My Failed Attempt at a Proper PoseMy first thought was...she's beautiful. She looks like she can be in a show. She's so shiny. The stripping on her back was done well. But after the initial giddiness wore off, I started to notice stuff I did not approve of...please note, I spent $115.
- There is absolutely no blending on the head or her backside. You can see the lines from the clippers, and trust me they are uneven and severe.
- Her left back leg feathers start about 1/2 inch higher then her right.
- Her head is just too short. It was suppose to be medium, if that's medium - I'm requesting long from here on out.
- I know it's suppose to be short behind the ears, but that's pretty much a close shave.
Who did I go to you ask?
The GroomingSpa, in Greenlake. I'm unsure at this point if I will go back. The semi-botched haircut doesn't truly bothered me. I mean, it's a dog. Any bad haircut will be a good haircut in a matter of days...what bothered me the most was the time frame.
I dropped her off at 11:30AM (knowing very well that she will be put into a kennel for hours). But by 5PM, I was starting to wonder what was going on. I ended up calling around 5:30PM to see when she'd be done (since, ya know - they close at 6PM). She answered and said that if we got here at 6, she should be done. Hmm, okay. No wonder she looked botched. You overbooked your appointments for the day, you let her sit in a kennel for over 5 hours and you rushed it with her. When at a grooming appointment for 6 1/2 hours, I expect not a hair out of place.
What lesson did we learn from this? I will never again schedule a doggy haircut on a weekend Saturday. If I do, I might as well take her to PetSmart. Yeah, not doing that. Ever.
The reason I'm so panic about time is simple: Sadie (our beloved Golden). Her last day on Earth was at the groomers. She sat in a kennel for hours, stressed out of her mind. Later, to be so thirsty and hungry she gobbled down her food and drank a sh*tload of water -- resulting in a trip to the vet. She twisted her stomach, yes...just like Marley. She had to be put down. So, I'm darn sensitive when it comes to time. I'm very particular about most things when it comes to DeLaney. But honestly, I don't care about clipper marks at the end of the day. I care that they told me, 3-4 hours, and it was nearly double. So yeah, I'm unsure whether or not DeLaney will visit the GroomingSpa in Greenlake again. We might try for something a little different next time around.
Currently, I have been unsuccessful in terms of getting a proper photo of her new haircut, but we are running away this weekend to a cabin -- so hopefully we can snap a few decent ones. While we wait, here are some we snapped with my phone:
In these last photos, you can really see how smooth her back is. The stripping really was done well (can't complain about that):
Hi - Jodie here, (Diesel's Mom). I used to be a groomer and had my own shop and mobile van. Trust me, I know how hard it is to find a REALLY good groomer. If you want a recommendation, let me know. I have several VERY skilled, and hightly trained people and for the price you paid, I am shocked at the quality. It doesn't look like they stripped her back, it looks like they shaved it! (With clippers.) Anyway, will see you this weekend at the puppy meet-n-greet and can give you some great referrals if you like? She is a beauty, and these Springers can be such senstive babes, so it's important for them to be treated well. That was WAY too long for any dog to be at the goomers! ~ Jodie
ReplyDeleteHi Jodie! It was lovely meeting you on Saturday!! Diesel is a very well behaved boy!! So lovely to see him again.
ReplyDeleteI would love recommendations on groomers! Do you know of any in the Seattle area? I currently live in Fremont, but am willing to travel for a good groomer! Thank you!
stefaniewillcoxon@gmail.com
- Stefanie