As with most things there are some questions that come up from clients groom after groom, year after year. This might shed some light on what I do and why I do it.

When should my puppy come in for his first groom?

I always advise to bring them in as soon as they had all their vaccines and are in their socialization period. It's much a much nicer experience to introduce a puppy to grooming noises and process when they don't urgently need it as we can just leave out whatever they're afraid of and build their confidence up gradually.

How often does my dog need to be groomed?

The length of your dog's hair and how much brushing you do at home will determine how often they need to come in.

Most of my Cavapoos, Cavachons, Cockapoos, Bichon Frise, Schnauzers, Shitzus etc. come in every 6-8 weeks. The longer you leave it without doing any brushing, the more risk of matting.

For short haired dogs that need de-shedding ever 12 weeks should be sufficient unless you're fed up with vacuuming. In which case, we're happy to see them more often!

How long does the groom take?

Similar to pricing this depends on the style and condition of the hair. With regular clients who are used to grooming it takes around 1hr 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size and style.

How much does my dog's groom cost?

I don't want to sound vague but the price will depend on the size of the dog, condition of the hair and desired look. As a rule of thumb, I charge for my time rather then dog weight or size. For example, scissoring a Bichon Frise in a long thick cut might take me longer then de-shedding a Labrador and will therefore will cost more.  

I try to give an exact price at the time of booking and you can always refer to my Pricing page on my website as a guidance.

Can I stay and watch my dog is getting groomed?

Unless a dog is a therapy dog I try to avoid customers staying in with me. The dogs will wiggle and move around trying to get close to their owners which is not safe while I'm using scissors and other sharp objects. It is best to drop off your pooch at their scheduled appointment time and then come back when the treatment is finished.

What's the story with matting and de-matting? 

Mats most easily occur on friction places of any long or longer haired dog- armpits, where the collar or harness sit, feet, bum, legs etc. De-matting is a process of detangling these mats providing they're not to solid. The easiest way to imagine how dematting feels like is similar to brushing out dreadlocks in your own hair. I'm sure you can imagine the discomfort which is why most groomers will not put your pet through that.
The safest and least painful way to remove this altogether is to clip his hair short. Also known as shaving off the coat. This means I have to work close to the skin with my clipper blade and on the release of the mats there can often be signs of irritation of the skin so you can imagine we do not take the decision to clip the coat off lightly.

While this results in a very short haircut it is much more comfortable for your dog. This is perhaps not the style that most owners would prefer, but remember that hair grows back in a few weeks. And with a grooming plan and a regular brushing routine, you'll be well on your way to have your pooch sporting your preferred look.

Do I need to bring anything with my dog for their groom?

Before your pet comes in I strongly recommend they go for a short walk and have a chance to relieve themselves. You can feed them as normal but keep in mind if you have a very nervous pooch they might do better with an empty stomach. All new customers are asked to complete a registration form so do take a bit more time when coming in for your first visit. You can bring your dogs favourite treats or toys with you to make the experience nicer for your dog. And of course a picture of a preferred groom always helps me achieve the desired look.

Great communication with your dog groomer is key!  Don't be afraid to ask questions as that is the way you'll understand better what they do or if this is indeed the right groomer for you and your dog. And once you find a groomer you and your dog are happy with, it'll be easy sailing from there.