I cried, my children cried, my husband was beyond upset. Grooming Gone wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Johnna]

WHY IS IT THAT YOU CAN HAVE A FIFTEEN MIN DISCUSSION WITH SOMEONE AND AGREE ON EXACTLY WHAT IS TO BE DONE AND WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DO IT, SOMEONE FORGETS OR JUST DOESN'T CARE. I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE WORDS ON HOW I FEEL ABOUT MY DOGS GROOMER. OUR PUPPY, IS 11 MONTHS AND ADORABLE, WAS ADORABLE. WE HAD HIS FACE ALL GROWN OUT AND IS PUPPY FIR WAS ALMOST GONE AND NEW CURLY LOCK WERE GROWING. LONG STORY SHORT. CONVERSATION WITH GROOMER, DON'T TOUCH HEAD OR BEARD, LEAVE BACK THE LENGTH IT IS NOW, ONLY TRIM HIM TO MAKE HIM EVEN. CHECK OUT THE PICS AND YOU WILL SEE WHY I STILL AM CRYING. CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GROW OUT?

[Johnna]

sorry about the butt picture but you had to see it to believe it. can you take a groomer to court? I am completly serious

[Tamara & Giada]

I totally agree, but that maybe because we also do a "Summer cut". They are more comfortable in the heat. I also like to keep my dogs short too because it lets me see just how thim they are, and now I know Giada needs to eat......poor girl--lol!!

All kidding aside, the hair will grow, and show your kids that this really is not that important to get so worked up about, unless of course you feel your dog was mistreated, well than that is a different story. You could go somewhere to get it evened out, maybe that will help you :)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I had a similar experience. I am changing groomers and will bring a picture with me next time. Also, at our local Petco for a little extra charge you can accompany your dog and stay with him throughout the grooming session to be sure that you are getting exactly the look you want. That's what I'll be doing in the future. For the quick trimmings, I'm going to do it myself using some of the great advice on Doodle Kisses. Don't feel too bad, this is one adorable Doodle.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I agree with Leigh. Don't bother with court. You won't get anything out of it expect heartburn and sleepless nights.

If I see the tush picture correctly, the legs are not the same?? If that is correct, just take a small scissor and even them out. That is how Samantha's is cut for the summer. I did it myself - intentionally!! It is just to darn hot and she is going into the ocean so now I don't have to deal with matts after a day at the beach.

Was he matted? Maybe she felt she had no choice but she should have called you to discuss it before she cut him so short. Now that he is short, you can keep up with daily combing.

I understand the shock of the this but it will grow back. I clipped Samantha almost to the skin (and I was shocked) and in 3 weeks she needs another. I will keep this short and stop clipping her around Labor Day. Samantha does not have the same coat - she has a straight, slighty wavy coat. It must have grown at least 3/4 of an inch!

Maybe this would be a good time for you to get yourself a clipper set and do it yourself. There is enough support here in Grooming Group for advice and support. Since he is already cut short it wouldn't be a difficult.

He will grow out quickly. Don't despair - he is still your wonderful little Doodle!

[Sherill Lockwood]

His little hind end sure looks screwy but I keep all of mine shorter than that for the summer because they love to swim. I always recommend to my puppy people that they keep around the eyes trimmed up too to prevent them from getting eye irritation from the curly hair that goes right back into the eye.

Don't stress too much. He'll be OK and grow back in a bit. Find another groomer that one of your freinds or co-workers can recommend.

The gal that did him looks like she came off of a bad grooming reality show! She sure needs a bit more schooling I'd say....

[Melissa & Porter]

I took Porter to the groomer in late May, aiming for the cut you got (minus the wacky backside-I'd take your dog back and ask them to fix that while you wait). So rather than have about an inch of hair on him when I picked him up, he was shaved to the skin, like 1/8 an inch of hair. I kid you not. He also had runny eyes from the shampoo and was chewing on his shaved paws. A vet visit got us drops, an exam for scratched cornea and antihistimines to prevent further toe-licking. HUNDREDS of dollars spent on one grooming. I took Porter back the next morning to show them his toes and eyes. I have a free grooming lined up as compensation....oh yay. I am not sure if I will go through with it. I said short--my fault for not being more specific. My dog was happy to walk back into the groomers that next morning so I know he didn't have bad feelings about the groomer.

Anyway, in answer to your question. On the body, we got about an inch of growth in six weeks. On the face, about 1/2-3/4 inch in the same time frame.

On a positive note: no mud on the floors from dirty paws, less odor, less beard drippings, indifferent/content dog. Plus, it was fun to listen to people guess what kind of dog I had--mostly when he was so short he looked like crushed velvet.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Can you file a complaint with your Better Business, or Consumer Protection...instead of court...this way you still are alerting the public of a bad groomer. Is this groomer...owner of their own place and did you discuss this with them, or an employee. If an employee I would discuss this with the owner. I don't feel the dog should be missing hair like that on it's back end, even with a summer cut it should be shorter on the butt, BUT not patches of skin exposed. If she felt the dog was matted and need to be taken down shorter, they should of called you and discussed that with you, give you the option of what to do, not just went ahead and did it. I have always left clear insturctions on what I want done, and the big "IF" you find matts and can't get them out...than short it is, so I know I am not walking in on any unkown surprises, but my groomer will also tell me they had to make it short because etc......

All of that aside...your pup's hair will start to grow back within 2 weeks and by about 6 to 8 weeks should be almost back to where you started. Their hair seems to grow pretty quickly. In the mean time start checking around for another groomer and if you can stay while they are clipping your dog. Your pup is still your pup and his personality has not changed because of a bad haircut. Best of luck on the next trim.

[Krista, Angel, and Toby]

I'm sorry that you're so upset. I know that's tough when you get a haircut that sucks, for you or for your dog. I hope you didn't pay for the grooming. But you still have an absolutely adorable doodle! Cute as can be! Love the expression on the face! And in no time flat your puppy will have his gorgeous coat back. Probably right in time for fall, too, so it's all good. =0)

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

so sorry about your pooch~ Curly ones grow slower than fleece, maybe by winter he will have an inch or so of his coat back. I assume the groomer felt that he was matted and that is why she shaved him~ but dont know. I know sometimes people bring me thier fur kids saying they arent matted and they are. If the groomer cant get a comb through the coat, all the way down to the skin they consider them matted. With a dog that is curly like yours I would recommend monthly brush outs by a groomer, this way you can do the weekly brushing and it will be a lot easier to keep him free of matts so that when he is ready for a trim (next year) this wont happen again. So sorry~

Just an FYI be sure to watch his level of sun exposure now, his coat protected him from the sun before.

[Lynne B]

You are right about 'curly ones' growing slow. Beck was neutered on May 4th, and they shaved his leg for the IV, it is now nearly 3 months later and the fur on his leg is not even 1" long.

[Johnna]

Thank you so much for all your comments. I am just hoping that his face and beard will be grown out in time for Christmas pictures.

[Deanna Marsh]

He'll be fine for Christmas pictures. That was one bad groomer, it's like they didn't listen to a word you said. I asked my groomer when I took my pup in to only use scissors except in the sanitary areas. They still used a trimmer on her tummy and I was Ok with that except that they nicked one of her nipples. I told them to use a sissor cut and I wanted a teddy bear cut and to take her down to only half of the hair that she currently had. They did pretty well, she didn't quite look like herself for about a month and a half though. Since then I've been doing it myself with scissors, but my dog is smaller than yours. I'm amazed at how fast her hair grows! He'll be fine soon, but I'd never go there again and I sure hope you didn't have to pay for that!