08/25/2026
š¾ A little Matted or Knot updateā¦š¾
If/when I decide to reopen my books to new clients, Iāve made the decision that I will no longer be accepting ANY new doodle breeds. āØThis includes established clients as well who get a NEW pup- *not ones I currently groom*.āØ
Goldendoodles, Bernedoodles, Labradoodles, Aussiedoodles, Sheepadoodles, Cavapoos, Cockapoosāor any of the other countless āoodles.ā This isnāt directed at one particular mix, and itās certainly nothing personal against the dogs themselves. This is a strict business decision and after 17 years behind a grooming table, Iāve earned the right to make decisions based on what is sustainable for both my business and my body.
Doodle coats are incredibly labor-intensive. Bathing, drying, brushing, prep work, clipping and sc******ng take timeāand unfortunately, what that time and physical labor is actually worth doesnāt always align with what people are realistically willing to pay.
And thereās another side of this that applies to grooming in general:
Youāre not just paying me for the hour your dog is on my table. Youāre paying for the YEARSSSSS it took me to learn how to safely, professionally and proficiently get your dog groomed in that hour.
Iāve actually had people surprised that I can finish their dog in an hour and question whether that means I wasnāt thorough.
āMaāamā¦ Iām not rushing. Iām experienced.āš« š
Seventeen years of handling thousands of dogs teaches you how to work efficiently without sacrificing quality or safety. Expertise shouldnāt become less valuable because experience allows someone to do something faster.
And yesā¦āSusieā down the street may do it cheaper. By all means, thereās the door. I will never compete to be the cheapest groomer. I compete with the groomer I was yesterday.
At this stage of my career, protecting my hands, wrists, shoulders and back matters. My body is part of the equipment that keeps this business running.
And while weāre here, one more PSA:
PLEASE start your puppies with professional grooming early!!!
Once theyāve received their rabies vaccination, typically around 16 weeks, start getting them acclimated. Please donāt wait until 6, 8 or 10 months old when they desperately need their first haircut. Those early appointments teach them that the bath, dryer, clippers, nail trims, brushing, handling and grooming table are normal. This is especially important when you choose a dog that will require professional grooming every 4ā8 weeks for its entire life.
At the end of the day:
Having a dog is a privilege.
Professional grooming is a luxury.
And experience has value. š¾šāØ
SOOOO---
While these are all true statements and I totally agree for the time being I am not going to stop grooming doodles although I have stopped grooming Great Pyrenees. I love the breed. They are beautiful and usually wonderfully behaved. But I have to do larger dogs on my knees and 4 hours on my knees for a Great Pyrenees is about more than I can handle these days. But when a doodle comes in totally matted then I'm often tempted to reconsider grooming Doodles
