Ellie I am shuddering just reading what you wrote. How awful!!!! I started out 30+ years ago with two toy poodles and hubby and myself began grooming them ourselves just to see if we could do it and also to save some money. We have just kept at it. When I got Bella I was older and thought that it might be nice to see what a groomer could do since grooming a standard poodle is a big job. I started grooming her initially but began using a groomer maybe when she was six months old. Almost from the first visit she developed a yeast infection in her ear. Her ear canal on the left side is smaller and consequently when she shakes her head the water doesn't all come out and that bred the yeast. I was careful with her when I bathed her, not to get water in her ears, but apparently the groomer wasn't. It was quite a job to get it under control and she even had to be put under at the vet's for an ear flushing procedure. Needless to say, I have been grooming her myself since then.

Regarding the job that the groomer did......well let's just say I can see where they cut corners (taking a dog too close) rather than take the time to work with a mat, of which Bella seldom ever had one. I was one of those people who thoroughly brushed her BEFORE her visit. I also hated the way they did her tail pom. It was never round and they only did the very tip rather than using 2/3 of the tail for the pom. I always thought...."oh well, it will grow and maybe next time they will do better." Then one day I ran into the breeder of my third poodle who looked at Bella with horror and said to me "who did her pom?" I quickly said "not me!" LOL! I am a firm believer in doing my own grooming. It is a great bonding experience with your dog and you know what has gone on. It saves money too! If I make a mistake, it grows out!