I am sorry for all of you that have been through what you went thru. We took my dad's boy Sparky to a very mean groomer who was supposed to cut his hair in a puppy cut...instead they completely shaves him...he was hairless!!! He looked soooo funny. Like a fat chihuahua, lol. Mom wasn't mad about the hair...well not vocally because he was sooo funny looking. The part she was really mad about was that the woman cut a toenail nearly completely off. He was bleeding everywhere! We took him to the vet then contacted the groomer who blamed us saying he was injured when we brought him there. It was horrifying how rude and hateful she got! Later she apologized and said next time would be free. Well next time I took Lexie who was a baby at the time to her to have her ears buzz cut to help them stand. The woman set up an appointment and was nice on the phone but when I got there she made me stand there an hour waiting saying she was busy then asked if i minded if she went out and smoked before getting to lexie. I said no and she asked me to come with her to show her what I wanted done. When we got out around other shoppers she immediately humiliated me by saying I was a liar and was there to ruin her business and that after my allegations (and the complaint's never came from me) she would never allow me there. She also accused me of hurting my pets to make her look bad. I was almost crying because of her screaming at me. I would never do that!!! I was sooey humiliated! A shopper at the next store ran over and tore into her verbally and told her off saying she had no right to treat people that was and she should be shut down because she also messed up her dog. I finally shook it off and went to the store owner who also got rude with me! He had invited me for the free visit before and said he had never offered it. I took out the voucher and he ripped it from my hand and tore it up saying see no proof now you stupid girl.
Anyway we may have bad visits to groomers but the thing to remember here is that there are still good groomers out there. We tend to focus on the bad scaring us and others away from going to a groomer at all. I have had my good experiences too! My current groomer is the best! She spoils my babies!!! They have sooo much fun at her place that they are never ready to leave. On the days I groom them they can't get there fast enough, lol. Don't let the bad ones scare you...remember them and learn from them! That way you will know the things to ask the good ones. You will know the results you expect and the things to work on until you achieve them. Do as others have done...if you have an idea of what you want find a picture and take it to them. Or take a picture of your baby after they are done and use it as your example if you change groomers. Do your research on the people and their clients. In pet stores the shoppers are usually clients too...especially in the smaller stores with groomers. Places people go back to have better reps. For my current groomer I got a list of other clients from her...a referral list. She was happy to give that to me so I could see her other work...it was an interview process but it was well worth it...and I get group discounts for my babies since I have 3 I take and at times my mom's 2 yorkies and her pom. Always ask about group discounts if you have several babies!!! It saves a lot...believe me, lol. Good luck everyone!!!
~Tru