[Britster]

I don't like most of those Petsmart-type places. I've seen them with some dogs and most have NO idea what they are doing (you can watch thru the window). Plus, those cage dryers are DANGEROUS. Lots of dogs get burned badly by them because people are idiots who do not know how to use them. Most also do not know how to properly handle dogs. I took Jackson to Petsmart once to get his nails cut and it RUINED him from nail cuts -- he expressed his anal glands (which he now does every time he's in a scary situation, and he never used to do this until that incident), they MUZZLED him, grabbed him up in the air. Some dogs may need this but all Jackson needs is a gentle touch and patient hand... I am so mad at myself for allowing them to continue. It really set us back in our training of trusting strangers/people, too. And to this day, when we go up by the register at Petsmart, he puts on the brakes and I have to drag him (because it's close to the groomers section). This was over a year ago!

Anyways, long story, I know. But I know how sensitive my dog is and what he can/cannot handle and I am going to make things as easy as possible for him. So I found a mobile groomer. He is done in less than an hour in my own driveway, treated very nicely, no cages, no cage dryers. And I'm only paying $10 more than I would be dropping him off at a place for 5-6 hours.

Oh, and Jackson was 4 1/2 months old the first time he went to a groomer. I did find a little boutique-type place but I still had to leave him for 5 hours and was not happy with it... sooo glad I found a mobile groomer. We've been using one for over a year now.