Very saddened with the deterioration...
This is new for me, I am so deeply saddened to have to do this today. I have been bringing my Giant and Mini Schnauzer's here for the last two years and while initially it is obvious that the owner/groomer knows what she is doing the quality has greatly deteriorated. 2 years ago she did the groomings on our late senior pair and was very caring. She was enthusiastic and appeared to really love her work. 18 months ago I started attending with our new Giant puppy and for the first few times all was well. Sophie is very well behaved and well used to the grooming table. I have never had it said that my dogs ever have issues when being groomed. I take them usually once a month for a full-groom, at most I'll go 6 weeks. The owner's dad is a bit of an issue, he is strangely rude with no provocation. My dogs run off-leash twice daily at the 7 Km off-leash area at Bronte Park but they are also regularly bathed and brushed and our Giant happily jumps up on the grooming table daily to be brushed. Her father scolded me 4 groomings ago that she had matts, (I knew this wasn't the case but thought maybe they were having an off day), I payed the additional fee he charged without complaint but made certain that she was brushed within an inch of her life before our next visits. 3 grooms ago, I brought both my Giant and new mini puppy (it was run off spring), they were both totally brushed prior to going so nothing to complain about there, this time he chastised me severely for how "dirty" the dogs were. WOW... am I supposed to also bathe them before bringing them for their "total grooming"??? He knew I was displeased with his rant but I was more upset that the groomer had cut off my Giant Schnauzer's beard and eyebrows, the hallmark of the breed and what makes them distinct. I have made it very clear that I want them long at every visit. Ok, again I know the caliber that she is capable of so I politely told her I didn't ever want the beard and brows done like that again and moved on. Last visit, I didn't want a lecture from the dad so 2 days prior, went to the self wash at Oliver's, they were clean, and completely matt free. I get a call to my horror 2 hours after dropping them off to tell me that they had fleas! I am toxically allergic to fleas and had such an adverse reaction in the past that I ended up on a Benadryl drip in hospital, yet I had no symptoms while bathing them or brushing them just before bringing them, nor did I see a flea, or any flea dirt when I went crazy stripping bedding and carpets. When I picked them up, the father initially said, there were "thousands" of fleas but then the groomer/owner told me that she believed that she saw "one" flea on our Mini Schnauzer's nose, so they did flea dips on both of them (an additional $50). I immediately took them both to my vet and he checked them with a huge mag-light and could not find ANY evidence of flea bites on either dog. I never reacted and with the severity of my allergy, had there been any fleas on them I would have. That was three weeks ago, today I took in my Giant Schnauzer as with her high activity level, large, black dogs get very hot in the summer and I wanted her groomed for comfort. The father rolled his eyes when I asked to speak with his daughter but she came out to speak to me and I expressly without reservation told her that I wanted ZERO length off the eyebrow framing and the beard. Absolutely she said, I was stunned when I just picked her up. I'm not prone to exaggeration but her face looks like it was cut with a knife and fork, it is not symmetrical on both sides, there are three tufts of long fur on her neck, her one brow was cut in two (this I asked her to fix and she brought scissors out the reception area and proceeded to cut more off her beard). I'm really just shocked at the mess when I know the quality she is capable of. I don't know if she has taken on too many clients and is burned out or if she just no longer cares but she didn't even try to make it right. I so regret recommending them to so many people. Just so sad.
Elizabeth Turner,
Oakville, ON
This is new for me, I am so deeply saddened to have to do this today. I have been bringing my Giant and Mini Schnauzer's here for the last two years and while initially it is obvious that the owner/groomer knows what she is doing the quality has greatly deteriorated. 2 years ago she did the groomings on our late senior pair and was very caring. She was enthusiastic and appeared to really love her work. 18 months ago I started attending with our new Giant puppy and for the first few times all was well. Sophie is very well behaved and well used to the grooming table. I have never had it said that my dogs ever have issues when being groomed. I take them usually once a month for a full-groom, at most I'll go 6 weeks. The owner's dad is a bit of an issue, he is strangely rude with no provocation. My dogs run off-leash twice daily at the 7 Km off-leash area at Bronte Park but they are also regularly bathed and brushed and our Giant happily jumps up on the grooming...