I just took my maltipoo to have her groomed and am not at all happy with the results/service. When I dropped her off the woman was slightly rude and seemed to have an "if you had taken better care of your dog this wouldn't have happened" attitude. I admit she had tangles and mats but it seems like no matter how much I brush her if she goes that long w/o a grooming she gets them. But the woman just patted her on the head didn't even check to see and said she needed to be shaved. She didn't even try to get the tangles out. I by no means want to put my dog in any pain or hurt her in any way so if this was the only option fine but at least really look at her and then make up your mind. So I come back to get her 4 hours later and my dog is shaved down to the skin! Then the woman didn't even speak to me she spoke directly to my sister . So is this just a bad groomer or is this how all groomers would have treated the situation?
2007-01-03 17:40:57 · 14 answers · asked by KEL 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
First off let me say I had had my dog shaved before so I thought I knew what I was expecting. What I got was not what I expected. Like I said I would have been happy to have her shaved if it was going to cause her pain. My problem was that it wasn't explained very well. This is the people that have done her in the past however the lady who normally takes care of MY dogs wasn't there and it had to be done on my day off.
2007-01-03 18:01:42 · update #1
Yes and no....let me explain.
Yes, this groomer was bad because she didn't feel to see the extent of the mats. She was rude to you, and when you came back she spoke to your sister.
No. Depending on the severity of the mats, it could be very painful for the dog if she were to try to detangle them. In most cases, the hair ends up coming out in the detangling process anyway. She was right to shave him, as long as you okay'ed it. Tangles could have been dealt with without the need of a shaver.
Try using a comb on your dog every day for at least 10 minutes. This will help tremendously. Be sure to get in the armpits, behind the ears, and around the neck. This is where most mats occur. If you have difficulty getting the tangles out, try using kid's spray on detangler... works like a charm.
There is also a tool called a Zoom Groom that removes loose hair wonderfully. It is made of rubber, and usually comes in either pink or blue. It is made by Kong. I provided a link for this at the bottom.
What kind of collar do you have on her? Try a rolled collar...They create less mats around the neck. It looks almost like a necklace, and are usually made of leather. I know PetSmart has them. A link is provided for this as well.
You could also consider a less maintenance cut for your dog. It is that important to you for it to have long hair? If not, shorten it up and you won't have to worry about mats as much. If you decide to leave the coat long, it will take some dedication on upkeep on your part.
2007-01-03 18:00:03 · answer #1 · answered by opinionated 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some things can't be taught, like tact and how to relate to human beings. Your groomer lacks those skills but it doesn't mean she is a bad groomer. A groomer does not have to do an in depth examination to tell that a dog is badly matted.
She may have done her job of grooming well, but her job of talking to you as a person and a dog owner was lacking. You might want to go to a different groomer. I used to be a groomer and it was not unusual for people to come in with dogs that were matted. I would show people how to split mats, sell the the tools to do it, combs and brushes, tell them how not to bathe the dog or dry it, anything I could to help prevent matting. Sometimes no matter what I showed someone, they just were not up to doing it. Shaving is more humane than de-tangling if the mats are tight and numerous. She probably did the best thing there.
Still, go where you feel respected as a person.
2007-01-03 18:11:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi im a dog groomer from alice springs in the northern territory. I agree that you got a bad groomer that was not the right way they went about things in dog grooming you r ment 2 do as the owner asks unless there is no other options. and taking a dog back to the skin cause of a few matts is wrong no groomer should take a dog that short. next time you need grooming go into a few places with your dog and see how the groomer is with you and your baby and if you and your not comfortable with that person then go ther if you dont like the groomer go else where only go to groomers that treat u and ur dog with respect hope this helps
2007-01-03 18:14:04 · answer #3 · answered by Stephanie E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was not only rude, but unprofessional of the groomer to make any assumptions with regard to the care of your pet. For all this groomer knew, your dog could have been missing for three weeks and this is how you found her, etc.
The groomer should have questioned you as to what type of shampoo/detangler you may, or may not be using, how often your dog is brushed etc. THEN the groomer should have offered her "professional" advice as to how to make the brushing more manageable for you to avoid future issues with your dogs coat. In addition, the groomer should have definitely made you aware that your dog would have to be completely shaved so you could have decided whether to obtain a second opinion or whether to try and get the tangles out yourself. I would talk to another groomer and ask them how they would handle this situation and if necessary, ask for a partial refund.
2007-01-03 17:51:03 · answer #4 · answered by soozemusic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, it sounds to me like she was being extremely rude. A lot of groomers get frustrated with tangled dogs and get angry at the owners thinking they are not being cared for properly. I am in no way trying to excuse her behavior; she should have talked to you and explained what she was doing and why. Dematting a dog is a very painful process for the dog, esp if she is white. The skin on a small dog like that is very sensitive. It is definitely much more humane to shave her down than to have her endure hours of dematting and pulling. A good groomer should have explained this to you so that you were not in complete shock when you picked up your dog! I know this may not be much consolation, but at least the hair will grow back and it will be easier to manage now that it's short. You may want to buy your pup a cute little sweater in the meantime!
2007-01-03 17:50:42 · answer #5 · answered by mel 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The groomer did exactly what she said she was going to do, why are you surprised by the result?
First of all, if you didn't trust the woman you shouldn't have left your dog in her care. Would you leave your baby at a daycare if you felt the person in charge was a sex offender? It's common sense - no one forced you to leave your dog there. Where had your dog been groomed in the past? Why didn't you take the dog back to it's regular groomer?
I would DEFINATELY not take the dog back in the future. If the dog was matted it was the groomers discretion to either work the knots out or shave the dog. Clearly as she wasn't interested in even the initial greeting to take the time to examine your pet, she definately wasn't going to take on the painstaking job of untangling her fur.
This is a case of the buyer beware. Your instincts are there for a reason. If it doesn't feel right, it usually isn't.
Better luck next time!
2007-01-03 17:48:05 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋
That is definitely a bad groomer. I have a mini schnauzer and my groomer did this to me one time. He was slightly matted but it wasn't anything too serious. They're just lazy. But get a new groomer ASAP because they'll continue to shave her if you don't give specific instructions not to. And she was rude so take your business elsewhere.
2007-01-03 17:47:52 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bad groomer
1) she should have gave you an estimate. If she felt any tangles or mats and felt the dog should be shaved, she should have called and asked for your permission.
2) she should have at least looked at the tangles to find out if they could have been gotten out. Try and get your money back....
2007-01-03 19:57:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
bad groomer. some professional groomers seem to sometimes forget business is strictly business.
just ask around at work or your friends for a groomer they go to.
2007-01-03 17:46:39 · answer #9 · answered by blingboycj 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I groom pets myself and I in my business would never be that rude and ruff with a pet! I would send her a letter of disappointment and send a copy of that letter to the better business bureau as soon as I could!
2007-01-03 18:16:51 · answer #10 · answered by Barlow 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋