Starting over :(

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

I am so bummed!!! We picked up the girls Sunday after grooming and although we have been raking, brushing and combing several times a week, they have mats on their legs. It's recommended that they get buzzed down to start over. We can wait a month or two according to our groomer. We are now in agreement that letting them grow out for the winter is not worth it - the NE winter elements have won!

I am dreading this upcoming buzz-down. She will leave the face and tails fuller, but the rest is going down to what sounds like next to nothing. If you have pictures of your "shaved" doodle, please share with me here so I can prepare myself!                                           Thanks and boo-hoo :(

Picture taken last week, before the trip to the groomer. BTW, the grooming before this was Dec 30th.

[Melissa]

As you may have seen, we had a bad experience last week with a new groomer and Buddy got shaved down.  After eavning things out myself he doens't look too bad.  We do keep him relatively short year round, but it was still shocking to me because I wasn't expecting it.  As I was told by many wonderful people on here, the hair grows back and they still love you. :)  It won't be so bad.  Here is a picture of Buddy.  I took it to complaim about the groomer, but you can also look at my video of him fetching the paper on my page to see it and to see how happy he still is! :)

 

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

He is so darn cute, I don't think he could look bad! :-)

[Lynne B]

It's far easier for a groomer to shave a dog down than to do any other kind of grooming, so it's in their interest to suggest it. I have two, Beck is wool,  Murphy is wavy fleece.  I keep both of them trimmed (with scissors) to about 5/8" on their body,  longer on their legs.  They still get mats in a few places, I just cut the mats out..it only takes a few minutes while I am brushing or combing them and seems a better solution than spending $80 or $90 for a groomer to buzz them and make them look weird.  In my experience 'starting over' won't solve a thing in the long run, but if they are too matted it might be the only thing you can do.

 

My dogs go for a run in the country once a week and every mat they have has a sticker or burr embedded in it.  Their fur tends to curl around any foreign object and create a mat.  I brush and comb them every time they get home from their romp but it's just impossible to find every single burr/sticker some are too small to catch even with a comb, but everytime I cut out a matt their's a tiny sticker or burr in it.

[Heather and Bama]

I'm going thru the same thing . Tomorrow is our appointment to get shaved down to 2inches. That's the longest I can find . In my small town there are no groomers that scissor cut so I have no choice. He just started to Matt ,his hair is about six inches so I can't begin to think what he's going to look like. I'm praying with u . Hope everything goes well!,,

[Lynne B]

two inches is long for a clipper cut. I can't get a 3/4" blade through Beck even when he is 100% mat free, and attachments just catch in his fur and come off the clipper..

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

Right. We're talking shorter than Melissa's Buddy pictured above. They will/would have a tiny flat wave laying against their skin. Could be 1/4 inch.

We will never forget when Maple (choco/cafe' fleece) first transitioned to her adult coat and we spent over 3 hours clipping and cutting out mats on the living room rug. She looked like a bag of candy popcorn, all lumpy and uneven. In a couple of weeks she went to the groomer and was evened out at 1/2 inch all around. We like them at 1/2" too. It's easy to maintain, better for swimming and cooler in the Summer. We just didn't want to go short while there's still snow on the ground. However, it is a better option than what is happening now.

One of my concerns is that if the bodies are free of mats, isn't there a way to compromise with a little longer on the torso?The worst mat is 2-3" long and about 1 1/2" wide - on the ankle. Too much to rake, but I can definitely cut it out.

Hey! What does everyone think about us making and effort to scissors out the mats on the ankles and do a 1/2" grooming in a month or so?

I love this forum! It gets your brain clicking. I'd rather live with lumpy looking feet for a month than shaved dogs ever.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Here is a pic of a boy I had in a guardian home. His coat got out of control and they brought him to me for grooming. I couldn't do anything but shave everything as the mattes were tight to the skin. The people were so upset with me that they returned him. I couldn't believe that someone would give up a dog they had from a puppy just because he looked different for a while. I'm actually glad they returned him as that did not show much character. He now lives with my trainer and is very, very happy. They love him to bits and take good care of him. They say he is the perfect dog. Doesn't bark, obeys, is very gentle with their small dog, is totally non aggressive and is very eagar to try now new things and meet new people.

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

Is this what he looked like after "shaving"? This is the cut (with longer face and ears tho) I have for my girls in the Summer - we all love it!

...And so glad he has a proper home now, thanks to you!

[Melissa & Porter]

Barb,

I agree--good thing he is with new humans.  What idiots. 

p.s. I think I once printed out this pic to give to a groomer because I liked the close head and ears :-)

 

Sally,

Here is a pic of Porter from three weeks ago when he got the shave from leg matts and no body matts.  My friend went a week later and said, wash and brush as best you can, shave him in late March.  It's up to you.

Sorry it is a little hard to see him.  They did a great job with his tail and ears.  The tail is long and graduated to the base rather than a sudden shaved tube at the butt.  His ears are a little fluffy....we all have our preferences :-)

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

Ahhh, he looks so soft! They did a good job :)

The think what freaked me out was the description she gave me. Maybe it was worst case but it sounded like it would be so close there would be no fluff. I would be ok with THIS cut to start over. Thanks for posting :)

[Melissa & Porter]

Oh he's pretty naked :-), but I am/was firm that the groomer not go too close because darker dogs show every shave mistake or overshaving.  That blue/white skin makes quite a contrast.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Barb, This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! Clearly they did not love their doodle. I hope they don't ever get another dog if they are so fickle. He is gorgeous! I can't figure out how this is possible. I have had to laugh at Kona's hair cuts a few times (not in his presence) but giving him up was never even a thought. He's my boy!