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???

[Martha & Cooper]

If it is someone that  you have used for awhile and want to use again, I would definitely call and ask why the difference?   Let her know you are not pleased.    I have complained to my groomer when I wasn't happy, she was very apologetic and even gave me a discount the next time.  But my groomer didn't do a hack job like you are describing.    I am not sure I would take my dog back to someone that did that.   The other thing is, does this groomer work for herself or a company?   If she works for someone else and you are not comfortable with filing a complaint to her, take a picture and file it with her employer.

[JerZeeGin]

I agree.  You've used the groomer before with good results.  What's the diff now?  I am in the same boat with a groomer I used for 15 years with my toy poodle.  But the last cut on my doodle was also dissappointing.  15 years is hard to turn my back on.  I also paid, but I did speak up...the groomer said it was severely matted and I didn't think it was that bad to shave spots. 

[sandy b]

I would take her back to the groomers and ask them to explain why she was cut the way she was and tell them how unhappy you are. That's a lot of money to spend for a bad haircut. I have been grooming Max myself for quite sometime but the groomer I had used always asked upfront how I wanted him cut and took notes on what to do & what not to do.

[Lynda Kamrath]

It definitely deserves talking about with the groomer.  Ask if she did this cut, because it does not look like her work, and talk particularly about the eyelashes.  I'll bet the groomer was training someone else and they did this botched job.  She should, at least offer your next grooming for free, but if not, I would definitely change groomers (or start grooming yourself).

[Kris & Brinkley]

thats what I was thinking, sounds like someone else did it for her since it's not her usual way. I would go to her & tell her either you find a new groomer or NEVER let a trainee ever do it again.

 

You may hate confrontation but I have found you are either stewing & hurting your insides or you in the best fashion possible get it out. Either way your dealing with those feelings.

 

Good Luck! 

[aimee & sophia]

I had a similar thing happen to me and my labradoodle, Sophia,  a couple of weeks ago. The groomers told me they were going to shave her since they said she was too matted. (We had been in the snow and rain repeatedly over the holidays and her puppy coat is still coming out, so she was a matted, but not the worst she's been.) I felt they were just not willing to do the work of brushing her out, and asked them if there wasn't any alternative, but they were insistent. Against my instinct, I left her there thinking that they were nice loving guys. I requested that they leave her head and feet longish, but when I returned she was shaved down to the skin everywhere. I've had her shaved in the summer before, but this was like an act of revenge for my bad grooming effort. She had razor burn and was all uneven and they didn't even clean her ears, clip her nails or clean out between the toes. I too felt sad...she looked very exposed and vulnerable showing how skinny she is to all the big dogs she plays with. I returned to the groomer the next day (they forgot to give me her collar to top it off) and told them that I felt this was not a job worth $100. We went back and forth, kept it all very civil. In the end they gave me $35 back and told me I could never come back (after telling me my dog's coat had been like a homeless dog!)!  It's now 2 weeks later and her coat has grown in some and looks like chenille. We are both over it , but it does leave us with no groomer. I would definitely have a talk with your groomer if you like and trust them. Everyone does have bad days.

[Holly Doodle]

I would confront the groomer! If you don't you'll regret it, and then you'll have to go through the painful task of trying to find a new groomer you like, which could mean 4 or 5 more bad haircuts before you find one! I've been in this same situation, I almost switched groomers, but instead I came in with a written list of specific instructions and a photo of a good haircut. I know your groomer probably has an explanation, and you should get a discount next time. Also you could bring in a photo of the last time you had her groomed their so they can see how much different she looks. Don't let this one go!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

If you do not make them aware of what is unacceptable to you, they can not learn from it is my thinking. Letting them know that you have always been pleased with the work, but would like to know what happened on this occasion as it is markedly different and quite unacceptable, and let them explain and make suggestions as to what they can do to make it better. Not in recutting ofcourse, but financially.  I find just stating my disappointment with the quality of service and then being quiet and allowing them to come up with explainations and options works well, and there is no argument.  Something like

" We have always been so pleased with her/your work, but this time we are so dissappointed in Frankie's appearance,  especially knowing that having groomed her so often before, you know how we like her to look.  Would you please explain as I do not feel very comfortable with the quality of this work nor spending $90.00 for it."  I hate confrontation also, but if you want to continue using them think of it as problem solving and eliminating it from happening again, not confrontation.

 

 

[L.M.]

I like your option number 2....."go in and tell her that it looks like the grooming assistant cut my beautiful girl"......is it possible someone else did the cut?  I know that nothing can be "undone" but you absolutely deserve an explanation at the very least.  

My second comment is off topic, but what is tipping etiquette?? I ask because I noticed you said you pay the price of the cut plus a tip.  My groomer works for herself...it is her own business.  Am I supposed to leave a tip for her even though I pay her cash?  

[Donna Vee]

Oh Frances....I'm soooo sorry. Frankie's beautiful fleece will grow back but I feel for you.  ESPECAILLY the eyelashes...That's one of Gingers most beautiful features.  She's light blonde with dark red lashes.  I would be crushed too. I agree with Sandy, I would tell your groomer how unhappy you are and find out what the heck happened?  If you've been going there happily for two years she deserves the chance to explain.  If you're still not satisfied, walk away and never look back.  There are other options.  Again, I'm so sorry for your experience. 

 

Doodle hugs and kisses,

Donna

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Rooney at 5 months has not started to coat change and although his hair is very long we have only had one matt - right under his chin.  His groomer comes to us in her mobile unit and she is the most gentle little lady that I've ever seen.  I'm trying to imagine how I'd feel if this were done to my puppy.  First - the main lesson here needs to be that we should see the job that was done before we pay the groomer.  It would have been much easier right then and there to say "oh dear - what has happened to my beautiful girl - this isn't how she should look.  I am not happy about this."  After the fact it gets much harder.  I would NOT let this go.  I'd be back in there and get to the bottom of it ASAP.  Then I'd never go back.  It is a trust issue. 

[Camilla and Darwin]

At the very least I would try going in next time and saying that you prefer they way they usually cut her, over the way they did last time. Maybe bring a picture of the last grooming they did that you liked? I'm so sorry that happened!