Hi All,
I took Darcy to a locally owned groom shop in my city yesterday. I have only used them one other time for Baxter, but he came out looking great. I usually use Petco, or Petsmart in another city, I love the grooming manager at our Petco, she does a wonderful job, but I just have an issue with my dog being there all day (8 hours or more), when I made an appointment weeks in advance...that's another thread...but here we go
I drop Darcy off at 8:30, the shop owner an one employee was there, I explained what I wanted (short cut because she sheds, leave the topknot), and drop off a bow to put in her hair. The attendant comes around the counter, and Darcy backs in to me, not wanting the lady to touch her. As I reach to pick her up, the lady grabs her by her front two legs to "Slide" her over
. I very tactfully said she may not want to do that because Darcy is older, and she will snap when she's scared. The girl thanked me for letting her know...and I left.
When I came back to pick up Darcy..the owner was gone, but there was a man behind the counter I didn't recognize. He didn't offer to help me, so I just stood there, patiently waiting. The younger girl was talking on a cordless phone and grooming a small Shih Tzu. I noticed most of Darcy's topknot was cut, and her ears were more "chopped at" than tipped, but I just decided to make a mental note to be more specific next time.
Here's where my issue comes in. The girl turned her back and walked away from the dog, and she/he JUMPED off the high table!!! The puppy yelped like nothing I have ever heard, and the girl never hung up,
just shrugged her shoulders, picked the dog up and shoved it in a kennel. The dog yelped a couple more times, then quieted down. I gasped out loud, just like anyone would do when they see an accident, so she turned around and started talking to me like it never happened.
She said they "weren't able to find" the bow I brought in, because the owner's child was playing with it to see how it was made, so she just put another bow in (cheap groomer bow)...I didn't know what to say, but I guess the look on my face said it all, because she turned around and after about 2 seconds of shuffling things on the table, produced Darcy's bow. (This has nothing to do with why I'm upset, but it just kind of gives more detail to this experience)
As I was reaching in my purse for my checkbook, she says Darcy was a little snappy about her toenails, but good over all, and the owner mentioned I had 3 yorkies, and they would love a chance to groom the third one. I just couldn't resist then, I told her if she wanted my business she would have to promise she would never do what she just did. I told her Cooper and Baxter are both Daredevils, and HATE to be left alone, and they would have jumped, and if one of my dogs got hurt in her care, there would be hell to pay.
Again, she shrugged and said she "had no way of knowing the dog would jump". I said exactly, that's why you shouldn't have turned your back, and the man chimed in and agreed then. I didn't feel she was remorseful in the least.
My husband says take it as a sign I was meant to see, and move on with a new groomer, which I got an excellent recommendation for one literally in my same neighborhood I never knew about the same day.
But part of me wonders if I should call the owner back and explain WHY she lost my business? Maybe she wouldn't care, maybe she would... WWYD?
Here are the before and after pics...she looks like a totally different girl!