Frequently Asked Questions

Some short coated dogs can actually shed more hair than longer coated dogs. So a regular de-shed session with a groomer can minimize the amount of hair in the home. Also during the their groom we trim the nails, clean their ears and give them a wash and blow-dry.

 It all depends on the length of your dogs coat and how much brushing you do at home, both these factors will determine how often your dog needs to be groomed.

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

A 12 week schedule should be sufficient for short/smooth coated dogs, unless all the hoovering is driving you crazy, then we are more than happy to see them more often!

This is very breed and coat condition dependent. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes up to 3 hours. I will give you an accurate finishing time on the day of your dogs groom.

The price will depend on the size of the dog, condition of their coat and the groom that is desired. As a rule of thumb, I charge for my time rather then dog breed or size. For example, grooming a Bichon in a long thick cut might take me longer then de-shedding a Labrador and will therefore cost more.  

I  give an exact price on the day of your dogs groom and you can always refer to my Services page on my website as a guidance.

Due to my business and liability insurance unfortunately the answer to this is no.

Based on my experience dogs will also wiggle and move around trying to get close to their owners which is not safe while I'm using scissors and other sharp objects. Please drop off your dog at their appointment time and then come back when their grooming session is finished. 

 I always advise to bring them in as soon as they had all their vaccinations. As it a vital part of their development, especially if they are going to need to be groomed for the rest of their lives. It's 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. 

Matting can happen on friction places of any curly or longer haired dogs- armpits, around the collar or harness area, feet, bum, legs etc. De-matting is the process of detangling these mats providing they're not too 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 dog through that. I stand behind humanity before vanity. So if the coat is heavily matted I will shave it down. As this is safest and least painful method.
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 dog looking the way you would prefer.

 Removing matts from dogs’ ears comes with the risk of a hematoma forming. The dog’s ears are initially heavy & weighted down with long thick matted clumps of hair. In some cases, blood flow is restricted . When these are removed their ears suddenly feel light and airy. They then shake their head, which causes the soft ear leather to knock against the dog’s head. Blood flow also increases to the ends of the ears and can make the ear feel thick, sometimes the skin on the ear starts to bleed. We use happy hoodies in the salon & let the ears dry naturally to help prevent hematomas from happening. We may send your dog home with a hoodie or you can make one at home yourself with a pair of stockings or sock. Sometimes we can remove light matting on the ears leaving enough top hair to cover to reduce how different it feels to the dog & it looks better sometimes too. Sometimes a dog will shake their head and knock their freshly clipped soft ear leathers and they will bruise or make the skin produce sebum and it will look like the dog’s ear has been cut or a scab will form.

Veterinary advice at the owner’s expense should be sought if complications arise from having a matted and/or neglected coat removed.