Disaster experience professional groomer gave my dog a “cairn cut”

[atreyusmom]

What led up to the disaster. There are about 3 cairns that I have seen in my city, mine included. I asked one of the cairn parents where she had her pup groomed since it was a good, normal “cairn” look. 

So I went yesterday, getting him ready for a big trip and graduation photos. And I came home with my poor dog. His tail is so bad. It was a perfect carrot shape now its just looks so sad. He is so soft because she clipped him to less than an inch and all the furnishings that took forever to grow since his  breader also cut him short as a puppy, gone. 

 

She talked about how she was a professional and new her stuff. And she rushed me out without allowing me to show photos insisting she knew how to give a “Cairn cut” he looks nothing like the other cairn she groomed. He looks terrible. He had a peppering of black fur from puppy hood gone. Also she clipped his whiskers too. AHHHRGGHH! He looks like a Schnauzer with a rat tail and a Yorkie head. 

Im a bit angry. I just wanted to get out of the groomers store so I paid her and left.  

 

How do I get his fur to start growing again?

Spoiler

 

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by atreyusmom

[bradl]

Welcome and sorry that happened.The coat will grow back without doing anything special, although likely a bit softer for a while until, in the fullness of time, the clipped coat finally falls out or is pulled out and a fresh new coat grows in. Just love him as always and time and nature will take care of the rest.

 It happens often (browse through the grooming subforum for examples). 

 

 

[Eliz222]

(((HUGS))))......just keep repeating to yourself "it's only hair.....it's only hair.....it's only hair".

 

The good thing is that it WILL grow back!

 

You have more control than I would have. I believe I would have grabbed my dog and left in a huff without paying. Of course, it's easy for me to say since I wasn't there.

[pkcrossley]

it will grow out. take some pictures so you can remember when he was an unwilling westie. 

[atreyusmom]

On 5/8/2022 at 8:23 PM, Eliz222 said:

(((HUGS))))......just keep repeating to yourself "it's only hair.....it's only hair.....it's only hair".

 

The good thing is that it WILL grow back!

 

You have more control than I would have. I believe I would have grabbed my dog and left in a huff without paying. Of course, it's easy for me to say since I wasn't there.

I got him back to the car and apologized to him to his haircut. The groomer specializes in cat grooming so he looks like a cat in the back. Lesson learned dont go to a groomer who poopoos your requests as if other groomers are over the top or unprofessional.

 

[atreyusmom]

On 5/8/2022 at 12:47 PM, bradl said:

Welcome and sorry that happened.The coat will grow back without doing anything special, although likely a bit softer for a while until, in the fullness of time, the clipped coat finally falls out or is pulled out and a fresh new coat grows in. Just love him as always and time and nature will take care of the rest.

 It happens often (browse through the grooming subforum for examples). 

 

 

I saved this image for next time. Shared it with my mom who had a cairn too. We had a laugh. 

[sanford]

On 5/9/2022 at 12:41 PM, pkcrossley said:

it will grow out. take some pictures so you can remember when he was an unwilling westie. 

Many groomers never groomed a cairn or have even seen one. Sadly, others on this  site have had similar "disasters" with their groomers -- and your problem was compounded with a groomer who had a bad attitude to boot! After my own bad grooming experience, I became much more questioning, assertive and insistent on leaving good photos with the groomer. (You might even show the "after" pic as an example of what NOT too do)! 

P.S. I expect you would never want to return to that salon, but if you happen to re-encounter the person with the well-groomed cairn, you could ask for the name of the groomer she originally mentioned to you and you could request that specific groomer next time because a good, cairn-knowledgeable groomer is hard to find. Good luck!

[Hillscreek]

Or you could learn to groom him yourself which I did with much help from cairn people on this sight. However it can be time consuming.  Since I like the shaggy look and he ws not going to be shown eventually I just brushed and sometimes combed Angus. The dead hair comes out so easily. 

[CairnCapers]

I can understand your disappointment with the groomer. There is some excellent posts here on grooming and hand stripping. It's helped me a lot. Once the coat grows back it will be soft and hand stripping will need to be done to get the harsh wire coat to come in. You could check on Cairn breeders around your area if there are some and see if they recommend a hand stripping groomer near you or try learning it yourself.