How to find a good groomer?

[Davejb]

I'm in the southeast NH area. I took Rommel to the Barking Dog today to get groomed, not only could I have done a similare job with a pair of scissors, they must have got soap in his eyes, he would only squint if he needed to see and kept his eyes closed most of the time after I got him home. I called my vet and she had me do multiple rinses with saline. They are going to get a mouthfull from me monday morning. How do I go about finding a good groomer, anyone in this area have any recommendations. Have done some searching online, but I would take the word of other Dachshund owners over "reviews" I read online.

[nmgirl98]

Poor baby! I'd see if you can find some rescues in the area and ask them for their recommendations. That's how i found out who to ask for when I take Belle to Petsmart. You can ask your vet as well.

[Cocoa and Me]

Oh gosh that's horrible! I don't really trust a lot of people with my two, and I groom them myself. If I were you, you could go to PetCo/PetsMart and watch the groomers and talk to the owners when they pick them up. You could even tell them about your experience and that you are looking for a good groomer. Maybe someone can recommend one to you, or tell you who to stay away from. I've heard some pretty bad stories about groomers, and I'm sooooo glad I helped groom our shi-tzus when we had all three. I learned a lot, and now Mousse (my LH) is a piece of cake for me. Mousse has a lot of fur, but I haven't had a problem with it. The only maintenance on him is his feet fur and clipping nails. Oh, and of course brushing every other day. What do you need/want done at the groomers?

[stacicakes]

I would ask people with dogs who they use in your area. Dog people are always willing to share info about caring for their dogs.:D

[kpm_tex]

Ask at your vets..a lot of vets around here also employ groomers. You could also ask people you see at Petsmart of parks, ones who have dogs that have obviously been groomed, and ask them.

[LeeAnne]

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. Your story and others like it are why I'm so afraid to leave my dog (I have a little wirehair) with strangers. I learned to handstrip, do anal glands, and eventually to shave... myself - plus I need to save money too. I agree that if you have a meetup group in your area or dogpark and you could meet someone with a really well groomed dog and ask them for recommendations. Or - someplace like Petsmart where you can stand and watch...

Best of luck to you and your baby!

[Davejb]

His eyes seem to be getting better, he's had about 6 flushes with saline, his eyes are still red but he's opening them much more, I'm going to call the vet tomorrow just to be sure. Thanks for the suggestions, I wish I could groom him myself but it's a task just to bath him!

[catstamm]

Well I have smooths...so I can't help you there...but I know as far as nails go, I have used quite a few groomers and since my girls won't hold still they always get quicked...so I started doing it myself.
It is still really hard and they hate me but I get a couple nails at a time.
It drives me nuts because I'm a freak about well groomed nails:happy030: but I didn't want to see anyone torturing my dogs anymore.
I bath them and do their anals myself.
Good luck.....

[Travmakar]

Well I have smooths...so I can't help you there...but I know as far as nails go, I have used quite a few groomers and since my girls won't hold still they always get quicked...so I started doing it myself.
It is still really hard and they hate me but I get a couple nails at a time.
It drives me nuts because I'm a freak about well groomed nails:happy030: but I didn't want to see anyone torturing my dogs anymore.
I bath them and do their anals myself.
Good luck.....

Ty is a smooth also. I wish I could trim his nails but I cannot figure out where the "vein" is.

[Kaiser's Mom]

Hi there,

We are a little ways south of you in Central MA, but if you want to travel a little we use a groomer (for our sheltie) called "A Diamond in the Ruff" the woman who owns the shop is named Dawn and she is just wonderful! they are located in Northborough MA.

I would also recommend asking the staff at your vets, they will usually know the good places and those to avoid.

I hope Rommel is feeling better!!

[rjones]

I have 2 lh minis (your choco and tan is gorgeous, I want my next lh mini to be a choco tan dapple or just choco and tan) and before recently I always groomed them myself...I started both out at a really younge age to get them used to doing the nails, brushing the teeth (that has become a challenge with my Rambo as of lately/teeth brushing) but do recommend you trying to do some of the grooming more frequently yourself so he gets more used to it...

I also usually trim there butt (bought a electrim trimmer at walmart for like $20 or under and trim that butt area so nothing can get stuck to it when its coming out, lol)...area about once every 2 months...I just got a dremel at walmart for $20 and was able to do Sophie's front and back paws with no problem at all, she is so good and really really trusts me, and never have problems with her...Rambo however, ever since Joey trimmed his nails and cut one of his nails to close he has been so scared and hesitant, which I don't blame him...

I got lucky and met a lady who shows and breeds her lh minis...She's a groomer at a local vets office and it really was by luck...Literally the minute I found out she was a groomer I was like well I'm signing my 2 up to get groomed...who better to groom my 2 then a professional, took mine last month to both get done and they really looked great and still smell so good...She did recommend me getting a dremel and using that since its so much better and easier to trim the nails. Just have to get Rambo used to it...So I don't have any help other then asking around, and def asking around at local vet's offices and also about prices...Mine were 20 a pieces, and she did trim Sophie's fan, and did basically the show trim...trimmed around the neck area. I was so scared she would trim some of the ears and she was like I wouldn't dare, lol on a lh...

[Cindi]

[QUOTE=catstamm;572661]Well I have smooths...so I can't help you there...but I know as far as nails go, I have used quite a few groomers and since my girls won't hold still they always get quicked...so I started doing it myself.

Quicking is not a bad thing unless she comes home bleeding. There is little reaction from MANY dogs that are slightly quicked because it doesn't hurt (remember I said slightly) and it will make the vein and nerve pop back closer to the foot. A LOT of the reaction dogs give you when you are doing their nails is a learning process and they are much quicker at it than we are...the learning process is: Pupkin jumps, MOM/DAD jumps and coos and apologizes. Hmmm Pupkin learned that jumping saying ouch got a wonderful reaction :) If you just snip a smidgeon off, especially if you are starting with truly long talons, you will never get the nails short enough to not click on the flooring. ALWAYS have Kwik-Stop ready to go - that is a sure way to not go too short <GG> At least it works that way at my house and at work - I am a groomer at a vet hospital.

It is still really hard and they hate me but I get a couple nails at a time.
It drives me nuts because I'm a freak about well groomed nails:happy030: but I didn't want to see anyone torturing my dogs anymore.
I bath them and do their anals myself.

THAT is great that you learned to do all of that yourself because sometimes, the anal glands DEMAND to be done and usually on a weekend :) To accustom your child to accepting having his nails done - show him a cookie and do one foot, treat and release. Come back a little while later and do the next foot, same procedure. It is a conditioning process. HOWEVER, some dogs never stop being *jerks* about their toenails...I have a SCREAMER here. She was born here, she screamed as a baby, but she has learned not to jerk her foot away - she just screams and there is no quicking going on.QUOTE]

Cindi

[Travmakar]

I had to look up what a dremel is. I may look into that because I wait every 2 months for Ty to go into the groomers, which according to some here is too long of a gap in between nail trimming.

I just need to learn expressing the anal glands.

http://www.cherrybrook.com/images/catalog/live/imageLibrary/130C815B9F441EC982B8F45D5F3B240EM.jpg

[rjones]

I had to look up what a dremel is. I may look into that because I wait every 2 months for Ty to go into the groomers, which according to some here is too long of a gap in between nail trimming.

I just need to learn expressing the anal glands.

http://www.cherrybrook.com/images/catalog/live/imageLibrary/130C815B9F441EC982B8F45D5F3B240EM.jpg


I got my dremel at walmart for like 19 something/so $20 and its great...I do my 2 once a month, but now with the dremel you can get a shorter nail without hurting them and just do a little bit at a time.