Hacked Gooming Job on my girl and I paid up in silence.

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

Hi everyone. I dearly need advice here. Yesterday, we took Frankie to her regular groomers. She was very long and quite matted, but not all over.  Her groomer has been cutting her since for nearly two years. Whilst I was paying my $90 and leaving my, as always, $20 tip, I did not have a chance to see how she had cut her, but being as this was her regular groomers, I did not feel the need to check.  We decided to walk her and her brother (he did not need grooming) around the lake and when she jumped out the car, OMG...I nearly fell over. Frankie has been truly hacked all over. She even shaved her legs down and you know how our doodles look with no fur on their legs. My husband and I were nearly too ashamed to take her our on a public walk as she looked so very tragic. Worse of all, she even cut off her precious 2 inch eyelashes. Now my question is...1)do I just never return to this groomer again or 2) do I actually go in and tell her that it looks like the grooming assistant cut my beautiful girl or 3) do I just put it down to a bad day and let it go. There really is nothing she can do to repair the mess as she shaved all her fur off and I do hate confrontation of any kind, but I feel that I have been taken for a fool.  Has this ever happened to anyone else and please, what did you do about it???

[Carla & "Beans"]

Jared, would you please point me in the direction of the Doodle Doo PDF"! Would love to have it! Thanks!

[Ginny Nightingale]

This seems to be a common problem when puppy coats are coming out and matting into the new coat. Many, many people have come out with a shaved dog because the mats are difficult to remove without traumatizing the dog. I know it seems like the groomers are just being lazy, but maybe there is another reason. I want to add a different perspective here-- (I groom my own doodles and doodles of other people as a very small side business, by the way). If you had the look you wanted with a longish coat, free of mats and flowing prettily, it may have meant a few hours of torture for your little girl that may have turned her off to grooming forever. This way, Frankie has the mats gone and can start getting a new beautiful coat that may never get as matted again (that has been my experience with my very soft-coated doodle). And she doesn't have horrible memories of hours of pulling out mats. It will all grow back, so it is just a matter of being patient. BUT, I will also add that it seems like the groomer did not handle the situation well and shouldn't have charged you as much for a shave, since it is much easier to do. I found that the groomer I went to charged me the same amount no matter how clean or dirty, matted or unmatted the dog was--it was a set price. I think that is unfair.

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

Thanks Ginny. A different slant on the grooming dilemma is always a good thing. I certainly would not want my girl to be put through anymore discomfort that the dreaded grooming gives her. But, that being said, although I am not as brave and dedicated as you to groom her myself, I do keep her brushed out with "The Stuff" on a regular basis and although her chest was matted, and I accepted her being shaved there, the rest of her was just long and, of course, grubby. What I could not understand was even with being shaved down how she manages to have all choppy shaves marks all over. I truly think the person who bathes the dogs was given "a go" at grooming her, but I will never know and I know I will never go back. I no it is not customary to tip, but I have always been very generous with tipping as sometimes she goes there pretty filthy and of course, she is 90lbs. I have read all the wonderful replies I have received from my dear doodle friends and decided to send an email to the shop...ha ha. I am such a coward. I don't think she owns it, I think she just works there. Anyway, I sent a pretty seething email to the shop and told them that I was so disgusted that I might just post a picture of my "chopped up girl" on my doodle website warning people NOT to go there..ha ha. Of course, I would not do that but I guess the old saying of "familiarity breeds contempt" really applies to this situation.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

It has happened to me and worse.  Roo and Tigger are both very curly ALDs.  Roo has unltrafine curly wool and Tigger has ultrathick curly cue fleece.  I have yet to find a groomer who really does a good job.  The last three times I took them to the same place just for a wash butt trim.  They were shaved down before Thanksgiving and still very short and not matted.  Roo has come home all three times with a big scrape on him from what I assume has to be an old brush. 

 

I mentioned it the first time, sort of casually as I am a mouse about stuff like this.  Then it happened again, and again.

 

I will be going to another groomer, but will not be explaining to that groomer why. 

 

So, no you are not alone.  I have been a fool many times over.

 

 

[Kimberly Keenan]

I would talk to the groomer to find out what happen. When I take Bindi to the groomer, especially the first time, I told her no poodle cut. So far I haven't had an issue with my groomer.

[Lesley, Wellington & Bingley]

 

Do you have any photos?

 

Im only asking to see if she has really been 'hacked at' - as in the cut is uneven and hap-hazard. If it is not uneven - and she had matts I would wonder if the groomer only did what needed to be done. If the matts needed shaving off, then that may be why she cut her short all over - as she would look silly with short patches where the matts had been.

 

However - if she is uneven, and has clearly been hacked at, or just looks like a rushed job I would go back and see the head groomer. Especially if you have been there before and have been happy with their service. It's sometimes hard to find a groomer you both like!

 

Welly came back from a groomers with uneven trimming - tail not done, ears not done ect. They had clearly rushed it - so I didn't take him back. I have since found a groomer that I LOVE LOVE LOVE!

[Taylor & Huff]

You should call the groomer and ask them what whas going on and why they shaved her and cut her eyelashes. I haven't seen the matts but usualy they either shave them off or use thinning shears. If they are big matts they usually have to shave them. Just brush her more often and ask the groommer how she behaves. 

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

So many thanks to everyone who came to my "help" cry regarding what I should do with this situation. There were some very informative comments and I value each and everyone. However, being the biggest coward you have ever seen, I decided to deal with it via email and sent off an email to the owner of the shop (I have never met or seen her) and voiced my complaints. Frankie Girl did have a few matts on her chest area, but I have been religiously brushing her out with "The Stuff" on a regular basis as keeping her as long as she was required that. The only reason we decided to have her groomed now was because it is starting to get hot here in So. California and, as someone stated, although I adore the look of big shaggy doodles, it is cruel to her to keep with the big woolly coat in 80 degree weather (sorry to rub that in to all my east costs friends :)  Anyway, as of today, I have not heard back from the shop but I will let everyone know how this all turns out. As luck would have it, someone posted a rave review on a grooming shop about 30 minutes from my home, so when Frankie Girl's coat finally grows out (sometime next year JK) I will give them a try.  Thanks again everyone. You are all the BEST xx

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Oh that is horrible.  Fortunately time will heal this wound.  Maybe you can also post an online review of your experience, I think it is rotten you haven't heard anything back.  I would find a new groomer and definitely discuss upfront your expectations.  I once didn't want Rosey cut but her hair was too matted, but the groomer at least had the decency to call me and discuss the situation before she took it upon herself to do so.  {hugs} to you and Frankie

[Lorraine Bromley]

I would most definetly take a trip back to the groomers with a picture of what your freshly groomed dog usually looks like. I would explain just what you have explained to us why you didn't say anything at the time. Then explain that you didn't feel this was in keeping with the usual treatment you have enjoyed over the last two years. I see NO reason to trim a dogs eyelashes in the first place and surely they weren't matted! I think that it would not be a bad idea to ask for a refund of some sort. If they make excuses and don't own up to or try and blame you or the dog in anyway then I would tell them that you are sorry but will have to go elsewear from now on.

An honest mistake could have been made, allow them the opportunity to prove they are a good business and stand by their work or their mistake.