Petsmart grooming
 

Does anyone go to petsmart for their grooming? I know every store will be different, but overall with prices and satisfaction, are you pleased? What kind of prices do you pay for your yorkie's grooming?

dont have a petsmart where i live , but i take lexi to a place called dapper dog, the do a great job.. cost 45 dollars plus a tip... kinda expensive but they do a great job..

Trace goes to petsmart. It's still $45.00. I've been pleased w/ the service and cuts....although this time it was a little shorter than I expected. I've gotten used to it now and think he looks cute.

I prefer private groomers. When you take your puppy to a chain store, you never know who is going to be doing the grooming or how experienced they are. I'm not even sure the groomers at chain stores are licensed. There was a story recently about a yorkie that was to be groomed at a Petsmart (in Houston?) that was stolen. Everyone should make their own choices, but you should also be aware of the risks. :)

Over all I feel okay about Petsmart groomers. My thing with them, as I have posted on here before you have to be very specific with them. Like take a picture with you of what you want your baby to look like.

As far as pricing and service goes, I am very pleased.

I did once, and wasn't pleased at all- so it is private groomers for me- well my private groomer moved to another state, so I have been trying it on my own- but need to find a new groomer (I think my dogs will like that better... lol)

I've never taken my dog to PetSmart, but have read a LOT of posts on here where people are unhappy. A LOT. They will probably post when they see your thread. Someone mentioned that the PetSmart groomers don't have to be certified. I'd suggest calling your local PetSmart and ask about the groomers' qualifications. If you are happy with the answer, be sure and be VERY specific on what you want. Most of them get cut a LOT shorter even when told. If you do not want the top of your Yorkie's hair cut, make sure you tell them every way possible and put it in writing....many on here have had all the long hair for top knots cut off. Good luck!

Like a few others who've posted, I also don't have PetSmart here. I take Gabby to a place here in town. Kay and her staff are all certified. Kay is usually the one who grooms Gabby when she goes in, and the price is very reasonable....$27 plus a tip.

I used Petsmart twice...I didn't feel like I got my monies
worth either time. Then one day I went in just to observe
the groomers and what I saw made me almost angry. They
do not (at least at mine) interact with the dogs at all while
they are grooming. I saw a little yorkie put it's little paw up
like for reassurance and the groomer just pushed it back to
the spot she wanted it and kept on gabbing with her co-
employ the entire time. I now use a mobile groomer that comes
to my home. Ted is much happier and less traumatized and
he is done in about 45 minutes versus the hours it used to
take.

Ive read some disapointed grooming stories about Petsmart on here so I go to a private groomer.

Groomer certification
 

Hi there! I am a groomer and there seems to be some confusion and I thought I would offer my explaination.

First, I agree with some of the other posts about not all groomers at Petsmart are bad (I am a private mobile groomer). It just depends on who you get. I think will all groomers you should be very specific (we are not mind readers :) )

Second, as of right now there is NO across the board national certification for groomers (like say for people cosmatologists) or national regulations on how clean you keep your shop (there is always OSHA - general safety guidlines for all workplaces). Just about anyone can say they are a "groomer". You should look for some one with solid experience (with another good groomer as an apprentice) OR formal grooming school training (lenghth of schools can vary). Then a groomer can go a step or two further, some organizations (Nat Dog Groomers Assoc, Int Soc of Canine Cosmatologists, etc.) that put you through a MAJOR testing process (both written and actually grooming) to prove yourself and then at the end you can become a "Master Stylist". By having this certification it is proof that you know the breed standard cuts and the skin issues and conditions (not an easy process). These groomers may charge more but are certainly worth it. However, just because a groomer has not been "certified as a master stylist" does not mean he/she is bad.

Just do your homework and ASK ALOT of questions. If you are not comfortable then look elsewhere. It should be a pleaseant experience for ALL.

Hope this helps.

I took my Maltese to be groomed at Petsmart once and while they did a terrible job.. basically it came down to them not knowing how to groom a long coated Maltese. My sister just recently took her Maltese to be groomed there and it was nearly $40 for them to strip him (he had lots of mats) and although he came out looking really cute, he got a bad ear infection and they shaved too close to his knee and cut him which really bothered me. My sister had told them to be careful of his knee because he had surgery on it about a year ago and he's very sensitive to being touched in that area and then they went and cut him there. :mad: I'm not a fan of the one here but my advice is just to go watch them for a while and see how they do and then go talk to them and see if you feel comfortable. Also ask if they can give you an idea of how they've groomed other Yorkies. Good luck. :)

Mine is certified. I wouldn't take mine to anyone who isn't.

I would say it is a risk to take one to a "groomer" that isn't certified. That's why so many yorkies don't get yorkie cuts and people wonder why their yorkies don't look like yorkies anymore.

You get what you pay for. If you want to save money, just be aware of the risks. ;)

GRRRRRR Petsmart!
 

I took my Yorkie to Petsmart to get a summer cut. I had no time for grooming. WOW. They totally butched her, and then blamed her! I asked them to do a little repair work, and they did, but it didnt really repair anything. I think a small private groomer is better. They have more time to hear what you want, and seem to care more. They want you to come back. Petsmart didnt seem to care at all. :mad:

Have read posts where their animals have been lost or stolen from there..

This is a recent example of a pet stolen from Petsmart:

Posted Date : 12-4-05 My poodle was stolen on 11/30/05 from the Petsmart Groomers in Houston Texas I-10 and Beltway 8. "Phoebe" is a 2 year old female miniature poodle black/grey with 4 white feet. She is very friendly and never meets a stranger. She was never spayed. Someone claiming to be me, called the groomers and asked if my sister could pick up Phoebe, one of the dogs I had left to groom. The groomers handed her over to the young girl who claimed to be my sister, and let her take my dog without even paying for the grooming. The police agreed it was probably an inside job, no one knew my dogs were there, and only someone at the store would have access to my name and my pets name. I am offering a large reward for her return, or information that will lead to her return, with no questions asked.

http://www.lostadog.com/houston/lost.shtml

I have only gone twice to get just the pads and ears done. They were really nice. One store charged me $12 (Daisy at 10 weeks old) and the other store did not as they said he was a puppies so it was free. (Bear at about 12 weeks) Not a great job done but I was happy that it was at no cost. They seemed very gentle and soothing both times and all the groomers had to come see them (tiny yorkies , who could resist).

Sure did happen here. I hope that they get sued for everything that they're worth. They were not very helpful when I was looking for Coty.

Plus, I'd rather let Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder groom my dogs before I took them to Petsmart. Find yourself a private groomer. Most of the Petsmarts I know of change groomers like most girls change their nail polish. And the ones that are there are not very good at all.

This is just my opinion, from my experience and maybe there are some YTers that have had a positive experience. :thumbdown

There have been more than 1 instance of Petsmart letting people walk off with other peoples pets - that was the most recent...Since I live in Houston this is becoming a problem and I do think Petsmart is going to be taking more security measures.

But - I also have seen Many posts by people who were not happy with the Groomers in Petsmart - I would ask your VET if they can refer you - and also check with anyone you may know that also has a yorkie - I found myself grooming my 2 girls myself because I have yet to find a groomer I really love after going to FIVE in all -

When your puppy is young though it's good to get him/her used to being groomed so I hope you have a good experience

Find a private groomer and you will be so much happier with the result. It is worth the little bit more extra money you pay. I tell my groomer what to do and they do it to a tee no surprises.

Just Say No To Petsmart!!!
 

I took Bruce to petsmart once out of desparation (it was the only place we could get an appointment immediately upon our return from vacation and his hair was becoming unmanageable)...Well I talked with the "head groomer" and they assured me they had plenty of experience scissor trimming yorkies, note that I say scissor trim. I asked them to trim just about an inch off his skirt, tip his ears, shape his beard, etc. Sounded good, so I left him there and returned after 3 hours like they told me too. When I arrived they made me pay before they brought him out, it was $60, imediately I knew something was wrong. When he brought out he was shaved to the bone, it was not even a schnauzer cut, it was awful!!! His beard was uneven and choppy, his ears completely shaved (not just tipped), his body was completely shaved and unevenly, I mean you could see bald spots. I cried right there, and they yelled at me and pulled out these odd patches of carpet and said I requested he be shaved to that level! ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE!!! They could not fix anything it was so bad, they would not give me a refund or discount, and still four months later his hair is a wreck and because they used clippers it has been growing back strange. Our current groomer said it would probably take about 5-6 haircuts to get it back to how it was, to shape and even it out, get his part back. UGGGHHH!!! I strongly reccomend you go somewhere else!