Groomin Disaster

[Christina]

Yes it should have been explained to you that the matts had to be shaved off. But

I just wonder what was said in the 20 minute discussion ? That is a long time, I couldn't even discuss my own hair cut for 20 minutes.

Was the groomer trying to explain something ?

Many owners do not realise that getting matts out can & often does hurt the dog. There is no magic pain free way although some groomers do have better techniques for doing it some can be so rough too. If there was an injury on the leg getting matts out could not be attempted.

Your dogs hair will grow back nice. A regular brush, properly & speaking to the groomer when you go in should communicate your wishes clearly in future.

[WreckitWhippet]

I'm going to steal your flea funeral idea. I charge and advise clients but that sign is a classic.

[Guest Arcane]

I'm going to steal your flea funeral idea. I charge and advise clients but that sign is a classic.

go for it. I , as i'm sure you do to, let clients know that I can only kill the fleas that they bring to my shop, not the ones at home, and talk to them about a flea prevention program. Amazing how many people think 1 flea bath and shazzam all fleas are gone for ever!

[frufru]

I would probably not have done the dog because I am choosey about my clients - People who want their maltese to have poodle feet are referred to the groomer down the road. I don't do poodles whose owners want their legs shaved to their elbows or palm tree tails or any other weird requests. If it is a medical issue that is different. New customers are told that matted dogs will be clipped off - if you want your dog to have coat then you either maintain it or the dog comes fornightly for a wash and groom out. I am not expensive but I am demanding and hard to get into :rofl: I am also very caring and flexible for good customers and I am generally booked out but I would have 20 mins to talk to a new customer (if I was interested in taking them) ;) I am not into quantity I am into quality.

Edited December 8, 2011 by frufru

[Greytmate]

Came into this thread and expected to read about a disaster. A groomer cutting a dog's ear off or something.

Instead we get a story from a person with a matted dog complaining about her dog being clipped.

Blonde, what did you expect the groomer to do with the matted area? Did you expect one clipped leg and three fluffy legs?

[Tatelina]

I want to see pics!

[Kirislin]

the best way to avoid disappointments is to groom your own dog, regularly. If it's a breed that requires clipping, then learn to use them yourself.

[minxy]

Sorry that you're mostly receiving a lot of negativity and rudeness from people. I can understand why you'd be upset. Yes, the groomers on here know that sometimes a full clip is necessary for matted areas, but that doesn't mean that they can expect all of their customers to understand this too if no one ever tells them. As some others have suggested, it might be easier/better if you learn how to groom her yourself because it will need doing regularly.

[Animal House]

I'm so glad I have smooth coated dogs.

[Are You Serious Jo]

If you wash a matted dog then the matts just felt and the dog suffers even more. It takes an incredible amount of time to brush out matts and you end up with patches and a sore dog. So really the groomer had no other choice when a dog is presented like that.

[Gayle.]

If a customer spends 20 minutes explaining to a groomer how they don't want the dog clipped and that they're nervous of leaving him with a new groomer, doesn't that groomer at least owe the customer the courtesy of a phone call before they clip the dog?

And how did some matted hair on one leg from the dog having it bandaged, morph into a completely matted dog that requires a full body clip?

This is just another thread that makes me even more determined to never take my dogs to a groomer, they just can't be trusted to do what's asked.

[Are You Serious Jo]

I agree that the groomer should have called and given them the option of shave or take the dog back. I personally would have looked it over on the spot and if matted said it's shave or nothing. But if you have a matted leg that can't be groomed do you just shave one leg and leave the rest because that would look ridiculous.

I'm glad to be out of grooming and the unrealistic expectations of people.

[minimiss]

I think there really just needs to be a phone call or something mentioned beforehand so there is not that 'surprise factor' for the owner returning to pick up their dog and having a totally unexpected 'hairdo'.

Of course it's understandable that a groomer may have to shave to remove the matts etc, but it still comes down to communication and speaking to the owner about the intentions prior to going ahead and doing it.

[Rozzie]

So what did you say when you picked the dog up Blonde?

I want to see a pic too.

[JulesP]

If a customer spends 20 minutes explaining to a groomer how they don't want the dog clipped and that they're nervous of leaving him with a new groomer, doesn't that groomer at least owe the customer the courtesy of a phone call before they clip the dog?

And how did some matted hair on one leg from the dog having it bandaged, morph into a completely matted dog that requires a full body clip?

This is just another thread that makes me even more determined to never take my dogs to a groomer, they just can't be trusted to do what's asked.

The dog was supposed to be clipped. Just not its legs.

This was a no win situation for the groomer. They had the option of clipping the legs off, clipping one off or leaving the leg matted.

Another thread that makes me glad I am not a groomer anymore!

[Gayle.]

They also had the option of phoning the owner before doing what she had specifically requested they not do.

[emery]

its a shame the groomer didn't listen but none of us saw the dog before it got taken in.

i took a very matted papillion to the groomers to be shaved when picked up dog still had 85% of his coat groomer groomed him out and dog behaved h e tends to be vicious such a shame they closed down i would of reccomended them to anyone

[frufru]

You can't seriously expect a groomer to shave one matted leg and leave the other 3 fluffy :eek: If a dog has one matted ear - then both are shaved. The only time I phone clients mid groom is if I come across something that may need vet attention eg paralysis tick.

[Gayle.]

I have a dog with a large shaved patch on one side due to injury, yes it looks a little odd but I definitely don't want the rest of her shaved to match! Of course the dog can have three fluffy legs and one not fluffy.

[conztruct]

This thread has both extremes of the argument - the customer who says the groomer didn't listen to them and the groomers who know what is best for the dog and what is feasible in a given situation.

If the matting was so bad that clip was the only feasible option fair enough but as the customer specifically said they didn't want those areas clipped I think the groomer either should have called to advise what was feasible to do or as others have mentioned simply told the customer that they would do what was best for the dog, what it entailed of they had the choice to go elsewhere.

Sorry but I do see some responsibility on the groomer to communicate better in this instance. Most of the groomers on here seem to be very clear about what they will and will not do up front, and why and I think that's great and probably why their customers like them - they give the customer an immediate, informed choice.

There is also some responsibility on the OP though to understand their dog, it's coat and what if feasible if there's a problem.

I'd love to learn to groom properly, although only my own dogs (after working with the public in other industries, I can empathise with the sheer hell that service providers have to go through) - Bull Terriers should be pretty easy but our professionals would probably laugh at my attempts