# EEEEEK!!!!



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

My regular groomer (who is absolutely great, and also a trainer) got hurt grooming a big dog recently, and has been completely out of work as a result. After all the horror stories here, I've been very nervous about taking Kodi ANYWHERE else.

I was able to get all his nails cut, and 3 foot pads trimmed, but he refused to let me do the last foot. I trimmed around the bottoms of his feet, and they are "OK", but not great. It is SO much easier to do him if one person is stuffing cookies in his mouth while the other deals with his feet.

So I've asked around to try to find another place that could do him, and would let me stay with him. I found an independent pet supply place near us that agreed to let me stay with him, and GOOD THING!!! As I was explaining to the person at the desk that he was in full coat, the first thing out of her mouth was, "So you want him clipped?" :frusty: I explained again, that no, ALL I wanted was to get his nails and feet trimmed and a sanitary trim. 

"But you want us to give him a bath and blow dry, right?" 

"No, I do all his regular grooming at home."

"Don't you want us to at least comb him out?"

Don't they think ANYONE is capable of grooming thier own coated dog? In any case, I'll give these folks a try since I'll be right there to stop them from getting clipper-happy. But can you imagine what I might have come back to if I left him alone with them? My beautiful boy could have ended up looking like a Mexican Hairless!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Geeezzzzzz! What part of the conversation do they not understand? Full coat? Hello? What type of grooming accident are we talking about?


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

He'd have come back looking like Brody!


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

I'm sure he'd come out with a "puppy cut" with the bridge of his nose trimmed and a ribbon bow on each ear! Seems it's how groomers are taught to "groom" any breed with a long coat!


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

Did you call your regular groomer and ask if she'd be willing to do your dog? If she knows the dog and you're going to be there and it isn't a big job she might be willing to do it on the "down low" off the books at home for you (as long as you're discreet)


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

krandall said:


> My regular groomer (who is absolutely great, and also a trainer) got hurt grooming a big dog recently, and has been completely out of work as a result.


Yikes, is she okay? Did she get bitten?


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## rokipiki (Oct 15, 2010)

Be carefull because they can do all kinds of stuff even with feet. Year and half ago I took Roki to his ex-groomer. The lady who normaly dose bichons and havanese was sick, so the owner took him understanding that I show him. When I came back he looked as if somebody put on him too short trousers with his trimmed feet sticking out. OMG, I was so mad! It took more than a year to get his feet back to normal. And of course, judges on shows noticed that disaster! 
Marina&Roki


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

misstray said:


> He'd have come back looking like Brody!


THAT'S what I am afraid of!!!:biggrin1:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tuss said:


> I'm sure he'd come out with a "puppy cut" with the bridge of his nose trimmed and a ribbon bow on each ear! Seems it's how groomers are taught to "groom" any breed with a long coat!


<shudder> I understand that many people LIKE their Hav in a puppy cut, and many have coats that are unmanageable when they are long. But Kodi's coat is silky, easy and beautiful. I would cry if they TOUCHED it!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tuss said:


> Did you call your regular groomer and ask if she'd be willing to do your dog? If she knows the dog and you're going to be there and it isn't a big job she might be willing to do it on the "down low" off the books at home for you (as long as you're discreet)


Yes, we speak regularly. She's also a trainer where I train, and she takes care of Kodi when I go away. She really got pretty badly hurt. Besides a badly sprained hand, he has pinched nerves in her neck/shoulder area. She's completely out of it for the moment. She can't even do her own dogs.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

morriscsps said:


> Yikes, is she okay? Did she get bitten?


No, from what I understand, her hand got caught in the collar (or grooming loop... I'm not sure) when a big dog started struggling on the table. It all happened very quickly, as these things often do, and the dog launched itself off the table. Someone else was right there, and got them both untangled, the dog was fine, but she hasn't been the same since.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

rokipiki said:


> Be carefull because they can do all kinds of stuff even with feet. Year and half ago I took Roki to his ex-groomer. The lady who normaly dose bichons and havanese was sick, so the owner took him understanding that I show him. When I came back he looked as if somebody put on him too short trousers with his trimmed feet sticking out. OMG, I was so mad! It took more than a year to get his feet back to normal. And of course, judges on shows noticed that disaster!
> Marina&Roki


That's one of the reasons I insist on being there. Besides the fact that I'd never leave him alone with someone I didn't know well, and who hadn't already developed a relationship with him. My regular groomer knows him like one of her own, he loves her, and she knows exactly what I want done. But I am a long way from trusting someone new that much!


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## CarolWCamelo (Feb 15, 2012)

Karen - I'm so sorry about your groomer. SO glad she wasn't bitten, though; better an accident (sounds like a really nasty one) than a dog biting.

My groomer would do what you want, but she's a bit far away from you - and not taking new clients, though she might do your trim as a favor for Camellia and me!

Fat lot of good THAT does you! I hope you can work something out.

Hugs,
Wed, 9 May 2012 07:16:54 (PDT)


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## HannahBearsMom (Jul 31, 2011)

krandall said:


> <shudder> I understand that many people LIKE their Hav in a puppy cut, and many have coats that are unmanageable when they are long. But Kodi's coat is silky, easy and beautiful. I would cry if they TOUCHED it!


I've always planned to keep Maccabee in a puppy cut, but now that I see how silky his coat is, I'm reconsidering. I might give a longer coat a try after he blows coat.


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

Tuss said:


> I'm sure he'd come out with a "puppy cut" with the bridge of his nose trimmed and a ribbon bow on each ear! Seems it's how groomers are taught to "groom" any breed with a long coat!


We're still recovering from a groomer who 'just wanted to clean up his face a little bit' - even though I said do not touch face/ears/tail. It's taken forever for his eye/nose hair to get long enough to lay flat again by itself!


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## Lisainidaho (Feb 1, 2012)

All of these grooming stories make me never want to take my puppies to the groomer's. I was at my regular pet store a few days ago picking up some treats, and the owner introduced me to a groomer in the store. The groomer is a mobile groomer and I love the idea of the groomer coming to my house and being with the dogs while they are being groomed. Anyway....after about 5 minutes I realized this would not be the groomer for me. She started with "will you have them groomed in a puppy cut?" and I told her that initially I will be seeing how I like having them in full coat. Personally, I love the look of a full-coated Havanese. She says to me "well you will change your mind after you see how much work that is!" and laughs a little bit like I am completely ignorant. She has no idea about me or my available time and commitment to my dogs. She just met me!! I realized right then and there that whatever I asked for, if I took them to her, my dogs were going to come out of that grooming truck with a puppy cut!


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

marlowe'sgirl said:


> We're still recovering from a groomer who 'just wanted to clean up his face a little bit' - even though I said do not touch face/ears/tail. It's taken forever for his eye/nose hair to get long enough to lay flat again by itself!


Did you see the photos of my puppy I posted a couple weeks ago? I took her to a charity dog wash. They were supposed to just give her a bath! I only took her to get used to being handled by different people, (she didn't even need the bath), and because it was a good cause. I knew the woman running it. She decided she didn't like the hair in the eyes so "tidied it up" - basically shaved her nose all the way from the tip to between her eyes!

http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=16976&page=3


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

Tuss said:


> Did you see the photos of my puppy I posted a couple weeks ago? I took her to a charity dog wash. They were supposed to just give her a bath! I only took her to get used to being handled by different people, (she didn't even need the bath), and because it was a good cause. I knew the woman running it. She decided she didn't like the hair in the eyes so "tidied it up" - basically shaved her nose all the way from the tip to between her eyes!
> 
> http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=16976&page=3


YES! This is exactly what happened. My pup's hair is particularly light and silky - so it's taken SO long for it to get enough weight to lay flat. And you do have to deal with that awkward phase when the hair really is obscuring their eyes. Sigh. I'm not even doing a true full coat - just a nice shaggy coat with a shaved belly/sanitary cut and a full face with cute top knot.


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

marlowe'sgirl said:


> YES! This is exactly what happened. My pup's hair is particularly light and silky - so it's taken SO long for it to get enough weight to lay flat. And you do have to deal with that awkward phase when the hair really is obscuring their eyes. Sigh. I'm not even doing a true full coat - just a nice shaggy coat with a shaved belly/sanitary cut and a full face with cute top knot.


That's what I'm planning to do. not a full coat, but a full-ish coat??? Can you post photos?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

yeah Karen, a good groomer is worth their weight in gold. Gwen used to do Molly, and we sometimes took her to a good trainer / groomer who was great with her. Now we have a new groomer who comes with a mobile truck grooming unit. She's great too. Gwen's arthritis and bad back made it a regular thing now. I',m useless at it. Hope your friend gets well soon.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Oh NO. believe me I know the fear... I just got back Cash looking like a shavanese because I let the owner of the shop not my regular groomer do him. Karen, you know there is a groomer at our Vet's I have had the boys feet and sanitary done there once. I bet you could explain to this woman what you want and she would let you stay.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

At least you found someone that can do it right while you watch. I bet if you set your mind to it you could learn to do Kodi's paws perfectly.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Missy said:


> Oh NO. believe me I know the fear... I just got back Cash looking like a shavanese because I let the owner of the shop not my regular groomer do him. Karen, you know there is a groomer at our Vet's I have had the boys feet and sanitary done there once. I bet you could explain to this woman what you want and she would let you stay.


I didn'trealize there was a groomer there, but that's a little far to go every 3 weeks, which is how often I need his feet done. For health, in a moment... For foot trimming, ah, I don't know.. I figure if I try Especially for Pets, (the one in Medway) since they have agrred to let me stay with him, the worst that can happen is I pick him up and walk out of ther if they don't agree to what I want.

I think I've already decided not to let them TOUCH his face. I can do the corners of hos eyes myself with my thinning shears. And I'll only let them scissor his feet, so they can't go crazy and give him poodle feet, even by "mistake". I suppose they've kind of got to use the clippers for his sanitary, but I'll be watching like a hawk to make sure they keep it as minimal as possible. He doesn't need much... He doesn't ever really get stuff stuck.


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