PetSmart Grooming

[Diane Denney]

I have had difficulty with the PetSmart here where I live.  Everytime I bring Lincoln to be groomed they tell me he is matted, and that they will have to charge me matting fees.  I walked in today to see if they could just clip his head around is eyes etc..., and they run their fingers through his head and tell me once again that it will cost two demattings and that there isn't any time.  She takes the very narrow comb, and goes to comb through all his hair at once.  I've walked out on them twice now.  I'm not subjecting Lincoln to that.  They had over an hour and a half to just do his face and head.  Lincoln has the very kinky poodle hair.  It's very curly.  I brushed him out today.  He doesn't sit still for me to brush him properly, and is always going for my hands, but I do brush him pretty well.  He always rolls his head in the snow so whatever I do doesn't last anyway.  I am going to bring him to his regular groomer this week.  They have never charged me for a de-matting.

[Diane Denney]

Ouch!!!  They did that at PetSmart to Lincoln but around his bottom.  He was going at it for weeks.  I told them please don't shave him too close as it irritates him....then me :D

[Diane Denney]

I think my point here that I'm trying to make is that they keep telling me that Lincoln is matted, and want to charge me extra when he is not matted.  He just has very curly hair.  He kind of looks like the Abominable Snowman right now :D

[Sandi]

Every Petsmart is different, just like every groomer is different. I just dropped my two off at my local Petsmart this morning. I've tried three other independents in the area and none of them were as good.
I consider myself lucky -- the one time Brewster needed to be shaved, we put together a plan so that wouldn't happen again.
In most service businesses, I find I have to do a bunch of searching for the perfect person. But when I find them, I'm a happy woman!

[Diane Denney]

Okay I guess what my question is is it normal for them to charge extra to dematt.  I would understand extreme cases, but as I mentioned Lincoln isn't really matted just extra thick and curley...

[Pat and Traveler]

Diane, I think the 'test' really is whether they can run a comb through the hair.  You know, like combing your own hair.  If you can comb Lincoln all the way to the skin, he isn't matted.  If not, I suspect he would be called matted.  That's just my best guess.  If you can comb him, you shouldn't be charged for dematting.  That's my inexpert opinion.  :)

[Diane Denney]

@Jared...a little off topic...my sister lives in Lloydminster Alberta :D

 

I was able to do that with the girl that used to work at the PetSmart here.  She moved to another PetSmart too far from here :(

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Pat, this is not so. I am older and for a time everyone wore their hair permed and fluffed out.  Getting a comb through that was not easy and people mostly used picks.  As for my non-shedding ALD, I brush and then comb.  His coat is so thick that I have to work the comb through a bitc even though it is not matted.

[Diane Denney]

Well hopefully I can find some place I trust and like, and hopefully they don't charge me extra, and I'll just keep practicing my grooming skills :D 

[Pat and Traveler]

Nancy, I doubt you are older than I am!  And--I doubt we disagree, at least on this issue. A couple of groomers told me they use the 'comb test' to determine if a dog is matted.  If Diane ran into a groomer who thinks this way, tried to run a comb through Lincoln's coat and it didn't work or didn't work easily, the dog would be (in the groomer's eyes) matted and subject to dematting charges.  I don't agree with this, think it's unfair, but I'll betcha dollars to donuts it happens.       

[Diane Denney]

I'm doomed if that's the case Pat :D  I could brush Lincoln and then comb him, and by a few hours later he'd be tough to comb again especially if its damp outside. When you start brushing him it really doesn't take too long for it to loosen up so saying he's matted is not really accurate in my opinion.  To me a matt is when all the fur is stuck together, and tangled.  My cat used to get matts, and your couldn't really brush it out.  You had to use a de-matting tool.  I don't see anything like that on Lincoln.  You can see right down to his scalp.

[Pat and Traveler]

One groomer I took Trav to for a consult just ran her hands down his sides and said he would have to be shaved as he was matted.  He WAS matted at the time, but only on his legs and under his ears and chin.  His body definitely wasn't matted!  Anyhow, I'm his forever groomer now, poor dog.  I have a feeling he's going to look pretty odd sometimes.  :)       

[Michele, Biscuit & Mo]

I had a couple of awful experiences at PetSmart here in Scottsdale (geez, does corporate train them that way?) and had bad experiences with "recommended" groomers around town as well.  We got lucky when we found GREAT groomers at Petco.  Penny actually loves going there for her "spa day."  The main groomer there told me the other day that someday she dreams of owning her own shop.  Since I'm a business consultant, I've decided to help make her dream come true.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll get free grooming forever!  lol

All to say - NO, you are NOT a bad doodle mom, Diane!  You take wonderful care of Lincoln and want the best for him.  He deserves it!  Good luck finding a replacement groomer.