can someone help me?

[kaya3]

Maisy had her first "breed speicific" groom today. unitl now she has just been getting what they have called a "puppy cut" i am not happy with what they did to her. they shaved her back, and left her belly/legs long, and her head is cut like a yorkie. she looks so bizzarre. can some one post a picture of a prper cairn gromming so i can get an idea of how better to expalin to the NEW groomer the proper way to cut her hair. she lloks so wierd!

Krista

[brin145]

I am not the most experienced person on this site, but here is a link.

http://www.cairnrescue.com/general/groom.htm

[kayharley]

I've been where you are with my first Cairn, Winnie. She came out of the groomers one time looking like a Schnauzer...and another time they shaved her entire top half while the bottom was left shaggy!! I then did my homework...

A Cairns coat should not be cut but stripped. If you have a pet that is not going into the show ring then there are some shortcuts you can use. One is the Mars Coat King which is a wonderful tool that will strip/thin/cut. It's fairly easy for novices to use and it really makes a "yak" (Brad's term) look more like a Cairn.

Here are some more sites to check out...

http://www.groomersmall.com/coat_kings.htm

http://web3.foxinternet.net/cwhall/articles/grooming.htm

You also might want to surf through some prior forum topics regarding grooming. There are many.

[bradl]

Can some one post a picture of a prper cairn gromming so i can get an idea of how better to expalin to the NEW groomer the proper way to cut her hair.  she lloks so wierd!

I wish I had more good pictures submitted by CTCA members, but I don't ... so here are a couple that at least give the idea.

[kaya3]

thanks you so much everyone! i am going to investigate and find a better groomer. i'll check out the mars king coat too!

[Cairnmania]

Hi Krista,

It sound to me like the groomer cut your Cairn like a Westie. If you like everything else about the groomer I would stick with them. It's not easy to find groomer's that know how to clip a Cairn so it ends up looking like one. Next time bring a picture of a Cairn - you might even find grooming instructions on a web site (Colonel Potter's?) and bring them with you.

The Cairn Terrier by Christine Carter has lots of pictures as well as a sketch of how a Cairn should look when properly groomed. Any good groomer would be able to follow the sketch very easily. Amazon will most likely have it.

I handstrip my two myself, but it does take a lot of time to keep them looking neat.

Stacey

[Teri9672]

I was so lucky to find a groomer just down the strret from me that owns a Cairn and several Westies.

Tabitha first few clips by different groomers were less desirable.

I love Miss Connie and Teona goes to see her tomorrow

[savannahsmom35]

After looking at those pictures, Savannah looks like a mop!!!! I have got a lot of work to do.....

[czymom]

I don't mean to sound hateful, but I would pitch a total fit if my baby came from the groomers with what you described!

I have a great groomer here in my town, she is all over the place and winning at shows with her grooming techniques. She strips my Buddy and is very dilligent about doing it perfectly. She will take pictures and send them off to make sure that the lady who taught her how to strip is happy with how she does my Buddy.

I'm sorry that groomer did that, luckily the hair grows back. Just call around, that is what I did, and I finally got referred to someone who knows what a Cairn is supposed to look like and how their "do" is supposed to be done.

[wheezie23]

I had to learn out of necessity how to groom my cairns as there wasn't a groomer anywhere near me who either knew how a cairn should look or was willing to spend the time stripping them. I agree that the Mars Coat King is the best tool to keep your cairns looking like cairns and not westies or schnauzers. If you like the coarse coat that is part of the cairn breed, you should avoid having him clippered at all as this will eventually soften the coat so that it feels more like a yorkie's.

On a side note, Brad, that first picture is the spitting image of my Scruffy!

Thela

[Binx75075]

If you take your dog to Petsmart or Petco, the groomers should be familiar with a "cairn cut" & that should resolve any issues.

[kaya3]

actually, petsmart is where she was! LOL

I appreciate all of the input guys. I have learned alot form you!