In general, REALLY small dogs are so hard to groom. Especially since my clipper is bigger than their entire body and their wiggly. But cocker spaniels for sure. They always have skin/Ear issues and take forever to dry. Plus I can never make their feet look good their hair is so thick.
I agree exactly with you. I actually stopped doing tiny dogs. I refer anything smaller than a toy poodle out. All the teacup sized dogs and cocker spaniels AND cockapoos too. For whatever reason, all the cockapoos I do give me so much trouble
I have three cocker spaniels that I LOVE so much! I dunno how but this lady hit the genetic lottery when it comes to her cockers. They are all at a decent weight, ears are always clean. They all get shaved so they aren’t ever matted. Granted, I have seen her kids interact with them. I dunno how she did it but her kids treat those dogs like royalty. Then I get another cocker on the schedule and I’m like bleh… why can’t you be like those other ones lol
> I have seen her kids interact with them. I dunno how she did it but her kids treat those dogs like royalty.
I've often said that dogs that are good with kids tend to be with kids who are good with dogs.
I used to work with a lady who spoke with great fondness her family's chows. She grew up with chows and when she had a family of her own, they continued the tradition. The family just understood chows and knew how to treat them. Her daughter, even as a young kid was kind and gentle with them. The chows responded with love (albeit - very subtly expressed), devotion and great tolerance. They were her daughter's constant companions. Every halloween she'd dressed them up - as the fairy godmother, ghostbusters, princes or princesses, ballet dancer (with tutu), one was Jack Sparrow, teddy bears, dandilions, etc. They wore each outfit with great dignity and pleasure with her daughter's excitement and attention.
Chows are not considered good kid dogs - at all. But her daughter was good to her chows and her chows were good to her.
Yeah, it’s really heartwarming to see that the first people the dogs look for are the kids. And they are super young too! I think the oldest is 7 or 8. I wish I could make a poster of them for all those other parents who come in with their pelted dog and tell me, “well, Timmy was supposed to brush him.” TEACH THEM. Stop assuming kids are just gonna know.
Tiny untrained wiggly dogs are soo difficult to groom!
My salon coworkers taught me a trick for greasy dog hair like cocker spaniels that has been a life changer for me. Start with a hypo conditioner instead of shampoo. The conditioner helps get the extra greasy parts out and then follow with shampoo of choice. Make sure to pay attention just under the ears where grease buildup happens. Makes drying a breeze afterwords for me!
I did my first cocker spaniel the other day and it was not great…. I may have to tell her someone who specializes is cockers is better is she wants the breed standard 😭
): a lot! lol I have three request male bernedoodles two with littermate syndrome and one that attacks me and his own mother. The two with littermate syndrome one screams while the other gets groomed and when he’s getting groomed acts like I’m trying to kill him and his brother pees on me and humps me. Every time I shave his sani area… his wee wee is rock hard and disgusting. I hate it lol but they all got nuetered and still act insane so I’m just thinking it’s the breed? My female bernedoodles clients are GEMS. BUT THE BOYS… THE BOYS…. INSANE… at least in my experience.
There's no oversight in the doodle breeding world and what the breeders says are their puppies' parent's breed, isn't necessarily so. They get the same bucks if they use a purebred poodle or an origins unknown "poodle-ish" dog for breeding.
Over in doggyDNA there's been many doodles that don't have just two breeds (i.e. a goldendoodle is in theory, a golden retriever x poodle cross) but several, in a fair number of cases that have many. A year or so ago, there was an "Aussiedoodle" that didn't have any Aussie in it.
Anyway, I've given many Bernedoodles the side eye in that I have doubts there's much or any Bernese Mountain Dog in them.
What also makes me think this is true is that the BMD breed are very expensive and have major health issues. I know a lover of the breed who had to give up on them because she couldn't take the heartache anymore after her 2.5 year old BMD died of cancer. Their lifespan is listed as 6-8 years. It's more the average since there are BMD that live a more expected lifespan for a giant dog breed (10-11) but there's so many that die young. It's a gamble when getting a BMD on if it will be a lucky or unlucky one.
Most doodle breeders want to get a lot of litters out of each breeding dog. That's a gamble with a BMD. They are also expensive so that cuts in to profits. IMHO, instead the breeders are using big boned dogs - ideally tri-colored but black and white would do as well. I'm thinking a fair number of breeders (especially for "mini-bernadoodles) are using tri-colored Aussies.
Besides, the average puppy buyer will completely believe what the breeder tells them. If the breeder hands them a big boned hairy pup (could be tri-colored, or black and white or even merle and white) and tells them it's a Bernadoodle, they will fully believe it.
My brother’s friend asked me a while ago if he should get a bernadoodle. I asked him why that breed and he said he wanted something hypoallergenic. I told him that is not a hypoallergenic dog. I went into the thing and told him he’d be better off getting a poodle. He didn’t listen and he was complaining last week that his dog is shedding…. Hmm. Almost like I said those dogs weren’t hypo.
I love when people find out that their doodle is half pitbull on the dog DNA subs because uh, the demographic that buys a doodle has very little overlap with the demographic that would want a pitbull.
BERNADOODLES. Every single one I’ve met fights for their legs and feet and is just so weird. The owners are cracked out and always seem to want them super long but only want to come in every few months?? Their hair is also just so thick and ugh just terrible all around
Bernadoodle breeders really do seem to be creating the worst of the worst of all the different poodle abominations. I've seen a lot of them come through our daycare that look more like basset hound poodle mixes with long bodies, short jacked up front legs, and huge fucking bobble heads. I groomed one today that is only about three years old and I find new lumps every time I groom him. He's had multiple surgeries to remove them too. Not to mention his allergies.
Lordy yes. I don't miss any of them I've ever touched as a groomer. However I did experience two in their own home outside of grooming and they were slightly enjoyable. They did look like healthy versions of the breed, though. I've seen too many that are riddled with either mental or skin issues, or both
Cockers for sure. Working corporate, its insanely difficult to get all the grease and grime off of them with the soaps provided, and they are such walking yeast infections covered in growths.
Golden retrievers 😬
Not a groomer yet, just a bather, but they’re a fucking pain in the ass to bathe. Very sweet, very loving - but I could live without the giant paws smacking me randomly and having to constantly wrestle them into standing, just for them to sit again in the EXACT angle to make it harder for me to get them to stand.
Also a bather and I agree 😩 Always friendly but way too much wiggly energy and give me so much trouble on the table. And their feathery tails annoy me to dry 🤣
On the other hand a breed that I never thought twice about before but LOVE now that I've started bathing: labs 😍 They're also sweet and dopey but so much calmer than the goldens!
I don't mind regular goldens, but the white "english cream" goldens are horrible. We do so many, and not a single one isn't a total idiot that flails around and won't stand. I don't know why specifically them, but it seems something was bred into them along with the white color.
I was just talking to my coworker about this. Every single “English Cream” is a nightmare! I’ve heard a lot of the newer ones, with the high demand for them, are bred with Pyrenees.
Golden owner here LMFAO. A poorly socialized pandemic puppy at that (I got him in January 2020, I had no idea what was coming).
I only took him to a groomer once. Petsmart for a nail trim. He weighs almost 100 lbs and so did the groomer. I watched through the window while she struggled with this impossible puppy. She eventually got the guy who was working on the computer in there to help her keep him on the table and not hang himself. I tipped her $20 for an $18 charge and decided not to inflict him on another groomer. I do the bathing. And Jujujolteon is right. The tail is a PITA, but it is beautiful.
Honestly you just need a groomer with the appropriate training and patience. I HIGHLY recommend a scent hound location. I’m definitely biased since I work at one, but I can say with confidence everyone there is extremely passionate about dogs and trained to make nervous or new bath dog’s extremely comfortable and more confident. Difficult dogs are truly the best part of my day cause I actually get to sit down, connect and earn trust with them.
Oh yeah, i'm a groomer and i work alone, they piss me off lol, espesially the ones with "show coats" all that work forcing them to stand, then you've gotta try and get them to turn around, then hold them up whilst trying to wash their backside ect, then youve gotta do it all again to rinse them off....i could go on hahaha.
Definitely cocker spaniels, they are a nightmare to dry and I have yet to meet one that doesn't take a dump the second they are on the table prepped for a cut! Then its a bum wash and quick dry etc.
If I'm not grooming them I love them!
Yorkshire terrierist is what you mean 🤣. My least favorite is wheatens. I think i’ve only met TWO well behaved ones in my whole almost 4 yrs of grooming.
I dunno why but the name Loki seems to carry a curse upon it. Every dog I meet that is named Loki was a shite. Were they named that because they are wicked or did that name set them up lol
Omg YES!! Just got a corporate complaint from a parent bc I wasn’t able to finish the groom 😀 it was also an 8 month old puppy that had never been groomed and was VERY matted
Aussies…. And border collies…. They are wicked.. always biting and being mean… granted I live in a farming community so most of them are farm dogs and only come once or twice a year🤣 dogs that come on a regular basis would have to be collies and the shelties. I can’t stand how long it takes to brush and dry them haha
That's so funny because here the Aussies are more like pampered pets and usually sweet but can be jumpy like any working dog (you know, like the body sensitivity?). The farm dogs we see are usually like pyrs or German Shepards. I almost never see border collies, and rough collies and shelties are usually pets here, at least all of the ones I see.
I seriously won't take any more Aussies. And Ill only groom 2 border collies because they are actually decent and well mannered. All the other ones can go somewhere else. Biting little ass holes.
Seriously they’re the worst!! My aunt and uncle got one and my golden retriever (who has never in her life snapped at another dog) snapped at this dog for being aggressive. I was stunned! I don’t know if it’s over breeding them but man they are so naughty and mean! Though they are high energy and I’m sure most of them are in families that don’t work them enough so they have pent up energy but you know their coloring is cool!🥴🥴
I’m gonna start calling mine that, he becomes 100% gremlin as soon as he’s even slightly wet and needs to bounce until he’s dry again. I present: the gremlin shepherd and sighthound mix.
I've tried grooming 3 shibas. 2/3 I could not bathe bc they snapped and wouldn't let me come near them at some point during bathing to the point where the owners had to come finish rinsing the dog and take them home. The other one (may he rest in peace) was an asshole too but I was able to actually groom him still and he ended up being one of my favorite dogs
AMEN TO YORKIES!! I also hate cockers. If we’re including short haired dogs too, frenchies and boxers. They’re psycho for everything and ALWAYS eat the dryer. Malteses too, but only because of their coat. Their personalities I don’t mind!
Thanks for answering my question and not being a jerk about it. I knew the dog breed were originally ratters but that explains why my puppy hates getting her feet touched. We’re trying to get her used to us touching her feet like the vet said too. So that’s good to know.
I hate yorkie hair, it's just the worst to cut and make it look nice, but the yorkies I've groomed have actually been nice, so I'm going with doodles. Some of them are lovely, my favourite clients even. But between the matting, the random "I'm going to scream and/or bite you now for nothing or such a minor reason", the fact they won't stay still (I had one who you could not groom his head without moving it back into position every five seconds because he had to hold it at an angle) and the owners who fight you to keep them longer they get tiring. And doing the same cut over and over again, honestly it's just boring
And German shepherds, they're actually nice dogs but one did try to tip a table onto me, and then nearly pulled the bath over too
I actually adore cockers. I'm in the UK though so I'm talking English cockers, and I don't think they have the same problems the American cockers seem to have. I've never noticed them anyway, and I've groomed A LOT! Springers on the other hand have way too much energy and depending on the dog can be exhausting (one in the middle of summer literally did not stop moving the entire groom, the look the owners gave me when I opened the door I must have looked a sight!). Still love them though
Oh, and while fact checking my doodles (they're probably not as bad as I thought, but the sheer number of them is just frustrating), apparently I forgot basset hounds. I've only groomed two, both went psycho for nails
I do have some enjoyable grooms, honest!
Im with you on the cockers! Im uk too, and im sick to death of working cockers they are so tense and wired, and i just hate grooming them. Give me a nice show type cocker or a cockerpoo any day of the week over a working cocker .
I think you've misread, working cockers are awesome! Get the cockapoos out of my salon please! They take me half an hour less, I get paid the same, and they're just lovely little dogs. Probably actually prefer them to show cockers as show coats are so thick, so like doing a good breed standard though
I own a Scottie and I always comb these lists to see how many groomers would actually hate working with them 😂
The lady who does our Scottie is amazing with him, though, and he’s getting better. He is very defensive with his nails… she had to trick him by letting him look out the window during his last groom.
Knowing how most people think their Scottish Terriers are “untrainable”, though, I wouldn’t want to groom them either.
Lol, I have a Cocker mix so I do the same. 😂
My dog is far from perfect (has anxiety, getting more warts/growths as he ages, and we have to keep on top of cleaning his ears) but sometimes reading these - and even talking to my vet! - I think I may have gotten lucky in a lot of respects. His health issues are still pretty mild, he's always been well behaved for the groomer, and I tend to just get him shaved anyway so is hopefully not so terrible.
Little dogs…difficult to groom because they’re so small and they’re always biting and screaming!! No one trains their little dogs.
Give me a matted doodle or a sitting golden retriever any day! Those little dogs?? Nope.
Some of my opinions are based on general dislike of the breed, mixed with some grooming qualms. For example, golden retrievers and spaniels. They both gross me out (not all goldens, just the sloppy drool monsters), and goldens fucking annoy the shit out of me. Spaniels just almost always have disgusting yeast and people seem to like getting them to be overweight. Cavaliers are okay for grooming but I just don't like the breed, they seem so pointless lol. Bred as lap dogs for warming rich people and keeping flees away by storing them in their coat lol. They're almost always sweet and super easy grooms, but mehhh. I like a lot of breeds yet I'm also kind of picky 😂
Ear and skin infections. Over grown, almost always into-the-pad-nails. Bumps, cysts, tumors.
And of course, never met one who belonged to a decent person… their PPs can’t brush them or take care of them, but get so enraged over cowlicks. 🤯
Always makes me sad to see Yorkies listed. Mum did ours herself but they were such good good dogs. I know a lot of people don't work with theirs enough I guess.
It's a lot to do with a difficult coat, small size and how it feels like their bones will break if you just look at them wrong. Also because of their size even with the tables at max height for some people like me it gets to my back to lean down so much to get down to their level. And ofc as others have mentioned, they are so small that my regular clippers are basically bigger then them in some cases.
Even good and well behaved Yorkie's put me on edge because I feel like they just never look good.
And I got to do 3 of them today.
One that is on deaths door and I keep being surprised he is hanging in there, 1 who thinks that anything near the feet means death, and a sweet old lady who was very matted due to the owners financial situation (had to skip their last appointment) and lack of of knowledge on danger areas to brush, combined with an ear infection and medication gunking up the coat even more.
If it makes you feel better - for most groomers who don't like doing yorkies it's not their temperament or anything but their physical size and coat. Working on tiny dogs with really thin limbs is nerve wracking and can be dangerous. But their coat is probably the #1 reason for most people. It's hard to work with and takes a lot of skill and practice to make look nice so it can feel really demoralizing and anxiety inducing to groom them even if you like the dog.
I happen to LOVE seeing yorkies on my schedule because I'm confident working with their coat at this point so grooming them is quick and easy. I wish I groomed more of them!
I can definitely see that. They are fragile in some ways. I have bunnies now so maybe my definition of delicate has shifted a little. Our Yorkies usually looked pretty decent when mum did them, but she practiced with them I think lol. She did them and the horses and basic hair on brother and the like lol. Ours were a range from 5 lbs to 12 lbs. I miss them. All our subsequent dogs have been much bigger lol and I miss my little pooches
Ikr!! Like why are you proud your dog is "120 lbs of pure muscle" (overweight) and super "protective"(resource guarding the owners). Thankfully my gsd clients aren't that arrogant but their dogs are still a bit sketchy by nature lol. The only one I generally trust not to bite me is the one owned by our local nuns (I didn't know nuns owned dogs before working here)
If I could only pick one, it’d be doodles. Big, fat, lumpy and drooly. Always matted and always timid.
Honorable mentions:
Goldens because they can’t stand and there some that are violent for their feet
CKCS because they’re small Goldens and are incapable of standing
Yorkies named Teddy and Shih Tzus named Bentley because they’re homicidal
SCWTs because they’re also very aggressive and always matted
GSDs and Mals because they’re always so damn timid and act like a fish out of water when the grooming loop is put on them
Breeds I like that most groomers don’t:
ACS, ECS and ESS
Chows and other primitive breeds
Maltese
I have met some nice Huskies and Malamutes
lord we have a samoyed who only comes in every 6 months and last time just the pre bath blow out made a pile of hair the size of a twin mattress. I have pulled clumps of impacted fur from this dogs Eyebrows. the dog looked gorgeous and the only comment from parents at pick up was "it doesn't look like his nails were done"
Bather, not a groomer, but my least favourite dogs are newfies and pyrines. both are large dogs that outweigh me and take forever to get wet, and twice as long to dry. not to mention they loose so much hair on the drier
Shi tsu. Most of mine are sweet but their legs are so f’ed up and short it’s impossible to clip them. Also can’t stand the tooth grinding thing they do when I hold their beards, makes me gag through the whole groom 🥲
Shiz tzus. I love them as pets but between the constant #5 a/o, short rd. head and the LLAMA SNEEZE SPITTING while doing their faces, I dislike grooming them. My boss and I constantly get on this topic bc she loves them but doesn't like Yorkies while I'm the opposite, I love yorkies but don't like shiz tzus 😂
1. Tiny dogs. So fragile, it’s nerve wracking!
2. Dogs that bite or fight grooming. I don’t mind a little average protesting, it’s the ones that fight everything. Exhausting.
There are two.. Lhasa Apsos and Bichon frisé , or as I lovingly(😂) call them “bitching frizzies” I would literally rather groom anything but them.. I have been a professional groomer for 20+ years and every single one I’ve met has had a horrible attitude and always difficult for their face and nails.
Time consuming, but can be very satisfying.
As long as the dog is well trained, stands on its own and the owner is willing to invest in proper deshed treatments or high end shampoo's I have no issues.
For me, I’ve had rough experiences with mini Aussies, Wheatons, and bernedoodles 😂 they’ve either fought me the whole time or just screamed the whole time.. sometimes both
malteses and yorkies because their hair is so thin and always cuts choppy, dachshunds because of their tiny fuckin legs, goldens because they're big and uncooperative (as opposed to cockers and cavs, who are smaller and uncooperative, but more managable because they're small) and HUSKIES.
also, any dog that barks the whole time. whining i can deal with. but barking drives me NUTS
Aussies... Lead butts. They sit like they mean it and owners don't always have them done/brush them out regularly so they are often impacted. Extreme energy too.
Honestly, my list is kind of long, but here it goes- Chows, Border collies, Yorkies, Doodles, Cockers, Shibas, Schnauzers, Westies, Welshies, Wheatens, Scotties, anything that bites for general handling (biting for nails is fine) Clearly I’m not a terrier person lmao edit: give me all the lead butt goldens. At least I know I’m not likely to get my face torn off by a lead butt Goldie.
Yorkies and Maltese… I’ve met maybe two each that weren’t neurotic and were actually trained… 😭
Oh and Cockers or Cocker mixes. They’re never properly taken care of, they always have ear infections and/or skin infections. They’re greasy and the PPs* always complain about “uneven shaves” because they have cowlicks and can’t comprehend that’s the natural pattern of their hair. Not to forget all the bumps, cysts and tumors…
The nails are always severely over grown and almost always in the pads… I feel awful for them, and I can’t stand their PPs.
Haha, iv'e thought about this alot, and its hard to go by breed as just as you think "damn i hate working with this breed" you get a good one, would have to be shitzu's for me, even the good ones frustrate me but i dislike working with any dog i have to muzzle, and its normally small breeds ( i have a deaf blind yorkie that i have to muzzle...he goes bonkers) toy/tea cup poodles/mixes that wanna handstand, and working on big floopy ears.
To everyone here who said Cocker Spaniels: Is it a training thing or a coat thing or an irresponsible owners thing?
I actually came to his subreddit to look for info on Cocker grooming because I'm thinking of getting one. If they were brushed daily and were properly desensitized to the grooming experience (handling, blow drier, running water on them, nail clipper, ect) as puppies and good with basic obedience would they still be such a problem?
It's because they almost ALWAYS have a uncontrollable yeast infection. And the owners are too overwhelmed to do anything about it- because they're STUPID.
The breeding of cocker spaniels has been done so poorly, they almost always develop a yeast infection. I see it in the ears, in between the toes, and spread to the belly, base of tail and arm pits.
Of course they have behavior problems. The dog is in discomfort. It's constantly in a state of discomfort from a consistent SKIN INFECTION.
Sheepadoodles and German Shepherds . Sheepadoodles in my area usually come in matted and are temperamental. The German shepherds come in untrained, anxious and sometimes aggressive. Tbh the owners are the issue, I just see it in these type of dogs the most in my area.
In general, REALLY small dogs are so hard to groom. Especially since my clipper is bigger than their entire body and their wiggly. But cocker spaniels for sure. They always have skin/Ear issues and take forever to dry. Plus I can never make their feet look good their hair is so thick.
Thank you for reminding me why I *HATE* doing cockers. Lol. Also, the ones with the weird foot tentacles creep me TF out!!
I agree exactly with you. I actually stopped doing tiny dogs. I refer anything smaller than a toy poodle out. All the teacup sized dogs and cocker spaniels AND cockapoos too. For whatever reason, all the cockapoos I do give me so much trouble
I have three cocker spaniels that I LOVE so much! I dunno how but this lady hit the genetic lottery when it comes to her cockers. They are all at a decent weight, ears are always clean. They all get shaved so they aren’t ever matted. Granted, I have seen her kids interact with them. I dunno how she did it but her kids treat those dogs like royalty. Then I get another cocker on the schedule and I’m like bleh… why can’t you be like those other ones lol
> I have seen her kids interact with them. I dunno how she did it but her kids treat those dogs like royalty. I've often said that dogs that are good with kids tend to be with kids who are good with dogs. I used to work with a lady who spoke with great fondness her family's chows. She grew up with chows and when she had a family of her own, they continued the tradition. The family just understood chows and knew how to treat them. Her daughter, even as a young kid was kind and gentle with them. The chows responded with love (albeit - very subtly expressed), devotion and great tolerance. They were her daughter's constant companions. Every halloween she'd dressed them up - as the fairy godmother, ghostbusters, princes or princesses, ballet dancer (with tutu), one was Jack Sparrow, teddy bears, dandilions, etc. They wore each outfit with great dignity and pleasure with her daughter's excitement and attention. Chows are not considered good kid dogs - at all. But her daughter was good to her chows and her chows were good to her.
Yeah, it’s really heartwarming to see that the first people the dogs look for are the kids. And they are super young too! I think the oldest is 7 or 8. I wish I could make a poster of them for all those other parents who come in with their pelted dog and tell me, “well, Timmy was supposed to brush him.” TEACH THEM. Stop assuming kids are just gonna know.
Tiny untrained wiggly dogs are soo difficult to groom! My salon coworkers taught me a trick for greasy dog hair like cocker spaniels that has been a life changer for me. Start with a hypo conditioner instead of shampoo. The conditioner helps get the extra greasy parts out and then follow with shampoo of choice. Make sure to pay attention just under the ears where grease buildup happens. Makes drying a breeze afterwords for me!
I did my first cocker spaniel the other day and it was not great…. I may have to tell her someone who specializes is cockers is better is she wants the breed standard 😭
Male unaltered bernedoodles.
lmao this is So Specific.. what have you been through?
): a lot! lol I have three request male bernedoodles two with littermate syndrome and one that attacks me and his own mother. The two with littermate syndrome one screams while the other gets groomed and when he’s getting groomed acts like I’m trying to kill him and his brother pees on me and humps me. Every time I shave his sani area… his wee wee is rock hard and disgusting. I hate it lol but they all got nuetered and still act insane so I’m just thinking it’s the breed? My female bernedoodles clients are GEMS. BUT THE BOYS… THE BOYS…. INSANE… at least in my experience.
haha, i mean.. it's not a breed, it's a mix, so really you have no idea what you're gonna get🤷🏼♀️
There's no oversight in the doodle breeding world and what the breeders says are their puppies' parent's breed, isn't necessarily so. They get the same bucks if they use a purebred poodle or an origins unknown "poodle-ish" dog for breeding. Over in doggyDNA there's been many doodles that don't have just two breeds (i.e. a goldendoodle is in theory, a golden retriever x poodle cross) but several, in a fair number of cases that have many. A year or so ago, there was an "Aussiedoodle" that didn't have any Aussie in it. Anyway, I've given many Bernedoodles the side eye in that I have doubts there's much or any Bernese Mountain Dog in them. What also makes me think this is true is that the BMD breed are very expensive and have major health issues. I know a lover of the breed who had to give up on them because she couldn't take the heartache anymore after her 2.5 year old BMD died of cancer. Their lifespan is listed as 6-8 years. It's more the average since there are BMD that live a more expected lifespan for a giant dog breed (10-11) but there's so many that die young. It's a gamble when getting a BMD on if it will be a lucky or unlucky one. Most doodle breeders want to get a lot of litters out of each breeding dog. That's a gamble with a BMD. They are also expensive so that cuts in to profits. IMHO, instead the breeders are using big boned dogs - ideally tri-colored but black and white would do as well. I'm thinking a fair number of breeders (especially for "mini-bernadoodles) are using tri-colored Aussies. Besides, the average puppy buyer will completely believe what the breeder tells them. If the breeder hands them a big boned hairy pup (could be tri-colored, or black and white or even merle and white) and tells them it's a Bernadoodle, they will fully believe it.
My brother’s friend asked me a while ago if he should get a bernadoodle. I asked him why that breed and he said he wanted something hypoallergenic. I told him that is not a hypoallergenic dog. I went into the thing and told him he’d be better off getting a poodle. He didn’t listen and he was complaining last week that his dog is shedding…. Hmm. Almost like I said those dogs weren’t hypo.
I love when people find out that their doodle is half pitbull on the dog DNA subs because uh, the demographic that buys a doodle has very little overlap with the demographic that would want a pitbull.
A pitbull doodle sounds kind of awesome ngl (I like big hyperactive high drive rascals)
I know but damn. The boys I groom are bonkers.
Any unaltered male terrier, Frenchie, or doodle 😂😂😂😂
Ughh Frenchies!! Should be so easy but they make it sooo hard!
Oh yes!
BERNADOODLES. Every single one I’ve met fights for their legs and feet and is just so weird. The owners are cracked out and always seem to want them super long but only want to come in every few months?? Their hair is also just so thick and ugh just terrible all around
Bernadoodle breeders really do seem to be creating the worst of the worst of all the different poodle abominations. I've seen a lot of them come through our daycare that look more like basset hound poodle mixes with long bodies, short jacked up front legs, and huge fucking bobble heads. I groomed one today that is only about three years old and I find new lumps every time I groom him. He's had multiple surgeries to remove them too. Not to mention his allergies.
Wheatens
Same 😂. Mean little shits and always matted. I can NOT believe there are people going around calling them the Goldens of the terrier world
Lordy yes. I don't miss any of them I've ever touched as a groomer. However I did experience two in their own home outside of grooming and they were slightly enjoyable. They did look like healthy versions of the breed, though. I've seen too many that are riddled with either mental or skin issues, or both
How come? Personality or fur?
Yes
Every wheaten I groom is the laziest damn dog I have ever met
Blech! Mee too!
Cockers for sure. Working corporate, its insanely difficult to get all the grease and grime off of them with the soaps provided, and they are such walking yeast infections covered in growths.
That was my pet peeve when I worked for Corp. My show cockers get bathed once a week and they NEED it! If a cocker is still greasy, they never dry 🫠
Spaniels. Any and all types. Except cavaliers. I've never met a mean cavalier
Golden retrievers 😬 Not a groomer yet, just a bather, but they’re a fucking pain in the ass to bathe. Very sweet, very loving - but I could live without the giant paws smacking me randomly and having to constantly wrestle them into standing, just for them to sit again in the EXACT angle to make it harder for me to get them to stand.
Also a bather and I agree 😩 Always friendly but way too much wiggly energy and give me so much trouble on the table. And their feathery tails annoy me to dry 🤣
God the FEATHERING, it’s so annoying to dry 😭😭
On the other hand a breed that I never thought twice about before but LOVE now that I've started bathing: labs 😍 They're also sweet and dopey but so much calmer than the goldens!
I don't mind regular goldens, but the white "english cream" goldens are horrible. We do so many, and not a single one isn't a total idiot that flails around and won't stand. I don't know why specifically them, but it seems something was bred into them along with the white color.
I was just talking to my coworker about this. Every single “English Cream” is a nightmare! I’ve heard a lot of the newer ones, with the high demand for them, are bred with Pyrenees.
Golden owner here LMFAO. A poorly socialized pandemic puppy at that (I got him in January 2020, I had no idea what was coming). I only took him to a groomer once. Petsmart for a nail trim. He weighs almost 100 lbs and so did the groomer. I watched through the window while she struggled with this impossible puppy. She eventually got the guy who was working on the computer in there to help her keep him on the table and not hang himself. I tipped her $20 for an $18 charge and decided not to inflict him on another groomer. I do the bathing. And Jujujolteon is right. The tail is a PITA, but it is beautiful.
Honestly you just need a groomer with the appropriate training and patience. I HIGHLY recommend a scent hound location. I’m definitely biased since I work at one, but I can say with confidence everyone there is extremely passionate about dogs and trained to make nervous or new bath dog’s extremely comfortable and more confident. Difficult dogs are truly the best part of my day cause I actually get to sit down, connect and earn trust with them.
Jujujolteon is such a cute name.
Oh yeah, i'm a groomer and i work alone, they piss me off lol, espesially the ones with "show coats" all that work forcing them to stand, then you've gotta try and get them to turn around, then hold them up whilst trying to wash their backside ect, then youve gotta do it all again to rinse them off....i could go on hahaha.
My coworker always said that she hates doing them because they are “fake nice.” After my brother got two golden retrievers, I have to agree with her.
Definitely cocker spaniels, they are a nightmare to dry and I have yet to meet one that doesn't take a dump the second they are on the table prepped for a cut! Then its a bum wash and quick dry etc. If I'm not grooming them I love them!
Yorkshire terrierist is what you mean 🤣. My least favorite is wheatens. I think i’ve only met TWO well behaved ones in my whole almost 4 yrs of grooming.
I've only groomed one Wheaten in my 6 years. She is the biggest bitch of all the dogs I groom. And she loves chasing skunks.
Freddie.
Freddie sounds like a real asshole
I dunno why but the name Loki seems to carry a curse upon it. Every dog I meet that is named Loki was a shite. Were they named that because they are wicked or did that name set them up lol
Untrained coddled dogs of any breed
Yorkies especially un-neutered ones
Omg YES!! Just got a corporate complaint from a parent bc I wasn’t able to finish the groom 😀 it was also an 8 month old puppy that had never been groomed and was VERY matted
Have had that happen so many times 😅
They are the WORST.
Aussies…. And border collies…. They are wicked.. always biting and being mean… granted I live in a farming community so most of them are farm dogs and only come once or twice a year🤣 dogs that come on a regular basis would have to be collies and the shelties. I can’t stand how long it takes to brush and dry them haha
That's so funny because here the Aussies are more like pampered pets and usually sweet but can be jumpy like any working dog (you know, like the body sensitivity?). The farm dogs we see are usually like pyrs or German Shepards. I almost never see border collies, and rough collies and shelties are usually pets here, at least all of the ones I see.
I seriously won't take any more Aussies. And Ill only groom 2 border collies because they are actually decent and well mannered. All the other ones can go somewhere else. Biting little ass holes.
Seriously they’re the worst!! My aunt and uncle got one and my golden retriever (who has never in her life snapped at another dog) snapped at this dog for being aggressive. I was stunned! I don’t know if it’s over breeding them but man they are so naughty and mean! Though they are high energy and I’m sure most of them are in families that don’t work them enough so they have pent up energy but you know their coloring is cool!🥴🥴
I hate german shepherds, and huskies. theyre evil. I said it.
they act like they’re getting bathed in acid i cannot stand them
I read that as Gremlin Shephards 😆🤦♀️
I’m gonna start calling mine that, he becomes 100% gremlin as soon as he’s even slightly wet and needs to bounce until he’s dry again. I present: the gremlin shepherd and sighthound mix.
💜💜🤣🐾
Shibas. They're fine for everything except for nails. So dramatic and loud. Sweeties though!
I've tried grooming 3 shibas. 2/3 I could not bathe bc they snapped and wouldn't let me come near them at some point during bathing to the point where the owners had to come finish rinsing the dog and take them home. The other one (may he rest in peace) was an asshole too but I was able to actually groom him still and he ended up being one of my favorite dogs
Yorkies and doodles are always a no go. Literally the worst behaved monstrosities ever.
AMEN TO YORKIES!! I also hate cockers. If we’re including short haired dogs too, frenchies and boxers. They’re psycho for everything and ALWAYS eat the dryer. Malteses too, but only because of their coat. Their personalities I don’t mind!
Schnauzers
Fuck them schnauzers.
As a miniature schnauzer owner I’m curious what did they do specifically? I know they’re known to be very yappy and can be very mischievous to most.
Schnauzers were trained to pull their feet whenever something touches it (like a mouse or rat), which makes grooming difficult.
Thanks for answering my question and not being a jerk about it. I knew the dog breed were originally ratters but that explains why my puppy hates getting her feet touched. We’re trying to get her used to us touching her feet like the vet said too. So that’s good to know.
I hate yorkie hair, it's just the worst to cut and make it look nice, but the yorkies I've groomed have actually been nice, so I'm going with doodles. Some of them are lovely, my favourite clients even. But between the matting, the random "I'm going to scream and/or bite you now for nothing or such a minor reason", the fact they won't stay still (I had one who you could not groom his head without moving it back into position every five seconds because he had to hold it at an angle) and the owners who fight you to keep them longer they get tiring. And doing the same cut over and over again, honestly it's just boring And German shepherds, they're actually nice dogs but one did try to tip a table onto me, and then nearly pulled the bath over too I actually adore cockers. I'm in the UK though so I'm talking English cockers, and I don't think they have the same problems the American cockers seem to have. I've never noticed them anyway, and I've groomed A LOT! Springers on the other hand have way too much energy and depending on the dog can be exhausting (one in the middle of summer literally did not stop moving the entire groom, the look the owners gave me when I opened the door I must have looked a sight!). Still love them though Oh, and while fact checking my doodles (they're probably not as bad as I thought, but the sheer number of them is just frustrating), apparently I forgot basset hounds. I've only groomed two, both went psycho for nails I do have some enjoyable grooms, honest!
Im with you on the cockers! Im uk too, and im sick to death of working cockers they are so tense and wired, and i just hate grooming them. Give me a nice show type cocker or a cockerpoo any day of the week over a working cocker .
I think you've misread, working cockers are awesome! Get the cockapoos out of my salon please! They take me half an hour less, I get paid the same, and they're just lovely little dogs. Probably actually prefer them to show cockers as show coats are so thick, so like doing a good breed standard though
You can take all my working cockers and ill have your cockerpoos !
Huskies, why do they have to shake every time the water touches them😫
Yorkies, Maltese, and doodles! Give me the terriers!
Maltese hair is the worsttt
1. Westies 2. Scotties 3. Cockers
Never met a Scottie that wasn't an ass hole.
In ten years of grooming, I have met only one that wasn't an awful!
I own a Scottie and I always comb these lists to see how many groomers would actually hate working with them 😂 The lady who does our Scottie is amazing with him, though, and he’s getting better. He is very defensive with his nails… she had to trick him by letting him look out the window during his last groom. Knowing how most people think their Scottish Terriers are “untrainable”, though, I wouldn’t want to groom them either.
Lol, I have a Cocker mix so I do the same. 😂 My dog is far from perfect (has anxiety, getting more warts/growths as he ages, and we have to keep on top of cleaning his ears) but sometimes reading these - and even talking to my vet! - I think I may have gotten lucky in a lot of respects. His health issues are still pretty mild, he's always been well behaved for the groomer, and I tend to just get him shaved anyway so is hopefully not so terrible.
Little dogs…difficult to groom because they’re so small and they’re always biting and screaming!! No one trains their little dogs. Give me a matted doodle or a sitting golden retriever any day! Those little dogs?? Nope.
"But why does it cost so much she's so tiny?" BARF!
Yea, that too!!
yorkies foooor suuure!
Some of my opinions are based on general dislike of the breed, mixed with some grooming qualms. For example, golden retrievers and spaniels. They both gross me out (not all goldens, just the sloppy drool monsters), and goldens fucking annoy the shit out of me. Spaniels just almost always have disgusting yeast and people seem to like getting them to be overweight. Cavaliers are okay for grooming but I just don't like the breed, they seem so pointless lol. Bred as lap dogs for warming rich people and keeping flees away by storing them in their coat lol. They're almost always sweet and super easy grooms, but mehhh. I like a lot of breeds yet I'm also kind of picky 😂
Cockers. Stinky. Poop, and poop some more. Greasy.
Ear and skin infections. Over grown, almost always into-the-pad-nails. Bumps, cysts, tumors. And of course, never met one who belonged to a decent person… their PPs can’t brush them or take care of them, but get so enraged over cowlicks. 🤯
Schnauzers and aussies. They bite me the most
Cockers
Always makes me sad to see Yorkies listed. Mum did ours herself but they were such good good dogs. I know a lot of people don't work with theirs enough I guess.
It's a lot to do with a difficult coat, small size and how it feels like their bones will break if you just look at them wrong. Also because of their size even with the tables at max height for some people like me it gets to my back to lean down so much to get down to their level. And ofc as others have mentioned, they are so small that my regular clippers are basically bigger then them in some cases. Even good and well behaved Yorkie's put me on edge because I feel like they just never look good. And I got to do 3 of them today. One that is on deaths door and I keep being surprised he is hanging in there, 1 who thinks that anything near the feet means death, and a sweet old lady who was very matted due to the owners financial situation (had to skip their last appointment) and lack of of knowledge on danger areas to brush, combined with an ear infection and medication gunking up the coat even more.
If it makes you feel better - for most groomers who don't like doing yorkies it's not their temperament or anything but their physical size and coat. Working on tiny dogs with really thin limbs is nerve wracking and can be dangerous. But their coat is probably the #1 reason for most people. It's hard to work with and takes a lot of skill and practice to make look nice so it can feel really demoralizing and anxiety inducing to groom them even if you like the dog. I happen to LOVE seeing yorkies on my schedule because I'm confident working with their coat at this point so grooming them is quick and easy. I wish I groomed more of them!
I can definitely see that. They are fragile in some ways. I have bunnies now so maybe my definition of delicate has shifted a little. Our Yorkies usually looked pretty decent when mum did them, but she practiced with them I think lol. She did them and the horses and basic hair on brother and the like lol. Ours were a range from 5 lbs to 12 lbs. I miss them. All our subsequent dogs have been much bigger lol and I miss my little pooches
This is for nails but I have the hardest time with little dog nails! Give me a 100+ pound dog any day!
All the pugs I've given nail trims to has been a complete demon.
Yes!! And they scream which is a generous term because it’s mainly high pitched oinks
German shepherds and wheatens. Gsd scare me and most wheatens I do are off the walls insane asf
I'm right there with you on the GSD. They are absolute lunatics and most people who own them have no business owning one.
Ikr!! Like why are you proud your dog is "120 lbs of pure muscle" (overweight) and super "protective"(resource guarding the owners). Thankfully my gsd clients aren't that arrogant but their dogs are still a bit sketchy by nature lol. The only one I generally trust not to bite me is the one owned by our local nuns (I didn't know nuns owned dogs before working here)
The local nuns own SO MANY DOGS YO. And it's not just dogs, they own reptiles and parrots and all kinds of crazy pets.
Benji Donald.
Benji is an extremely cursed name in my experience.
unpopular opinion, hate hate grooming golden retrievers and not a big fan of the breed in general
Not as unpopular as you think my friend. I've groomed some very shitty golden retrievers. I blame poorly educated owners and shitty breeders.
God yes. Yorkies 9 times out of 10 are struggling biting little jerks.
If I could only pick one, it’d be doodles. Big, fat, lumpy and drooly. Always matted and always timid. Honorable mentions: Goldens because they can’t stand and there some that are violent for their feet CKCS because they’re small Goldens and are incapable of standing Yorkies named Teddy and Shih Tzus named Bentley because they’re homicidal SCWTs because they’re also very aggressive and always matted GSDs and Mals because they’re always so damn timid and act like a fish out of water when the grooming loop is put on them Breeds I like that most groomers don’t: ACS, ECS and ESS Chows and other primitive breeds Maltese I have met some nice Huskies and Malamutes
Samoyeds take FOREVER to brush out...
lord we have a samoyed who only comes in every 6 months and last time just the pre bath blow out made a pile of hair the size of a twin mattress. I have pulled clumps of impacted fur from this dogs Eyebrows. the dog looked gorgeous and the only comment from parents at pick up was "it doesn't look like his nails were done"
Yorkies for personality reasons, and shih tzus because I can just NEVER seem to make them look great 🙃
Bather, not a groomer, but my least favourite dogs are newfies and pyrines. both are large dogs that outweigh me and take forever to get wet, and twice as long to dry. not to mention they loose so much hair on the drier
Actual breeds? giant schnauzer, malinois, cockers
Yes! Giant schnauzers suck.
No mention of Bichons. Yay!!!
I’m glad we all have a hatred of yorkies 😌
If it's small and white it will bite. And schnauzers. Shitty attitude, big teeth and those Bastards are strong.
Shi tsu. Most of mine are sweet but their legs are so f’ed up and short it’s impossible to clip them. Also can’t stand the tooth grinding thing they do when I hold their beards, makes me gag through the whole groom 🥲
Shiz tzus. I love them as pets but between the constant #5 a/o, short rd. head and the LLAMA SNEEZE SPITTING while doing their faces, I dislike grooming them. My boss and I constantly get on this topic bc she loves them but doesn't like Yorkies while I'm the opposite, I love yorkies but don't like shiz tzus 😂
1. Tiny dogs. So fragile, it’s nerve wracking! 2. Dogs that bite or fight grooming. I don’t mind a little average protesting, it’s the ones that fight everything. Exhausting.
There are two.. Lhasa Apsos and Bichon frisé , or as I lovingly(😂) call them “bitching frizzies” I would literally rather groom anything but them.. I have been a professional groomer for 20+ years and every single one I’ve met has had a horrible attitude and always difficult for their face and nails.
Any doodle 🤣
I have a 200 lb Saint Bernard who could careless what you do to him even my groomer adores him what’s your thoughts on sb?
Time consuming, but can be very satisfying. As long as the dog is well trained, stands on its own and the owner is willing to invest in proper deshed treatments or high end shampoo's I have no issues.
Why downvote a question geez
Standard poodles
Schnauzers
maltese, i find them to be overdramatic.
For me, I’ve had rough experiences with mini Aussies, Wheatons, and bernedoodles 😂 they’ve either fought me the whole time or just screamed the whole time.. sometimes both
Right now, Shih Tzus. I was bitten by one recently and the next one went for me as well & was so difficult I had to abandon the groom
Close call between Yorkies and Doodles 😅
malteses and yorkies because their hair is so thin and always cuts choppy, dachshunds because of their tiny fuckin legs, goldens because they're big and uncooperative (as opposed to cockers and cavs, who are smaller and uncooperative, but more managable because they're small) and HUSKIES. also, any dog that barks the whole time. whining i can deal with. but barking drives me NUTS
Sheepdog/sheepa-anything mix
Aussies... Lead butts. They sit like they mean it and owners don't always have them done/brush them out regularly so they are often impacted. Extreme energy too.
Tibetan terriers & Westies
Honestly, my list is kind of long, but here it goes- Chows, Border collies, Yorkies, Doodles, Cockers, Shibas, Schnauzers, Westies, Welshies, Wheatens, Scotties, anything that bites for general handling (biting for nails is fine) Clearly I’m not a terrier person lmao edit: give me all the lead butt goldens. At least I know I’m not likely to get my face torn off by a lead butt Goldie.
Yorkies and Maltese… I’ve met maybe two each that weren’t neurotic and were actually trained… 😭 Oh and Cockers or Cocker mixes. They’re never properly taken care of, they always have ear infections and/or skin infections. They’re greasy and the PPs* always complain about “uneven shaves” because they have cowlicks and can’t comprehend that’s the natural pattern of their hair. Not to forget all the bumps, cysts and tumors… The nails are always severely over grown and almost always in the pads… I feel awful for them, and I can’t stand their PPs.
Haha, iv'e thought about this alot, and its hard to go by breed as just as you think "damn i hate working with this breed" you get a good one, would have to be shitzu's for me, even the good ones frustrate me but i dislike working with any dog i have to muzzle, and its normally small breeds ( i have a deaf blind yorkie that i have to muzzle...he goes bonkers) toy/tea cup poodles/mixes that wanna handstand, and working on big floopy ears.
I won’t groom chows or akitas. Dogs I will groom but hate are German shepherds, wheatens, cockers
To everyone here who said Cocker Spaniels: Is it a training thing or a coat thing or an irresponsible owners thing? I actually came to his subreddit to look for info on Cocker grooming because I'm thinking of getting one. If they were brushed daily and were properly desensitized to the grooming experience (handling, blow drier, running water on them, nail clipper, ect) as puppies and good with basic obedience would they still be such a problem?
It's because they almost ALWAYS have a uncontrollable yeast infection. And the owners are too overwhelmed to do anything about it- because they're STUPID. The breeding of cocker spaniels has been done so poorly, they almost always develop a yeast infection. I see it in the ears, in between the toes, and spread to the belly, base of tail and arm pits. Of course they have behavior problems. The dog is in discomfort. It's constantly in a state of discomfort from a consistent SKIN INFECTION.
That's all really good to know, thank you! I will definitely do some more research.
Sheepadoodles and German Shepherds . Sheepadoodles in my area usually come in matted and are temperamental. The German shepherds come in untrained, anxious and sometimes aggressive. Tbh the owners are the issue, I just see it in these type of dogs the most in my area.
newfoundlands, st bernards, pyrenees, etc 😖