Well, if he is a poodle, he needs to be brought in every 4-6 weeks, depending on the cut and style you like, as well as how much brushing you do at home.
Your dog may very well have been matted, and just didn't care for the process he had to go through this time around; they may have tried to brush him out first, but then decided it was just going to be too hard for him, and then clipped him shorter than you normally like.
He may just feel 'naked' now, if he's never been clipped close before, and he could even be chilly if you have AC in your house? And as someone else mentioned, some dogs just react differently...he may have had a different groomer today even, and even if nothing went wrong, the dog may just have been effected by that change.
I would just moniter him for the next few days and make sure he starts picking up. Check him carefully for any sore spots, and redness that could indicate injury, or clipper burn, etc. Report any of those findings to the groomer, and take him to your veterinarian if necessary.
Really going to try to stay with brushing daily. My poor guy, don't want to put him thru this again. Once matted, is only solution to shave off? And what is a slicker?? Thanks.
Yes, and no...
It depends on the type of coat a dog has, and how much experience a groomer has in dealing with matted dogs. Certain types of coats won't brush or blow out using a high velocity dryer, so the only option is to clip the dog shorter than he normally might get clipped. Other types of coat will brush or blow out easily with a proper bath and conditioning. I personally never brush a dirty dog, no matter how matted he is, because half the matts are probably caused by the dirt, which once removed, the matts are removed, or greatly loosened. However, alot of groomers still try to demat a dog before he's been cleaned, either because they fear the water will matt him more, or they don't know how to dry him without matting him more. It's a delicate balance... I'm the only groomer at my shop that knows how to pretty much completely demat a dog without ever laying a brush on him. Shampoos, Conditioners, and a high velocity dryer can do all the work for you if you know how to do it properly.