Tipping???

[elizabethann]

Just curious...do you tip your pets groomer?

[GraciesMommy]

Yes..I pay $15 to have Gracie groomed...and I tip $2

[aly]

I generally don't tip the groomer. Mainly because I haven't found one that I like and who does a really good job yet. Also because they overcharge me (in my opinion). For a little 13 lb dog, it is always over $35. They also never do exactly what I want and make me feel bad because I don't get Reecie in the typical Poodle cut (I prefer the puppy or teddy bear cuts).

The vet where I work has a groomer upstairs so I'm going to try her! I will tip her if she's good. I'm generally a very generous tipper.

[PJ's Mom]

I have the same problem that Aly has. When I can find someone who actually cuts Peej the way I want him cut and not charge me $60, then I will tip the groomer. Not until then.

[IRescue452]

Nope. I'm the groomer and so is my mom. Cherish the day my dog gives me a tip for the haircut. We do friends and family dogs for free and don't expect anything for it.

[cali]

lol well I spose I COULD tip myself.. though I am not usre how that would work... lol I groom my own dogs, and my mom grooms her own dogs.

[micki76]

As a former groomer, I'll softly suggest that you DO tip your groomer. I've worked in a lot of salons, and suffice it to say, a good tipper generally gets preferential treatment and their pets are treated better. (not at all salons, but if you're a repeat customer and don't tip, I shudder to think what may be happening to your pet! Sad but true a lot of times. )

9 times out of 10 the person grooming your dog isn't the owner and doesn't set the prices. They only get paid a percentage or a flat rate per dog.

[aly]

I know its unfair to the groomer when I think I'm being overcharged and don't tip them. But the fact remains that they do a horrible job. Reece has even been hurt (red marks) on his tummy/leg area by two different groomers. They are lucky I didn't put up a big stink about that. I was incredibly nice about it, but I refuse to tip when they do that or do stuff that I do NOT ask for. They always know what I want. I make it very clear. And they have my number if their memory fails them.

[elizabethann]

micki76 - what if i pick my dog up from a doggy day care that also has a groomer? i pick my dog up from day care and i never get to see the groomer who worked on my dog (he goes to doggy day care in the AM and then the groomer in the PM). i don't want to give the money to just anybody because what if they pocket it and the groomer never sees the tip? i don't think that would happen, but in today's society, you never know. do you have any suggestions? should i ask to see the groomer so i can tip her? or should i just give the money to whomever brings my dog out to me? i have no clue.

[tomkatzid]

When I took (RB) Tonee to Petsmart for years, they were not allowed to take tips.

Now we take Nina to a small shop and the owner is the groomer. I have not tipped. But I am a server and always want tips, so maybe I should. But she is the owner and takes in all the money, and sets her own prices. So she keeps it all except for overhead.

Not sure what to think about it. I'll see what more people say here.
Katz

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by aly
Reece has even been hurt (red marks) on his tummy/leg area by two different groomers.

Are you sure we don't take our dogs to the same place? ;) Peej has come home with red marks on his belly and his..um...you-know-what. :o They cut the hair way too short!

I thought he would be really well taken care of if I took him to Petsmart because the grooming area is all open and everyone can see how they treat the dogs. Maybe not. :( It sickens and saddens me to know that when I send my boy to a groomer he may be mistreated or handled roughly. :(

I want to learn how to do it myself but a Cocker cut isn't the easiest..or so I've heard.

Micki, will you groom Peej? :D

[tomkatzid]

Tonee got staff (sp) infection once from a private groomer, dirty tools. Had to take her to emergency on a Sunday afternoon. A friend used to groom her cocker all the time and I'd go over to see him while she was gone and noticed red marks, from too close of shaving. Nothing has ever happened to Nina, but a funny looking cut.

[PJ's Mom]

Poor Tonee. :(

I took Peej to a private groomer once. He came home sick and was lethargic and wouldn't eat much for 4 days. Never again. :mad:

[aly]

I thought the same thing about Petsmart being safer because there are the glass windows so everyone can see. I can't say I really like Petsmart, but they have been better than the private groomers I've tried. Once I made an appointment at a groomer (even had a recommendation to go there), but when I walked in with Reecie, I had to lie and turn around and run out. I couldn't leave Reece there. It smelled like smoke and looked dirty. They also didn't require a shot record so I had no clue what illnesses could have been lingering. Reece's feet never even touched the floor.

[ParNone]

I've only taken Murph and Maddie to the groomer, once. Many, Many years ago. And I didn't tip. It didn't occur to me.

I have been thinking about taking Oz and Gully in though, to see if they can blow out some of that coat, that keeps continually shedding. I've been wary of where to go though. I'm thinking about taking them to my vet's. They offer grooming too. Figure if I trust them for vet care, they should be okay for grooming too. I'll have to remember to tip if I do. It'd be worth it if it ensures they'll treat Oz and Gully nicer, which is my main concern about having somebody else do the grooming.

Par...

[Suki Wingy]

Niño never goes to the groomer. He has never had his hair cut in his life.;)

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

My dogs don't go to the groomer often. I usually groom them myself. But when they do I go I think my mom sometimes tips them...

[carole]

Well I don't have a groomer and Tipping is not done here in NZ, anywhere for anything. so we love it when Americans come on down and tip generously.,ever wondered why you get treated better in a restaurant ? lol

[jenluckenbach]

I am the groomer. Tips are nice, we work HARD! Dogs are not always cooperative and many are unkept. The prices you pay may seem steep, but have you ever considered the amount of effort that goes into a grooming? It is NOT only a hair cut. It is brushing out of possibly MONTHS of neglect, it is washing and drying of an entire body of fur, sometimes long and thick. Many dogs take a full hour just to PREP for the tub. And don't even talk to me about the time fluff drying takes. You also get the equal of a manicure and a pedicure on an animal that most likely will fight you just to have the nails clipped. If your dog gets any scissor work, imagine trimming the bangs on a 2 year old child who has eaten 2 pounds of sugar, and then making sure each hair is even and neat. We clean poop off of butts and goop out of eyes. We clean up umpteen accidents in a day plus risk getting bit by even the most gentle dog. We lift and carry a whole lot of dog weight around each day. We listen to constant barking and whining. Most customers press us so hard for time that we get little or no time to stop for a "break". Our equipment is expensive to buy and keep sharp and then a rambuncious dog knocks it off the table or out of our hands and breaks it. I never leave work without new scratches or a bruise from being kicked or bumped.
We are as gentle as we are able, but MANY times an owner will ask us to brush out a matted animal that HATES to be brushed. And no matter how many times you tell the owner that the dog will suffer, it seems more important to most that the dog LOOKS good than feels good.

This of course does not imply that any of you fall into these catagories, but besides all this, the shop owner has very high electric bills (driers are killers), water bills (can't goom without water), advertizing costs (the phone bill alone is over $300 per MONTH).......shall I go on?

So even if your groomer is the owner, if you tip your own hairdresser for a clipping of a head of hair, then I think your dog's groomer deserves no less.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

When Molly goes to the groomer every few months or so, it costs $50 and we usually tip $10. Daisy goes in rarely. Most of the time I groom her myself.

It has always occured to me that the polite thing to do would be to tip your groomer.. if they do a good job, of course.

[IRescue452]

I don't bring my dogs to groomers because of abuse cases and because Pepper had all of her nails all cut way past the quick when she went as a pup. I must say though that in 14 year of grooming our dogs by ourselves we still can't always aviod the occasional razor burn when using the short blades. Sometimes the dogs wiggle too much and you accidently cut them too short. I agree that razor burns all over the entire dog is a bad sign, but having a few red marks on the stomach is hardly evidence for abuse especially if your dog hates being groomed.

[catnapper]

Hmmm.. I would tip if I took Nicki in (no need for a short haired shedder ;) )

Think about everyone you tip in normal circumstances:
~Waitress/waiter - regardless of whether or not you got your meal exactly the way you wanted it, or if the meal was overpriced. You might tip less than if you thoroughly enjoyed the meal, but you still tip.

~Car wash. Even if its a buck, I always slip the guy drying off my car something. Basically... what did they do? Just stood there with somewhat dry towels and dried me off - and I've never been thrilled with how its been dried, but courtesy is courtesy. Especially since these guys make nothing as a base salary, and depend on tips.

~Hairdresser: Silly thing, many women don't bat an eyelash to pay $80 for a day at the salon, then drop a $20 tip afterwards, but when it comes to the same thing for their dog they won't tip because the grooming services cost too much? I would think its harder to do dog hair than human hair. You tell a human to tilt their head up to the left, and the do it. Tell a dog? Good luck!

I could go on, but I'm not being too creative right now. What I'm basically trying to point out is we tip because its common to tip for other services. Why then should be wonder whether or not to tip the groomer? I can only imagine how tough they have it.

[aly]

Well Reece stands COMPLETELY still while being groomed. Since he's a Poodle, he's so used to the whole routine. The worst thing he does is fall asleep while being groomed, and I am sure he would be any groomer's dream dog. In fact, most of them do gush to me how wonderful he is. He's only 13 lbs and is never matted. If he was a horrible dog, had mats, or was large, I would understand more. But they can't even get it right and he's like a little stuffed animal.

I have groomed him the past couple times myself, but I'm so bad at it. I hope this groomer at the vet is good because I'm quickly losing faith in the groomers in my area.

And no, I do not tip if I am not satisfied with services. Maybe that makes me an evil person. But at least I don't give service workers a hard time, yelling at them and carrying on when they screw up. I tell them its completely okay, pay the fee, and go on my merry way. Trust me, they could have it much worse :rolleyes:

*edit* There's also a big difference between having a meal or getting my own hair cut and putting my precious baby boy in someone else's hands. I will NOT tolerate anything but the best for my animals. I am fine with less for myself, but I DO NOT want to see any red marks on my dog or have him be treated anything less than he deserves.

[PJ's Mom]

Peej used to be horrible during his grooming. He's always been known for being a big baby and his regular groomer in Arlington was well trained in the art of Peej grooming. ;) He knew her, she knew him and it was a beautiful thing. :D She did a wonderful job on him and I didn't mind paying her high fees ($60) and tipping her an extra $10 per trip.

Since we've been here, he's calmed down a lot (through age, I guess) but I can't find a groomer who does a good job, and who he likes. The turnover at Petsmart is terrible...as soon as I find a good groomer, they leave. :(

It's difficult to find good groomers around here. :(

[jenluckenbach]

Has any man here ever had an irritation after shaving his face? Has any woman here ever has an irritation after shaving her legs or underarms? Shaving hair off sensitive areas causes irritation. it is a fact! it is not neglect, it is not dull equipment, it is more a matter that some animals have sensitive skin and some don't. And dogs are very likely to scratch these areas (in hopes of making them feel better) and all it does is irritate it more.

Now, concerning getting the WRONG clip, that is uncalled for! We DO what the customer asks for to the best of our ability unless it is humanly imposible. And then, we tell of our plans to do differently.

And Aly, I am sure your dog is perfect, but the fact remains, most are not! And, accidents happen, probably because we are human beings.

[PJ's Mom]

Believe me, I realize people make mistakes as I'm one of those who makes more than her fair share of them. ;) I also don't deny the fact that my dog is a baby and can be difficult at best during a grooming.

However, when the groomer makes his belly red and close to bleeding, I get very upset, because I don't believe there is a reason for that other than carelessness.

If there was a groomer around here that was as good as I'm sure you are, not only would they get my continued business, but they'd get great tips and my respect because I can only imagine how difficult being a (good) groomer must be.

[tomkatzid]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
Has any man here ever had an irritation after shaving his face? Has any woman here ever has an irritation after shaving her legs or underarms? Shaving hair off sensitive areas causes irritation. it is a fact! it is not neglect, it is not dull equipment, it is more a matter that some animals have sensitive skin and some don't. And dogs are very likely to scratch these areas (in hopes of making them feel better) and all it does is irritate it more.


In the case of my friend, NOT a groomer herself, getting Max all red most every time she shaved him... She didn't use a blade guard. If you don't know what your doing you can shave too close and burn their skin. There is no reason to shave as close as a mans face or a woman’s legs. It's doggie hair, it can be a bit on the long side.

As for Tonee getting staff infection... She shaved TOO close. And something there was dirty. There is NO need to take it down to the bare skin. This was her neck. She was bald on her neck because she was using the wrong blade. This person was a show cocker groomer, that's why I went to her. 2 days later Tonee's neck was as full as a balloon, with infection.

Nina's groomer shaves her tummy all the time. It is not down to the skin. She has had a funny tail cut several times, but never any red spots from being shaved too close. Now Nina is not a tiny pup, but 40 pounds. She only charges us $24 and Petsmart was over $40.

But back to the original ? of tipping. Maybe there is a new etiquette book out, as the one I have is VERY old. At the hairdresser you do not tip the owner if they are the one that cuts your hair. My guy is the owner, I tip. So I think I should start tipping Nina's groomer too.
Katz

[aly]

Yes my boy is perfect at the groomer. Not bragging, he just is the easiest dog in the world to groom. My other dog is not easy so I do her myself. Simple. If my groomer is going to be human and make a mistake, the responsible thing to do would be to tell me about it so I don't have to go home and discover the marks myself. That is shady business. It has only happened twice so I'm sure it isn't sensitive skin or anything.

I do sympathize with groomers when they have to deal with difficult dogs. I've bathed/brushed/shaved my fair share of difficult ones at the shelter over the years. But at the same time, I'm not holding a gun to their head.

[gkristian]

well i'm Foxy's groomer so i voted "no"

[anna_66]

You know as a server myself you would think I would have thought to tip, but nope...never entered my mind. I guess I just looked at like that was there job just like any other person.
And honestly I just started tipping my hairdresser (when she came in and left me a big fat tip...I got the hint;)).
So I guess I should tip!

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by aly
If my groomer is going to be human and make a mistake, the responsible thing to do would be to tell me about it so I don't have to go home and discover the marks myself. That is shady business. It has only happened twice so I'm sure it isn't sensitive skin or anything.


Just letting you know that sometimes things like that (red marks) don't show up like the second it happens. They may have not even seen anything like that when they finished him and therefore didn't tell you about it because they didn't know about it. I groomed Sydney one time and noticed a red mark on the inside of her leg the next day, I never saw it when I groomed her. The blade wasn't hot and I was being careful, accidents do happen.

And to answer the original question, working as I groomer I definitely encourage tipping of course. The few tips I receive are greatly appreciated. Work as a groomer for a week and you'll want to tip them generously. ;)

[aly]

Well I found the red marks as soon as I got home. I am sure accidents do happen, but the whole experience each time that happened was less than ideal.

Again, if I ever found a good groomer, I'd tip them. That just hasn't happened yet. PJ's Mom lives in my city and she hasn't found a good one either, so I'm sure its not just me being picky. Although I do expect the best when my babies are involved.

I don't think they should expect tips though. What micki said really scared me. If they treat dogs differently depending on which owners tip, that is just soooooooooo wrong.

[wolf_Q]

Well I don't treat dogs differently depending on if the owners tip. Guess I can't speak for everyone though.

I don't expect tips unless I've gone out of my way to do something (for example take all day long and brush out a really matted dog because they begged me not to shave them). They are appreciated but not expected. The ones I get are few and far between so if I was expecting a tip on every dog I'd get disappointed an awful lot lol. I'll take a really nice owner and great dog over a difficult dog with a $10 tip any day. ;)

[aly]

Oh I'd totally pay TONS if someone had to brush my dog all day. I'm a reasonable person :) I don't expect anyone to bend over backwards for me at all. I just don't understand why I can't even find a semi-decent groomer. So...... when are you moving to Texas? :p

[wolf_Q]

Just drive up to Utah every 2 months or so.....;)

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by aly
I don't expect anyone to bend over backwards for me at all. I just don't understand why I can't even find a semi-decent groomer.

This may sound bad, but I am so glad I'm not the only one who has this problem around here. I thought I was being too picky, or that Peej was too difficult to work with.

I guess I'll keep looking and if I don't find a grooomer Peej and I are both happy with, I'll have to learn how to do it myself. :(

[aly]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
This may sound bad, but I am so glad I'm not the only one who has this problem around here. I thought I was being too picky, or that Peej was too difficult to work with.

I guess I'll keep looking and if I don't find a grooomer Peej and I are both happy with, I'll have to learn how to do it myself. :(

I will definately tell you if I come across a good one. I did meet a WONDERFUL one who does grooming either in her home or yours (whichever you prefer). She was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AWESOME. She offered to help me out on my foster dogs for free. I met her volunteering at the shelter telethon. I lost her business card though. I'll try to track her down somehow.

[jenluckenbach]

I just don't understand why I can't even find a semi-decent groomer.
Because they are few and far between. It is hard work and people nowadays don't want to work hard for their money. We can't find a decent replacement groomer when one quits because they just aren't out there.

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
Because they are few and far between. It is hard work and people nowadays don't want to work hard for their money. We can't find a decent replacement groomer when one quits because they just aren't out there.

Will you come over and groom Peej? :D

Thanks Aly. That groomer sounds awesome! :)

[chrissycat21]

I'm not sure if our current groomer is tipped, but I beleive the last one was. (She moved and she was the best one we have found!)

Snowy's first grooming experience was awful, when I walked her into the place the first thing I noticed was every dog's tail was tucked and they were in the corner of there cages. When Snowy came home she was a different dog, snapping and growling at people, she even bit my sister! (Which she had never, and hasn't since, done in her life and took everyone by surprise!)

Snowy was supposed to be groomed by our dog sitter while we were on vacation, but since the vacation was cancelled she didn't have enough time. When our dog sitter grooms her we do tip, because basicly this is the one other person I trust to watch Snowy while we're gone. (And she's a pretty good groomer, too)