely told her my two enjoy being brushed.  Many people shave their cockers, I believe, because they simply do not want to devote the time to maintaining their coats.
 
Regarding the groomers at petstores such as Petco/PetsMart, we have both.  While I'm certain they have good and bad groomers employeed just like anywhere, personally I was not happy with what I witnessed.  Talking to the groomers in the store...outside the shop, they are very nice.  However, in the stores I visit, I do not like how they handle the dogs. 
 
My cockers do not have matts when I take them to the groomer. The shop I take them to has a form that I signed long ago specifically stating I am to be contacted in the event a shave is deemed necessary for any reason prior to it occurring.  I have made it very clear their coats are not to be cut under any circumstances.  I would be furious should it occur.  Bailey, my chocolate and tan's coat has been long since she was a pup.  Austin, my tri is a rescue and I've had him 15 months.  He was shaved down for health reasons when he was rescued and he has a long coat now as well.  This is what a cocker is supposed to look like IMO...

colleen, not to sound repetetive but you either need to not complain about this or do something about it. you have witnessed this groomer make very stupid mistakes that shouldnt ever be made. do you just not agree? she doesnt even know how to check for matts? she should not be grooming, or be getting paid. i do not agree she made progress, as she finally did what she is suppossed to do (and still made a mistake). it also doesnt sound like she is willing to learn from her mistakes. DO SOMETHING!

You make it sound easier than it is.  My manager is aware of the situation, the grooming manager is aware of the situation and my Pet Services head guy is of no use.  I am the trainer at the store, and to get ahold of him takes weeks and he doesn't do anything.  Yes, I'm mad about the grooming, but shes new and has to learn.  She can't be perfect in one day.  She is making progress, but still made a mistake of not checking well enough before.  When she realized that mistake, she called the owner right away.  So, it would take me weeks of work to get ahold of the Pet Services guy and he would just turn it over to my manager who would do nothing.  Instead, I will make suggestions to her and help her learn to be a better groomer.

A great motto is humanity before vanity. 

(which is a very easy trim so my Sister says)

I've only done one Wheaton in a "correct" cut, but it wasn't hard. Usually they get either a really short skirt or shaved body and a short head. The one gets a real Wheaton cut. It's not any harder than any other skirted or fringed breed. The heads are fun[] I hate it when people want eyebrows or a visor instead of a fall, though.

I've only done one Wheaton in a "correct" cut, but it wasn't hard. Usually they get either a really short skirt or shaved body and a short head. The one gets a real Wheaton cut. It's not any harder than any other skirted or fringed breed. The heads are fun[] I hate it when people want eyebrows or a visor instead of a fall, though.

That's what I've heard.

      

      I just re-read this entire thread and another fact came to me. I often have requests for long hand scissored clips on poodles or almost show clips on cockers, but are thest pet owners willing to pay for all this extra work? I had a lady just this week request a show puppy cut on her standard poodle and did not understand my price quote. I explained to her that ths clip she was asking for would take half of my working day and I would have to be compensated for that. She said she understood and made an appointment, the the day of the appointment she cancelled at that last minute. I was not able to book enough dogs that late to  make up the money. I will probably not take this lady as a customer.

The 1st. time I decided to take my dog a German Shepherd/Rottie Mix in to Petco for grooming was a hige disaster.  She broke out in scabbed bumps all over her back!  When I went back to show them the problem, they claimed that it wasn't their fault Impossible.  She is a completely healthy dog with a beautiful shiny coat.  My guess is that they sprayed a doggie perfume on her back and that caused the breakout.  I now groom my dogs myself at a selve-serve groomer.  On a separate note, my brother-in-law took his yellow lab in Petco for a nail trim and on the 1st. nail cut, they cut the vein and he bleeded forever, they didn't even have any bloodstop (in a pet supply store).  Thankfully my brother-in-law was waiting for this service and told them to stop immediately.  So , needless to say, Petco is a horrible placce to take your pets!  Pet owners beware!

Quick message from the chain-store groomer:

 

All chain-stores are not the same. They all have multiple groomers, who all have their own agendas. They  all have different store and grooming managers, and all have different district managers. Running across one incompetent chain-store groomer does not mean that none of us can groom. I *love* grooming. Most of my customers really like what I do, and after working at the place where I am only since June, I have customers requesting me almost every day.

 

Not everybody flies through their work. Some of us do try to do a good job.

Well said jennie c_d.  Many a great groomer works at big chain store type grooming shops. Some for the security of benefits etc. 

 You can't judge all groomers by where they work, I would make a decision based purely on personal experience & word of mouth . 

As for the perfume, it's best not to spray any cologne directly on a dog.  It's best to ask first if a dog has allergies and mark the card or for those who love cologne give a mist to the bandana only never on the dog directly.  For cutting quicks on dogs, yes that can happen to any groomer especially those who may be rushed or stressed. 

 

Just as a note (not a groomer, but am a vet tech) on dogs with long nails (or some dogs with weird, long quicks) it's easy to clip a quick. The styptic pencils and powders are very handy to have around, but you can easily stop the bleeding by holding off with a gauze square, etc as well..it just takes longer. And, when a quick is clipped, it does indeed bleed a lot. (when we have to do nail trims at work, we always take it off in tiny bits, rather than assuming the quick ends where it "should". Many an owner who has waited too long for a trim complain when the nail isn't short, and we have to explain about the quick being grown out and how we didnt want to cause them to bleed. We always suggest they come in for tiny trims ( or do it themselves) weekly to work the quick back. I have no experience with Petco groomers (I groom the wee ones myself, and Legend goes to the groomer at work when a bath is needed), but I don't think that a short nail trim is reason to write them off.

 

As far as the allergic reaction goes..this too can happen anytime..it could even happen when using a new shampoo on your dog at home. I'd suggest just telling any future groomer to not put any sprays on.

grab01, I found that sometimes it takes a bit to get the quicks to recede.  I