09/17/2026
๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐จ
As a breeder and certified groomer, I am certainly no stranger to coat maintenance, matting, and the responsibility that comes with owning and raising furnished, coated dogs.
I want to be very clear about something: our dogsโ comfort and welfare will always take priority over aesthetics. If a dog is genuinely matted to the point that shaving is the most humane option, then shave the dog. We will choose their comfort over appearance every single time.
That said, there is a difference between advocating for an animalโs welfare and allowing personal opinions about a breed, breeder, or client to interfere with professional care.
Especially when the message is โHumanity over Vanity,โ yet approximately two hours were spent attempting to demat a coat that, if truly beyond humane maintenance, should have simply been clipped for the dogโs comfort.
Recently, one of our Goldendoodles was identified by her groomer as an Aussiedoodle based solely on the fact that she carries the merle gene.
For clarity: merle is a coat-color pattern. It does not, by itself, determine a dogโs breed. This dog is a Goldendoodle by pedigree and DNA testing through Embark.
I am also certainly not ignorant of the history of how merle was introduced into certain doodle lines decades and generations ago. Understanding the history of a gene and accurately identifying the breed of an individual dog are not mutually exclusive.
What concerned me more, however, was that the conversation extended well beyond grooming.
Personal opinions about our breeding program were shared with her guardian, including opinions regarding our health testing, my availability as a breeder and groomer, and other aspects of our program.
And I think the context matters.
This was the very first interaction between this groomer and our guardian. There was no established professional relationship or history between them, yet the interaction began with criticism and personal judgments rather than a neutral, client focused conversation.
That immediately created an adversarial dynamic where there should have simply been a professional one.
That is where professional boundaries matter.
I have tremendous respect for professional groomers. Grooming is skilled work, and as a groomer myself, I understand that groomers are often presented with difficult coats requiring significant time and care. This particular coat required approximately two hours of dematting, and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to work carefully and humanely with an animal.
However, after our guardian contacted us during the appointment, we made the decision to remove our dog from the groomerโs care immediately. We finished the groom ourselves.
That decision was not made because we were afraid of a shave. It was made because we were no longer comfortable with the situation or commentary and felt leaving was in our dogโs best interest.
And this is the bigger point I want to make:
If you choose to accept a clientโs money, you are choosing to provide that client and their dog with a professional service.
You do not have to like doodles.
You do not have to agree with breeding doodles.
You do not have to agree with my breeding program.
You are absolutely entitled to your own opinions.
But those opinions should not determine the level of professionalism, respect, or objectivity a client and their dog receive.
If working with doodlesโor any particular breed for that matterโis fundamentally at odds with your personal beliefs, that is okay. You are allowed to decide what clientele you want to serve.
But clients also deserve to know where a professional stands before handing over their money and their dog.
If you cannot separate your personal views from the service you are being paid to provide, then declining the client may be the more professional choice.
This isnโt about expecting a groomer to preserve a coat at the expense of the dog. It isnโt about being upset over a shave. And it isnโt about demanding that anyone agree with me.
Itโs about professional boundaries, communication, consistency, and objectivity.
Put the welfare of the dog first. Communicate professionally. Know the difference between a coat pattern and a breed. And leave personal judgments about the breeder at the door.
You donโt have to agree with every dog walking through your door.
But if youโre accepting their ownerโs money, that dog and that client deserve to be treated with professionalism and respect.
Those standards ๐๐๐ and ๐๐๐๐๐๐ coexist.
