# Traumatized after Groomer Visit!



## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

I usually groom my own dogs, 
Yesterday I took Sally my black Toy poodle to the groomer at her Vets office
thinking it would be easier & I could go shopping 

Well, when I picked her up 3 hours later she was still damp, the groomer told me that she didn't want to stress the dog, which I thought strange, being cold in a pen would be stressful I would think, I blowdried her properly at home 

Since we have been home Sally is acting very clingy, I went outside to put the washing on the line & she started, Howling & crying hysterically

Today I went to the postbox in full view of the house & Sally Howled & cried again
These things don't bother her normally
She is following me constantly & is upset if I don't let her
How long do you think this will go on for, I now feel like I can't go anywhere


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

One would think a groomer who works in the vets office would know better. Personally I would speak to my vet, tell him when ou picked up your dog she was wet and is now exhibiting strange behavior which is causing her to cry and not want to leave your side. Perhaps she got hurt? Maybe a check from he vet is in order and they most certainly should speak to the groomer.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Leaving the dog wet certainly won’t win a prize but maybe she wasn’t hurt.

If it’s the first time your dog was separated from you, at a strange place too, maybe you’re just living the aftermath of separation anxiety.

I would call my vet though and talk about it.


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## Moni (May 8, 2018)

I have said this often but the amount of training necessary for your dog to be ok with somebody else to groom you might as well do it yourself (if you have the patience and ability to learn and if you can afford the equipment). I also home groom my mini and he is super chill about every aspect but I know if I were to leave him elsewhere for grooming I would have to prep him for at least a month with visits and slow and gentle intro to all the different tools, noises etc...So sorry this happened to your dog but honestly I am not surprised - mine would be the same way. I saw this when I recently bought the new dryer and clipper. This is the same dog that usually falls asleep during grooming yet with the new tools he was totally pushed out of his comfort zone...


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Your groomer may have had a good point. If your dog wasn't use to strangers grooming her or this unfamiliar place, the less done, the better to keep from over whelming her. And maybe the groomer had a feeling, being very use to dogs... that drying would stress her out too much. I don't think it would hurt her unless it was very cold in the room. 

You might be able to ask the groomer to work with you...so you could bring in your dog for very short "token" sessions with_ you_ in the room where she just does a little snip snip here, a little blow dry there etc. If you could do that 3 times a week say...and then build up to longer mini sessions where you step out of the room and come right back over and over, lengthening the duration you stay out, gradually it might help her get desensitized and conditioned to this procedure. You'd have to pay something to the groomer but if she's willing to work with you and get a little money for the training help, it could be very worthwhile. It seems like it could add up cost wise but if she doesn't ask for too much and if it only takes a couple weeks, it might be okay. Usually most behaviors like this can be modified in a couple weeks. 

If your groomer is too busy to do this with you, you might even ask a friend to help you. She can pretend to be grooming your dog while you're near by...just token sessions for training purposes. As she gets okay with that friend, ask another one...to let your dog know that having other people mess with her hair is really fun...it comes complete with lots of praise, attention and stupendous treats. Keep sessions VERY short...3 - 5 minutes but as often as possible. Vary locations. 

I'd want my dog to be okay with new groomers because there could come a time where it's absolutely necessary for one reason or another. Matisse was fine from the beginning with different groomers when he was showing. I think we used 3 or 4 before settling on the best of the best. Maurice didn't go so much because he wasn't showing... but once or twice and I stayed with him. Matisse I left with the groomer because she was so highly rated and well thought of. I'm quite paranoid about leaving my dogs with anyone until I'm sure of them. Plus, in some of those cases, it was a long drive so I stayed with them to save myself a trip. Anyhow, they were both fine but they had been very thoroughly socialized from the beginning and were/are exceedingly outgoing. Other than that time when Matisse was showing and only before a show, I groom the dogs myself and have ever since.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Of course it's not unusual for a dog that has not been properly introduced to professional grooming at a young age to be stressed by suddenly being placed into such a situation.
Usually blow drying is one of the highest stress parts of the groom if a dog will become stressed so that's probably why they didn't finish it if the dog was finding it stressful. That's kindness on the groomer's part to prevent your dog from being more stressed. A dog won't have issues from being a bit damp for a little bit. 
If you want to have your dog professionally groomed at some point you need to desensitize your dog to the groomer just like you would desensitize them to anything else in their life. Some dogs will take it all in stride no matter the age, but others will not. That's not the groomer's fault.


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

Sally has been groomed twice at the Vets when her puppy coat was changing
I needed extra help with the clipping
I think this was a different groomer

I will have to phone her, because
My dogs coat is very uneven & choppy & I feel Sally now has sore legs!

Sally didn't even want me to brush her legs today & cried, she usually is relaxed & falls asleep when I groom her

I can't help thinking she was treated roughly! I feel like I did this to her, very sad
Lots of cuddles & treats today
I will groom & clip her myself from now on, I'm not going thru this again


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

*Update*

Sally feels a lot better now! 

I phoned the Vets groomer & she told me Sally was very wriggly as they tried clipping & had to get a firm hold on poor Sally's legs because she was pulling away so much, that explains the uneven clip

I had expected Sally would be ok with the groomer, having been twice before

There is no more clingy behavior, Sally seems calm again the last few days

Has anyone had a dog act so clingy after being left at the Vets
my toy poodle usually loves everyone so I was quite surprised


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

I am sorry your kiddo had a stressful experience. I might offer a suggestion on stress relief.......ask your vet's office if you could drop in for a quick hello from time to time. A quick happy greeting and a treat or two, then leave. Repeat as often as needed. I did this when my girl was feeling all stressed out at the groomers after an unknown event which stressed her. We made those trips weekly for a while...staff was great and she got over her stress, best of luck.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Do you know which groomer worked with her the first two times when she was ok? I would ask for them again. If there were problems with this particular groomer I would not have her groom my dog again. Dogs have a very long memory!


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## JoAsha3 (Jun 17, 2019)

Omg this story made me shudder. One time I took my previous Spoo (r.i.p) to a groomer that seemed nice & my family had heard around my town she did a decent job so we decided to give her a try. My mom had dropped him off there once or twice before with no problems and then it was my turn to take him for a haircut. I dropped him off and when I did he was a happy, bouncy dog but I did notice she had many dogs that day, and she was just one woman alone doing it. I was 17 at the time and to me no red flags stood out then, but in hindsight - she seemed overwhelmed & short with the dogs... Suddenly I got a call from her after his groom telling me that something was “wrong” with him. When I rushed to pick him up, he literally could not walk. He could not stand. I ran over to him and held his head in my hands and his eyes looked somewhat glazed over. I confronted the groomer and asked her what she did or what she GAVE to my dog - of course she got defensive but also was responding suspiciously. I had to literally carry him to the car, and he was not right for almost a week-2 weeks after. He was lethargic, could barely walk far outside without having to lay down etc.

He did recover from that - thank God, and we never did find out what truly “happened” that day. We were ALL traumatized & from that day forward - we groomed him solely ourselves. Still, when I think back to this, I feel emotional knowing what he went through.

With my new puppy, I will be grooming him myself.

(This was my experience and in no way am I saying Groomers as a whole are bad!)


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