Concerns about my pups coat after a grooming fiasco

[pixelneko]

Hello all, Sorry if this isn't the right place for this but I'm a little worried about my dogs coat.

This is Dakota:

https://imgur.com/Ajc26t5

as you can see she's very fluffy but long over due for a trim especially on her legs and booty (she's also a rescue).

Well, we went in for a trim and she got a bit of a shave down, unfortunately this is the best photo I have:

https://imgur.com/CL5nF1m

We thought there was an understanding, that they would shave a to a specific level on her legs and underside, as we were told that would not have any problems growing in the future. They even specifically stated that dogs with dual coats should not be shaved. We returned, payed, and she came out looking this shaved.

I'm worried this will affect her coat going forward, and my girlfriend is absolutely devastated, AND a trimmed up pup was supposed to be a cute treat for our 7 year anniversary, which did not include the pup after the groom. I didn't know how to react so we just went home.

Are there things that I need to do going forward to encourage a healthy top coat to grow again? Should I go to the groomer and talk to them or just put it past me and just move on?

Edit. Much better photo of post groom
and groooms

Edit again: please note we did not ask for this to be done. We came in for her legs and the scragglier hair on her belly. We agreed to the groomer saying “we’ll clean up the longer hairs”. We did NOT want her coat shaved by any means.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@pixelneko Keep the coat clean and brush her often. You can definitely talk to them and find out where the communication went wrong. Maybe even a refund.

 

[tracey4g]

@imagebeastmarkbeast I would definitely be requesting a refund. This is insane.

I do shave down double coats... after I ask them 5 times and explain the risk at least 2 times at initial meeting

 

[green520]

@pixelneko As for talking with the groomer, I would definitely recommend that you be specific if/when you bring your pup back.

What exactly did you request? IME I have a lot of owners who come in with double coated dogs and say "trim her short all over" but really mean "just trim her feathers tight and leave the body". If you visited a new or less experienced groomer, they may not have recognized a mixup like that.

As others have said, it just depends on whether her coat will grow back the same. I second the recommendations for brushing with a soft brush, and would recommend NOT having her wear a sweater for extended periods - that can definitely affect growth. Keeping up with baths and blowouts may also help during the growth process. I shave my double coated dogs and they grew back normal the first few times FWIW.

 

[pixelneko]

@green520 We needed her legs really trimmed and were assured that a biz would NOT be a problem on the legs. We than said she needed to be cleaned up and the confirmed that double coats don’t get a shave, in person when I first took her in to be cleared , over the phone, AND the actual day of the groom.

I could care less about the money, I just want her healthy and her coat back. I’m kicking myself because while we were clear I pushed for the hair cut because I wanted her all nice and pretty for my girlfriend and our anniversary. Now my gf is miserable over it.

 

[green520]

@pixelneko If you're not concerned about a refund, then just adjust the type of groom you ask for next time. You can definitely say "last time she was shaved and we do not want that" if you are going to the same salon. If you try a new salon, I would suggest asking the previous groomer what blade was used (they should have record and be able to tell you no problem), and then pass that on to the new groomer, specifying it was way too short.

The reason to ask for the blade used is that some people think a 4 (which it looks like may have been used) is skin shaved, and some people think an A comb (3/4 inch) is shaved, and some people think a 10 (actually skin shaved) is the only short length. Having the blade length will give your new groomer a reference.

Unfortunately, not much you can do now except the tips already given (soft brushing, monthly baths & blow outs, good diet) and hope it comes back. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[pixelneko]

@green520 Thank you very much. Just so I can explain everything to my girlfriend as best as I can, can you explain the purpose of monthly blow puts?

 

[green520]

@pixelneko A blow out (or "deshed") will make sure all of the dead hair is being removed as her coat grows, which will basically clear the way for the new growth.

 

[pixelneko]

@green520 Thank you!

 

[auwebber23]

@pixelneko What the HELL. I wasnt expecting Dakota to just be completely shaved. Definetly opt for a good food and possibly a skin an coat supplement, omega 3s will hopefully help a ton. She may have a few fuzzies hanging off in the future, but hopefully itll all grow back correctly. If she does have some cottony fluffs sticking out here and there, a groomer should be able to trim those off and just lightly shape her up. In the future, usually light trims on things like goldens, aussies, and gals like Dakota are called outline or silhouette trims, where they just clean up the feathers, do a sanitary, paw pads, trim her toe hairs, and if you want them to theyll trim off some of the skirt. Basically just a light clean up on the long parts. But definetly find someone who knows what they're doing.

 

[alex1971]

@auwebber23 Wooo It's your 2nd Cakeday venomousbitch! [sup]hug[/sup]

 

[pixelneko]

@green520 There are now more pics in the op, for reference

 

[seeknsearchtorah]

@pixelneko I have been told that frequent brushing with a soft brush encourages growth. Also making sure your dog is on a high quality food. Stay away from grain based beniful iams ECt.

It's a gamble really. Sometimes they grow back just fine every time they are shaved. Sometimes the frist time they destroyed the frist time.

I would go talk to the groomer and find out why she was shaved. Cause that looks short more then a trim short.

 

[travelgal8605]

@pixelneko Did you ever call the groomer to see why this happened?

 

[pixelneko]

@travelgal8605 My girlfriend did and did not get a response. She sent a follow up email and I believe she will be stopping in tonight. She's still pretty heated, I hope it goes smoothly

 

[travelgal8605]

@pixelneko She has a right to be heated. Especially with not hearing back yet. I hope you update us on their explanation.

 

[travelgal8605]

@pixelneko Shaving a double coat on the regular will definitely ruin it. Hopefully just this one time won't do too much damage. Do as the others have said and brush to encourage growth. I'm so sorry you had this experience. Definitely talk to the groomer about where the disconnect was and that you were to shocked to say anything. Any chance he was matted and needed to be shaved? Other than that, I'm not sure why they would do something like this.

 

[tracey4g]

@travelgal8605 Theres hardly any reason to shave a dog that close unless total matting. And this type of coat doesn't get that matted without a tin of neglect. This looks like ignorance and laziness.
The ONLY time I've done I'll advised is when a once every 2 year pyr refused to pay the cost for grooming

I can get a good 1 comb under most of my worst doodles.

 

[ebarnes]

@pixelneko I'm wondering if the groomer may have "zigged when they should have zagged" likely got too short somewhere obvious and decided to "even it out" OR purely a lazy / inexperienced groomer.

 

[peacelovefaith]

@ebarnes As a groomer, shaving down a dog is way more work than fixing one mistake, and at a quick glance it doesn’t look like a “lazy” groom, or honestly even a bad groom.