Professional Groomers vs Doodles

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

I hear so many complaints about groomers shaving or butchering coats or making our doodles look like poodles. I have developed my own system for making a great looking doodle and the method is somewhat backwards compared to what I learned at Grooming School. Without that training, I don't think I would have ever figured out 'how to'.
This makes it very hard to communicate with professional groomers. They often have the opinion that we don't know what we are talking about when we explain what we want, because in their world, it doesn't make sense. So often I have sent detailed instructions to my new puppy owners so they can 'talk' to their groomers and they still get poor results. I can just see what is happening. They look at the instructions, say 'that woman doesn't know anything about grooming' and toss the offending paper in the garbage. Somehow we need to be heard, because the popularity of doodles is growing.

[Adina P]

Can you share more about the difference between traditional grooming philosophy and what you found works? I'm curious!

Before I got a dog I figured dog groomers were like human hair stylists...could do anything a person wanted. But the more I read about complaints and learn (I groom my dogs myself...but they are easy F1s) it seems to me that there is a HUGE difference between dog and people "groomers." Human stylists are artsy folks...dog groomers are more 'doggy' kind of people. They like dogs and know "breed cuts" but aren't very artistic always (FORGIVE me if I'm painting with too broad a brush...it's just my thoughts based on my limited observation...I totally could be way off). Doodles need a groomer with a good eye for 'what will look GOOD on this dog?" not merely "how am I supposed to cut this 'breed'?" With human stylists...they are supposed to do what YOU want to your hair...with groomers it seems they are kind of stuck in certain cuts and aren't good about thinking outside the box.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

I agree to most of what you are saying, but I also know that at a professional school, to stand back and 'take a look' is an important part of the training. Knowing how to groom to enhance good points and hide faults. Most grooming shops deal with many kinds of cross breeds, so you really need to know what is going to look good on the dog as the coat characteristics and the body characteristics might not match.
In shops where the goal is only high volume, this does get lost and you get cookie cutter styles. They don't want to see you if you don't fit into their mold. Doodles definitely fit into this last group.
I will write a comparison of mine and theirs when I get a couple of extra minutes.

[Rae]

Barb- I'd love to see that detailed instruction page on "how to". Any change you'd share it? Thanks and have a good weekend. Hope it's warmer at your home than it is here!

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

-20 C ..... working on lots of different types of grooming instructions.

[1qrgkdwnfqccb]

I feel very lucky to have found Lynn, our groomer...Izzy and Tucker went day today for their Holiday spa treatment (ha ha) and the both cam back EXACTLY the way i wanted them to. This was Tucker's first trip so I really didn't expect a whole lot to get accomplished, but he looked Great! and he can now see, which is a huge plus!!
The difference, i have found with Lynn, is that i explain to her, with a sense of humor and she "gets" what i am saying..
what i told her from the start is that i DO NOT want Izzy to look like a "HOOT OWL", and that translates in to please do not shave her eyes and nose out!!! the next thing i asked her not to do is give her "HIGH HEALS" which translates into please do not trim around her toes short and then shave up her legs.

In the the warmer months i do have Lynn use the clippers, but only on her body and i still ask for a puppy cut. but, i ask her to trim her face, legs, feet and tail with scissors. and that seems to work well and not get the poodle look. but...the key thing is (i think) if you do not care for the poodle look than have the groomer scissor trim their face. and the thing i always tell lynn, is think "shaggy" because that is how i like Izzy and tucker to look.

this is only my opinion, and what works with lynn and I as far as communication, because i know not a thing about grooming a dog!! if i started, they would be bald when i got done with them!!

this situation is no different than going to the hair stylist...i took my son to get his hair cut several weeks ago, i explained to her, that he just needed trimmed, up, he wanted to keep the "skater" look...it was getting long in the back, so it needed shaved up, and the front trimmed up just a tad ... she even repeated what i had said to her...so i had some errands to run, i came back in 20 minutes...i look at quinn, i thought he was going to kill her, and i am sure the look on my face was priceless as well....the girl smiles and says " i thought he would look great with the ashton kutcher shag look".....Well, if that is what she had done, that might have been ok, but my son looked like one of the BEATLES (1964 possibly) you know...the bowl cut! so i had to say something so she would fix it, if not quinn would have had to been home schooled for 3 weeks...lol

So it i think is the same everywhere....they all have their own ideas on how something should look, and when it comes to doodles, there is no true cut for them, and not everyone likes the same thing, which makes it even more difficult for the groomers. so my advise is to do the best you can at explaining and Barb any ideas on how to explain it better please, please share!!

and remember it will grow back, and it really does not take that long!! : ) they only look silly for about a week!! and when they do, look at it with humor!! because it is kinda funny after the initial shock!!

good luck to all!!!
happy hair cutting!!