Horrible mobile groomer visit

[Melissa]

Well, even though I usually try to groom Buddy myself, I was running out of time to do it so I thought I would give a mobile pet groomer a try.  I visited the website and it seemed to be a great thing.  Well, we told her what we wanted and I am in tears as I write this.

 

Buddy no longer looks like Buddy.  His coat is too short (which I told her when she brought him back).  Yes I did pay.  I think I was in shock and just wanted her gone.  After she left I started looking at him closely and the cut (shave) is VERY uneven all over his body.  The hair on his face is uneven.  It is short on one side and longer on the other.  She was supposed to grind the nails and told me that she did, but after looking at them and the scratches on my arms it was obvious that she cut them instead!   

 

I am just sick to my stomach and just wish I could take it all back.    As I am just too upset to talk to someone on the phone, I found a corporate email address and sent them a very strongly worded email, for whatever that is worth.

 

Sorry all, just had to vent.  I know the hair will grow back and I know I am not the first person on here to have a bad experience but I just needed to share.  Thanks for listening. 

[Cathy Gertner]

I feel your pain... I am always so afraid of the " new groomer" routine. I will drive over 2 hours to get my doodles groomed by someone I know. It is so hard to screen them. I would always ask to see pictures of their work. I did have one occasion to take my doodle to a new groomer and I went with pictures. She did not want to even look at the pictures and said she did not NEED my pictures. I then told her that she also did not NEED my business and I left. You have to be prepared to be very stubborn about what you want and demanding to see other doodles' pictures that have been groomed by the groomer. Sounds like you should NOT have paid her. I would ask for my money back. Usually the mobile groomers are not part of any larger company but sounds as though yours is. I am anxious to hear their reply to you. Where do you live ?

[Melissa]

What do they say?  Hindsight is 20/20.  Believe me, if I wasn't in shock I would not have paid her.  I live in the south suburbs of Chicago.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Oh I am so sorry for you, I know just how you feel. So horrible. The only thing I can say is the way you described his cut, is exactly what I did to Jack. But that was my first time. He was shaved way down. It has been three weeks and it is growing back. I used blending sheers that made everything look better.

 

I know you were in shock, I know that feeling to. I remember once walking into the groomers and seeing a dog that sort of looked like Jack and I remember praying Please God don't let that be my dog... it was....

 

Things to keep in perspective, it is hair, it will grow back. The cute doodle look is not gone forever...See where they go after the email you sent. They should refund you your money. If it was me, I would stop payment on them. I don't know if that is right but that is what I would do.

 

Big hugs from one doodle mommy that has been where you to another.

 

Jennifer and Jack

[Melissa]

Thank you for your reply.  :)

[Cynthia and Magic]

I know how you feel. When Magic came home from the groomer he looked like some kind of freaky naked morphed poodle. I felt so guilty for putting him through that! He was fine...but I was a mess. They even shaved his nose so close there were beads of blood on it!

Now I am attempting to do it myself. Hasn't grown long enough that I have had to use clippers.....but when that day comes it can't possibly be as bad as what the groomer did! Plus, I'm tired of groomers telling me what I want done....

 

Give your pup a hug and look into those big eyes.....that is one thing that stays the same.

[Melissa]

Thank you.  Yes his big doodle eyes make me happy! :)

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Yes, we all do feel your pain! Been there, done that. Its taken Lucy about 2 months to get her cuteness back after her last horrible clipping. All you can do is try another groomer (and hopehopehope for the best). The two good things are that it will be a while before your baby needs another clipping, and grooming in the meantime will be a whole lot easier! I know it doesn't help right now with how you're feeling. I wish finding a good groomer wasn't so risky and potentially heartbreaking, but what can you do? I'm not willing to give clipping a go myself, so I just have to keep on keeping on, and hope one day I'm blessed with a fantastic groomer. You can see pics of how close Lucy was cut on my page... the last 3 pics of my slideshow.

[Melissa]

Thank you.  :)

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I checked out the photos on your page. You're a wonderful photographer.

[Melissa]

Thank you so much!

[Tracy L Boring]

Melissa,
I am sorry. We used a mobile groomed once. We had the same experience. I started crying when she brought him in. Within a couple of months, he looked better. I am sorry.

[Melissa]

Thank you Tracy!