I HAVE A PUPPY, WHEN CAN THEY BE GROOMED?

As soon as your puppy has had his second vaccinations, he should be taken to the groomer to start getting familiar with all the sights, sounds and sensations involved in the process.  If you have a dog who is going to require grooming for the rest of his life such as a Schnauzer or Shih Tzu, or a Doodle, regularly grooming from a young age will be beneficial for your pup.Most groomers, myself included, offer puppy packages up to 6 months old to educate young puppies and gradually get them used to being groomed.  

CAN YOU JUST CUT MY DOG’S HAIR WITHOUT BATHING?  WOULD IT BE CHEAPER?

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, I do not cut dirty coats.  There are several reasons for this, the first being that dirty coats can wreck scissors and clipper blades which is extremely expensive and the second is that without bathing and drying the coat, it is difficult to get a good finish, especially with the curly coated dogs.

CAN YOU JUST BATH AND DRY MY DOG?

Absolutely!  Many dogs with shorter hair such as labradors book in for a bath and dry to freshen them up

CAN I STAY WITH MY DOG?

Often owners wish to stay with their dog - this may be because they are worried or concerned about what goes on in a groom, or because they are aware their dog has issues. I suggest owners not to stay as I find that dogs tend to misbehave more!  Dogs can ‘act up’ with the owner in a way that they do not with the groomer.There are occasions when having the owner present is a good idea - perhaps to help reassure or when working through a re-education process. In these situations, I will discuss your attendance with you. 

HELP!  MY DOG HAS FLEAS

Fleas are a real pain, and I am afraid that your dog cannot attend for grooming if he or she is infested.  I suggest that you speak to your vet and ensure that you are using a reputable brand of flea prevention regularly enough - often those products you can buy off the shelves just don’t do the job I’m afraid!Bath your dog and treat them straight away but don’t forget to treat carpets and other areas of your home.  You can buy ‘flea bombs’ to treat whole rooms which can be very useful.

WHY DOES MY DOG ACT DIFFERENTLY AFTER HE’S BEEN GROOMED?

This is perfectly normal - especially if the dog has been very matted.  Imagine having a hot heavy coat on - and in the case of severe matting one that is very tight - and then its removed.  A lot of dogs rush about initially and then they are shattered, sleeping heavily.  Being groomed is actually very tiring for the dog since they have to stand on the table for drying then for clipping and scissoring plus it is a little stressful for them.  So, don’t worry if your dog is either a little overexcitable afterward or really sleepy, its normal.

MY BITCH IS IN SEASON/PREGNANT/NURSING, CAN I STILL BRING HER FOR GROOMING?

If your bitch is in season, you will not be able to bring your dog in to be groomed due to the fact that their behaviour can alter when in season, they can be sensitive so occasionally this can affect the groom. Not to mention any males coming in to the salon after your dog that day will make grooming very tricky as bitches leave a scent.If your bitch is pregnant it is best not to groom her - the stress, even if she is used to being groomed, can cause her to lose the litter. Instead, get a good short clip before she is due to be mated so that she will not need clipping for a good while.Similarly, its best not to clip a nursing dog - taking her away from the pups early on is not advised but later (assuming she is used to leaving the pups) is fine.

WILL MY DOG BE MUZZLED?

I do not like muzzling dogs if I can avoid it - often aggressive dogs are nervous and the important thing is to re-train the dog to learn that grooming is not that bad.  This can take a little time and occur over several appointments and it may be that a muzzle will be required until the dog is more comfortable so that everyone is safe in the meantime.However, as a solo groomer I prefer not to groom very difficult dogs on my own and may be denied 

CAN I BRING TREATS FOR MY DOG?

Yes absolutely!  I am a strong believer in using positive reinforcement for training and grooming so please do give me some of their treats.  However, please do tell me if your dog cannot take certain types of treats as I do use them as a matter of course during the groom.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET MY DOG GROOMED?

Double coated breeds - if your pet sheds excessively, you're probably safe getting them groomed for a deshed every season, or 4 times a year. Long/curly coated dogs should be groomed more often and should be combed out, shaved/scissored, and de-matted evey 4-8 weeks If your dog is prone to tangles and matting, consider more frequent grooming.Handstripped dogs can last about 8 weeks depending on how fast their hair grows before the hair needs to be stripped again 

I'VE HAD SOMETHING COME UP CAN I CANCEL MY APPOINTMENT?

Of course, I understand things can come up and events can change, as I am a solo groomer who works by appointment only I have a 48 hour cancellation fee of a 50% fee, no shows and on the day cancellations will result in full fee for the service missed due to not being able to cover your appointment.