Pirogue was my first Yorkie and I shopped around for a groomer who had done Yorkies. I was recommended to a woman who had her own Yorkies and groomed them and others. The first time I took him all went ok. The next time I picked him up was the last time. I know it wasn't her fault, I have groomed poodles into fancy cuts and I know how spooked some dogs get with the clippers. She cut a small chunk out of one of Pirogue's ears. I wasn't mad at the time, I understood. But I thot she put a lot of the powdered stiptic(sp) on him. She said she "clipped" him. A chunk is not a clip! I thot she meant that she had cut his ear, not removed a piece of it. I am still not mad at her but she won't get a second chance. I would expect the same if I had done it.
Another groomer cut his nails too short and now he shakes when I try to trim them. He's come a long way to get there, he used to fight me really hard. And at 8-9# he's really strong.
I like to take my new babies to a groomer within a few days after I get them. For 2 reasons, one I want them to get used to being groomed and if they are going to bite, snap or fight I want to know about it without being hurt. The groomers I take my babies to either have gone to school or have been doing grooming for years. They know how to handle dogs who might be high strung. My last two babies haven't been to a groomer, yet. I plan on bathing all my babies myself and leaving them until they just have to be trimmed.
I like my babies feet trimmed like a poodles, except the hair that hangs down over their feet doesn't get trimmed. The last time I took Lady in I asked that her feet be trimmed like a Poodles and didn't specify that the overhanging hair shouldn't be cut. Boy, did Lady look funny for a looooong time. LOL |