OMG the groomer clipped my Cairn!

[Darwin2014]

I am so upset right now and hoping someone can give me some good news.  Ever since I have had my guy he has always been hand stripped.  My old groomer moved out of the area so I did the research to find someone who hand strips. 

 

I went to pick him up today and she has clipped his entire back and left the bottom long like he was a Scottie or a Westies.  I was very specific that he was NOT to be clipped except around his but and his bangs.  She didn't charge me for the services, but when I pushed her on it she said she said maybe it was miscommunication on both ends. I asked if she had had any experience with Cairns before and she said yes, and that they are clipped on the back...so not true! 

 

I am just so worried now that he will ever get this coat integrity back.  She said she stripped him and then clipped him which also makes NO sense to me.  Will his coat go back to being wiry and wonderful or is he ruined.

 

Has anyone else had a jacked up experience like this?  No one in Raleigh NC apparently except for the one wonderful groomer I had understands hand stripping. 

 

Thanks-

[hheldorfer]

Take a deep breath and relax.    Darwin will be fine.  Buffy had been clipped before we adopted her and, although her coat was soft in the beginning, it developed into a nice, rough Cairn coat.  Be  patient - it won't happen overnight. 

 

Give him a hug and tell him he shouldn't be embarassed by his bad haircut.

[Darwin2014]

Thank you hheldorfer!! He is actually quite embarrassed.  Poor little guy thought he was in trouble because I was so upset by it.  He's been sleeping all day. He'll gets lots of extra hugs and kisses tonight    

[Lupinegirl]

Nikki had a couple of spots on his sides and back shaved down to the skin by the vet after he was attacked by another dog. Within months, he had short, fine, soft red hair all over his bald spots. It took a little over a year for the guard hairs to grow as long as the rest of his coat (and he has a verrry long coat. Seven inches long on his back!) but he grew it out just fine. Now maybe two years later, I can't even tell where he was shaved. I've also trimmed his tail hair down to two inches and it grew back to six inches in less than six months. He's a shaggy fellow.

Your poor boy will be just fine, but you might want to be careful about walking him in the afternoon sunlight. Since he's lost his natural air conditioning, he might be more prone to overheating. Give Darwin some pats and sweet words for us.

[hheldorfer]

Lupinegirl's post reminded me that I should have mentioned this:  Buffy's hair also grew back into a normal Cairn coat after she was attacked by another dog and also had to have several spots shaved down to the skin.  The attack was last September and now I don't even notice the spots where she was shaved because they are all covered in thick, rough Cairn hair.

[Idaho Cairns]

Guess my response would be that some Cairns recover from a shaving completely and others don't and you won't know for awhile--depends on the dog and the genes therein but the good thing to know as with Cairns that are too big or small, have a crooked long tail, too big eared, tiny front feet, eyes too narrow (or wide), etc. what you still have, a month, or a year later is a Cairn Terrier.  As joyful as the physical standard is, it is the Cairn personality that really counts and to my knowledge and experience with the Cairn Terrier, no set of clippers made by man can ruin that coat.

[Hillscreek]

True Idaho. The cairn is always there no matter the outward appearance.

You will have to wait and see regarding what type hair grows back. Be patient.

Darwin is still Darwin and always will be!

[Darwin2014]

Thanks everyone for all of your supportive and informative responses.  I did found out that Darwin's original groomer will be able to work with us again!!  She is out of our immediate area but has offered to come to our house or she will come to ours.  She also recommended that we give him coconut oil daily with is food and brush him daily, which we have been doing. Darwin will be going to see her every 2 weeks to do maintenance on his undercoat to help it grow back.  

 

He is still our boy and we will love him no matter what, it has just been a big adjustment not seeing our furry guy.  We have been making sure to tell him how fabulous and wonderful he is and he knows he is soo very much loved.

 

New groomer update:  I found some old posts on this forum regarding this type of issue.  Someone posted a fab pic of what different terriers look like and what a Cairn should look like groomed. The new groomer let me know I should be very specific in what I wanted in grooming going forward.  I sent her the pic I found and apparently she was none too pleased with my response and I was recommended to find another groomer...I'm glad I found Dar Dar's original groomer.  

[kieiras mom]

had some questions about coconut oil and found this  topic that mentions it. Guess it is safe to use and will help the coat. Any replies are welcome. thanks

[Dempsy's Mom]

Sorry Darwin - all I can say is celebrate the new look - everybody wants to be unique these days - this is your time to strut your attitude. Show them it's what's on the inside that counts.  and soon the old you will be back and you can look back at pictures and say, "Wow, what a hair style that was!"

[Bridget]

A few months ago the groomer shaved Ruby down to within a quarter inch of her skin,  leaving only her face and tail furry.  I was furious, again the groomer said it was a miscommunication.  We took her in recently and they only did what we said.   It was much better.  I was upset that her coat grew back soft, but there's still a chance it will harden up.  It doesn't change who she is and worse things have happened.

[Ness]

On 5/27/2015 at 5:46 AM, hheldorfer said:

Take a deep breath and relax.    Darwin will be fine.  Buffy had been clipped before we adopted her and, although her coat was soft in the beginning, it developed into a nice, rough Cairn coat.  Be  patient - it won't happen overnight. 

 

Give him a hug and tell him he shouldn't be embarassed by his bad haircut.

How did you get her hair to grow back rough? I just took my cairn terrier to  a groomer and she shaved her very short all over! I love her scruffy so I’m devastated. Do you have any tips on doing her hair myself in the future? 

[Ness]

On 2/10/2017 at 6:50 AM, Bridget said:

A few months ago the groomer shaved Ruby down to within a quarter inch of her skin,  leaving only her face and tail furry.  I was furious, again the groomer said it was a miscommunication.  We took her in recently and they only did what we said.   It was much better.  I was upset that her coat grew back soft, but there's still a chance it will harden up.  It doesn't change who she is and worse things have happened.

How did it grow back? A groomer has just clipped my dog very short and I’m worried it won’t grow back/ she had a really nice coat now she looks naked. 

[bradl]

It grows at different rates on different parts of the body but grow it will. This next coat might be softer than it was but once it gets long again (around two-three inches) you can begin stripping (pulling) that coat and the *next* coat that grows in naturally will likely be as harsh as your dog's genetics intended it to be.