Petsmart Grooming

[linz06]

Well, I decided to give Layla her first haircut since we moved to a new city in January. I had just been doing some upkeep on my own with her ears, nose, and butt. It has been record-breaking hot here, and I felt sorry for my poor baby in the heat so I decided on a puppy cut after looking at lots of cute YT puppy cut pictures! There was a place in this city that does really really good grooming... we used to take my old dog there when I was younger, so I thought I would like to take Layla there. However, they were not answering their phones and their answering machine said they're booking 2 weeks to a month ahead of time. I really didn't want to wait that long, so I called Petsmart and they could get her in on the weekend.
So on Saturday, my boyfriend and I took Layla in with her floor-length hair. While I was filling out the papers and watching the other groomers work behind the lady who was helping me, both my boyfriend and I were thinking maybe we shouldn't leave her there... and he doesn't even really care about how she looks! I should have walked out right there but I didn't. I worried about her until I could pick her up 3 hours later. I went in a half hour early and she was already done, and the lady who took her from me wasn't working anymore. My beautiful little baby came out looking like a scruffy rat And all that for $67. I asked for her to be about 2 inches long all over, but a little longer on the top of her head for a topknot.
She's about 2 inches down the middle of her back, then shorter (but uneven, and scissor marks showing everywhere) down the sides, and then really really short on her stomach and legs so she looks like there's just little chicken legs poking out of her body. Her whole face was super super long, still almost touching the floor. Her tail wasn't touched at all. I got home and was upset for awhile, and then I took the scissors myself and cut around her face so it looks like it fits on her body, and I cut the long scraggly hair off her tail. Then I noticed they SHAVED her butt right down to the skin! I was so upset I almost cried, and my boyfriend was going to call the manager for me.
I am definitely not giving them any more grooming business, and probably not much other business either.
I will post pics when I get home from work tonight

[medusa512]

i'm sorry you had a reallyreally bad experience. but it will grow back!
i also don't take my dogs to our petsmart. i just don't like their attitudes. and it's good you share with other people here so they know what happened to you.

i hope i don't have to ever find someone else, but i'm starting to like the idea of a mobile groomer that will come to me!

[Superstarkba]

Awe, sorry for your bad experience. Nothings worse than a bad hair cut!!! I don't let petsmart cut my babies hair, because my bf's brothers wife use to work there in the grooming section, and they don't really train them, they just tell them a few things on how to do it, then let them cut doggies hair. I either go to a salon, but I purchased my own pair of clippers so I did Aubrey, and it looked good.

[Vinnie's Mom]

Wow, I go to a local groomer, and $24 gets me the best puppy cut, and in under 2 hours, I'm so sorry that happened to you. As for taking the little but all the way down, it's common, called a hygiene cut, so no poo gets stuck! Obviously more noticeable with a puppy cut. I am really beginning to hate Petsmart. I would call and complain and if you do let me know what the outcome is!

[linz06]

I'm not sure that I'll call and complain, because I usually don't do that. I'm just not that kind of person I guess. I think she'll look better in a month or so when her really short hair starts to grow back a little.
After I left her at Petsmart I went to a little pet shop a few blocks from my house because I found out online that they also sell the new food I had started feeding her (Orijen.. the only other place to get it here is Petland and I don't want to keep supporting them!) and when I went in the people were SO helpful and knew so much about dog allergies and nutrition and they had so many suggestions. They also had a little room in the back with one lady sitting there grooming some dogs on her own. I definitely think this is going to be our new store. Next time she needs to be groomed I think I will give them a try.
I had read stories on YT about Petsmart grooming before, but I was in too much of a rush to get it done. I should have went with my gut and walked right out of there after seeing the poor muzzled dog yelping and getting pushed roughly around the grooming table. When even my boyfriend didn't want to leave her there, that's saying something!
I miss my old groomer! She did a great job and Layla always left happy and excited. I could always pick her up within 2 hours and it only cost $30 with her long coat. I had to carry her to the front of Petsmart because she refused to walk, and when we got home she hid under the couch all day!

[kia-girl]

I've been in the same position before as well, however not with Pet's Mart! But, to tell you the truth, we've taken Kia to many groomer's and still they don't listen and cut Kia the way they want!

Hard to find a good beauty shop

[littlewhip]

sorry you had a bad experience but im glad you posted about it, i really dont think they hire professinals to do there grooming, we always have a ad in the local jobs finds area of our paper and they are always in there looking for groomers, seems to me that they would be very well trained as big as threre comany is, it getting so hard to find good groomers, best to you

[MyFairLacy]

Aw I'm sorry she got a bad haircut. There are a lot of bad groomers out there. I work at a dog boutique/grooming salon and we normally book up at least a week in advance. Soem people call in wanting an appointment that day or tomorrow and don't want to wait a week or two so they go to Petco, Petsmart or whereever they can get in quick and it normally results in a bad haircut. My opinion is that if a place isn't busy enough and is able to regularly accept walkins and same-day appointments, that's probably a sign that they aren't the best groomers. Places that book up far in advance are like that because they have a large amount of customers wanting to get in because they do a great job. I would try to call the place you wanted to go first about three weeks before you want an appointment - I'm sure they are so booked up because people know they do a good job.

[but4grace23]

I'm so sorry about you're bad experience! I too was in a hurry one weekend and our regular groomer was booked so I decided to take Missy to PetCo. You could watch the groomers through the windows and my sister stood there watching while I was doing the paper work. When we left my sister said that she didn't think she would let them cut Missy. She said they were being so rough with the dog she was watching them cut. Feeling uneasy, I called them and ask how long it would it be and they said.......oh I don't remember but it was going to be like 5 hours or so. I told them just not to cut her ............just bathe her and I would be back to get her. Well when I went back ...........which was maybe an hour. I was feeling really uneasy.......they had cut her anyway!! And it looked terrible! I was so upset! But like you I'm not the type to complain......but one thing's for sure my baby will never go back to anyone that I don't know something about. She is too important to me to be mishandled by people that could care less. I'm sorry for all the ranting...........It just makes me so mad when people take advantage of little ones that can't tell you how they've been treated. My brother took his dog(not a YT) to be groomed and the groomers cut her throat and then packed it with powder to cover it up! It was awful! She had to be taken to the vet and have it cleaned out and have stitches. I would caution everyone........be very careful with who you entrust your babies too!

[Yorkiekids]

All I hear are horror stories about that place. I take mine to a local groomer that I like, because she listens to what I say. A friend of mine is now trying to start her own grooming business, and wants me to bring them to her. She charges more then my usual groomer, but I guess I'll have to give it a chance.

[MyFairLacy]

You shouldn't feel bad about complaining. Maybe they think they actually did a good job and they won't know you are unhappy if you don't say something. Also, they really need to know that the haircut was just unacceptable to you. I would be sure to contact the grooming manager and show them your dog and tell them what you are unhappy about. If no one ever complained, then they aren't going to think twice about the things they are doing wrong, but if people start complaining they are going to take notice. Small things (such as hair length and exact face shape) are a little trial and error and may take a couple groomings for the groomer to know exactly what you want, but an all over bad hair cut (uneven and just completely different than you asked for) is just unacceptable. So don't feel bad - complain

[linz06]

Well I think if I was going to complain, I would have complained that day. It's starting to grow on me a little. My roommate thinks it's super cute, and maybe the sad scruffy dog look is going to be the new thing lol...
I really don't think they'll change even if I do complain. None of them there looked happy to be doing their jobs, and all of the dogs that were in there were curly-haired dogs that were just getting clippered cuts so nothing fancy.

[yorkieusa]

Yes. You should complain, complain, complain. And then demand your money back if they have done a horrible job!

[furby2000]

I am so sorry you had a bad experience with Petsmart. I know for a fact that they dont hire professionals since I personally know of a person that got an offer to work there from a friend (mgr ) and she is a student with absolutely no grooming experience. She declined because she was afraid she could end up cutting one of the dogs, but how about all the ones that accept??

[furby2000]

And yes, complain, complain, complain. This way they may wisen up and start hiring more competent employees...