# How many hours does your fluff stay at the groomer?



## mommatee (Jul 20, 2010)

I'm pretty sure the groomer I took Chloe to today is the same as most groomers. What I mean is that I drop her off between 8 and 9 in the morning, she bathes and dries all fluffs that are dropped off and then she grooms them. This is the second time I've been to her. The first time she only had to trim Chloe's feet and face and she called me at 12:00 to come get her. Today, I didn't go home after I dropped her off because I had errands to run and didn't want to have to drive all the way back home then drive all the way back to get her a few hours later. After not hearing from her by 2:00, I just went to her business (which I didn't mind doing because I had no where else to go) and she still had not started grooming Chloe. I wasn't too happy that Chloe had been in a kennel all day but I didn't say anything because this is probably the norm. Well anyway, when she brought Chloe out, Chloe was beautiful, but she hadn't cut much off of her at all. She said she didn't have time because she was busy today and didn't want me to wait any longer. She told me to come back on a Monday when she's not so busy, but I hate to have to do the same thing all over again. Is this the "NORM"????


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Never was the norm with me. I used to take my Bichon to the groomers. They took between 1-2 hrs, started almost straight away and called me soon as done. I used to head to the golf course to practice my putting  She went to different ones and none of them kept her for more than an hr or two. I do my own grooming for my Malts though.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

I pay an extra $10 each to have H & D groomed in 2 hours. I usually drop them off at 9 and they are both ready to collect by 11. Our groomer is not on her own though, she has 2 to 3 helpers - depending on how busy she is.

Our old groomer did the same as yours - brush/comb, bath & dry ALL dogs, then start on the grooming/trims/whatever. I understand why they do it this way, however I do feel it takes a long time.


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

My first groomer did the same as yours. All dogs were to be brought in between 7 AM to 9AM. I seldom got Bogie back before 2 PM. I have since switched to a mobile groomer.
She comes to my house, grooms my dogs and is done in less than two hours if she does both of them. I pay a little more, but it is worth it to me to not have my dogs kenneled and miserable for most of the day.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Wow...I would have been pretty upset. Bailey has never been at the groomer for longer than 3 hours...usually less than that. I usually stay in the area and run errands so I can be right over there when they call. So your experience definitely isn't the norm, at least from whatI've seen. I'm wondering why they took more appointments than they could handle for that day...keeping a dog in the crate for 5 hours and then not even grooming her is really unfair.


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## LuvMyBaby (Apr 8, 2010)

My Chloe's groomers only take a limited number of dogs per day. They do each dog as they come in and then call the owners. It usually takes 3 hours for Chloe, unless I take her in later. I, like you, hate it when she is in a kennel all day. I can't bear to have my baby gone for very long.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

The "norm" for a grooming salon is generally a 3-4 hour window. Any longer than that is unacceptable in my opinion. Before I started grooming London & Preston on my own, I would pay an extra $10-$15 for an "express groom" and would wait at the salon while London was groomed from start to finish. It was about $45 total with that extra expense and so worth it. I used to work at a grooming salon while in college as a dog bather, and there was a 3-4 hour window. The way they did it there was the bathers would bathe and dry the dogs, then the groomer would do the haircuts. If your current groomer is the only one grooming the dogs I would either go somewhere else or ask if you can schedule a "start-to-finish" groom for your little one. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my dog at any grooming salon. I feel like if I wait there, they treat my dog better.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

That does sound like "a lot" of groomers places I have been to. However, if you want a shorter window of time you might discuss this with the groomer. It is possible that she can give you a smaller window. 

This is one good thing about mobile groomers and might be it worth that option out.


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## mommatee (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks for everyone's answers. I either need to find someone else to groom her or do the grooming myself. Chloe's body has never been cut, so I wanted someone to do it right the first time and then I would try to groom her myself. Her body is still no where near short enough. I didn't necessarily "want" her body cut short, but its sooooo hot now, that I really "need" to cut her short.


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## mommatee (Jul 20, 2010)

CloudClan said:


> That does sound like "a lot" of groomers places I have been to. However, if you want a shorter window of time you might discuss this with the groomer. It is possible that she can give you a smaller window.
> 
> This is one good thing about mobile groomers and might be it worth that option out.


I would love to find a mobile groomer but I've never heard of any mobile groomers in my area. But........I will definitely look into it!!!


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

Hunter is there for 2 hours. We used to go somewhere that said 2 hours but twice it ended up being more like 5 and so we stopped going. I love our current groomer and the store she works out of. Hunter still doesn't like being groomed but he is clearly comfortable with her. She know of his heart issues and his cage fear so she works around it whenever possible and calls us 10 minutes before she is done so we can be ready for him. I would talk to your groomer and see if she offers an express package.


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## dntdelay (May 27, 2011)

Jasmine just want to the Groomers and it took over 7 HOURS. They wash all the dogs and then they groom them. I like them, but I think they take on too much. I have another place I am going to try. It's called Traveling Tails Inn -- its a doggy day care. We will see.

(picture is from 2009 Calendar)


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I usually find it varies. When I take Archie and Abbey - it's usually from 8am to 12 or 1pm. If I take 3 dogs it's around the same.

I've taken Ava alone and it's been between 1 1/2 hours to 4 hours. 

Things happen and sometimes she gets behind, I understand that. I always take treats and water for the dogs with me.

I love Mari. Sometimes I get impatient when it's going on so long and I'm up that way - she yells at me :HistericalSmiley: - they usually "almost done" by then.....


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## bailey02 (May 1, 2009)

When I take Bailey to get groomed it's usually an all day event. I have a 25-30min drive to her groomers. Our groomer starts taking dogs in at 7:45 so if you get there early then your out by maybe 11. Well since her business has grown double since she first opened its taking longer for me to get Bailey groomed. I keep saying that I want to change groomers but she does such a good job and listens to all my request when it comes to Baileys hair. She has since hired 2 other groomers and a shampoo person but I still end up waiting about 4 hours. I have learned that she is faster during the week versus taking Bailey on a saturday. So I just rearrange my work schedule to drop Bailey off during the week now. It's so hard to find a good groomer and one that you trust.


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## Dora's Mom (Nov 7, 2009)

Dora gets groomed by a mobile groomer so the groomer has no other dogs to worry about but her. But grooming times vary a lot depending on how matted she is. A couple of times she has taken close to 3 hours for bath and grooming! So I guess I can understand how a groomer could have a lot of messy or matted dogs and get behind schedule. I really love the mobile groomer and feel very lucky to have started Dora there when I did because they have a waiting list now.


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Cosy lives with her groomer and she's slow as molassas. She cuts one day and bathes the next. Her price is only a few noselicks. LOL


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## MalteseMadame (Apr 26, 2011)

My groomer only takes one fur baby at a time. So when I take the Maltese Mafia; Daye Tripper, Sofia Ralph Lauren, and Issabella Versasce it is a minmum wait of 3-5 hours to do all 3. I go shopping or run errands and go back to pick them up. She has no cages, and hand drys and combs and brushes all babies. If yor furbaby gets tired she takes a break and sits with them or lets then run in her salon or feeds then a snack (approved) by you. She loves all my babies and really any baby that comes to her. In my will she will get my babies to care forever and ever. She has her own 13 Cavaliers but she is very good to my Malties!! She charges me $25.00 per dog and I always tip very well!!


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## mommatee (Jul 20, 2010)

MalteseMadame said:


> My groomer only takes one fur baby at a time. So when I take the Maltese Mafia; Daye Tripper, Sofia Ralph Lauren, and Issabella Versasce it is a minmum wait of 3-5 hours to do all 3. I go shopping or run errands and go back to pick them up. She has no cages, and hand drys and combs and brushes all babies. If yor furbaby gets tired she takes a break and sits with them or lets then run in her salon or feeds then a snack (approved) by you. She loves all my babies and really any baby that comes to her. In my will she will get my babies to care forever and ever. She has her own 13 Cavaliers but she is very good to my Malties!! She charges me $25.00 per dog and I always tip very well!!


WOW :aktion033: - I'd love your groomer! I wonder if she'd travel to Louisiana :thumbsup:


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

I've been doing my own grooming for years and years -- but about 5 years ago I took Lacie to the groomers because I had had surgery and just couldn't do her grooming.

I dropped her off at 8:30 a.m. and she wasn't finished until around 4:30 p.m. I kept calling because I wanted to pick her up, but they hadn't even started her. When I finally picked Lacie up, she was a nervous wreck (and that's very unusual for her). Never again,

If I couldn't do the grooming myself, I would definitely use a mobil groomer.


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Around 1:30 hours . I love Snowy and Crystal's 2 groomers. They are really loving to the pups and do their job with enjoyment. They love the malts so much and follow my instructions to how I like for the malts to be groomed pretty well. I hope they don't change. The owner of that grooming place knows that if he ever thought of shifting these two guys to his other branch, he is gonna lose a couple fluff-customers who come to him regularly and gives product-review and input on pup products


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## educ8m (May 19, 2010)

MalteseMadame said:


> My groomer only takes one fur baby at a time. So when I take the Maltese Mafia; Daye Tripper, Sofia Ralph Lauren, and Issabella Versasce it is a minmum wait of 3-5 hours to do all 3. I go shopping or run errands and go back to pick them up. She has no cages, and hand drys and combs and brushes all babies. If yor furbaby gets tired she takes a break and sits with them or lets then run in her salon or feeds then a snack (approved) by you. She loves all my babies and really any baby that comes to her. In my will she will get my babies to care forever and ever. She has her own 13 Cavaliers but she is very good to my Malties!! She charges me $25.00 per dog and I always tip very well!!


$25 :w00t:! Wow! I was paying more than that 14 years ago. 

I go to two different groomers. Cisco's groomer comes in an hour before the place opens and grooms Cisco straight through. I drop him off at 7:00am and she usually calls me to pick him up around 8:30. She does this for me because of Cisco's age. I don't take Gracie to her because this place requires bordetella every six months and I refuse to do that with Gracie. Cisco is now exempt because my vet wrote a letter for him stating he should never have any more vaccinations. With Gracie's groomer, I drop her off at 7:30 and she is usually ready to pick up around 11:30.


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## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

What i do is i make the appointment and tell them that Baci and i are coming and I'm staying there since i do not want him in a cage. The shampoo person comes and cuts his nails bath etc. than they hand him back to me until the Groomer is ready ..I do that because not matter who it is unless its in my home i will not leave him..I had a few situations and i was there... the whole thing takes about 2 hours...


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

I used to take Bonnie to a 'boutique' groomer in my neighborhood. They took all day. The last time I took her there, and started to hand her to the groomer (her regular person) she got very agitated and tried to stay in my arms. The groomer said 'oh, she'll be alright as soon as she gets into her cage'. I left (with Bonnie) and never went back. It took me a few different people before I found Jim, who grooms her in my kitchen. Takes about 1 1/2 hours from start to finish and I'm thrilled with him.

I would ask maybe your vet if they know of a mobile groomer. To me, that's the way to go!


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

I groom Paris & Coco, however I want Tucker done professionally, as he is still learning not to squirm.
I thought the groomer at his Vet's would be good so I asked for info and was told that the groomer has all dogs dropped off at 8am and can be picked up at 4:30pm.
My mouth dropped open and I said "Oh my goodness, NO! I can't leave him there that LONG! I don't even leave him home alone that long!!!" I was agast. I mean he is only 8 months old. 
They said I could talk to the groomer to see if she could do it differently.
But if she is that busy I would rather go elsewhere where it is one on one.

So I have emailed a professional mobile groomer, and look forward to that route.


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## Ryder's Mom (Jun 10, 2011)

Usually when I take Ryder in to the Groomer's he's there for two hours tops and she starts right away with him. The place I used to take him to before I found this lady though ... she would put him in a cage for a couple of hours before even touching him, then complain to me when I picked him up that he was crying and whining in the cage. :\ Sometimes the smaller shops are the ones that handle the dogs better. The first groomer Ryder went to was one that groomed Champion dogs and the service was better but this lady that I take him to now treats him like he's her baby.


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## Heather_Rochelle (Jun 4, 2008)

i took Gucci and Dakota in @ 10:30 Saturday morning and she didn't get to them till almost 4:30 pm this is not the norm for them and they were back up and only one groomer had shown up. I had driven 35 minutes and had errands to run in town but normally she has my two out in a few hours!


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## suzimalteselover (Mar 27, 2006)

I've visited and interviewed almost every grooming salon here. They all use the same method of washing everyone, then, drying, then, grooming....so, yes, it's an all day process here, too.  I don't want my kids in a crate all day. That's just me.

So, I called around and conducted interviews over the phone for a mobile groomer. I had a list of questions and the phone interview took about an hour for the groomer I chose. My mobile groomer is actually a handler of another small breed, so, I def. got the impression she understands dog's behaviors, as well. I didn't want just a groomer that knew how to groom. I wanted a groomer that understood behaviors and knew to be gentle and take her time. I've had my mobile groomer for about 3 years now and have been very happy. (She started her own mobile business, because, she was tired of being pressured into rushing through so many dogs per day. Because, with all businesses, it always goes back to money.) It takes her a strong hour for each dog. A little more expensive....but, so worth it. I don't have to drive anywhere nor waste time in traffic. That's worth something right there, too. 

If you feel your groomer does a good job and takes her time....and has a gentle touch....not rough. I would visit with her about paying her more for an express package. I also feel it's important to tip generously, even if the groomer is the owner of her business. A good groomer is worth her weight in gold!


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