# Groomer peeve



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Since you love your groomer at the vet make a standing appointment. Why go somewhere else when you are happy? Not sure what most groomers do as I do touch ups on Swizzle but I think many will do as you ask. If not maybe they don't want to use clippers on a dog that is not freshly washed.


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## Pluto (Jul 8, 2012)

A corporate store likely doesn't have the flexibility to provide the al la cart services you are requesting. I also only clip a freshly bathed and brushed out dog, and would not trust the general public to bring me a clean and brushed dog ready for a touch up, whereas your vet groomer knows you and has developed a personal relationship and knows you will bring the dog in the condition required for them to do a touch up.

For the above reason I would venture to guess most groomers would be unwilling to offer these services to a person that cold calls them, vs an existing client were they know the dog and it's condition. So yes, I would say it is customary to require a bath and brush be performed with a trim.


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## Doggroomer812 (May 4, 2011)

*partial groom*

I do not do 'partial' grooms, or parts grooming (well I just need _____ touched up). It is too hard on my equipment to try to work with dirty hair... and if I am trying to touch up hair that has not been freshly bathed and blown out, It will be cut crooked. Lastly, as a groomer I need to make 'X' an hour.... if I am stopping to do 20-30 minutes of work for $10, I might not be hitting my hourly $$... and if she works at a shop where she is not the owner she may only get half (or less) of that money


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

Hello
I am not a professional groomer, but have been grooming my poodles for 25 years. I have a small 'clientele' of dogs who come to me. This helps defray costs of fostering.
That being said, I have a shih tzu who comes every 7 - 8 weeks. Her nose was always freshly shaved and I thought it was the owner doing this. She is fussy about the hair on nose being completely shaved. I should mention that I photograph every dog who comes before and after grooming. I make notes on the photos for next visit. I started to notice that the ears and top of head were being cut as well as the face. I had photos to prove I wasn't creating this 'look.' I was unhappy about the trim and ventured a question to the owner about this. (It was delaying the look of the head that she was asking for.)
She admitted that she took her shih tzu to a store/groomer at the half way point and 'they only charge me 10.00 to shave the nose.' I told her that were doing more than the nose and if she wanted the head that she kept asking for she would need to ask them to ONLY shave the nose. I showed her the photo and explained how I had to start over every groom to create the head she wanted and THIS was the reason why the head was not turning out as she kept requesting.
She was very nice about it and promised to NOT go back to the groomer/store.
WE have a very happy relationship and now the head is as she requested.


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Thx everyone. I never thought about making a standing appt. thx a bunch for the tip. 


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## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

Without fail make a standing appt. As a groomer I love the clients with standings & would do extras for them, like shave face & feet on a clean poodle. I though do not do full scissors on a client that wants to bathe their dog at home & me give the dog a haircut, they are charged full price. II also have discounted prices on my bi weekly, weekly & bi monthly dogs & if they were to miss their appt. & go someplace else they would have sticker shock. You like your groomer, she is booked which is good, then book for the year.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I have standing appointments for my dogs. It works well. I never call to make an appointment. I do call a day or two ahead if I can't keep my standing appointment (rarely happens).


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

I clip my own dogs, but the groomer I used for my shih tuzs will touch up a lopsided TK for me for $7. I also have had her do Stella for me in a pinch. I did the bath and blow dry for her, but she got her full pay plus a tip.


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Ash will let me groom her and is still and compliant. Missy on the other hand acts like I'm skinning her alive. She acts fine for the groomer though 


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## Minnie (Apr 25, 2011)

3dogs said:


> II also have discounted prices on my bi weekly, weekly & bi monthly dogs & if they were to miss their appt. & go someplace else they would have sticker shock.


My current groomer does this - she is such a dear and I'm really going to miss her when we move. I do keep her very clean, brushed, and tip as I really appreciate this service!


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

PoodlePaws said:


> I LOVE my groomer at our vet. She always does a fabulous job. If I just want face and feet shaved and nails done, with no other grooming like bath or trim, she will only charge me $10.
> 
> It's hard to get in for an appt though. So I called the groomer at petco to see what they'd charge me for just a face/feet shave. They told me $49. I tried to explain I didn't want a full groom, but they claimed they don't do "partial" grooms. It's either all or nothing.
> 
> ...



It is very normal. At Petco we only get 50% commission on full grooms and nail trims, 40% on baths. Only a crazy person would do all of that work for 5 dollars. A nail trim costs $10 alone. I would never ever ever charge someone only $10 for face feet sanitary and nail trim. Getting the feet nice and clean takes time which is money. Also, there is no way to charge for that. They would have to charge you as a nail trim. More reasons why we won't do partial grooms is that it is harder to get a nice cut on a dirty dog and while some customers may bathe at home, it can't be guaranteed that they will be nice and clean and blown out. $49 is actually a great price, where I work we would charge a base price of $52 for face feet sani nail trim ear cleaning and bath and brush. Expensive I know, but we are only getting 50%. If we had a higher commission we would be able to charge less. One day I hope to work in a nice privately owned salon that doesn't charge so much!


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## Gracie's Mum (Dec 1, 2010)

And, even tho your dog may be freshly bathed before the partial groom, all it takes is a tiny bit of grit (dirt, sand, ect) to completely ruin the edge on our clipper blades and/or shears.

I also, will not do partial grooms.


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