Not liking the groomers.... - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Paisley-n-Me · 10-03-2011, 11:52 AM

Paisley will be 15 weeks old this week and I will be needing to find a trustworthy groomer soon. I've spoke with a couple on the phone, but neither really seemed to care how I felt

Paisley doesn't even liked to be conbed most of the time. Doing it when she is sleepy is the best time.
I have used the hair dryer to dry her twice. the second time she was better with it. Still a little unsure.
I would like to take her to a groomer where I can stay and watch while she's being groomed. ... at least the first time or two.
I sure don't want someone doing something to hurt her or something that scares her so bad that she'll never want groomed again.
I think I may take Paisley to town one day and just go visit all the groomer's shops. Meet them and see their place and see how things work.

LittleLolasMom · 10-03-2011, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchki

I am in the same situation they wont take her till she has her rabbies shot

and its horrible even trying to bath her she hates it lol poor baby

lola already has her rabies shot, she is almost 5 months. i am goign to wait until a month or two to take her to a new groomer.

Deuce · 10-03-2011, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleLolasMom

So the first grooming Lola got was from a girlfriend of mine who has 2 yorkies. She was able to brush her, buzz her a little, trim her face, wash her and dry her.

A month later I took her to petsmart to get groomed. Her report card said she did "ok but needs to work on the face and didnt like the sciccors at all" and that they didnt buzz her or blow dry her directly but put her in teh cage and had the dryer on her.

So i worked on her face alot, with me she has no problems. I took her this weekend and they called and said they could only wash her and trim her face, but that once the buzzer came out she went nuts and went after it and them. she didnt bite but they didnt want to chance it.

i think alot of it has to do with the fact that i am not there with her, she feels scared and insecure. i dont mind grooming her myself. do you groom your own pups?

or is 5 months still too young for going to a groomer? these are before and after pics, as you can tell not much difference.

Pink coat : after shot (less black on the face)
Harness shot : before, more black on the sides of her face

I started grooming Rizzo after a bad experience with a non experienced groomer. It has been trial and error, but I finally got a hang of things. I've found that I have no idea how to do a puppy cut, lol, but the "Joey" is a very easy cut for me to maintain. Plus he is always rockin' the cute yorkie face that this breed is known for. I just love topknots!
I say if your pup is more comfortable with you handling her, then go for it. It's scary for you the first time, and you'll probably kick yourself a few times when you're starting out. But you'll save a lot of money, and in the end, if your dog is going to have a bad cut wouldn't you rather it be you that does it vs. paying someone big $$ to mess it up for you?
What you'll need are a good pair of clippers specifically for pets, the blades stay cooler longer, but you will still need to constantly check for heat. Too hot and you'll burn their skin. You'll need really, really good brushes/combs, I use the Madan pin brush in lavender for Rizzo, he's got really fine hair, and used to hate being brushed...he still doesn't love it but he tolerates it well enough. You'll also need a comb for her face to get any eye gunk, and because the comb will be smaller and easier for brushing their small head. Be sure to de-tangle your pup really well before clipping her, as any knots that get caught in the blades will likely yank her skin up and you'll cut her with the blade (very painful). Also a pair of rounded siccors will come in handy when trimming the face, and around the feet. Of course you'll need the usual de-tangling spray, good shampoo/conditioner, and a hair dryer for pets, or one that has a cool setting.
I have to take a lot of breaks when clipping Rizz, he hates the noise, and I think the whole feel of the clippers. We're working on it, but usually about every 10 minutes we get a break for treats and playing. When we started it was about every 2 minutes that we needed a break.
You can always check the grooming section for info on how to groom your pup. Good luck either way! I have yet to find any place that I could trust to leave Rizzo at, too many scary stories online about small dogs and groomers.

LittleLolasMom · 10-03-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deuce

I started grooming Rizzo after a bad experience with a non experienced groomer. It has been trial and error, but I finally got a hang of things. I've found that I have no idea how to do a puppy cut, lol, but the "Joey" is a very easy cut for me to maintain. Plus he is always rockin' the cute yorkie face that this breed is known for. I just love topknots!
I say if your pup is more comfortable with you handling her, then go for it. It's scary for you the first time, and you'll probably kick yourself a few times when you're starting out. But you'll save a lot of money, and in the end, if your dog is going to have a bad cut wouldn't you rather it be you that does it vs. paying someone big $$ to mess it up for you?
What you'll need are a good pair of clippers specifically for pets, the blades stay cooler longer, but you will still need to constantly check for heat. Too hot and you'll burn their skin. You'll need really, really good brushes/combs, I use the Madan pin brush in lavender for Rizzo, he's got really fine hair, and used to hate being brushed...he still doesn't love it but he tolerates it well enough. You'll also need a comb for her face to get any eye gunk, and because the comb will be smaller and easier for brushing their small head. Be sure to de-tangle your pup really well before clipping her, as any knots that get caught in the blades will likely yank her skin up and you'll cut her with the blade (very painful). Also a pair of rounded siccors will come in handy when trimming the face, and around the feet. Of course you'll need the usual de-tangling spray, good shampoo/conditioner, and a hair dryer for pets, or one that has a cool setting.
I have to take a lot of breaks when clipping Rizz, he hates the noise, and I think the whole feel of the clippers. We're working on it, but usually about every 10 minutes we get a break for treats and playing. When we started it was about every 2 minutes that we needed a break.
You can always check the grooming section for info on how to groom your pup. Good luck either way! I have yet to find any place that I could trust to leave Rizzo at, too many scary stories online about small dogs and groomers.

thank you, and with me she is calm to do her face and brushing. i think i will keep her face nice and neat and feet, and then work to let her puppy hair to grow out. i have yet to cut her nails and that scares me

Deuce · 10-03-2011, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleLolasMom

thank you, and with me she is calm to do her face and brushing. i think i will keep her face nice and neat and feet, and then work to let her puppy hair to grow out. i have yet to cut her nails and that scares me

Me too

I'm a huge wimp when it comes to cutting the nails, so I take him to the vets office to do it. I need to find a local vet because I just moved, and he needs it done.

RemydeHaviland · 10-03-2011, 05:03 PM

She is very sweet!

I do not groom Remy myself. I bathe him and comb him, but am not comfortable trimming his hair or nails.

Agree with prior comments regarding PetSmart grooming - it is a place I would avoid at all cost. And Cage dryers are a definite danger.

I only use one groomer and it took quite a while and some due diligence to find the right relationship. My requirements were that I could be with Remy the entire time (during bathing, trimming, etc.) that he is never put in a cage, and that he is hand dried. Our groomer is terrific. She and I chat the entire time she is working on him and as a result his cut is always to my specification. Ironically she used to work at PetSmart and left there because of the conditions. She now works at a small, locally owned grooming facility . Remy is not terribly keen on the experience (he hates getting wet) but tolerates its well and I know he is safe.

It may take you a while to find the right relationship but I'd encourage you to call and speak with a lot of vendors. Be clear about your requirements and if they don't comply, don't pursue them. I found that some groomers that schedule their appointments and require a "drop off" and "pick up" time may give you the flexibility to stay with your pup if you take the first morning appointment. Good luck, finding the right groomer will be a lifesaver!!

gracielove · 10-03-2011, 07:25 PM

Personally, I don't care for the chain stores that groom dogs. They don't have the experience or training that is needed to be a really good groomer. Their only talent is shaving a dog and they have little knowledge of how to handle a dog. Look for a groomer that grooms for people who show dogs. That groomer will have knowledge of how each breed should be properly groomed and should also be familiar with the particular quirks each breed has. They should of course be able to do the particular type of cut you want as well. I avoid new groomers unless they have been working with an experienced groomer that knows their stuff. I guess it's like a person who has graduated from beauty college. They have the basic knowledge of how to do hair but are just beginning to learn the skills needed to be a really good stylist. For that they need a mentor to show them the tricks of the trade.

10-03-2011, 11:52 AM	#16
Paisley-n-Me YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Southern IL, USA Posts: 502	Paisley will be 15 weeks old this week and I will be needing to find a trustworthy groomer soon. I've spoke with a couple on the phone, but neither really seemed to care how I felt Paisley doesn't even liked to be conbed most of the time. Doing it when she is sleepy is the best time. I have used the hair dryer to dry her twice. the second time she was better with it. Still a little unsure. I would like to take her to a groomer where I can stay and watch while she's being groomed. ... at least the first time or two. I sure don't want someone doing something to hurt her or something that scares her so bad that she'll never want groomed again. I think I may take Paisley to town one day and just go visit all the groomer's shops. Meet them and see their place and see how things work. __________________ Janean Paisley

10-03-2011, 05:03 PM	#21
RemydeHaviland Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire Posts: 641	She is very sweet! I do not groom Remy myself. I bathe him and comb him, but am not comfortable trimming his hair or nails. Agree with prior comments regarding PetSmart grooming - it is a place I would avoid at all cost. And Cage dryers are a definite danger. I only use one groomer and it took quite a while and some due diligence to find the right relationship. My requirements were that I could be with Remy the entire time (during bathing, trimming, etc.) that he is never put in a cage, and that he is hand dried. Our groomer is terrific. She and I chat the entire time she is working on him and as a result his cut is always to my specification. Ironically she used to work at PetSmart and left there because of the conditions. She now works at a small, locally owned grooming facility . Remy is not terribly keen on the experience (he hates getting wet) but tolerates its well and I know he is safe. It may take you a while to find the right relationship but I'd encourage you to call and speak with a lot of vendors. Be clear about your requirements and if they don't comply, don't pursue them. I found that some groomers that schedule their appointments and require a "drop off" and "pick up" time may give you the flexibility to stay with your pup if you take the first morning appointment. Good luck, finding the right groomer will be a lifesaver!! __________________ Susanne and Remy

10-03-2011, 07:25 PM	#22
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	Personally, I don't care for the chain stores that groom dogs. They don't have the experience or training that is needed to be a really good groomer. Their only talent is shaving a dog and they have little knowledge of how to handle a dog. Look for a groomer that grooms for people who show dogs. That groomer will have knowledge of how each breed should be properly groomed and should also be familiar with the particular quirks each breed has. They should of course be able to do the particular type of cut you want as well. I avoid new groomers unless they have been working with an experienced groomer that knows their stuff. I guess it's like a person who has graduated from beauty college. They have the basic knowledge of how to do hair but are just beginning to learn the skills needed to be a really good stylist. For that they need a mentor to show them the tricks of the trade.