I will never go back. They always cut Frankie's hair too short.

I took Lola when she was right at 12 weeks, a friend of my mothers with yorkies recommended a place that specialized in yorkies but when I called they were booked solid & wouldn't take puppies under 16 weeks, for health concerns for the puppy. Petsmart had a "puppy package" for puppiesup to 5 months, and Lola needed her nails trimmed, bad. So I took her there & get the trim package as well, and I was watching from the big window, and Lola was so scared, when the groomer tried to put the bow in her hair Lola jumped back and slipped off the table and almost hung herself! The "groomer" got her before she hurt herself, It was like she was more concerned about getting a stupid bow in her hair rather than worrying about her safety. anyway, she cut Lola too short, and the next day her skin was so dry I had to give her another bath. I wouldn't go back there. EVER.

Oh, poor Lola! :eek: I hope it didn't traumatize her.This was one of my greatest fears about leaving Ziggy alone with a groomer. You'd think they could take special precautions for the safety of a puppy....everyone knows how jumpy and wiggly they can be in an unfamiliar situation.:confused:

I know! And I just hate that her first experience at the groomers was so awful. Hopefully she wasnt traumatized...

Add me to the list of people who will never take my dog to a Petsmart groomer. I took my Mocha to Petsmart simply because I didn't know anyone good enough as a groomer. I thought Petsmart should be fine enough since it seems like everyone goes there. Well, I took Mocha there and there was a new person being trained/on orientation. I wasn't told about this until after I came back to confront the groomer. I asked for a full service groom- bath, cut, comb, clip nails, clean ears, brush teeth (basically the works). When I went to pick Mocha up, he just kept shaking and shaking and wasn't his usual self. I thought it was a bit strange. He perked up a bit when he saw me. I got my receipt to pay the cashier and noticed a 10% discount. I asked them what the discount was all about? They told me it was a special going on. I didn't think anything about it. I then take Mocha to my car and pet him to inspect how he was groomed. Horrified, I noticed his 2 back legs, his pads on his feed were severely cut, cut so far deep that you could see the pink tissue. There were also several cuts (scabbed over with blood) along his neck, chest, and under his ears. They were hidden b/c his hair was covering them up. I only noticed them when I was carefully inspecting his hair. I took Mocha immediately back to the groomer and showed them what had happened. I confronted this groomer and told them I wanted a refund and wanted to complain to the manager. I asked them why they didn't tell me up front about the injuries. ALso, why didn't they bring him to Banfield (which was right next door) to have the injuries checked out?? They apologized to me but stated they were not going to give me a refund. There excuse was the fact that the groomer working on my dog was new and inexperienced. I said why didn't this groomer ask another groomer for help if she couldn't handle a toy dog? The groomer didn't say anything and stood there quiet. I then told them that I would never set food in a Petsmart groomer ever again. And I haven't been back. I was so traumatized by this, and I felt so guilty at what I put Mocha thru, that I didn't take him to another groomer for 6 months. Now I have a mobile groomer. She comes to my house with her grooming supplies in her van. And I watch her groom Mocha personally. I even help out sometimes! She is very gentle and KNOWS how to groom toy dogs like yorkies. So before anyone goes to a Petsmart groomer, if you do decide to go, please make sure the groomer working on your dog is not new! If you have been to a Petsmart groomer before, please make sure you go to the same groomer you have been with before. Or better yet, find a groomer that specialized in toy breeds like yorkies.

Ajoyjoie, I'm so sorry, what a horrible experience!:eek: It is so shocking that they didn't even take him to the vet's that was right next door!:mad: There are so many negative things about Petsmart groomers....I don't see how they can stay in business. I'll bet they have a few law suits going. I hope your little Mocha recovered from his experience. Sounds like you've got a treasure of a groomer now.:)

You need to complain to the corporate office, and you need to be heard!!! This is very important to do if you want to keep other peoples babies safe!!! Complaining on a store level may not get to where it needs to be. At the least you should be reimbursed for the grooming and some pain and suffering for you girl.

Debbie Ray
Owner Best Friends Pet Salon
Salem Oregon
www.sumtoiyorkies.com

I would complain to the corporate office if I could do it now. But this happened last year. I was so mad back then I couldn't think what to do. I didn't even think to take pictures of Mocha's injuries. I did go to my vet and get him treated. So if they needed any kind of records I could probably get something from my vet. But no pictures. And I'm afraid that it would be my word against theres so to speak. Because of this, I didn't complain to the corporate office. And I never got my refund. Now, I have told everyone I know that owns pets, especially dogs, to avoid Petsmart groomers like the plague.

That is horrible. I have never taken my dogs to places like Petco or Petsmart and never will

Petsmart
 

One day I was in Petsmart and on a whim asked about a part time grooming job..the store manager was eager to talk to me since I was already a professional groomer ..BUT when I went in to talk to the head groomer who did the hiring, it was a different story. I watched while they groomed a Yorkie to see how it was done...no problem!

They took a soft coated Yorkie and bathed it first..then dried it and proceeded to spend one solid hour brushing out mats..then they clipped it down and did the face, ears, nails..the poor Yorkie was pooped put at the end.
They turned a one hour grooming into FOUR full hours..I was told that is the way I would a Yorkie and other coated tosy...I was asked if I had any questions..
My question was...Why you spend 4 hrs grooming a dog that could be done in ONE hour..she asked me how I would have done it...?

The dog should have been clipped first..why brush out mats ( with a rough slicker brush I might add..painful process) and then cut the hair off? Why wash matted hair? I clip, then bathe, it only takes about 10 mins to trim up the face and any left over stray hair..Once a Yorkie soft coat is cut short, wash it and it will dry in minutes..why subject a dog to an hour or more in a hot dryer..that is the way many are forgotten and get heat stroke or die in pet shops...!!!
A short coat can be dried on the table in minutes...I was not hired because I would not agree to groom the "Petsmart" way...I was told they perfer an untrained person and they can teach them their way...BUT I would be hired to as a bather until I learned how to groom correctly...30 yrs of grooming Yorkies and I couldn't get hired at Petsmart..!LOL

HMMM WEll I am SPLIT on the Petsmart thing. I have seen some horrible cuts come from there ...but I only use one girl there and she is FABULOUS!. I tell her EXACTLY what i want.... and my dogs always come out lookig EXACTLY how I described it to her:thumbup: Now I ONLY go to her there and my dogs come out perfect everytime. of course as I am trooting out with the cut dog....Some other poor doggy always comes out along side me looking like a skinned rat from one of the other groomers there:( .
The good part of thisis ... The girl used to to work there full time and I could always get an appointment with her. NOW she only works half a day on Saturday and is ALWAYS booked up if I don't call 2 weeks ahead;)

groomers
 

I have no problem with the groomers themselves..it is the way they have to go by rules that are not in the dogs best interest. Some people post how much grooming upsets their dog..I think it is unfair to blame it all on the dog not being trained, spoiled etc...some dogs are so traumatized by cage drying or dematting etc..there are less drastic ways to do it IMO...

I will have to say, My best groomer is at Petsmart. She was a groomer before so I think that helps. She get me in anytime I need it. She does exactly what I want her to do and nothing else. I must have just got Lucky!!! She treats my babies like they were her own. I just took Maddie in today. Oh course she said Where's Parker... She just loves Parker. She said it always takes her longer to do my babies cause she just wants to cuddle and play with them.

That's where I've taken Sadie. Loved the first girl I had, but she had back surgery or something & had to quit. The person I have now is good, too. I've never really had a problem with them. I would consider going somewhere else, though, if I had heard good things about it & it wasn't WAY expensive. Where is this Camp Canine that you said you took your dog to? I see that you are in Denton...I'm in Irving.

Christie, I sent you a PM. If anyone else would like to know, it's Club Canine(I had the name wrong)located in Denton, TX. I will definitely take Ziggy back to her.