Ear plucking bad first grooms

[Rachelle Rigos]

My poor five month old Koda had his first groom which was a disaster. I asked for an introductory puppy groom and they ended up shaving him all the way down (he was not matted). What's even worse is they plucked his ear hairs out which I wasn't too happy about and now his left ear is really bothering him. When I touch it I hear liquid sounds coming from deep in ear...I'm afraid he's gonna get an infection now. His ears were just fine. Why couldn't they have just left them alone. I feel so bad for him a first experience should not have included such trauma. I'm pissed plus he doesn't even look like a puppy anymore. Who would shave down a five month puppy? Now he just looks like a botched poodle. What should I so about the ears? Thx
Concerned momma.

[Ginny Nightingale]

I groom doodles and I think this is just terrible--but I do have to say that MANY doodle owners (who are also all my friends, as i just have 10 or 12 local doodle owners as clients) tell me that their pooch is not matted and I should leave him long..so then I take out the clippers with the 1 inch comb and BAM, it stops dead--why? Because under the first inch of hair, which has been brushed out, there is an inch of mat against the skin which has not been touched by the brush--and they do not COMB after brushing, which would get those deep mats out before they get too bad.  The owner has no idea they are there.

Sorry to say it, but sometimes I need to cut the poor pup short so that I don't spend the afternoon yanking out mat after mat--which is torture for the dog--but I do only a few dogs a week--once a professional finds a mat, they get out the shaver because they do not have time to remove the mats carefully--

I do have a trick I use if the dog is matted which prevents shaving, but it is time consuming--I cut the dog to the length I want with the scissors where ever he is matted and THEN I pull the comb thru the mats to get them out--doesn't always work but I can usually keep more hair on them that way. If the dog is bathed first though, which they usually do at groomers', then the mats are much more difficult to remove. I bathe the dogs afterwards--it is backwards and weird, but less shaving!

As for the ears, I think you can solve that problem by telling them not to pluck them-but use an ear cleaner yourself to keep them nice and clean and every once in a while, put your fingers in the ear and pull out a few hairs--just don't let it get too clogged up with hair, that's all--some doodles have "poodle ears" with a lot of hair and a very small opening, but if your dog does not have that, then thorough plucking is not needed. Groomers do it as a matter of course though, so you have to tell them to leave them be.

I am sure he is just irritated and in a few days the ears will be fine.

[Rachelle Rigos]

Thx for the reply...I know some people swear that their dog isn't matted but are...I comb him twice daily and he has soft wavy puppy hair no double coat and was completely free of Matt's (im obsessed have no kids and he is my everything....100% he was NOT matted...I should have said something but I think I was in shock and just bailed....I do think he has poodle ears though and although he had a good amount of hair in th here his ears were clean and he had no issues...I really hope it settles on its own but hes afraid for me to touch them and cries....I feel like for a first groom when I specifically told them hes shy and sensitive just starting to really let strangers in...that he needed gentle touch and a good experience which even though she said he did great (but did not like the ear plucking at all) why did they continue to do it? I would have stopped. ..first experience sake. I really feel traumatized. ..he im sure will be fine and im probably being overly dramatic but I just wanted a light first experience happy groom and hes scared to be touched now?? :(

[Ginny Nightingale]

I see--and I am sure you are right that he had no mats and they just went with the LAZY way--and that overzealous ear plucking is not to be forgiven! Best bet now is to gently touch his ears once they heal as often as you can and make it a pleasurable experience for him--give him treats at the same time--he needs to re-learn that touch is OK there--and then search for a new groomer! 

[Rachelle Rigos]

I wish you could be my groomer....

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Dont wait to have this ear treated by a vet.  Please, I know from experience they do NOT get better on their own. As a matter of fact, it only becomes more difficult to clear up the infections, fungus, or irritations or all three

Please, nip this in the bud ASAP

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen. 

[Rachelle Rigos]

Like I said I will give him another day...hes a baby and used to cry when a stranger grabbed him so I think hes traumatized....but yes I've had dogs with chronic ear problems before and wont wait too long...the sad thing is hes only five months old and in my experience once they develop ear infections...they are always susceptible thereafter :( I will keep you posted and really thx for the support everyone else thinks im crazy but only doodle parents get it.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Yes, I understand but that water sound you hear already is an infection :(   

[Rachelle Rigos]

Well yes maybe but they put a bunch of tea tree oil in his ears to soothe them and she said it would drain out in a day or two....but yes it certainly could be infection. It does look better since earlier...I will see where we are at tomorrow. I know the vet experience will scare him...hes very shy and sensitive. ..so I dread going but certainly will if its not better tomorrow! ! Thats the reason I took him to get groomed so young...because hes shy...big fail.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have never heard of putting tea tree oil in a dog's ear, and in fact it doesn't sound like a good idea to me at all. Quite the opposite of soothing, tea tree oil can sting. Did the groomer possibly do that because she knew she had injured or irritated the ear? The tea tree oil may be contributing to the problem and may very well be bothering him.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/what-you-should-know-about...

[Rachelle Rigos]

Wow jeez...well I dont know why she gave it she just said it was to soothe him...I didn't ask about the strength she gave...yeah looks like we need to call the vet tomorrow. Really wish I could turn back the time. I want a redo. How am I ever gonna get his ears done again?