April 2021 by Rachael Estep
We made an appointment for our dog, telling her our dog is a lab/collie mix, weighing about 50-60 pounds. She told us it would cost somewhere between $65-$85 to cut and wash him. Upon arrival to the appointment, she asked us to lift the dog and put him on the table for her, because she couldn’t. That should’ve been our first red flag. I noticed then that she didn’t have the proper set up for her described services - just a tall, stainless steel table in the middle of the room, with no way to hook up or secure the dog. That should’ve been the second red flag. We left and when she called to tell us he was done, she informed me it was going to cost $135! Nice bait and switch! She said he was hard to handle, had to be muzzled, nearly knocked the clippers out of her hand and didn’t like the blow dryer. She told me her assistant is 85 years-old and this was too much for her. When I picked up our dog, he was shaven down ridiculously close to the skin and the feathering on his tail was completely gone, leaving him with just a long, rat-tail! Our dog was not his usual happy self for about a day and half. He acted sad and as though he had been a bit traumatized. He usually comes back from a grooming, extra happy, playful and looking confident. Nothing could’ve been further from the truth this time. She said she’d groom him again, but only if one of us stayed to help! No, thanks! We’ll stick with Pet Smart’s $45 fee and even pay the extra $10 to also get his nails clipped, something not included in the $135 we had just paid. If you have a little dog that has no energy, this groomer many be okay for you. All others, save your time, money and your dog’s pride.
