My poor Cubbie

[Marci8903]

Hi I just joined the forum recently. I wish I had found this place before I took my Cairn to the groomer that I did. She came back with a scotty hair cut. I thought this groomer knew what she was doing because I took Cubbie in for a nail trim and she commented on her needing trimmed soon. I thought ok i'll send her for a TRIM. OH MY! It's awful. The groomer cut her so short on her back. Cubbie is black with a bit of brindle so now she looks like a leopard. How long should it take her to grow back out to my shaggy baby? She also has the scotty skirt so should I get it taken off so that all her hair is even. I did order a Mars Coat King today for the future. Since I bought the Coat King, I also found a groomer that does do stripping but even if I just send Cubbie in for maintenance cut at least this lady knows how to groom a Cairn. I'm going to take pictures of her new haircut to show you guys how bad it is! I posted a picture of Cubbie in the Introduction section.

[Marci8903]

Sorry just realized this is in the wrong place. Probably be better in Behavior and Health

Oh well here is a picture to show her haircut.Before:After:

[Zekey's Mom]

Welcome to the forum! There is much discussion here regarding grooming, so I'm sure someone will respond soon. I haven't groomed Zekey yet, since I prefer the wild Yak look.

Cubbie's adorable, before OR after the cut, but I do agree she looks a little barren in the back... especially in winter! Oh well, at least it will grow back. Just hope she doesn't get a complex if people refer to her as a Scottie!

[bradl]

Aw, I've seen worse Figure on a half inch a month or so. The jacket grows pretty fast so don't worry about it. Cubbie is very cute.

[BetsyNoodle]

Cubbie is ADORABLE even with that haircut!!!

[Sam I Am]

You know the good thing is that hair is a renewable resource ( my DH begs to differ!) and in no time you will be faced with a little scruffy Cairn again! He sure is adorable

[Idaho Cairns]

I agree with everyone else--give her until June and she will be back in full form. Nice looking dog and always remember, no groomer can cut away that which is the neatest part of a Cairn--the personality. Take a lot of pictures so you can look back on the moment--this too will pass.

[TigerBearMommy79]

Don't feel too bad..we would have done the same thing if I didn't start googling everything I could about Cairn's when we got Tiger...I would have just taken him to the groomer without a clue. Your Cubbie is very cute..I wonder if that is what Tiger will look like when he gets older..he is black with brindle and red tips. Anyway Cubbie is till a cutie pie and his hair will grow back!!

[Tracy A.]

LOL, poor thing... at least they didn't give him a Schnauzer cut.

What a great oppurtunity to learn how to groom him yourself! handstripping allows you to keep the scruffy look without clippers!

[hheldorfer]

Cubbie is a complete sweetheart! The same thing happened when we got Buffy. I had checked this site and read about stripping; ordered supplies and bought a book on Cairn grooming. After about 2 months, DH decided that she looked too shaggy and took her to a groomer. The result looked just like Cubbie and I was SO upset. Within a few weeks her coat started growing back and, before I knew it, she was a Cairn again. Just shower little Cubbie with love and tell yourself it will all get better soon.

[Hawkeye]

They can't take away her cutiness!! Like the others have said it will grow out in no time and she will be your adorable little Cairn again. Very cute pictures.

[sanford]

I'll add to what most of the others have written. Try not to feel too & bad. Cubby is still adorable. Many on this site have had the same experience and learned from it. I always recommend taking photos of Cairns along with you to the groomer so you can point out how the ears and tail must be groomed, how the head & body, (no skirt), must look. Even if a groomer tells me she knows what Cairns should look like and/or has experience with them, I say emphatically, (but not unpleasantly), Don't make my Cairn look like a Schnauzer or a Scottie, or a Westie!

[2crazycairns]

Cubby is totally cute either way. We just wrestled with this issue (see groomed vs. au naturelle) and took Gus in to have his first trim for his first birthday. I was VERY specific about what I wanted trimmed and they did a wonderful job! A picture works wonders if you can find one with a cut you like. It will grow back...that's a certainty. He's adorable tho!

[Murphy's Mom]

Cubbie is adorable, no matter the cut. Hair grows back, don't worry.

[lindasue]

You will love the Mars stripping tool; it takes tons of hair off of Pegi. She's 7 months old and hasn't been stripped yet; waiting for warmer weather. She is, however, going to the groomer's tomorrow for a bath, nail trim and trim of the face hair; she's starting to look like Cousin It!!!!

[Marci8903]

I got the Coat king yesterday..but can't use it just yet lol! I need more hair to work with!

[wallEsmama]

hehe you're right! She looks just like wallE! He also looks very leopard like right now. I've also been looking around for the right tools to strip him at home, but nobody has them here anywhere!

[hheldorfer]

hehe you're right! She looks just like wallE! He also looks very leopard like right now. I've also been looking around for the right tools to strip him at home, but nobody has them here anywhere!

Try online at Colonel Potter's Cairn Rescue website. They offer stripping/grooming tools for Cairns and the profits go to help rescued Cairns. A lot of the big pet supply chains don't carry these items.

[Nikki]

I bought mine at amazon.com and at groomersmall.com

[Marci8903]

I also purchased mine from amazon.com

[Abby and McDuffy]

I might be in minority here but I actually love the leopard coat, LOL...I think they're sutnning colors and a really unique pattern. Not exactly like a normal Cairn, but adorable nontheless!