# Miserable after grooming :(



## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Poor Peggy! I would be trying another groomer if possible. I imagine if they work together this one is overwhelmed with appointments and rushing it. No excuse, but... poor Peggy!!! Two bad experiences in a row is 2 too many.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

For Want of Poodle said:


> Poor Peggy! I would be trying another groomer if possible. I imagine if they work together this one is overwhelmed with appointments and rushing it. No excuse, but... poor Peggy!!! Two bad experiences in a row is 2 too many.


That's my feeling.  I suspect we're one appointment away from her not going in so willingly. Today she was as eager as ever, which is kind of heartbreaking. 

I'll talk to our regular groomer again in a few days. Maybe she can recommend someone else. She loves Peggy and really poured her heart into making Peggy love grooming.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Oh, poor Peggy. My guys have tended to not like the groomer. We stopped using one because Pogo would start shivering as we walked up to the door. 

I also found we had to be very careful about communication. The two things I learned to be very specific on were

Feet & muzzle (short, but we aren't trying for a surgical shave here; leave enough hair he doesn't get sunburnt toes)

Matted fur (no need to torture the dog or groomer. He's a muddy disgusting swamp creature; I'm totally ok with a short cut if that's the easiest way to deal with the mess.)


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Poor Peggy. I agree it's not normal for her to feel that way. Sometimes after I shave Misha's feet (his least favorite part) he will hide in his pen for 10 minutes to make sure I'm done messing with him before he comes to snuggle. But he recovers very quickly. I'm not sure what could make Peggy so upset but it can't be good.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

cowpony said:


> Oh, poor Peggy. My guys have tended to not like the groomer. We stopped using one because Pogo would start shivering as we walked up to the door.
> 
> I also found we had to be very careful about communication. The two things I learned to be very specific on were
> 
> ...


Good advice for our lifestyle, too. Thank you. She's got that delicate pink toe skin. I think her paws would be fine with a 7 (the same length I requested for her body). At least for now, until she's back in more gentle, skilled hands.

I'm going to print out a poodle illustration and just number each body part with the length I want. Zero room for confusion.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> Poor Peggy. I agree it's not normal for her to feel that way. Sometimes after I shave Misha's feet (his least favorite part) he will hide in his pen for 10 minutes to make sure I'm done messing with him before he comes to snuggle. But he recovers very quickly. I'm not sure what could make Peggy so upset but it can't be good.


She's acting more normal now, but is still obviously sore. And she's snatching treats, whereas she usually is almost comically gentle. So I know she's stressed.

I let her burn off some steam in the backyard, which seemed to help. She even started spontaneously offering up tricks, which cracked me up:










Our regular groomer gives her play breaks during each appointment. I suspect this groomer doesn't do that. Like @For Want of Poodle said, she's probably extremely busy because they're short-staffed. But that's no excuse. 

She raves about how good Peggy is. Well....part of that is her responsibility to maintain!

Good girl:


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## bluegirl1997 (Aug 10, 2019)

She probably used dull blades, let them heat up too much or else went over the same spot again and again. But she didn’t even do a good job, all those tufts and uneven spots. Just for comparison, when my son needed some extra swim lessons to pass his level, I asked the swim instructor if I could pay for some private lessons. She came in on her day off and taught my son during the public swim at the pool. It was great! So I’m wondering, would your groomer think about just doing one poodle (Peggy) while she’s on leave? Even if the groom were simplified so that she could do it while accommodating her physical restrictions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Poor Peggy and poor you. I hope you're able to get a referral.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Poor Peggy.

I would think twice about going back. You have a dog that loves to go to her regular groomer and you don't want to ruin that. I hope your regular groomer can recommend someone else.........or maybe it's time to do it yourself at home. It's a lot of work but you can break it up to small parts.

Do you know when your regular groomer will be back to work? Could you do touch ups until she's ready to groom Peggy?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

bluegirl1997 said:


> She probably used dull blades, let them heat up too much or else went over the same spot again and again. But she didn’t even do a good job, all those tufts and uneven spots. Just for comparison, when my son needed some extra swim lessons to pass his level, I asked the swim instructor if I could pay for some private lessons. She came in on her day off and taught my son during the public swim at the pool. It was great! So I’m wondering, would your groomer think about just doing one poodle (Peggy) while she’s on leave? Even if the groom were simplified so that she could do it while accommodating her physical restrictions?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I know. It's really not good.  Her last groom was like this, too—little tufts everywhere.

I've been keeping in close contact with our regular groomer, feeling her out in case she'd be open to doing just a monthly FFT and letting me do the rest. But she's not up for it. She recently started doing one small dog per day and even that's proving to be too much. 

She owns the grooming salon and recently moved very close to us (much closer than the salon is), so I'm confident she'd help us out if she could. At this point I just want her to get well, which I know is hard when you've got the stress of a business hanging over your head...especially since she'd only recently re-opened after covid regulations shut her down for months.

Peggy's burrowed in tight as I type this. What a day for a sensitive poodle.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Liz said:


> Poor Peggy and poor you. I hope you're able to get a referral.


Me, too. My fear is that I'll end up somewhere even worse. I must have tried a dozen groomers over the years with Gracie. None impressed me, and some absolutely traumatized her.


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## Starvt (Nov 5, 2019)

The groomer went pretty short on her face too, it looks like, a 30 probably. Especially if Peggy is not used to that, it certainly could be irritating and is much easier to cause clipper burn. And if she clipped too close or in the wrong direction around Peggy's rectum... That would explain her discomfort.
In your search for a new groomer, maybe you could just ask for fft in a few weeks? Or else body minus fft? Then you could get an idea of what they are like without subjecting Peggy to the whole ordeal if they are not great.


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## dogsavvy (Mar 6, 2015)

It would seriously disturb me that Peggy came home cowering from your touch. I couldn't use that groomer again. I'd go groomer shopping while I waited for the lady (who is on medical leave) to get back at it. I'd have a primary & a back up. It really bothers me that she was cringing from your touch. I just... no, couldn't use that person again. On my Giant Schnauzer, there are times when I clip her back end, I take tape & put it on my skin & pull it off once so it's still sticky but it's not ultra sticky. I then apply the tape & zip it off. She will stand all day for this because Giants when you clip them you end up with Schnauzer splinters, little sharp hairs that will embed in your skin like a splinter. So if I don't tape her, she will be very bothered by her sanitary area. But Poodle hair doesn't behave that way. I suppose if another stiffer haired dog was on the groom table prior to Peggy, she might have gotten a terrier or Schnauzer splinter & you can't always see them, but the tape will get them. This happened once with Mr. Layne. I had him on the table & he did this little weird flip around (like he spun once) on the table & went after his bum. I realized I hadn't vacuumed the table since the Giant & He had sat & gotten some schnauzer splinters. I used the tape & no more spinning (& no more me grooming him without proper cleaning of that table either!)

I'm so sorry that's happened for you & Peggy  Sending hugs


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Skylar said:


> Poor Peggy.
> 
> I would think twice about going back. You have a dog that loves to go to her regulaupr groomer and you don't want to ruin that. I hope your regular groomer can recommend someone else.........or maybe it's time to do it yourself at home. It's a lot of work but you can break it up to small parts.
> 
> Do you know when your regular groomer will be back to work? Could you do touch ups until she's ready to groom Peggy?


We thought it would just be six weeks or so, but that's come and gone and she's now starting to consider surgery, which would dramatically extend her leave. I guess at this point I have to proceed as though she's out of the picture.

I'll start asking around for referrals and will also do regular maintenance to stretch this groom out as long as I can. She has another appointment booked in December. Maybe I could make that just a "happy visit."


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Starvt said:


> The groomer went pretty short on her face too, it looks like, a 30 probably. Especially if Peggy is not used to that, it certainly could be irritating and is much easier to cause clipper burn. And if she clipped too close or in the wrong direction around Peggy's rectum... That would explain her discomfort.
> In your search for a new groomer, maybe you could just ask for fft in a few weeks? Or else body minus fft? Then you could get an idea of what they are like without subjecting Peggy to the whole ordeal if they are not great.


I was wondering about her face. It doesn't seem to be bothering her, but it's definitely shorter than usual. And yet there are little tufts around her mouth and some unevenness between her eyes. Her topknot is also so heavy, we actually can't even _see_ her eyes from some angles. 

I think having a new groomer just do her body is a good idea. And how they respond to that request will tell me a lot about them.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

dogsavvy said:


> It would seriously disturb me that Peggy came home cowering from your touch. I couldn't use that groomer again. I'd go groomer shopping while I waited for the lady (who is on medical leave) to get back at it. I'd have a primary & a back up. It really bothers me that she was cringing from your touch. I just... no, couldn't use that person again. On my Giant Schnauzer, there are times when I clip her back end, I take tape & put it on my skin & pull it off once so it's still sticky but it's not ultra sticky. I then apply the tape & zip it off. She will stand all day for this because Giants when you clip them you end up with Schnauzer splinters, little sharp hairs that will embed in your skin like a splinter. So if I don't tape her, she will be very bothered by her sanitary area. But Poodle hair doesn't behave that way. I suppose if another stiffer haired dog was on the groom table prior to Peggy, she might have gotten a terrier or Schnauzer splinter & you can't always see them, but the tape will get them. This happened once with Mr. Layne. I had him on the table & he did this little weird flip around (like he spun once) on the table & went after his bum. I realized I hadn't vacuumed the table since the Giant & He had sat & gotten some schnauzer splinters. I used the tape & no more spinning (& no more me grooming him without proper cleaning of that table either!)
> 
> I'm so sorry that's happened for you & Peggy  Sending hugs


Ouch! Thanks for sharing that with me. After Peggy's last appointment, for weeks she would abruptly whip around like something had bit her bum. Or she'd race to her bed and sit down hard. 

I'm not sure how she'd react to tape right now. I can't even touch her tail without her spooking, and she's holding it low and tight to her body. I'm guessing they burned or went too short around her rectum like they did her feet. I'll get in and check tomorrow when she's had more time to decompress.


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## Dogs4Life (May 27, 2018)

I am so sorry that happened to your sweet girl. Jasper is a handful at the groomer and he's come home with bad reactions based on how he was treated. He would physically shake. I think finding a new groomer would be best.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dogs4Life said:


> I am so sorry that happened to your sweet girl. Jasper is a handful at the groomer and he's come home with bad reactions based on how he was treated. He would physically shake. I think finding a new groomer would be best.


I can't imagine if she decided the groomer was not her friend. So stressful for everyone. Poor Jasper 

What's worrying me most right now is she rapidly backed away from the bathtub when I extended my hand for her to lick. She _always_ licks my wet hand when I'm in the bath. It's our compromise, as she used to try and dip her whole head in the water.

Urrrghhh.

It would take something mighty unpleasant to make my girl not love the bath.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Oh, poor Peggy ! I would definitely not go back to that groomer. I think you’ve done her yourself before, right ? Maybe do her yourself for whatever is left of COVID (with vaccines coming, hopefully we’re done in 6-8 months, so maybe 3 grooms) ? When it’d over it will be much easier to find someone else.


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## FloofyPoodle (May 12, 2020)

Fluffy behaved very similarly when I gave him a razor burn on his rear while I was still learning (dumb human!). He hid his tail between his legs every time he sat down, he sniffed and licked at his butt, backed away from any kind of brush, and just in general looked very uncomfortable. He didn't want to even be near me! A few weeks later, and he completely forgot and let me groom him again (although I still felt awful!).

I don't know about grooming her yourself until after COVID calms down, since you've said it's difficult for you both--I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but I attended a lecture earlier today by some of the chemistry doctors in my school's research department, and they implied that the vaccine efficacy was kind of a 'yay we did it, but there's still a long ways to go' kind of deal. Although they didn't get much into detail, since their main thing was an entirely different subject, they were talking about gap years for the seniors who need research experience, since things are being all kinds of messed up right now because of lab space :/. So it could be late into 2021 (October, November, or even Decemberish) before we get some semblance of normalcy. It might be a good idea to start asking around to see if there's a good groomer in the area.


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## Starvt (Nov 5, 2019)

In the short term, PtP, if Peggy lets you, maybe try a cool compress on any irritated spots.
And try to make sure she doesn't make them worse by licking excessively.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

FloofyPoodle said:


> Fluffy behaved very similarly when I gave him a razor burn on his rear while I was still learning (dumb human!). He hid his tail between his legs every time he sat down, he sniffed and licked at his butt, backed away from any kind of brush, and just in general looked very uncomfortable. He didn't want to even be near me! A few weeks later, and he completely forgot and let me groom him again (although I still felt awful!).


That's why I wonder if maybe Peggy's just finally getting a real taste of grooming life. Most groomers are _not_ like our usual gal. Trust me. I've tried all of them! Or at least it started feeling that way with Gracie. And after every single appointment, she was itchy, miserable, stressed, panting, generally irritated, and sometimes even injured. Sigh.

I'm going to shop around for someone new (hopefully with our regular groomer's assistance or at least blessing) but maybe still take Peggy back in December for an easy breezy "reset" appointment. Maybe just nail clipping, a topknot trim, and some play.



Dechi said:


> Oh, poor Peggy ! I would definitely not go back to that groomer. I think you’ve done her yourself before, right ? Maybe do her yourself for whatever is left of COVID (with vaccines coming, hopefully we’re done in 6-8 months, so maybe 3 grooms) ? When it’d over it will be much easier to find someone else.


This is the shortest her coat's ever been, so with regular brushing and some home bathing, I should at least be able to get her through to the new year.

Now here's one more cute Peggy pic, just to say thanks to you all for all the encouragement and helpful advice. 










She got to have a long nap with my husband, which boosted her spirits immensely.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I am assuming there is a reason for not doing her yourself? That would be such an easy clip to maintain at home with half way decent equipment, and no anxiety about Peggy being mishandled or cut too close.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

fjm said:


> I am assuming there is a reason for not doing her yourself? That would be such an easy clip to maintain at home with half way decent equipment, and no anxiety about Peggy being mishandled or cut too close.


I do have some health issues that have made it maddeningly hard to do even the basics myself, but I agree this nice clean canvas might be manageable for at least the foreseeable future.

I did all of Gracie's grooming for the last few years of her life, but she was a quarter Peggy's size and still it was a painful endeavour. I wonder if a proper grooming table might help? 

I used to do Gracie on the floor or even in my lap. Peggy I put on the dining room table, but I can't safely hold my arms up for more than a few minutes at a time. I can't really think of any way around that....


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I used to do Gracie on the floor or even in my lap. Peggy I put on the dining room table, but I can't safely hold my arms up for more than a few minutes at a time. I can't really think of any way around that....


I can definitely relate to that. My dogs are smaller but it’s still very hard. I do the face, sometimes feet and sanitary. Then another day I will do the body. I don’t bathe the same day as I clip, and I also brush before the bath on a separate day. If worse come to worse, maybe you can do small patches at a time ? Even if she looks ridiculous, it won’t be for long...

Anyways, as you said you’re good for a while. I don’t know about a year, but 2-3 months for sure (I find brushing just as hard as clipping, and maybe even worse, especially on long hair).


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

It does not _have_ to be the woman of the house who does the poodle grooming, of course! Perhaps a copy of the Kalstone book as an early Christmas present for your husband...?!


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Some of you may recall that we really lucked out with Peggy's groomer. Peggy came home from every appointment happy and well-behaved. We were over the moon.
> 
> Well, that groomer has been on health leave now for months, so we eventually tried her colleague. The first time was okay. The groom itself wasn't up to our regular groomer's standards, and Peggy seemed uncomfortable for a couple of weeks after, but this has been our experience with past groomers.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately even good groomers have oops and some are not really their entire fault. I have a great groomer,(I haven't been back since cover but 1x) and I should say its because I can't take him inside we have to exchange outside and that doesn't work for me & my guy). Clearly she used a shorter blade like a 40 on her feet face N sanitary.. Renn was done this way too and I think many groomers normally use a 40 of poodles FFt. However, many white poodles cannot handle that close of a shave which is why your old groomer used a #10. I also had to tell my groomer not to use a 40 as Renns feet came back the same way and there had been times his bum was a bit uncomfortable too. (they really don't relate to it and get horrified but its certainly not comfortble) .It rook Renn nearly a week to get over it . My groomer also told me she always used a 40 on him and I think she did as he always had nice clean feet but suddenly they were being irritated so I just said 10 and this it. Every once in awhile will would forget. Since I've been grooming him I use a 5 on his body and 10 for his FFT. Its actually going fairly well, I'm not good though with tail puff or top knot so soon I will have to take him in for a good clean up. Also bathing is an issue as bending is a problem for me. I wish I could put in one of those walk in shower tubs, kinda made like ours but doesn't have glass and side are higher. I have one more bathroom to refinish if I ever get enough funds and I will plan it so the dogs can go in it too. I'm afraid of the MB shower as it has a lot of glass and he he gets over excited...well I don't want to think about that. Give Peggy a hug and soon she will be ok.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

I find my Wahl K10s a lot more ergonomic and light weight than my old clippers. Bravuras were lighter still, though they didn't work well for Annie's hair, and are slower so take me longer. 

I groom a lot with Annie on the porch tied to the railing and me sitting on the ground next to her. I take her leash and turn it into a slip leash around her belly while I do her throat. She likes watching the squirrels while I groom. I have a decent back but a lot of other chronic health issues, and I find that's easier than having her on the kitchen table with my arms up. I dream of one of those hydraulic, adjustable grooming tables But, way less cleaning to do it outside, and it means if I take multiple days to clip, I don't have to sweep, vacuum and wipe down surfaces multiple times! I often do FFT one week, body the next week. The last time I did her feet she sprawled on her side which was way easier, but THAT was 2 years in the making. I often do only an hour or so of grooming per day and leave her half shorn if I am too tired to finish.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

lol I take Renn on the back patio, I sit in the chair and just clip away and I keep an old vacuum beside me, in-between I vacuum up loose hair. I have him go on his back so I can do a sanitary on him. I leave his feet to last by that time he just lies down and says, get on with it, I've had enough. Today I will just do his face, and work some on feet. He really needs a bath but I'm not up to the today .


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## Spottytoes (Jul 28, 2020)

I am so sorry you and Peggy had to go through this. Her feet definitely look uncomfortable, not to mention the other issues you shared. 😔

You mentioned tufts and that her topknot was heavy...in general not the best grooming, although Peggy is absolutely adorable in her short cut with the adorably cute short ears. I’m just curious, are these pictures taken right after her grooming appointment or later? I’m noticing that she’s quite curly...the look I love. When Bobby comes home his hair is super straight, full and fluffy soft, liked straightened cotton candy and it takes several days for him to look curly again unless he gets wet. Doesn’t the poodle coat get dried super straight before clipping to insure an even coat?
I know very little but that is my understanding. That would partly explain
all of the tufts, I think.

I really hope you can find a good solution. We all know how important it is for our sweet poodles to have good grooming experiences. And we want them to look good too!


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## pickleweed (Jul 14, 2020)

Aw, poor Peggy! She sounds so uncomfortable. I'm sure she's confused about why this happened. 

As a side note, and not not hijack your thread, PtP, all this talk is making it even harder for me to make Pooka's first grooming appointment!


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

I also wonder if your husband would be willing to help groom. It can be so much easier with two people doing it. One to distract the dog while the other does the clipping. I totally get not wanting to do it yourself. Even without health issues I still feel very fatigued after a lot of clipping. I usually don't attempt the full dog all at once. I do topknot, ears, and tail one week and body and legs a different week. Face and feet are done separately as well. It's just too much together.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

fjm said:


> It does not _have_ to be the woman of the house who does the poodle grooming, of course! Perhaps a copy of the Kalstone book as an early Christmas present for your husband...?!


Lol! Can I sign your name on the gift?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

"With love from all at Poodle Forum"?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> I also wonder if your husband would be willing to help groom. It can be so much easier with two people doing it. One to distract the dog while the other does the clipping. I totally get not wanting to do it yourself. Even without health issues I still feel very fatigued after a lot of clipping. I usually don't attempt the full dog all at once. I do topknot, ears, and tail one week and body and legs a different week. Face and feet are done separately as well. It's just too much together.


He did help me a few times during the start of covid. He was the distraction while I was the "groomer" (I use the term loosely lol), which did help a lot. I'll see if he'd consider swapping for at least some of her. But I think he'd sooner take her to whichever groomer's available.

I think there are actually quite a few around here who work out of their homes. They don't advertise, so I'll need to ask around. We do have a number of poodles in town.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

fjm said:


> "With love from all at Poodle Forum"?


Perfect!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Mufar42 said:


> Unfortunately even good groomers have oops and some are not really their entire fault. I have a great groomer,(I haven't been back since cover but 1x) and I should say its because I can't take him inside we have to exchange outside and that doesn't work for me & my guy). Clearly she used a shorter blade like a 40 on her feet face N sanitary.. Renn was done this way too and I think many groomers normally use a 40 of poodles FFt. However, many white poodles cannot handle that close of a shave which is why your old groomer used a #10. I also had to tell my groomer not to use a 40 as Renns feet came back the same way and there had been times his bum was a bit uncomfortable too. (they really don't relate to it and get horrified but its certainly not comfortble) .It rook Renn nearly a week to get over it . My groomer also told me she always used a 40 on him and I think she did as he always had nice clean feet but suddenly they were being irritated so I just said 10 and this it. Every once in awhile will would forget. Since I've been grooming him I use a 5 on his body and 10 for his FFT. Its actually going fairly well, I'm not good though with tail puff or top knot so soon I will have to take him in for a good clean up. Also bathing is an issue as bending is a problem for me. I wish I could put in one of those walk in shower tubs, kinda made like ours but doesn't have glass and side are higher. I have one more bathroom to refinish if I ever get enough funds and I will plan it so the dogs can go in it too. I'm afraid of the MB shower as it has a lot of glass and he he gets over excited...well I don't want to think about that. Give Peggy a hug and soon she will be ok.


This all sounds very similar to our experience! Thank you! Our regular groomer said she uses a 10 on Peggy's feet specifically because they're white and much more delicate. Why that info wasn't shared with her colleague, I have no idea. But at least I know now. I also need to find out our regular groomer's technique for around her eyes. She seems quite irritated there, too. Lots of blinking and small black hairs forming little goops in the corners. 

The groomer who worked on her yesterday is not a bad person. I don't think she did anything to purposely hurt Peggy. She just wasn't careful enough, and she hasn't taken the time to get to know her like our usual gal did (who actually played a big part in Peggy's early socialization).

I, too, would love a walk-in shower! I used to have one and totally took it for granted. In a perfect world, I'd have a double-sized walk-in shower for Peggy and a deep Japanese soaking tub for me.  Ahhhhhh..... It's nice to dream.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

For Want of Poodle said:


> I find my Wahl K10s a lot more ergonomic and light weight than my old clippers. Bravuras were lighter still, though they didn't work well for Annie's hair, and are slower so take me longer.
> 
> I groom a lot with Annie on the porch tied to the railing and me sitting on the ground next to her. I take her leash and turn it into a slip leash around her belly while I do her throat. She likes watching the squirrels while I groom. I have a decent back but a lot of other chronic health issues, and I find that's easier than having her on the kitchen table with my arms up. I dream of one of those hydraulic, adjustable grooming tables But, way less cleaning to do it outside, and it means if I take multiple days to clip, I don't have to sweep, vacuum and wipe down surfaces multiple times! I often do FFT one week, body the next week. The last time I did her feet she sprawled on her side which was way easier, but THAT was 2 years in the making. I often do only an hour or so of grooming per day and leave her half shorn if I am too tired to finish.


That sounds like a good way of doing it. I don't have a suitable porch, but I could work in our garage and tie her to the workbench. Thanks for the ideas! Maybe I need to do some parts on the dining room table and others on the floor. Mix it up a bit.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

pickleweed said:


> Aw, poor Peggy! She sounds so uncomfortable. I'm sure she's confused about why this happened.
> 
> As a side note, and not not hijack your thread, PtP, all this talk is making it even harder for me to make Pooka's first grooming appointment!


Oh no! Don't let it. Seriously. Part of what made our relationship with Peggy's regular groomer so very special is that it started when Peggy was still quite small. She started slowly and you can do the same with Pooka. Don't wait. 

Then book appointments every 4 weeks (seriously, just book a whole year in advance if you can) and ask for a gradual build-up to a full groom. We were briefly derailed by covid, and you never know else what might be around the bend. So don't delay. Don't let this thread scare you.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

One thing that you could do if you're worried about the feet is just ask for close round feet with the pads shaved. Then there'd be much less chance of irritation. I'm not sure about using a 7 on the feet. The tines on a 7 are farther apart and it is easier to nick the dog. That is why they are not typically safe to use in delicate areas.

Misha is a butt about his front feet. I have been working with him a great deal. I can get in two strokes with the clipper before he insist on payment for staying still. He goes through a lot of treats!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Spottytoes said:


> I am so sorry you and Peggy had to go through this. Her feet definitely look uncomfortable, not to mention the other issues you shared. 😔
> 
> You mentioned tufts and that her topknot was heavy...in general not the best grooming, although Peggy is absolutely adorable in her short cut with the adorably cute short ears. I’m just curious, are these pictures taken right after her grooming appointment or later? I’m noticing that she’s quite curly...the look I love. When Bobby comes home his hair is super straight, full and fluffy soft, liked straightened cotton candy and it takes several days for him to look curly again unless he gets wet. Doesn’t the poodle coat get dried super straight before clipping to insure an even coat?
> I know very little but that is my understanding. That would partly explain
> ...


Those photos were all taken within a few hours of her groom. 

Here's a side-by-side comparison of her regular groomer:










And the current groomer:










She was definitely fluffier with our regular groomer, but her hair was much longer back then and also still had some puppy texture. 

I asked for a very short, streamlined cut this time around, as we're entering the rainy (aka muddy) season. I wonder if the current groomer clipped and _then_ bathed her? I know our usual gal uses that method on Peggy's face, to make sure all the little hairs get rinsed away. Peggy has very sensitive eyes.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> One thing that you could do if you're worried about the feet is just ask for close round feet with the pads shaved. Then there'd be much less chance of irritation. I'm not sure about using a 7 on the feet. The tines on a 7 are farther apart and it is easier to nick the dog. That is why they are not typically safe to use in delicate areas.
> 
> Misha is a butt about his front feet. I have been working with him a great deal. I can get in two strokes with the clipper before he insist on payment for staying still. He goes through a lot of treats!


Yeah, to be honest, the shaved feet don't visually make much sense to me with such a short utilitarian-looking coat. I like the thought of rounding them and shaving just the pads.

What blade would you recommend using on the tops of her feet? 

(And please consider this my official request for a video of Misha being groomed! A project for Christmas break, maybe?)


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Yeah, to be honest, the shaved feet don't visually make much sense to me with such a short utilitarian-looking coat. I like the thought of rounding them and shaving just the pads.
> 
> What blade would you recommend using on the tops of her feet?
> 
> (And please consider this my official request for a video of Misha being groomed! A project for Christmas break, maybe?)


Haha but then you would see all my slow dumb methods! I'll try to make some videos. Especially when I move into a new place and have room for a real grooming table.

For round feet I think groomers just scissor them. They would probably just skim them lightly with the same blade they use for the body and then use scissors to perfect them. But they don't go in between the toes and stuff which is where it gets tricky to be safe. 

The reason I'm so adamant about clean feet on Misha is they're just... cleaner. Misha's constantly in the mud and we have a lot of burrs in the grass around us. If he had round feet he'd constantly be tracking mud in and getting burrs caught in sensitive areas. But I can shave them every two weeks to keep them clean and use a bravmini which is a surgical blade so they get really really clean and he has minimal irritation since he's black. With the lengths you're going between grooms and also not wanting them trimmed with a 30 blade, they're really not going to be clean for long anyway. So I don't think round feet would be that different. 

With the face I can tell she went shorter than your usual groomer does. The usual one certainly doesn't go closer than a 10. Maybe she even uses longer than that. One thing I would suggest (though some groomers may say this is blasphemy) is asking the groomer to use a 10 but don't go in reverse on the face. Use a forward cut so she's going with the grain of the hair. I find it is much less irritating to the dog this way and if you've got a sensitive dog it is kinder. I use my bravmini in a forward cut to do sensitive areas on Misha's face like around his nose and under his jaw. He puts up with it much better. She may have an easier time with the groom with these modifications.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> Haha but then you would see all my slow dumb methods! I'll try to make some videos. Especially when I move into a new place and have room for a real grooming table.
> 
> For round feet I think groomers just scissor them. They would probably just skim them lightly with the same blade they use for the body and then use scissors to perfect them. But they don't go in between the toes and stuff which is where it gets tricky to be safe.
> 
> ...


Lol! That is _exactly_ what people like me need—to see the reality of home grooming. Like dog training videos, most dog grooming videos just make it all look too smooth and easy.

I like the thought of a forward face shave. That's the exact sort of thing our regular groomer would do. She doesn't insist on doing things "by the book." She's very good at tailoring each groom to the dog's particular needs.

Would you recommend the Bravmini for my home grooming? Peggy loathes the feel of the AGC2 on her face, and it's very heavy for me. I know it's not suitable for her body or top knot, but I'd like to get comfortable doing at least her face, feet, and tail at home. The rest can be managed much longer between appointments with just brushing. For that, I'm currently trying to decide between the Big K and the Big G.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Lol! That is _exactly_ what people like me need—to see the reality of home grooming. Like dog training videos, most dog grooming videos just make it all look too smooth and easy.
> 
> I like the thought of a forward face shave. That's the exact sort of thing our regular groomer would do. She doesn't insist on doing things "by the book." She's very good at tailoring each groom to the dog's particular needs.
> 
> Would you recommend the Bravmini for my home grooming? Peggy loathes the feel of the AGC2 on her face, and it's very heavy for me. I know it's not suitable for her body or top knot, but I'd like to get comfortable doing at least her face, feet, and tail at home. The rest can be managed much longer between appointments with just brushing. For that, I'm currently trying to decide between the Big K and the Big G.


I absolutely love my bravmini but I'm not sure I would recommend it for Peggy because it's only got one blade length and that's a 30, though it cuts more like the 40 setting on my bravura. It's a really close cut when going in reverse. It actually works pretty good for doing the face if I use a forward cut, but I have to be careful around the eyes where hair grows in the opposite direction. If I continue on with my forward cut he'd have little bald patches under the eyes. For the face I typically will use the bravmini for the muzzle and then just use a bravura at the 10 setting to cut the rest in reverse. I absolutely love the bravmini for touching up at the lip line though. Some weeks I don't feel like doing a full face shave so I'll just run the bravmini along the lips and around the nose so he stays looking smart and tidy. I do really really love it for the feet because Misha's so sensitive and he tolerates it very well compared to the bravura. But I can cut his feet with the close shave and it seems that's not a good idea for Peggy.


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## Poodlesandbeagles (Oct 23, 2020)

Many groomers routinely use a 30 or 40 blade for poodle face and feet, but I prefer a 10 blade. Most poodles can tolerate a 10 blade, but a few with extra sensitive skin or skin problems cannot even tolerate that. I would definitely ask any future groomers to not use anything shorter than a 10 blade. They should have some way to make a large note so they do not forget in the future! If you decide to skip the poodle feet, the groomer will probably just use the same blade and run it down the leg and the foot. Then just scissor a round foot. A 7 blade on the top of the feet with the direction of hair growth is safe, but I would never use it between the toes. A 7 blade in between the toes would likely end it cuts.


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## Poodlesandbeagles (Oct 23, 2020)

I agree with Raindrops that clipping with the grain/growth of the hair will cause less irritation. The cheeks and v of the neck seem to be the most sensitive areas of the face ( most likely to clipper burn.) Using a 10 with on the cheeks and neck and 10 against on the muzzle has worked well for me on dogs with sensitive skin. If you have not already, I would send pictures and make sure the groomer is aware of the clipper burn. Hopefully she would not make the same mistake again.


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## Phoebe’sMom (Mar 15, 2020)

I completely agreed with everything @Raindrops said above and wish I could give it a love instead of a like! 

I was in training with a professional groomer/poodle owner as soon as I started looking for Phoebe back in August of 2019. Basically she stayed late with her own poodles in her shop and taught me the basics. Even though Phoebe was being groomed by her and me up until covid Phoebe still has areas she needs a super patient and soft touch like around her nose/chin. I having been grooming Phoebe at home since covid and have learned a lot, for us we groom over multiple days like several pf have said as well. Day 1 I bathe/blow dry her in the evening and do a Face(reverses #10)/Feet(#15)/Sanitary(#10) generally we groom on my bedroom floor with a towel under her to catch the fur. Then day 2 we use my dinning room table to do the poms/tail/tk which is with scissors. Day 3 I finish her off with clipping her body(#9 with a guard) just on the floor and repeat every 2 weeks.

I use the Bravura lithium which has the 5in-1 blade which I think cuts a little longer then the normal blade length but for me it works great. I think its pretty light my iphone 11 weighs 230g and the Bravura was 290g for comparison on my kitchen scale.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

her feet overall just looks awful so choppy! I'm sorry..


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Poodlesandbeagles said:


> you have not already, I would send pictures and make sure the groomer is aware of the clipper burn. Hopefully she would not make the same mistake again.


I sent the photo to our regular groomer who owns the grooming salon. She immediately called me, gave me care instructions, and told me she'd pay for any vet bills if Peggy starts working at it and creates a hot spot. Luckily, she's left it alone aside from a few sad licks shortly after she arrived home. 

Her back foot is actually worse. 

She vomited this morning and then slept for a solid 6 hours. She didn't even follow me to the bathroom. Very un-Peggy. But then she begged for two suppers and has since brought me every toy in the house, so I think she's feeling better. I guess yesterday took a lot out of her.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Ava. said:


> her feet overall just looks awful so choppy! I'm sorry..


Yeah, definitely not what I'm used to.  I'm trying to understand how someone so good works with someone who'd send a dog home like this. She didn't even say anything about the burns.


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## pickleweed (Jul 14, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Oh no! Don't let it. Seriously. Part of what made our relationship with Peggy's regular groomer so very special is that it started when Peggy was still quite small. She started slowly and you can do the same with Pooka. Don't wait.
> 
> Then book appointments every 4 weeks (seriously, just book a whole year in advance if you can) and ask for a gradual build-up to a full groom. We were briefly derailed by covid, and you never know else what might be around the bend. So don't delay. Don't let this thread scare you.


Thanks for the reassurance! 🥰 I've been doing brushing and handling all over pretty much every day. And yesterday I got the clippers out and passed them over her body a few times with no problem, then got a little ways on one foot before stopping. We've had her home 2.5 weeks and the breeder had groomed her one final time the day before we picked her up. So we're not really behind YET. But I know I need to get a groomer visit scheduled. Even though I hope to groom her myself long-term, I'm planning to get a relationship established with a groomer while she's still young. 

Thank you for letting me sidebar on your post.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Phoebe’sMom said:


> I completely agreed with everything @Raindrops said above and wish I could give it a love instead of a like!
> 
> I was in training with a professional groomer/poodle owner as soon as I started looking for Phoebe back in August of 2019. Basically she stayed late with her own poodles in her shop and taught me the basics. Even though Phoebe was being groomed by her and me up until covid Phoebe still has areas she needs a super patient and soft touch like around her nose/chin. I having been grooming Phoebe at home since covid and have learned a lot, for us we groom over multiple days like several pf have said as well. Day 1 I bathe/blow dry her in the evening and do a Face(reverses #10)/Feet(#15)/Sanitary(#10) generally we groom on my bedroom floor with a towel under her to catch the fur. Then day 2 we use my dinning room table to do the poms/tail/tk which is with scissors. Day 3 I finish her off with clipping her body(#9 with a guard) just on the floor and repeat every 2 weeks.
> 
> I use the Bravura lithium which has the 5in-1 blade which I think cuts a little longer then the normal blade length but for me it works great. I think its pretty light my iphone 11 weighs 230g and the Bravura was 290g for comparison on my kitchen scale.


Isn't @Raindrops such a treasure??

And what a great idea about the lessons! I wonder if our regular groomer would consider giving me a lesson or two. I think she'd physically be up for it, and I'd pay her of course. She might even appreciate the extra income while she's on leave.

I've been researching the Bravura Lithium since reading your post and there are so many great reviews. Less weight and less vibration would be so much easier on me, and I'm sure Peggy would appreciate it, too. 

I wasn't sure my husband would feel good about spending the money when we already have clippers, but he's very unhappy today about Peggy's obvious discomfort. He's so protective of his poodle.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

pickleweed said:


> Thanks for the reassurance! 🥰 I've been doing brushing and handling all over pretty much every day. And yesterday I got the clippers out and passed them over her body a few times with no problem, then got a little ways on one foot before stopping. We've had her home 2.5 weeks and the breeder had groomed her one final time the day before we picked her up. So we're not really behind YET. But I know I need to get a groomer visit scheduled. Even though I hope to groom her myself long-term, I'm planning to get a relationship established with a groomer while she's still young.
> 
> Thank you for letting me sidebar on your post.


You're welcome here any time! I find I sometimes learn the most when a thread goes on an interesting tangent.  And you can always create new threads to ask questions as they arise. No question is too big, too small, or too silly. I'd be lost without Poodle Forum!

I recommend learning from my experience and establishing a relationship with two groomers, if possible. Or at least do your research so you have a good back-up, just in case.

Our groomer was so committed to building a relationship with Peggy, and we were just so thrilled with her, I didn't even think about what would happen if she was ever unavailable.

I guess in your case you're already learning the basics so you'd be comfortable stepping up in a pinch. I realize now how important that is—not just from my own experience, but because I saw so many local folks panicking because their dogs were getting hopelessly matted at the start of covid, and either clippers were sold out everywhere or they weren't physically up to the task.


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## Phoebe’sMom (Mar 15, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Isn't @Raindrops such a treasure??
> 
> And what a great idea about the lessons! I wonder if our regular groomer would consider giving me a lesson or two. I think she'd physically be up for it, and I'd pay her of course. She might even appreciate the extra income while she's on leave.
> 
> ...


I totally understand the feeling of with spending that kind of money on a set of clippers, I myself am a college student who doesn’t have the money to just throw around on multiple set. How I justified it was since I do home grooming it is what would equal about the price of a professional spoo groom around here. It is also nice to only have the one set of blades instead of worrying about multiple. Maybe if your regular groomer is up for the lessons you could see what she recommends clipper wise, the Bravura Lithium is one of the clippers my groomer had so I was able to test it out before taking the leap of purchasing one. I wish you luck and hope Peggy feels better I cannot imagine what she is feeling.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Isn't @Raindrops such a treasure??
> 
> And what a great idea about the lessons! I wonder if our regular groomer would consider giving me a lesson or two. I think she'd physically be up for it, and I'd pay her of course. She might even appreciate the extra income while she's on leave.
> 
> ...


Haha! Thanks guys. 🥰 I wonder if we could do anything over Zoom. 🤔 Like show you on my dog and you copy on yours kinda thing. I watched groomers on YouTube for 2-3 years before getting Misha so it was less of a learning curve. I know there is a lot you can pick up from video.

I would for sure recommend a bravura for Peggy. Less vibration is definitely better. I don't think Misha would tolerate a regular clipper on his face.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> Haha! Thanks guys. 🥰 I wonder if we could do anything over Zoom. 🤔 Like show you on my dog and you copy on yours kinda thing. I watched groomers on YouTube for 2-3 years before getting Misha so it was less of a learning curve. I know there is a lot you can pick up from video.
> 
> I would for sure recommend a bravura for Peggy. Less vibration is definitely better. I don't think Misha would tolerate a regular clipper on his face.


That would be amazing!! I'm thinking of taking a Zoom haircutting class for myself, so why not do one for Peggy, too. 

My husband's onboard with the Bravura and also a better slicker brush. These seem almost absurdly expensive, but if they make the job more doable for me (and more comfortable for Peggy) they're priceless:









Big K Slicker Brushes


The Chris Christensen Big K brushes were originally designed to fit the specific needs of the Black Russian Terrier; however, it was soon discovered that the brush also worked for dozens of other breeds as well.




chrischristensen.com





I just hate that for every ten rave reviews, there always seems to be someone saying it's the _worst_ product ever made. Online shopping really over-complicates things sometimes.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

I think I prefer the groomer still doing the grooming but as we learn more about our poodles and their sensitivities we are in a better position to advise a groomer how we want things done and what blade to use. When I go to the groomer (hoping to get back) I always remind her nothing shorter than a #10 blade on Renn as he will burn. I did notice day 1 you see slight irritation, day 2-3 its gets worse looking but after that it remains the same and gets better. So if you take Peggy back to the groomer be sure to remind her, maybe even written instructions no blade smaller than a #10 on her sensitive areas. I'm sure she got spoken too and I find most groomers really to love our guys and what to do the best for them. Every dog is different so its important we tell them about our particular dog.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Second (third?) the recommendation for lessons!!! 

Personally I wouldn't bother with a slicker unless you plan on having Peggy's hair a lot longer, if the bristles brush against Annie's skin she gets irritated so I only use a slicker when her hair is super long. A HV dryer to remove mats and tangles is far more useful. I bought the cheap Amazon one (Shelandry, $100 CAD), and am surprisingly happy with it. I personally do a 15 on face and a 15 or 30 on feet, depending on how long it's been since the last groom. 

I had Annie's breeder show me how to do feet/face when I took her home but TBH, I was more in OMG I HAVE A PUPPY OMG mode and didn't learn all that well. 2 grooms and a ton of YouTube videos later, I took Annie to a groomer for FFT, and asked her to show me. She showed me how she clips, how she holds the face/ft, etc. I don't think I would use the groomer I took her to for lessons as Annie's primary groomer, as I didn't think she was gentle enough BUT it was really helpful to see how she held the dogs head and feet still. About a year later, I took her to the same groomer to show me how to do ear plucking.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

For Want of Poodle said:


> Second (third?) the recommendation for lessons!!!
> 
> Personally I wouldn't bother with a slicker unless you plan on having Peggy's hair a lot longer, if the bristles brush against Annie's skin she gets irritated so I only use a slicker when her hair is super long. A HV dryer to remove mats and tangles is far more useful. I bought the cheap Amazon one (Shelandry, $100 CAD), and am surprisingly happy with it. I personally do a 15 on face and a 15 or 30 on feet, depending on how long it's been since the last groom.
> 
> I had Annie's breeder show me how to do feet/face when I took her home but TBH, I was more in OMG I HAVE A PUPPY OMG mode and didn't learn all that well. 2 grooms and a ton of YouTube videos later, I took Annie to a groomer for FFT, and asked her to show me. She showed me how she clips, how she holds the face/ft, etc. I don't think I would use the groomer I took her to for lessons as Annie's primary groomer, as I didn't think she was gentle enough BUT it was really helpful to see how she held the dogs head and feet still. About a year later, I took her to the same groomer to show me how to do ear plucking.


I second the idea of spending money on an HV dryer first (with caveat at the end of this paragraph). While I do like the Big G Coral slicker, I don't use it that often because Misha's hair just isn't that long right now. I think it gets poor reviews by people who do not know how to use it properly. If you just dig in with it, it will wreck the hair. It must be used delicately. 99% of the time I just use a $10 soft slicker with plastic tipped pins because this is what Misha tolerates the best and it never irritates his skin. If he had his hair longer I'd pull out the other slickers more. An HV dryer makes a huge difference in grooming though. I use a flying pig but I have heard good things about the cheaper shelandy. BUT I don't know how you'd fair with it given the limitations with holding your arm up for extended periods. It requires a lot of extended brushing and holding the nozzle.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Mufar42 said:


> I think I prefer the groomer still doing the grooming but as we learn more about our poodles and their sensitivities we are in a better position to advise a groomer how we want things done and what blade to use. When I go to the groomer (hoping to get back) I always remind her nothing shorter than a #10 blade on Renn as he will burn. I did notice day 1 you see slight irritation, day 2-3 its gets worse looking but after that it remains the same and gets better. So if you take Peggy back to the groomer be sure to remind her, maybe even written instructions no blade smaller than a #10 on her sensitive areas. I'm sure she got spoken too and I find most groomers really to love our guys and what to do the best for them. Every dog is different so its important we tell them about our particular dog.


Our regular groomer was so good about making all the correct decisions, I never really had to speak up beyond style preferences. I could always defer to her expertise. 

Though I did have to get very particular about which products she used, as Peggy and I were both having bad reactions to their shampoo. It actually took me a few tries to be firm and clear enough. 

If we do give this groomer another try (or any other groomer) I'm going to give them a poodle diagram that specifies the blade lengths for each body part. My husband will make me a reusable template that I can print out for each appointment, and I will fill it out with my preferences.

With covid, the "hand off" is done at the car and provides much less opportunity for chitchat.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Thank you, @For Want of Poodle and @Raindrops! I do need a good brush for her tail (and her topknot as it grows out). The cheap one I have now manages to bend AND scratch her at the same time, so I hope the CC is at least helpful there. 

If I can master (or at least master-ish!) the FFT, my hope was that I could let the rest of her grow out for at least a few months, and manage it with brushing. But if the HV dryer is essential, I'm probably going to have to scrap that plan. I rarely even dry my own hair anymore, and only ever for a few minutes at the very end. 

Maybe I could use a groomer just for baths until I find someone good. Peggy is still utterly miserable and I can't believe how bad this groom is. She's got long hairs everywhere, in the most random places. It definitely adds insult to injury.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Our regular groomer was so good about making all the correct decisions, I never really had to speak up beyond style preferences. I could always defer to her expertise.
> 
> Though I did have to get very particular about which products she used, as Peggy and I were both having bad reactions to their shampoo. It actually took me a few tries to be firm and clear enough.
> 
> ...


Haha! I like the idea of a diagram. Groomers have trouble with owners give very vague descriptions. I'm sure they'd love exact directions.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> Haha! I like the idea of a diagram. Groomers have trouble with owners give very vague descriptions. I'm sure they'd love exact directions.


Thanks for not thinking that's over-the-top. Lol. I just imagine how much I'd prefer visual instructions if I were a groomer.

If it works out well, I'll share the template here.


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## FloofyPoodle (May 12, 2020)

Raindrops said:


> Haha! I like the idea of a diagram. Groomers have trouble with owners give very vague descriptions. I'm sure they'd love exact directions.


Ah yes... As demonstrated by the ever-persistent 'puppy cut', owners aren't that great at describing sometimes, so I'm sure a diagram will be appreciated... lol


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Almost every groomer insisted on lopping Gracie's ears off into a blunt Dora the Explorer 'do. I asked them to fix it every time, but never even thought of just providing a photo! Seems so silly, as I regularly bring human photos with me to hair salons.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Hello, I would like to add a few comments to the discussion. So sorry your girl had a rough time after the grooming...we went through that once and it was not fun. After years of using a great groomer I took over grooming Poppy about 2 yrs ago. The Shelandy dryer from Amazon was a great decision as it is a super time saver and sets the coat up great for the clipping. I have had it about 2 yrs now. Up around the neck and head I use it with just the hose and no nozzle. It is quieter and not so forceful around the face and ears. I cover the ear openings and her eyes with one hand while drying with the other. I brush the ears and topknot a bit between drying, since I don’t have 3 hands.😁. I do use a nozzle when drying the rest f her coat as it concentrates the air flow and separates the hair so nicely.

The clipper I use is a Wahl Bravura and I have the stainless comb attachment set so I can choose different lengths for her body. I use the 10 blade setting on her face, feet, tummy and private bits. As I gained confidence I moved up to the middle setting, 15, for her feet. When I clip her feet I drape an old sheet on the couch and down onto the floor To catch the hair clippings. Poppy lays on the couch with her feet sticking out onto my lap. I sit on a stool next to the couch and clip her feet that way. She mostly dozes off while I clip. I have a bad,painful neck and shoulder so this is easier on my body. When I do her nails I do the same thing and I trim her nails with the cordless Dremel 7300...very quiet and light weight....got it in the regular tool department of Walmart. Poppy hates a nail clipper but likes the dremel. If the nails get too long you can just dremel them a little every 4 days and eventually they are short again without having cut any quicks during the process.

I do the grooming in stages to make it easier on my old body. I bathe and dry her in the evening. Then the next morning I do her body. Later that same day after I rest and she gets to zoom around, I do her face,topknot, ears and tail. Next day I do feet and nails. 

For bathing I use a hand held shower to wet her down and rinse her off easily. When I could not bend to bathe her I got a shower seat at the thrift store for $5 and used that to sit on while I bathed her. I use my long time favorite shampoo which is Natures Specialties Almond Crisp shampoo and Natures Specialties Coat Conditioner. You dilute each of those products heavily before using. 1 oz product to 32 oz water. Once diluted I put each product in an empty dish detergent bottle which makes it easy to apply where needed. Order these products on Amazon for best price and free prime shipping. Even with frequent bathing, Poppy is a piggy sometimes, a 32 oz bottle of shampoo lasts us about a year because you dilute it. 

I use an old Formica top small kitchen table for grooming. It is the same height as most grooming tables, 31”, and is very sturdy. I got a cheap yoga mat at Walmart and cut it to fit the table top....cushion and traction for Poppy. I have a bar stool hat I sit on while doing her legs, chest and sides and I stand to do the rest of her. To get her onto the table, Poppy puts her front feet up on the table for me and then I just boost the rear end up. To get her down I lift her under her chest and behind her butt, turn away from the table and slowly slide her rear legs to the ground. Once her back legs are on the ground I take my other arm away from her chest and she lowers her front legs to the ground. This way I am just scooping her off the table and not having to bend over putting her down. Saves my old back. 

Before I began grooming her I watched a lot of grooming videos and found that Sue Zecco videos were most helpful, especially for doing face, neck and feet. Here is my favorite one... 



. Another one you might look for is Jay Scruggs Super Styling Session showing how to do topknots. I have been most challenged by doing feet and topknots. We had a few funny looking haircuts for a while, but Poppy did not know it and I have gotten better at it. I hope some of this info is helpful. Cathy and Poppy


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Wow @Viking Queen! I am blown away by your generosity and so grateful. Thank you especially for describing the modifications you've made to accommodate your physical abilities. Extremely helpful. Can't thank you enough!


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Cathy, I am so thrilled to hear from you! You have done such a good job of explaining here  And your Poppy is looking so pretty after your grooms.

I was in Colorado with my spoo Tiki a few years ago. He had had a traumatic time at a groomer, and Cathy contacted me and recommended her groomer. I am forever grateful, even though I had to drive several hours to get him groomed for a few months. 

I do wish I didn't have arthritis and a bad back and rotator cuff so that I could groom Tiki.  His groomer here at home in Michigan is so very busy. Somehow I didn't put his appointment in my calendar this month and he is going to be looking terrible since we missed it and she is full for the next 4 weeks. Blessings Cathy! Give Poppy a snuggle from me


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Thankyou Viking Queen for that very informative post. I copied it and emailed it to myself for further reference. I've been doing ok with clipping Renn but his ears and topknot are quite long now as I found it too intimidating to trim. I did a little a few weeks ago but I will look at those videos and try further. Also getting a nice clean look on his feet, they look ok but not as sharp as when his groomer does him. 
Peggys mom..Also because of cover our groomer was doing a hand off outdoors, this is challenging with Renn as he doesn't want to go with her, and her shop is too near the highway, if ever he would break and run from then I would lose him to the traffic for sure. I just haven't felt comfortable doing this. Anyway I'm now finding grooming him myself is in the end less stressful to both of us so I continue on. Bathing is my issue, I don't have the ability to put him in the tub as I can't properly rinse him, so I will try the walk in shower which I've avoided because of all the glass but I do have my husbands chair in their and a hand held so...


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

kontiki said:


> Cathy, I am so thrilled to hear from you! You have done such a good job of explaining here  And your Poppy is looking so pretty after your grooms.
> 
> I was in Colorado with my spoo Tiki a few years ago. He had had a traumatic time at a groomer, and Cathy contacted me and recommended her groomer. I am forever grateful, even though I had to drive several hours to get him groomed for a few months.
> 
> I do wish I didn't have arthritis and a bad back and rotator cuff so that I could groom Tiki. His groomer here at home in Michigan is so very busy. Somehow I didn't put his appointment in my calendar this month and he is going to be looking terrible since we missed it and she is full for the next 4 weeks. Blessings Cathy! Give Poppy a snuggle from me


It is good to hear from you. I don’t spend much time on the forum lately,busy with other things. I guess. Groomers here were closed for several months, even dear Marie. I helped her out coordinating a few things the first day she reopened and made her some washable masks for her and her staff to use. My shoulder is horrible, my neck is a wreck and sometimes my hands don’t work ell, but ai do somehow manage to get Poppy groomed. I was happy to have the skills during the COVID shutdowns. I anticipate that we will be shut down again soon. Today is bathing and blow drying day for us. T is cold and we anticipate 65 mph winds all day...maybe snow tonight so staying in is a good option today. Our 2 1/2 months of heavy smoke and ash from forest fires is hopefully ove now too. It has been a bad year in many ways. Poppy is a blessing to me. Be well, and hugs and. Smooches to you and Tiki. Cathy and Poppy


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Wow @Viking Queen! I am blown away by your generosity and so grateful. Thank you especially for describing the modifications you've made to accommodate your physical abilities. Extremely helpful. Can't thank you enough!


I hope some of this is helpful to you...glad I could share. Years ago I changed out my regular shower head for a water pik brand hand held shower. It was about $30-40 at Walmart and takes 5 minutes to install, no tools needed. Screw off old shower head, screw on the new. Boom! Done! It makes all the difference in the world in bathing Poppy, and Iris and Rose before that. Also makes cleaning up the shower or tub easy afterwards. WhenI bathe Poppy in the walk in shower I just put on shorts and get in with her. Depending on the condition of my back I either stand and bend over to bathe her or I use the shower chair/stool. Either is ok. If I use the other bathroom and bath her in the tub I sit on the edge of the tub or use the shower chair. I have learned to be ambidextrous as I had a long period of time where I could not use my right arm from a bad rotator cuff injury. Chiropractor finally fixed that for me. Bathing a dog one handed was a challenge. The Shelandy dryer made such a difference. The hose is feather light and requires no effort to use it or hold it. Because the dryer separates and drys at the same time the coat requires much less time and effort to comb and brush. If I think of any other helpful tips to pass on I will do so. Off to bathe my shaggy girl now!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Viking Queen said:


> I hope some of this is helpful to you...glad I could share. Years ago I changed out my regular shower head for a water pik brand hand held shower. It was about $30-40 at Walmart and takes 5 minutes to install, no tools needed. Screw off old shower head, screw on the new. Boom! Done! It makes all the difference in the world in bathing Poppy, and Iris and Rose before that. Also makes cleaning up the shower or tub easy afterwards. WhenI bathe Poppy in the walk in shower I just put on shorts and get in with her. Depending on the condition of my back I either stand and bend over to bathe her or I use the shower chair/stool. Either is ok. If I use the other bathroom and bath her in the tub I sit on the edge of the tub or use the shower chair. I have learned to be ambidextrous as I had a long period of time where I could not use my right arm from a bad rotator cuff injury. Chiropractor finally fixed that for me. Bathing a dog one handed was a challenge. The Shelandy dryer made such a difference. The hose is feather light and requires no effort to use it or hold it. Because the dryer separates and drys at the same time the coat requires much less time and effort to comb and brush. If I think of any other helpful tips to pass on I will do so. Off to bathe my shaggy girl now!
> View attachment 471227


Look at that cute shaggy girl! Adorable!

I just spoke with my husband about getting a dryer and he suggested he dries while I brush or vice versa. I've made note of the dryer brand you recommend. Thank you again! 

I partially dislocated my shoulder in February and was at the chiropractor every few days in the weeks leading up to our first lockdown. It was a nightmare injury. Affected so many muscles! I've been doing everything possible to avoid re-injuring it. Glad to hear you were able to make a full recovery.

Peggy's misery has reached a new level today. Her eyes are oozing and she's got angry red inflammation between her toes. She spent the first two hours of this morning frantic with discomfort. I finally had to wrap her tight in a blanket to get her to calm down enough to sleep.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Tugging my heartstrings....


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I have found Hypercal (hypericum and calendula) ointment brilliant for soothing and healing abrasions and sore patches. It is in a lanolin base which keeps he skin flexible, and is soothing, healing and safe for animals - I have asked several vets. I used i on Pippin cat when he had a bad reaction to the surgical spirit used for cleaning before blood tests, and on other sore spots on cats, dogs, horses and myself. Highly recommended, if you can lay your hands on some.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Tugging my heartstrings....
> 
> View attachment 471244


Poor sweet Peggy. She looks so sad. Just want to add that what I do for clipper irritation is to apply vitamin E oil. Stops Misha itching if I trim a spot too short. I am sure there are many remedies but vitamin E promotes skin healing as well.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

fjm said:


> I have found Hypercal (hypericum and calendula) ointment brilliant for soothing and healing abrasions and sore patches. It is in a lanolin base which keeps he skin flexible, and is soothing, healing and safe for animals - I have asked several vets. I used i on Pippin cat when he had a bad reaction to the surgical spirit used for cleaning before blood tests, and on other sore spots on cats, dogs, horses and myself. Highly recommended, if you can lay your hands on some.


Thank you! Doing some local research now.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> Poor sweet Peggy. She looks so sad. Just want to add that what I do for clipper irritation is to apply vitamin E oil. Stops Misha itching if I trim a spot too short. I am sure there are many remedies but vitamin E promotes skin healing as well.


That would be easy for me to get today. Thank you! 

It's so sad watching her try to sleep through the discomfort. Lots of twitching and dreaming. Yesterday she didn't take any of her usual naps and then crashed hard around 10pm. 

I'm also wildly allergic to her (or something on her) at the moment. I may need to give her a bath.


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## JenniferH in Goleta (Jul 18, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Some of you may recall that we really lucked out with Peggy's groomer. Peggy came home from every appointment happy and well-behaved. We were over the moon.
> 
> Well, that groomer has been on health leave now for months, so we eventually tried her colleague. The first time was okay. The groom itself wasn't up to our regular groomer's standards, and Peggy seemed uncomfortable for a couple of weeks after, but this has been our experience with past groomers.
> 
> ...


This is NOT normal. She should be happy after a visit to the groomer. Don't go back!


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

For the irritated feet get some baby socks with the little rubber grippy spots on them. Get some Neosporin Cream with Pain reliever...make sure you get the cream not the ointment as the cream will soak in and not be greasy. The pain reliever in the cream will help A lot. Put that on her feet then the socks over that. You may have to tape the socks in place if she tries getting them off. 

For her eyes get a bottle of Saline solution for sensitive eyes....it has fewer chemical preservatives.....you will find it near the contact solutions and other eye drops. Just flush her eyes with it ....it will get little hairs out and be soothing. I laid Iris on the bed with a towel under her head as I flushed. She had gotten into something with awful irritating pollen and her eyes were swollen. The vet recommended it. A Walmart store should have this stuff. Poor little Peggy


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Our regular groomer is so kind I could cry. She has offered to meet Peggy at the salon, give her a bath, check on how she's healing and figure out a plan. She even offered to pick her up from our house because my husband's hurt his neck and can't drive.

And I just got a decent price on the Bravura (an unpopular colour, I guess?) and it should be here in a few days. I just need Peggy's mental state to improve before I try it out on her. The itchy unpleasantness is probably driving her truly mad.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Our regular groomer is so kind I could cry. She has offered to meet Peggy at the salon, give her a bath, check on how she's healing and figure out a plan. She even offered to pick her up from our house because my husband's hurt his neck and can't drive.
> 
> And I just got a decent price on the Bravura (an unpopular colour, I guess?) and it should be here in a few days. I just need Peggy's mental state to improve before I try it out on her. The itchy unpleasantness is probably driving her truly mad.


What a sweet woman your groomer is. I hope Peggy is feeling much better soon. Poor husband....bad necks are very painful..hope he is feeling better soon too. You have all had such a difficult time lately. I think that you will not regret getting the Bravura clippers. Good choice! Hope everyone is feeling much better very soon!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Viking Queen said:


> What a sweet woman your groomer is. I hope Peggy is feeling much better soon. Poor husband....bad necks are very painful..hope he is feeling better soon too. You have all had such a difficult time lately. I think that you will not regret getting the Bravura clippers. Good choice! Hope everyone is feeling much better very soon!


I feel a little like a nurse today, tending to them both. They're actually making quite a sweet team right now. I put Peggy's stretchy fleece on her, thinking maybe some light, consistent pressure might distract from the itchy sensations. And sure enough.... 










Comfortable husband. Comfortable poodle.


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## Starvt (Nov 5, 2019)

Aww Peggy...
Second the saline eye drops. Or even polysporin eye drops.
For her feet, epsom salt soaks are soothing, draw out any infection and oozing, and promote healing. 5 min 2-3 to mes a day would do wonders.


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## pickleweed (Jul 14, 2020)

Viking Queen said:


> I hope some of this info is helpful. Cathy and Poppy


This was a treasure trove of helpful ideas. I have chronic back problems and also a bad right shoulder. Thank you, Viking Queen!

As far as saline for Peggy’s eyes, I have issues with developing allergies to any preservatives used in contact solutions or eye drops, so I use the eye saline that comes in the little individual plastic vials with the tops that twist off. Like people use after lasik surgery. I haven’t investigated whether they are ok for dogs yet, but I would suspect they are. The small size means I can always have some in my wallet or purse.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

The last time I tried someone else I specifically said a 10 on Face, Feet, and Fanny, and a 7 on his body, then to hand scissor his tail head and ears. He came back with a 10 on his body which was pink and raw, and he actually bit at it for over a week, and a sloppy 7 on his feet, face, and fanny. Unbelievable. And that groomer charged more than his regular groomer and said he tried to bite her! He has never tried to bite anyone in his life (11 years). So he is never going there again.

Suggestion for raw parts, as I had a prior groomer that scalped his feet during a groom in the winter. He was actually leaving bloody footprints in the snow. 

I put an old protective sheet on my bed (where he sleeps), and had him lay on it while I gently rubbed organic unrefined coconut oil on his feet and tummy just before we turned in He seemed to love it, and then lay on the protective sheet all night. By morning there was no more greasy feel, and by day three he was much better. I really love using healthy organic remedies with zero chemicals. 

Peggy looks adorable in her 'polka dots 'n plaid'


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I needed that today, @kontiki. Thank you. That sounds so similar to our experience and I'm glad (albeit sad) that we're not alone.

I know how physically uncomfortable Peggy is, but oh boy am I ever exhausted. She can't settle like she usually does, because she'll just start to relax when something pricks or pokes or stings and she'll jump straight up. The only thing that consistently works is putting her fleece on her, but it's too warm during the day for that.

At least she managed to nap for a few hours this morning while I caught up on sleep. And my husband is no longer bedridden with his neck injury (although I suspect he still should be) so we can take turns with her.

Plus, it's raining hard today, so each time she goes outside, whatever allergen is clinging to her hair is getting rinsed away, bit by bit. I am finally not sneezing whenever she gets close.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Update on Peggy: She was still extremely uncomfortable and unsettled as of this morning, when I found a little bump on her rump. It felt almost like a pimple. Hmmmm. She wasn't too happy having it touched, but I gently poked around under her hair, gave it a little scratch with my nail, and extracted something sharp and thin. It fell apart in the process so I couldn't see what it was. But I'm wondering if it was a splinter that was either trapped under her hair and poking her or was actually embedded in her skin and then got slowly pushed out.

Either way, she was visibly more relaxed afterwards. She went to her weekly play date, had a blast, and has been sleeping soundly since her post-dinner training session. Even if tomorrow brings another fresh round of itchy misery, I'm grateful for this peaceful night.

And I put a poodle grooming book on hold at our library.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Good news that you all got a better night's sleep. And the Kalstone book is invaluable!


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Update on Peggy: She was still extremely uncomfortable and unsettled as of this morning, when I found a little bump on her rump. It felt almost like a pimple. Hmmmm. She wasn't too happy having it touched, but I gently poked around under her hair, gave it a little scratch with my nail, and extracted something sharp and thin. It fell apart in the process so I couldn't see what it was. But I'm wondering if it was a splinter that was either trapped under her hair and poking her or was actually embedded in her skin and then got slowly pushed out.


A sharp poke in the fanny would not be very comfortable! So glad you got it out


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Update on Peggy: She was still extremely uncomfortable and unsettled as of this morning, when I found a little bump on her rump. It felt almost like a pimple. Hmmmm. She wasn't too happy having it touched, but I gently poked around under her hair, gave it a little scratch with my nail, and extracted something sharp and thin. It fell apart in the process so I couldn't see what it was. But I'm wondering if it was a splinter that was either trapped under her hair and poking her or was actually embedded in her skin and then got slowly pushed out.
> 
> Either way, she was visibly more relaxed afterwards. She went to her weekly play date, had a blast, and has been sleeping soundly since her post-dinner training session. Even if tomorrow brings another fresh round of itchy misery, I'm grateful for this peaceful night.
> 
> ...


That's great to hear. Misha has had little thorns stuck in him before. Easy to miss with poodle fluff.


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## Bable (Jan 19, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Some of you may recall that we really lucked out with Peggy's groomer. Peggy came home from every appointment happy and well-behaved. We were over the moon.
> 
> Well, that groomer has been on health leave now for months, so we eventually tried her colleague. The first time was okay. The groom itself wasn't up to our regular groomer's standards, and Peggy seemed uncomfortable for a couple of weeks after, but this has been our experience with past groomers.
> 
> ...


So sad and sorry! I took my Sable to groomer to get the puppy coat off, then things got really busy this summer. I bought an electric clipper to shave her face and feet. Also experimented with different combs/brushes for her coat. Things went really well, and I use Main and Tail horse detangler. Works good. I plan on taking her back to groomer to get trimmed shorter more evenly soon. Point being, you can shave your dog yourself better than you think until you can get back to groomer, without hurting your baby. I hope your baby is trusting again soon, delicate little babes with tender skin!


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## 1fast8 (May 16, 2020)

I had a similar experience with kimber I made an appointment with a friend of mine’s groomer because his dog was always perfectly groomed. I could tell kimber didn’t like her appearance (let’s just say not feminine and covered in tattoos) but I didn’t want to cheat her out of an appointment so I left her there and she received the best looking groom of her life but I still never took her back there


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## Bable (Jan 19, 2020)

1fast8 said:


> I had a similar experience with kimber I made an appointment with a friend of mine’s groomer because his dog was always perfectly groomed. I could tell kimber didn’t like her appearance (let’s just say not feminine and covered in tattoos) but I didn’t want to cheat her out of an appointment so I left her there and she received the best looking groom of her life but I still never took her back there


Why didn't you take her back? What happened to Kimber?


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## 1fast8 (May 16, 2020)

Bable said:


> Why didn't you take her back? What happened to Kimber?


Kimber just didn’t like her appearance and I am not going to leave my baby with someone she doesn’t like


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## dogs123 (Jun 14, 2012)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Some of you may recall that we really lucked out with Peggy's groomer. Peggy came home from every appointment happy and well-behaved. We were over the moon.
> 
> Well, that groomer has been on health leave now for months, so we eventually tried her colleague. The first time was okay. The groom itself wasn't up to our regular groomer's standards, and Peggy seemed uncomfortable for a couple of weeks after, but this has been our experience with past groomers.
> 
> ...


Hi
i have groomed my dogs, schnauzers, and poodles for 50 years. When I started, I could only afford an Oster clipper, comb, and scissors....saved money and bought a book on grooming....today, on you tube, they have all kinds of demos on poodle grooming....some good, some not so good. It takes me about 3 1/2 to 4 hours to clip, scissor, bathe, blow dry, clean ears, and brush teeth. A whole bunch of work. 
There is training involved in getting them to be good on the grooming table...HOWEVER, this requires PATIENCE, time and gentle, but firm training. I would bet this groomer is not. I would never take my dog back to someone that when my dog came back, they were fearful. Also, the feet were done, I suspect with a #30 blade....this is alright IF you are experienced and very gentle. I would also guess she was in a hurry, and ‘jammed“ thru the processed....bad, bad bad. Some groomers look at the grooming as “time is money”, and slam thru the grooming process. Please take her to someone who is knowledgeable, and gentle....she can become fearful of clippers and people....she looks like such a sweetheart....


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

1fast8 said:


> Kimber just didn’t like her appearance and I am not going to leave my baby with someone she doesn’t like


I wouldn't judge a groomer based on their appearance, and I would hope my poodle wouldn't either.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

dogs123 said:


> Hi
> i have groomed my dogs, schnauzers, and poodles for 50 years. When I started, I could only afford an Oster clipper, comb, and scissors....saved money and bought a book on grooming....today, on you tube, they have all kinds of demos on poodle grooming....some good, some not so good. It takes me about 3 1/2 to 4 hours to clip, scissor, bathe, blow dry, clean ears, and brush teeth. A whole bunch of work.
> There is training involved in getting them to be good on the grooming table...HOWEVER, this requires PATIENCE, time and gentle, but firm training. I would bet this groomer is not. I would never take my dog back to someone that when my dog came back, they were fearful. Also, the feet were done, I suspect with a #30 blade....this is alright IF you are experienced and very gentle. I would also guess she was in a hurry, and ‘jammed“ thru the processed....bad, bad bad. Some groomers look at the grooming as “time is money”, and slam thru the grooming process. Please take her to someone who is knowledgeable, and gentle....she can become fearful of clippers and people....she looks like such a sweetheart....


Our regular groomer is definitely that magical mix of firm and gentle, and she also is passionate about dog behaviour and learning as much as she can. She's good at reading her clients and giving them breaks when they need them. She even once sensed that Peggy urgently needed to poop and took her outside! She said she was more restless than usual.

Now that's a good groomer! 

I'm happy to say that Peggy seems 100% back to normal. She has her annual check-up on Monday, and because of covid we'll have to hand her off in the parking lot, very similar to the process we had to follow at the grooming salon. I hope there won't be any uncharacteristic nervousness or hesitation, but I'm prepared for it.


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## 1fast8 (May 16, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I wouldn't judge a groomer based on their appearance, and I would hope my poodle wouldn't either.


Well she does judge people on their appearance. I have noticed when we are in the truck and stopped at a light she makes sure that I see the panhandlers if they are coming near our truck. She doesn’t care for people wearing hoodies when it’s not cold either she doesn’t bark she just backs up and doesn’t like them to get close to her


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

1fast8 said:


> Well she does judge people on their appearance. I have noticed when we are in the truck and stopped at a light she makes sure that I see the panhandlers if they are coming near our truck. She doesn’t care for people wearing hoodies when it’s not cold either she doesn’t bark she just backs up and doesn’t like them to get close to her


That might be something worth working on then. Part of our puppy socialization class was introducing all the puppies to people with props: Big hats, walkers, etc. But it never really ends. We live in a pretty mild climate, so Peggy's never seen anyone in a big hooded parka, for example. I suspect she'll momentarily be quite concerned!

It's also possible your poodle's feeding off your feelings. If you're apprehensive, she will be, too.


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## 1fast8 (May 16, 2020)

No it’s not me I am big guy don’t get nervous my girl just a little judgmental she always loves kids (boy or girl) usually prefer men over women even if she doesn’t really want to engage with someone if I tell her to sit they can pet her


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

1fast8 said:


> Kimber just didn’t like her appearance and I am not going to leave my baby with someone she doesn’t like





1fast8 said:


> Well she does judge people on their appearance. I have noticed when we are in the truck and stopped at a light she makes sure that I see the panhandlers if they are coming near our truck. She doesn’t care for people wearing hoodies when it’s not cold either she doesn’t bark she just backs up and doesn’t like them to get close to her


I agree with the others who have commented here. This is very obviously an instance where your dog is picking up on your own dislike and judgement.
How sad that you took her to an awesome groomer and say you won't take her back because of tattoos that 'your dog' doesn't like.' Your, and her, loss.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Update: I used the Bravura Lithium for the first time today, to clean up some of the hairy mess that was left around one of Peggy's eyes. (I get more angry about this groom with every passing day.)

Conclusion: I LOVE IT! I'm sure she'll catch on quickly and start trying to dodge me, but today, at least, Peggy was fine letting me hold her face and clip a little here and there. With the AGC2, she acted like I was torturing her.

The best part is that it's so much easier for me to hold.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Another update: The CC Big K is wow!!!

I was using a pin brush or (poor quality) tipped slicker on Peggy's tail and topknot, and they worked well enough, I guess. But just a few easy swipes with the Big K and her tail went from this:










To this:










And I can't stop touching her silky soft topknot!

That brush is probably overkill for anyone who doesn't need the process to be as efficient as possible. But what a lifesaver for me.

Our groomer has also offered to answer any questions I have about home grooming. Turns out she uses the Bravura Lithium, too, so that was reassuring.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Another update: The CC Big K is wow!!!
> I was using a pin brush or (poor quality) tipped slicker on Peggy's tail and topknot, and they worked well enough, I guess. But just a few easy swipes with the Big K and her tail went from this:
> View attachment 471724
> 
> ...


It looks like the big K has bristles farther apart than the big G. Which is better at getting those little curly tight knots out?
And are she and you using the normal sized Bravura on her face and feet? or the Bravura Mini?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

kontiki said:


> It looks like the big K has bristles farther apart than the big G. Which is better at getting those little curly tight knots out?
> And are she and you using the normal sized Bravura on her face and feet? or the Bravura Mini?


I read roughly a gazillion reviews and decided on the Big K. I wish I could recall what ultimately convinced me! I don't have the Big G to compare it to. Maybe it would be even better. But I'm happy so far. 

Here are the descriptions from the CC website:

Big G

Designed for fluffing curly, cottony coats
Use to fluff and shape heads, toplines, and legs
Use large Big G slicker on body and medium Big G on legs, columns, and poms
40% more pins than the Big K brushes
Stylish coral color
Combats tough tangles and matts
Special pin bend creates lift & movement to pick up more coat
Flexible cushion is gentle and forgiving
Extreme curved back allows for more control, movement & direction
Extra long ergonomic handle reduces arm & hand fatigue
Big K

Designed for detangling and removing knots
Gets down to the root and removes hard-to-reach undercoat
Thins and separate hairs throughout the coat, creating lift and volume
Special pin bend creates lift & movement to pick up more coat
Flexible cushion is gentle and forgiving
Extreme curved back allows for more control, movement & direction
Extra long ergonomic handle reduces arm & hand fatigue









Big K Slicker Brushes


The Chris Christensen Big K brushes were originally designed to fit the specific needs of the Black Russian Terrier; however, it was soon discovered that the brush also worked for dozens of other breeds as well.




chrischristensen.com





As for the Bravura, I got the regular size: Wahl Bravura Lithium Clippers

I've only used it on her face so far, and just a small patch of hair that the groomer missed. But Peggy didn't jump away from it like she does from my corded Andis clippers. 

And both the Big K and Bravura are _much_ easier to hold than my comparable tools.


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