She did what????? Yet another (long..sorry) groomer story...

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

Yes, I know, I have the worst groomer luck in the world.  Luckily this time it is not about the haircut itself...So after Murphy's dreaded Schnauzer/flying monkey cut last June I finally found a groomer I like. I started using her last August when Wilson came home.  We have had great results with the exception of the shock of Wilson's first shave down last month and even his Steven Tyler haircut just seemed to fit his personality and I ended up loving it.

The groomer is a mobile groomer and she comes once a month...been coming for 11 months now.  I am never home when she arrives, I just leave her the key to my house, a blank check and a note about what the boys need.

The boys had an appointment this afternoon and Wilson was going to get a feather put in his hair just to perfect his Steven Tyler impersonation.  I always tell the groomer to call my office if she has any questions as I have a dumb phone with no cell reception in my office.  Appointment was at 2:00..no calls.  Perfect.  For some reason I decided to leave early today and when I was walking to my car a text came through.....sorry can't do Wilson's feather, I can't find the tool.  I reply darn it, and ask if she can come by and do it when she finds her tool.   She replys no problem, she will buy new tool.  It does cross my mind for a split second that it is weird she is having this text exchange with me while she is grooming my dog but hey maybe she has a smart phone and isn't punching keys like I am.

Soooo....I get home and notice she has a new grooming mobile.  Good for her, business is growing.  So I send her another text just to let her know that I just pulled in to the garage because I didn't want to startle her.

Her reply is "Actually I am not there, my other groomer is there."

WHAT???????  Maybe I am over-reacting but here are my issues at this point:

She has never had another groomer....no other groomer on her website......never told me about another groomer...has been texting me today while other groomer was at my house  and never mentioned the other groomer...as I am usually not home am pretty sure she was never going to mention the other groomer...So...I left a key under my doormat, a blank check on my dresser, and the care of my doodles in the hands of someone I have trusted for 11 months and it never occurs to her that I may have a problem with some stranger being in my house?????  WTF????

Then...strange groomer comes in with Murphy, I scared her to death as she didn't see me come in.  She thinks she has just groomed Wilson but it was Murph....you know, the little one with the nametag that spells Murphy.  And then I notice the blood all over my wood floors.  Murphy's foot is pouring blood....cut the quick of his toenail.  Got that cleared up, he was fine.  But what if I had come home to blood allover my floor?  I would have had a heart attack.

I haven't yet made the phone call to my Groomer.  Waiting until I become rational. 

The only good thing is Wilson looks beautiful and Murphy's cut doesn't suck.

Am I over reacting?

 

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

I would have a hard time trusting the original groomer after she presumed that you would not care if a stranger went into your home.  And what's with texting you as if she was there!!  Maybe it was the new groomer that did Wilson's last cut!!  How many times has the new groomer been in your house that you didn't know about.

I would definitely have a discussion with her about being notified if SHE couldn't be there.  I don't think you over reacted at all.  I think you were really calm, all things considered!!  We do need pictures, however.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

There is absolutely no way you are over reacting.  The Groomer was totally out of line no calling you to let you know what was going on.  After all, your boys know her and accept her.  So what happens when a stranger walks into their house without Mom being home??  That was a very risky and stupid thing she set this "other groomer" up to do.  I would really be pissed!!  And the blood!  OMD, I would have totally come unglued for sure.  Hopefully you can work something out since she is such a good groomer and even the stranger groomer did a good job.  But, this groomer needs to have it made perfectly clear that you are to know who is coming at all times and also you and the boys both meet them to see if you approve.  After all, you had given your trust to the groomer and she betrayed you and your trust.  That is a hard thing to accept and get over.  Hope to hear more about this.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

You are not over reacting, I would be freaking angry. A disclosure should have been made right up front if this was a possibility.

Man, I would be so ticked. How rational do you need to be to say you have been deceitful or at the least not forthcoming? Did you check her paperwork to see if this in her contract?

I would be over the top angry...though it seemed you handled the situation well with the person who actually did the grooming.

Furthermore, I have A groomer, not groomers. I changed places because I assumed Daisy was getting groomed by Sue, Sue had a staff, every time I went there I spoke to Sue, when I found out Teri, Carol or Nicole could be her groomer I was pissed and changed. I want Daisy to feel comfortable, not have a stranger touching her every time.

Ugh, disgusted.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree completely. I book appointments with one person, and if that person is not available, JD doesn't go that day.

A groomer who knows your dog is a valuable asset for more than just grooming. No matter how much you brush and comb your dog, if you don't do the actual bathing, which I never do, there are things you don't see, especially with dogs who have long and/or thick coats. JD's groomer found a skin infection that I never saw.  With my previous dog, she noticed changes associated with old age that helped me care for my senior poodle. A stranger would not have noticed these things from one grooming to the next. And it's a good point about your dog being more comfortable with someone he knows.

I am not even sure what JD would do if a stranger came into the house when I wasn't home. I think there's a possibility I might be sued, lol.

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think my two would be OK but Calla might react by barking at a stranger. It is a foolish and dangerous move to have a stranger walk into a house with  dogs present who have never been introduced to the person. It seems to me JD would have to represent  himself in the lawsuit and plead self defense and defending one's homestead. No doubt the groomer would be charged instead at the end : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, especially since the groomer was armed and (judging by the blood on Ronna's floor) dangerous!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Oh my gosh, Ronna! I am so upset that I couldn't even call your groomer and I have never even met you or Murph and Wilson. You have every reason to be furious. 

[Becka]

Ronna, I agree with what everyone has said so far about how inappropriate this groomer's actions were. What I also find upsetting--as you mention--is that she was texting you as if she were the one grooming Wilson. That kind of dishonesty (and I also agree with that you that she was probably never going to mention the other groomer) is reason enough to find another groomer. She owes you an apology.

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

So...I made the call this afternoon.  It went something like this:

Me to groomer: "groomer, I would like to talk to you about our appointment yesterday"

Groomer: "yes?"

Me: "It concerns me that I trusted you with my dogs and the key to my house and you allowed a stranger to come into my home and care for my dogs without telling me."

Groomer: "I am so sorry about that..it was a total miscommunication by my scheduler..she thought I would be with the "assistant" and when I couldn't make it I thought she told you".

Me: "Really? Shouldn't you have mentioned it while you were texting me and leading me to believe you were at my house?"

 

Groomer: "I thought my scheduler told you"

Me:  "Really? Even when I said what new groomer, has she ever been in my house, does she know what to do, does she know how much the check should be for?  Didn't it occur to you at that point that I had no idea you weren't there?

 

This is what it boils down to (in my opinion)......She deceived me, lied about it, and when I called her on it she blamed it on someone else.

I was really hoping for a "Oh I am so sorry, you are right, I screwed up and I value your $1500 plus dollars a year you pay me and hope you will forgive me and entrust me with your precious dogs and home from now on".

K. Got it. That was my fairy tale.  What the hell is wrong with people????? She is running a business for gosh sakes.  If you F-up you own it.....am I wrong???????

Dammit...I don't want to search for another groomer who may or may not cut my babies to look like flying monkeys.  Good grief.

AND..another thing I didn't mention yesterday...when she did tell me about new groomer I said" I left blank check made out to you, should I write her a check or pay her cash" and she said no.  My personal feeling is that I made an appointment with Groomer and intended to pay groomer...if substitute groomer groomed my dogs I want to pay substitue groomer not groomer who lied, decieved and didn't do a thing to earn my money.  Again, am I wrong?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I'd be tempted to stop payment on the check and find a new groomer as much trouble as it might be!  You didn't hire this other lady to do your dogs, the original groomer did.  Let her pay her!

[Bonnie and Kona]

This just makes me sad. I do not understand how someone could do what she did. You had every reason to expect to be able to trust her. Clearly she is not trustworthy. I am so sorry you have been dealing with someone with such little integrity. I hope you are able to easily find a groomer that will be respectable and good with the dogs. So disappointing, well infuriating, but let's call it a "teachable moment". 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's really a shame that she didn't respond appropriately and apologize, but I do think you need to find another groomer. I know how hard that can be, but I'm sure you will be able to find someone who can do a good job with M & W. Maybe in the NC group here?