Frequently Asked Questions
“My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.” – Anonymous
How long does pet grooming take?
Our quality grooming service involves 3-4 hours of loving, one-on-one time with your pet. This allows us to give your furry friend the attention they deserve to keep them looking their best. If their hair needs to be cut, we ask that you allow four hours so that we can wash, dry and cut the hair. If the hair is matted it may take more time. If there is no scissoring, it generally takes less time. If you need your dog groomed “in and out”, we suggest you schedule your appointment first thing in the morning or later in the day. We do offer an express service for a small additional fee.
Do you bathe the dog first?
In order to get an even hair cut, the hair needs to be clean, so we always bathe the dog as part of grooming. Depending on your dog’s breed and style, the groomer may do a “rough cut” first. After the rough cut, the dog is washed, dried and then the haircut is completed. In other cases, we may wash and dry the dog and then the haircut is completed. Most dogs are washed using hypo-allergenic shampoo, but we have many alternative shampoos depending on your pet’s needs. After the dog is washed and rinsed, we use a conditioner as well.
Can you groom my dog to the breed standards?
Can you do a puppy cut?
My dog's hair is knotted. Do I need to cut the hair short?
Do I get the same groomer each time?
Can I stay with my dog and watch?
Do you cut the nails?
What are anal glands?
How is my dog dried?
What if I don't like the groom when it is finished?
What is a hair mat?
What can happen to my dog(s) skin as a result of matting?
Matting can make it very difficult to see the skin beneath. As a result the mat may conceal fleas, or pests, skin irritations, lesions, scabs and other conditions.
Why can’t we just bathe them or just cut the mats out?
Just cutting mats out is not recommended as the skin can become entangled in the mats resulting in an injured pet. The safest way to remove mats close to the skin is by shaving it out (usually with a #10 blade, which cuts the hair to 1/16th of an inch). This enables us to get under the mat completely.