# Bad Grooming Experience



## Sweet Piper (Jan 26, 2018)

Hi, I just brought our 2 year old golden for a trim and cleanup for the first time to a professional groomer in our area. I brush her daily but her fur and feathering was just getting a bit unkempt. I brought a picture of how I would like her trimmed to prevent any miscommunication. When I picked her up, I was horrified. Gone is her beautiful leg feathering and her long chest hair that moved so beautifully when she ran. Her "trim" is choppy and way more than I wanted. It appears her coat has also been thinned out. Luckily the only parts that were shaved were under her front legs and part of her stomach. The stomach feathering was only trimmed and not shaved. 

I was given a full refund, but that won't bring her coat back any time soon. I love the look of a near-natural golden with minimal trimming as their feathering and fur is truly beautiful. I am worried that her coat is permanently damaged. Based on my description, do you think it will grow back properly? I have attached a photo of her front leg to show how choppy she was trimmed. Her feathering was long and full before this visit.

Thank You!


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Hello, no need to worry, it will grow back.... I found it very hard to find a good golden groomer in my area... Only certain people are able to groom them...We've had some doosey haircuts for sure!!!! There was a lady at our local Petsmart, and then we went to small groomers, and there was always just one person who was able to groom them correctly... I was very sad when my breeder got too busy to continue grooming Neeko & Molson.... She did it best....good luck when you call around, ask if they have someone who is able to groom your golden.... She will be beautiful again in no time....


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Why would they cut the feathering? I wouldn't like that either. If you're not showing them in competition you might just want to do it yourself, as needed. Both my previous two Goldens were never taken to a groomer (stay at home mom too poor back then) I just gave them a monthly bath outside with the hose whenever it was warm enough, ear cleaning, and trimmed anything that got too dirty or tangled (especially around ears) plus nail trims and regular brushing. They always smelled and looked good.


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## Sweet Piper (Jan 26, 2018)

Beautiful dogs by the way. I think it will take a while for her fur to grow back in so I won't be going again for a while. Its as if Gisele went in for a trim and ended up with a pixie cut!


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## Sweet Piper (Jan 26, 2018)

Thanks for your ideas and response. I think I will try and do some things on my own. I have been thinking that if I don't try and get too fancy I should do OK!


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## pandamonium (Apr 18, 2012)

Im sorry that happened! But before you realize it you will be knee deep in hair again! In some of the pet stores they are told to cut enough so it looks like something was done! I am surprised at a professional groomer though... it is possible that they don't do a lot of goldens!


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## Goldens&Friesians (May 31, 2014)

Well, at least they didn't shave her... Looking at that leg one has to wonder if this was a new groomer just learning? And if it was, where on earth was her mentor to point out that the choppy-ness needed addressing?! Unfortunately most pet groomers don't know how to show groom any breed of dog (I'm a professional pet groomer and I include myself). I'm pretty sure most people who show groom have a limited number of breeds they know how to do; but for us pet groomers, we have to know the gist of the over 100 different AKC breeds (not to mention mutts!) and how their breed standard haircut goes. We're referring to our Notes From the Groomer's Table books on occasion for that uncommon breed that walks in that we've never done before. BUT, after saying all that, EVERY groomer gets goldens (so they SHOULD try to have some idea of how they should be groomed) and with the picture you included of how you wanted the dog to look, that should have been immensely helpful to any pet groomer who is conscientious of quality over quantity. Unfortunately, there are a lot of really bad groomers out there-whether they simply lack the "knack" for it, or they are in it for the money and pushing out as many dogs as possible (thereby losing quality of their work), it can be hard to find a good groomer. I'm better at goldens than many groomers because that's "my breed," but I still don't really know how to show groom them-I just use photos of AKC champion goldens and try to make my dogs look like that-its got some improving to do, lol! Anyway, sometimes your best bet is to find a golden breeder who might be willing to either groom for you or teach you how to do it yourself. Goldens really aren't that hard to do yourself-mainly just brushing and trimming up feet, nails, and ears. As too the hair growing back, I can't see the whole dog, but it doesn't appear to have been chopped short enough to damage it. How fast it grows back will vary from dog to dog, but it should be looking better in a month or two.


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## Carrite (Aug 8, 2017)

Jeesh, why groom a GR with a trimmer in the first place?

Just brush them out and leave the feathers alone. They aren't poodles, after all...

tim


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## sophieanne (Feb 4, 2014)

Ugh....I've just been taken down horrible memory lane. When we took one of our goldens to Pet Smart and I said please give her a trim (it was summer), we were horrified when we picked her up. My poor baby had been shaved all over and looked like she had a crew cut all over her body. It was awful because when we brought her home our 6 month old puppy ran out to greet her but when he saw her he stopped in his tracks and took 3 giant steps backwards. My husband (and I still laugh about it till this day) went in to see the manager and said doesn't your staff know how to groom a golden..my god now she's embarrassed to be seen by her friends on the street....I totally felt his love for her that day but I couldn't stop laughing. The good news is that your dog's beautiful fur will grow back. I'm sorry for what happened but thanks for sharing, it brought back memories of my wonderful 2nd golden girl.


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## Sweet Piper (Jan 26, 2018)

Thanks for your insight Goldens&Friesians!


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