First haircut and I'm so mad!!

[DJ]

We decided to use our mobile groomer who we used for our other dog a Maltese years ago. I left the house to run errand and I gave my husband strict instructions to not shave, not short , just a little bit off I want her to still look like a doodle. I come home and she is shaved from head to toe!! Looks nothing like my cute doodle pup I had 2 hrs ago. I called and left a message to the groomer. I know it grows back but really?!?

[DJ]

Her 2 days ago

[Ginny Nightingale]

Well, first of all, she looks great and this is not shaving--if she were shaved, you would have a pink dog since there would be no hair covering the skin--if you want her natural curls back, just spray her with a water bottle and bit and rough it up and the curls will come back. Second, if you want to be sure in the future that the dog does not get cut too short, then COMB though it all the time (not with a brush, with a steel comb) to make sure there are not mats under the fluffy stuff on the top. It looks to me like there were not mats because if there were, she would truly be shaved!

I do not like the shape of the head though--it should be longer on the top and the ears should be layered a bit so they do not stick out like that--so that the hair of the head makes a big sphere shape---the hairs on the muzzle are too long and should be more rounded also. This person does not know doodles! But you can educate them with pictures. See the shapes of the heads in this picture--more rounded.

On a dog this size, hair fills in fast--in a month, she will look like she did before.

[DJ]

Thank you. She was not matted at all. I had pictures saved on my Pinterest account and should have known better to stay and make sure everything was done right. I talked with her on the phone and my husband gave her strict instructions from me. She cut her exactly like my Maltese I had 3 years ago. She looks more like a Maltese than a doodle right now..I hope it grows quickly

[DJ]

How often do people get their doodles groomed? 4-6weeks. Do you have any pictures of your doodle after a grooming? I've had dogs all my life but new to this breed. I will be showing them pictures now on. Thanks!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We used to groom our boys every 6-8 weeks but now we go every 4-6 weeks. Your groomer totally gave your pup a Maltese cut and not a doodle cut. I'd print up a couple of pictures of doodles with similar hair and cuts you like and show them to her -- or use a doodlekisses calendar. I'd give her one more chance and if she can't see what she's doing wrong, I'd look for another groomer. She may not be shaved 'bald' but if you used the word shaved, that's your fault if a close, close cut is not what you wanted. We get our dogs scissor cut rather than shaved.

[DJ]

Yes it's definitely not a doodle cut! I spoke with the lady on the phone and told her a small trim around Face and bottom everything else left long...I said definitely not short or shaved or anything like it. So I left to do errands gave my husband same strict instructions and the groomers partner showed up and not the lady I talked to on the phone. I finally talked to the lady after wards and explained how upset I was. She agreed her partner gave her a bad haircut and does not look like a doodle. She looks so much like our Maltese did . It's very strange and I want her hair to grow back quickly. Even the kids don't like it and miss her fur. I have tons of pictures saved on my Pinterest. This will never happen again and I will sit and watch them groom her or I will educate myself and give her a trim.

[Ginny Nightingale]

6-8 weeks is usually good--scissor cuts are much harder and do take longer--most high quality groomers will do it but will charge more--it might take twice as long but on such a small dog, I can not see how that would be an issue---some people do not know HOW to do one--they always just go over the dog with clippers--when I groom, I do the scissors on legs, face, tail and ears and the rest is clipped--but many just go over the whole dog with a clipper and it is all one length. Faster for them and more $$ per hour. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am so lucky, my groomer doesn't charge any different for a scissor cut or using clippers.  I LOVE my groomer.   I don't think it takes my groomer much longer to do a scissor cut on my boys, however they go on a regular basis, so it is more of a trim - think of a human haircut - a new style vs a trim - a trim takes less time than a new style.  This is a picture of my boys - they look pretty much the same each time. 

Since you did NOT mention the word shave, there really is no excuse for the cut given to your puppy.  If there is more than one groomer in the mobile grooming you use, I would insist on trying another groomer. I am sure there are wonderful mobile groomers out there, but I have found that many think they are doing you such a favor by coming to your house that they don't pay attention to what you ask for and don't keep up with anything other than the basic dog breed cuts.

[DJ]

Exactly scissor cut is what I wanted! When I talked with the groomer the owner afterwards she kept saying that was the largest blade we could have used on her. I said I wanted her scissor cut and she basically said oh that's crazy. You know how long that would take us to scissor cut your dog. 3-4 hours and the dog won't sit there that long. Mind you she weighs 9pounds!! I assumed most doodle were scissor cut!! Thanks for letting me know that's how yours is done. Will be looking for another groomer..

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

We try to take YetI every 6-8 weeks. When he was going through his coat change it was closer to 4-6 weeks to keep up with the mating. These pictures make me miss yeti's puppy fur!!

[DJ]

Awe Yeti is so cute and sweet! And yes that looks like a normal doodle cut. I'm still can't believe she just buzzed her. It literally looks like she took a shaver and went right down her head between the ears. So so bad... plus I agree I miss her puppy fur so bad..3-4 inches all gone. Not matted I brushed her twice a day.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Thank you!! We are lucky to have an amazing groomer who also breeeds goldendoodles so she's very knowledgeable when it comes to how they should look. I'm so sorry this happened to you I know I would be devistated as well. I hope it grows back nice and quick! Also keep up the awesome brushing work!