My poor baby was traumatized

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

For grooming, I usually have a pet groomer come to my house.  This month, I decided to go to Petsmart grooming to save a buck or two.  Coming to the house is very expensive, but I like the fact that Bailey is back in the house clean in a little over an hour.

When I went there, everyone was very friendly and I spoke for a good 20 minutes to the girl, who happened to be the manager, about how I wanted Bailey to look, and also, how much to cut off.  Her hair is very long and I wanted about an 1.5 inches cut off.  She told me that she would be ready around 5:00. 

I dropped her off about 12:45 and walked away wondering if this was a good move.  She knows Michael, our regular groomer, and I felt guilty about changing her routine. At 5:00, my DH suggested we get in the car to go get her.  I told him that they hadn't called yet and to wait.

Well, at 5:15 the groomer called to tell me that Bailey was still very wet and that she had not even started cutting her hair! I asked her why and she said that they were having trouble drying her because she doesn't like the dryers.  I said to her "what have you been doing for almost 5 hrs?"  She replied, "trying to dry her."  I was shocked!!!!  I was so beyond angry.  I just said "I'm on my way to get her."

We brought towels with us to wrap her in, jumped in the car and drove there.  I was almost jumping out of my skin with anger.  My DH kept telling me to calm down.  I just felt so bad for her and I kept picturing her in the drying room just freeking out scared.

I walked in, and she said that she will go get her.  She came out with Bailey, I grabbed her and walked away.  I did not want to cause a scene and yell and scream.  I was worried about what I would say. I do intend to write a letter on Petsmart.com and complain about it.  If they had called right away, I totally would understand, but to leave her there and do that to her for over 4 hours, is animal abuse.  

Now, I have a wet dog that needs a trim badly.  I called my old groomer and I hope he can come by and just brush her out and trim her today. I should have taken a picture last night, but we were late getting ready for a neighborhood holiday party.

Anyone in the Rancho Santa Margarita area - don't go to Petsmart grooming.  They are Grinch's  

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

OMD, poor Bailey!  I don't blame you for being upset, and I would definitely write up a complaint.

[BG and Gavin]

5 hours and she was still wet!  That is outrageous!  Makes me wonder if she was in holding for the first 4 hours and they bathed her at the last minute and did not want to admit it.  Either way, inexcusable!

[Jackson]

Other than buying product like food, treats, etc.. Petsmart is horrible for grooming and I also think their vet servies are a rip off. A friend of mine bought into their 'package' and bless that dogs heart EVERY time he took her in.. they magically found something wrong that wasnt part of the 'package'... even claiming she had mange and had to have this exspensive medicine. I ran her in one time for a check up and the VET told me. 'I would not breed this dog.' My mouth dropped open.. and I said.. exactly how many times do you have to spay her for it to take?!?!?! (She had already been spayed by them.) I went home and told him he needed to accept the loss of money and find a real vet and needless to say when he did.. he found out his dog did not have mange and was actually in great health! Years ago I learned the hard way about their grooming by taking one of my rescues in to have her nails trimmed... they didnt trim them at all but charged me. When I called about it.. they said.. she wouldn't be still so they had a hard time. I shop there alot but would never go there for grooming or vet services!

[Jackson]

Me neither. I always feel "packages" have a catch and I prefer a vet I know.. but this was a young guy with a new dog and he (I dont think) knew better but he sure did learn and me helping him out showed me exactly how horrible they are. When that vet talked about not breeding her after they had spayed her.. WOW.. that really blew my mind!!

[Becka]

I imagine that their vet services vary a lot--but I've been very pleased with the treatment and care Sadie has received at our Banfield, and they've never tried to "upsell" me into spending money on something unnecessary--in fact, quite the opposite: a couple of times they've spelled out all the options and assured me that I wasn't doing anything wrong by my dog if I chose the cheaper option. And the vets and vet techs are always so nice to Sadie--she actually loves to go to the vet, and sometimes when we go to PetSmart for something else she tries to drag me over to Banfield.

The grooming services, on the other hand, have always seemed too crowded and busy, and I'm not surprised (but very sorry!) that Bailey had this experience.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I agree that it probably varies based on location. I have the wellness plan and we use Banfield. One of the doctors will try to force tests on us that are obviously not necessary, but there is a vet who is great, treats Darwin wonderfully, and has been very upfront and honest about treatments and costs. So far, I don't regret the choice to go with a plan. We have saved money.

[Carol Brand]

So were they trying to cage dry her?  If your normal groomer can get her done in an hour or so, I'd imagine that she is pretty used to being dried on a table with a force air dryer.  I agree that something sounds fishy.  I think they just didn't get around to doing her.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Oh what a horrible experience Roberta.  Poor Bailey.  That really is abuse in my book too!  This is why I gave up going to the groomers and now do Gracie Doodle myself.  Hers was more a case of just being there for a long time because of the "down"  time.  Doodle goes into a cage, comes out for shampooing, back into the cage.  Maybe a big blower put in front of her cage to start the drying process (you remember Gracie and how quickly she dried out after three dips in Bev's pool?).  With a blower she would dry in nothing flat!!! Then out of the cage and onto the table for brushing, blowing and grooming.  Usually a 4+ hour ordeal.  What Gracie hated the most was all the noise.  The cages are stacked and she always had little yippie, cage banging dogs above her.  The room was big and the barking echoed and the noise was unbelievable.  I couldn't take more than 5 minutes in there.  I finally started bathing her myself and totally getting every mat out.  I would do it the day before and then run her down when they were ready to actually put her on the table.  I really wanted to minimize the time Gracie was in the shop.  That worked for a while but then they started putting her back into the cage and just leaving her there.  I live 3 minutes away and they had all my phone numbers.  There is no reason at all that she should have to be in the cage and endure the barking and noise!  I finally gave up and learned how to groom right here on DK and we all are much happier.  I am curious how your groomer that comes to the house drys her and gets it all done in an hour.  They must use the hair dryer and I'm sure if Bailey doesn't cooperate you would have heard about it.  I wonder if Petsmart just dropped the ball and didn't even get to Bailey until 4:00 or later and then tried to speed things up by attacking her with the dryer.  That is a horrible experience.  Groomers always seem to ask that you not be present and to turn and walk away and not come back until you are called.  I was always told that it is because the Doodle won't cooperate if you are present and I think that is true...just like little kids act out when they see their parents but when you leave they are as good as gold...or so we have been told...ha ha.  I would love to be a fly on the wall when dogs are being groomed.  I do stand and watch whenever I am at Petsmart or Petco when they have the grooming right there in the window.  I don't see much tenderness being given to the dogs.  When I groom Gracie Doodle she gets lots of praise and kisses on her Doodle nose!!!  Sorry to hear of Bailey's and your experience. 

[Camilla and Darwin]

Oh my gosh, 4 hours and they hadn't even dried her? That is outrageous.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Nightmare! I have been grooming my two since this summer. I was so sure I would completely mess them up, but I have found that they look better than when the pro was doing it and I save $120 each every time I do the grooming. No trauma and no money. It is a win-win for us. I hope poor Bailey and poor you are recovering well today. Unbelievable.

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

Our daughter has her doodle groomed at a groomer and it's usually about 5-6 hours. He shakes when he has to go in there too. I know she's afraid to groom him herself, and I certainly can hardly keep up with my two. I do my own because of all that you describe and then some. The one time I took Murphy he was sick with diarrhea on the way out of the store because he was so traumatized. He was fine before and after but just made himself sick while in there. He was shaking so hard when we picked him up that I wanted to cry for him. There are only a very few times I've ever seen his tail between his legs in his whole life, and that was one.
I just use a table in a spare bedroom, put down plastic and vacuum as I go and it's really not that hard.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am so sorry for poor Bailey and for you.  My thoughts are that they did NOT even begin Bailey for hours and hours and that they were not trying to dry her for 4 hours.  I can not groom my dogs myself (all thumbs) so I take them to a groomer who is a very nice lady and does a good job.  Sometimes my dogs don't want to go into the grooming area, but I make them because we just can't always get what we like - however they are not terrified; that would be something else.