Bad experience at groomer

[gracieandbilly]

Hello everyone! I have two very precious yorkies. Eight month old Gracie, and three month old Billy. I love them both so much. A few days ago, I took Gracie to a very famous, national chain pet store for a grooming. Her fur had gotten out of control, and I didnt think I could do a good enough job myself. I was very nervous about taking her and leaving her there, so I had decided to stay with her. Well, we got there right on time for her appointment, and the guy wanted to put her in a kennel in the back to wait for her turn. I told him that I would just wait with her until it was her turn. He looked at me like I was crazy, and said "ummm, ok I guess" in a very sarcastic manner. I should have left then. But I didnt Gracie and I went shopping in the store to pass the time. We bought lots of goodies and food. After about 1/2 hour, we walked back there to see if it was her turn. He picked her up and said I'm almost ready for her now, so I'll just take her now, and we'll be done in about two hours. I reluctantly said ok, and I left her there and went home. When I went to pick her up two hours later, I didnt even recognize her. They had practically shaved her. She looked nothing like herself. When he brought her out from the back, for the first time EVER, she didnt act interested in seeing me. She usually jumps up and down in excitement, even if I've only left for ten minutes. I took her home and all she did was lay around like she was depressed. She is acting nothing like her old self. She has always been so happy go lucky, so full of life. Not anymore. She keeps jumping like she's heard a noise and looking behind her. She growls at the least little noise now. She is honestly behaving like she has post traumatic stress. I believe these people abused her. Or at the very least mistreated her. I am just sick to my stomach that I left her there to endure whatever it was she went through. I can't forgive myself. She is just now, 4 days later, starting to get close to me again. What can I do about this? Where do I go? Who can help? Thank you for any answer you can give!

[sandyapk]

I am sorry you had this experience. Obviously they did something to your dog. You know her better than anyone else. Too bad you can't go back and ask what they did to her.

Really she needs her mommy's love right now. Hope with lots of love and cuddles from you she will be feeling better soon.

Hopefully someone will have some better advice. I just wanted to send wishes that she is back to her wonderful self soon.

[Cinq1964]

I am so sorry you have to go through this! I know how you must be feeling. Just show her plenty of love! Hopefully, all will be back to normal! and OF Course, do not bring her back there! You may want to call the manager and let them know what happened! Good Luck! Hugs & kisses to Gracie!

[mercyme]

We've mostly had good experiences with our "humongous, national-chain store" groomers. The key is to find one good, experienced employee you feel comfortable with and ask for them by name when you make the appointment (not all of them know their stuff; our baby got a hack-job once). Sure, you should have left when that person gave you attitude, but don't play shoulda-coulda-woulda, you learned a lesson !!!! Your baby may be mad at you for a little while, but she'll get over it. Plus, since it was her first grooming outing, I'm sure that in and of itself freaked her out a little bit; our babies can be a little sensitive when experiencing new things (riding in a car, going to the vet, groomer's, etc.). I know ours are !!!!!

[Princes mom]

If it were me, I would go back and speak with the manager. My first complaint would be about the way she is acting, the second would be about her haircut. Definetly take your business somewhere else!! And demand your money back because you were not satisfied with their work. I need to take a grooming class because I know I could not go thru what you went thru. I went to a pet boutique a couple of weeks ago, and the groomer was grooming a poodle. I noticed the poodle had a tight looking collar/restraint on with leash to prevent him from slipping; I asked her how she restrains yorkies and she said the same way. She knew nothing about CT!
Your baby may be nervous the next time you have her groomed. Most places that I know will let you stay with her...if not, cancel! (I groom Prince at home. It may not be perfect, but he is safe.)

[yorkiepuppie]

have you ever left your dog somewhere else or with someone else before. maybe your baby is stressed out and acting strange because she thought you had abandoned her and she is mad at you. or maybe your baby has separation anxiety?

i know that most dogs hate/dislike being groomed. some learn to tolerate it. you can either try to learn to groom your dog yourself, or you need to find a groomer that you can trust.

i don't have the patience to groom milu myself. so i take milu to petsmart to get groomed. i found a groomer that i like there, but i still would never leave my dog there. i will call ahead of time to find out when the groomer is less busy and will be available to groom milu while i wait, and i will take milu in at that time and wait there till she is done being groomed.

i also never let them wash and dry my dog. i will wash and dry milu right before i take her to the groomer because they take dogs to the back and i don't want them to take my dog out of my sight. i feel too nervous when they do that because i know that the groomers need to get the job done, so they are not as loving and as nice to the dogs as i would like. it's not their fault though. if they don't try to work fast, they will never be finished grooming all the dogs that they have to groom. i usually do have to wait about 2 hours while they groom milu. dogs have a lot of hair, and they try to resist being groomed, so it takes forever.

if you want to try to find a good groomer, you can look for reviews online. (ex. yelp.com)

[mscat]

This was your first time your baby had a gromming? But she still did not need to behave like that towards you my gosh, what the hell did they do to have caused her so much stress? When you picked her up did the groome say she behaved badly? or did not coroperate with them? I would be calling them back for a more detailed explainantion of the grooming experience! you have every right to know what heppend to your little yorkie! I would be very upset about my yorkie's behavior ! Espeically if she was showed you how upset she was even with you!
Suzi was shaved down before, and i had recognized her either when picking her up. However she literally j umped out of their arms when I picked her up !I have taken her back a few times afterwards, and now she has taken to a disliking to the groomer whi I always take her to! However, I know he is a very good groomer, very gentle, kind, groomer, who I trust. Suzi does not like him though! But, Like going going to the Vets, dogs just know ! However, typically do not behave in this manner towards their owners.
Please take it up with the groomer, if not the groomer , then the manager. There are indications your baby was mistreated. OR do not go back, EVER. Choose a groomer that you can always observe. I am very sorry that she was traumatised. Her next groomer experience may be a difficult one now. She is going to need a patient, caring groomer. Hair grows back, however trauma is more difficult to overcome.

[Peters]

go talk to the person in charge if thats not enough for you contact headquaters online of the place online do what you think will make you feel at ease they shouldnt just let it slip though or it will continue with many other people pets being treated the same way

[BarbiesBabyJada]

Does she act like and look like your dog now? I was just wondering because like you said she usually jumps in your arms not long after your gone

[gracieandbilly]

Thank you all for your words of support! I am trying to give her all the love I can every minute!
Trust me, I won't be taking her (or Billy) back to a groomer....EVER! I will just learn how to do it myself!

[kval07]

Sounds like something bad happened there. I used to take Chester to Petsmart to get groomed, but no more. No way. They decided he didn't like the sound of clippers and cut him with scissors one day. I went to pick him up and it looked like they gave a 5 year old some scissors and let them loose on my dog.

There have been a few other incidents. He likes to go inside the store, but once we start heading to the grooming area, he refuses to move. He tries his hardest to not go in there. When I picked him up he couldn't get away from the groomer fast enough. He wanted nothing to do with me. He just ran for the door. Seriously. That is a bad sign.

I now take Chester to a dog grooming school where they specialize in cutting with scissors. He is way happier and he gets excited to go in and see all the girls. They adore him and know him by name. And I am happier because I'm not paying an arm and a leg for a bad chop job at Petsmart.