[jtdavis995]

...you been to one and if so any complaints about anything? Just wandering, I would like to see more places where you can actually see the people working one the dogs rather than having the dogs behind closed doors.

[smiling fox]

my friend is a groomer. she preffers the pet owner out of sight of the pet for the sake of potenial anxiety and such. some pets, like kids, behave better out of sight of "mom and dad".on the other hand, do your research, get to know other people that have pets groomed. ask your vet.god luck!

[omithechickengoddess]

They groom out of site for the dog's own good. Don't worry about that. My suggestion if you're worried is that before you pay and leave, examine your dog very closely for uneven cuts, and check them for wounds-especially on the paws or in the ears. My mother's Pekipoo was missing a paw pad after a trip, didn't find out about it until afterwards, and had to be extra careful for about a week when taking him outside. No groomer is going to be 100% perfect there are ones that will try to hide that they hurt your pet. Ask around and find a groomer with a good reputation.

[rockstarprincess]

my dog is terrified of the groomers clipping his nail and he crys so i have to leave the room quickly....my complaint would be they put a muzzle on my dog just because i didnt take his rabies papers with me....even though he had his tag on...

[Melissa M]

Pet smart has giant windows to view from. I would never send my dog to a groomer where no one could see what was going on. Personally I groom my own cause I would have to kick someone's &6^&(@#$% Azz if they hurt my dog out of anger.

[mommy2london]

I am a groomer at PetSmart. We groom in front of a huge window so everyone can see us. It is annoying because dogs get distracted, especially if owners are right there or little kids tap at the glass. Go there if you are worried but stay back to watch. As for the rabies tag, there is no date on it, that tag could be old. And muzzles do not harm dogs.

[mms_wookiee]

I work at Petco, and we groom the dog with windows right there. You can't see when we bathe the dogs, but when they are getting groomed you can see it all. You can see how bad your dog is being and trying to bite us while we are grooming. Or how good and well behaved you have taught your dog to be. Petsmart is the same way. You pay about the same as ma and pa shops, but you have can have confidence and a guarentee as well. Like if we were to cut your dog by accident, we can afford to take your dog to the vet. And not just put glue stitches on your dog.

[Jellybean's Mom]

We've had only Poodles so grooming places I had to research, ask around for recommendations from reliable sources. And I agree with the comments that you're not going to find the perfect one if you have more than one dog because each dog has specific needs and temperament.

Here are/were my list of complaints:

- my Miniature would come home with scrapes/cuts on his face.
- my very squirmy Toy, who was clipper phobic would come home and drop his hind legs while eating or drinking every few minutes or drag is hip slightly as he would walk. This told me that he was being mishandled and forced to stay in place as they groomed.
- if the groomer/owner was a smoker, my dogs would come home smelling like cigarette smoke. If second hand smoke is bad for human lungs, it's probably worse on a dog's.

Generally, you should find a place that is clean with a friendly staff. I like the idea of having the opportunity to look in on your pet, maybe not a huge window like at Petco or Petsmart, but just a small window where a dog parent and take a quick peek if they're waiting for them to get groomed.

Years ago, I learned with many how to dvd's and books on grooming to groom my own dogs. This has made a huge difference on my dogs well being, their overall health or worrying what mishap would occur this time and the fright of going into the groomers every 6-8 weeks is no longer.

[pdlgroomer]

I am a master stylist that used to be a manager at a Petsmart grooming salon for 5 years. I now own my own business. I understand people worrying about their dogs, but let me tell you the inside story of a lot of groomers who do not want owners around when Fifi is getting groomed...While at petsmart, i was grooming a westie and the owners child walked up to the glass and slammed his fists against it. This kid was 12 years old and knew better. this in turn caused the dog to FREAK and I accidentally nicked his ear with my scissors. We as employees were not allowed to say anything to the owners as far as a reprimand for fear of a lawsuit. Thankfully, the dog was fine...no bleeding or anything. I have been grooming for 15 years and only once ever cut a dog that it needed sutures, and again it was the owners fault. The owner insisted that she hold her precious little cujo-shark while I am trying to hand scissor a lamb trim on her poodle and cooing in it's face. the dog jumped up on mommy's shoulder and hence...the shears caught it in the upper pad. Nice job mom, but of course we always get the blame. Don't get me wrong, I know of plenty of bad groomers out there who are negligent and rough, but that doesn't include all of us. Some of us have spent a long time building their career and are very proud of what they do and how far they have come.

Now in the realm of owning my own salon, if someone seems apprehensive, I gently explain to them why I don't want the pet to see the owner while I am grooming it, give them a full tour of my shop, explain that if the owner would become injured on my property in the grooming area or inside my salon that my insurance won't cover them, and tell them all will be fine and they are welcome to call and or watch from outside AS LONG AS fifi doesn't know you are there. I have children to raise and cannot afford a lawsuit over a dog being injured because the owner is worried and wants to stay. That said, I do have 3 dogs I groom and the owners help with because the dog is frail and has cognitive disorder, and can't stand, but they are required to sign a waiver form. Also all my clients are to read and sign a waiver before I groom their dog. This protects both of us, and also protects the pet in the incident I find a medical condition prior to grooming or finishing the groom. My clients have followed me through 3 salons and have been very faithful for 15 years. I can't force them to trust me, but the key to it is honesty and communication on both parts. I know my clients trust me...they show me VERY WELL at Christmas time with bonuses and I am often called "Aunt Wendy" by them.
I love what I do, and I am very sorry if any of you have had a bad run-in with a bad groomer, but please don't judge us all by the few like that. If I sould angry or fed-up, I apologize. It gets very tiring to hear people say these things all the time and it does indirectly affect each one of us good groomers no matter how small the incident is. When you work with a live animal things are going to happen. Accidents happen. There is no such thing as a 100% preventable situation when working with a live creature. So try to understand what we go through, and just communicate if you are finding problems with your groomer. If that doesn't resolve it, then move on but have the guts to call them and tell them why. You never know: You may help him/her become a better groomer through constructive criticism if they don't know something is wrong.

[shelley023]

I have a groomer that I trust completely, so I don't mind leaving my dogs. We both get a break from each other and I think the groomer can focus more on what he's doing. My dogs always come back looking gorgeous and happy.