The Before Photo

Jonty went to the groomers this morning, the same groomer that he's been going to since he was about 4 months old. She is really good and so gentle with dogs.
Unfortunately not all groomers are so. Last September we couldn't get Jonty booked in the week before Julia's wedding so I took him somewhere else. He looked fabulous when he came out but his fur did appear to be thinner which we just put down to his hair being shorter than normal.
When we next took him to our usual groomer he went behind a bush in her garden. He was shaking, obviously terrified. He has not completely got over that but even today he went around her garden, did a wee and then went to the gate as if to go home.

On the way home after picking him up I went through the cemetery to check on the graves and bumped into 3 people with 3 dogs, 2 of which were Bichons.
We got talking and they said that many people had terrible experiences with the groomer we went to in September. When going to pick up their dogs they have heard the dog yelping and screaming while the groomer shouted at the dog, in Polish so they don't know what it was he was shouting.
I feel so guilty about taking him there now but we were not to know of course. The people I met told me the business belonged to his mother who was a very gentle person and a good groomer. He was a lorry driver and took over the grooming from his mother so he is unqualified, and obviously very cruel.
In hindsight I think he must have used one of those 'Rippers' on Jonty, those horrible claw like tools that rips the under coat out, should be done gently to thin the coat and Bichons certainly do not need that only the bigger long haired breeds that really do have the under coat of fur.
Dogs don't forget for a very long time and I just hope Jonty gets over his fear of the groomer, which he never had until last September.