About $120 month...?

[Pat and Traveler]

Here are some pictures of Traveler, just back from the groomer.  The pictures aren't good and don't do justice to his appearance--he looks gorgeous!   

Here's the thing.  His fur has reached a threshold--just a tad shorter and he pretty much stays mat and tangle free.  This time, he had to be hand scissored, and had many small tangles.  His coat has gotten much thicker as he's gotten older. 

The groomer wants to keep working with him once a month, but it takes time and effort and real skill to keep up with his coat.

Is $120 a month a reasonable price for maintaining a doodle coat?  I know it's an individual decision, but I never had him groomed on a regular basis and really have no idea what people pay.

I sort of like a scruffy appearance for doodles, but for Trav that means mats.  Bummer.  Any thoughts or ideas you may have would be most welcome!

 

[Pat and Traveler]

Thanks, Marnie!  Trav does look hot--he's sure been getting a lot of compliments from strangers lately--something that didn't happen much when I was in charge of his appearance.  :)

I didn't realize just how much of an art the hand scissoring is.  Gotta love anybody who's really skilled at what they do.  Raven wants to start her own grooming biz specializing in poodles and doodles.  That would be great--so many groomers don't want to deal with doodle coats, or more accurately the crazy and often unrealistic expectations of doodle owners! 

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

Our unrealistic expectation that are doodle doesn't come out as a poodle! I must admit that I had the expectation that when I said don't cut a single hair on him, but just wash and dry him that they wouldn't cut any hair. instead they shaved his nose and eyes! And then they told me that I am the first doodle owner ever to not love that look.

[Pat and Traveler]

Gotcha.  Not listening is my biggest complaint!  I find it hard to believe that their other doodle owners loved the shaved nose! 

[Trudy Harlow]

The other owners were so horrified, they just didn't come back!

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

Darwin and Trev both look so soft and smooth compared to my scruffy little guy!  I was reading this page because Kona got his very first mat this week at 8 months old, and I know I need to start thinking about a slightly shorter cut for him while his adult coat comes in.  I was really hoping to find a groomer who would leave at least 2.5 inches of his 4 inch hair via a scissor cut, so I was curious to see what other people are paying for scissor cuts.  If I thought he'd sit still for me, I'd attempt it myself, but he is not thrilled when I trim around his eyes and pads. His body and leg hair has never been cut.  When he was 4 months old, I took him in for a bath and blow dry only at PetSmart, and when I picked him up, they had completely shaved his nose and bridge as "a special surprise gift" to me.  Arrrggghhh!!!  It has taken 4 months for it to grow out, so that's why I've never taken him to another groomer after they didn't respect my direct instructions to not cut ANYTHING on him.  I'm so afraid to trust anyone now. 

 

 

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

Oh I would have been so livid!! 

Sounds like you won't be getting your dog groomed as often as some so the scissor cut may be exactly what you're looking for.  Ask around, show dogs are scissor cut so if there is a groomer that has handled grooming show dogs, check them out first.  Ask around, have them show you photos, get names of clients, if they don't want you talking to their clients I'd walk right out and move on.

GOOD LUCK!  I hope you find the perfect groomer for you both!

 

(I wanted Stanlee's hair to be a bit thicker than it is but it wasn't meant to be.  Of course with the amount he sheds it's probably a good thing. Your dog is so adorable!)

[Pat and Traveler]

Gwyndolyn, I know what you mean!  Trav's coat was trouble-free until just after 7 months.  And he too got his nose shaved, more than once!  In fact, that's why I decided to do his grooming myself, although grooming is much too lofty a term for my efforts.  lol 

Darwin is adorable!!!  I love that look, but it's just not possible for Trav.  Of course, his coat is different, so he'd never look much like a Muppet anyhow.  Love those BIG legs and feet.  He's just so huggable!

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

Did you mean to say Kona?  Darwin is adorable too.  

But yes...I love the big hairy muppet legs and feet.  Underneath all of that hair are skinny little bony legs!  I know because the vet shaved a big 3 inch section when he was neutered 2 months ago.  You can see on his front right paw that after 2 months, it still looks skinny in that area.  It looked REALLY funny totally shaved!

[Pat and Traveler]

Sorry--I did mean Kona!  I'll bet it is a surprise to see him all wet or shaved down!  Same with Trav--long, skinny legs...:)

[Trudy Harlow]

That's why I never take Paddy anywhere where they won't let me stay during the grooming....

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

Ginny, Which slicker brush and which LP brush do you recommend for Kona's long hair? When I google, there are so many to choose from

[Trudy Harlow]

I live in a big US urban area and the highest I've paid is $90 (and I did that only once, when I was forced to go to a groomer associated with a pet store). I usually pay about $65 for my very curly-coated 50 lb. GD, no matter how long his coat is at the time. Spring shave-down, though, runs about $5 more.  We don't have to do hand-scissoring on him -- well, I do his head at home before I go because I really, really care about how his cute little face looks.