First visit
Your dog's first visit
Everything we'd tell you at the counter, written down: what to bring, how the day runs, and how we look after dogs who find grooming hard.
What to bring
Not much. Most of this takes thirty seconds.
- A leash and a collar or harness
Your dog leaves on the same one they came in with.
- Vaccination records
Rabies and DHPP for dogs, rabies and FVRCP for cats. A photo on your phone is fine, or ask your clinic to email us.
- A note of anything sore
Stiff hips, a sore ear, a spot they hate being touched. It changes how we handle them.
- Your phone, switched on
We text you when they're ready, and call if anything comes up during the groom.
Drop-off and pick-up
How the day runs
We stagger drop-off times so each dog arrives when their groomer is free. That's what keeps crate time short.
- Your time slot
Drop-off
Five minutes at the counter: the cut you want, any sore spots, the best number to text.
- Straight away
On the table
Your dog goes to their groomer, who does the whole groom from the bath to the last trim.
- When they're done
We text you
Usually with a photo. A full groom is about two to three hours; a bath and tidy about an hour and a half.
- Within about 30 minutes
Pick-up
We'll tell you how it went and what we noticed, and you pay at the counter.
No rush here
Nervous and senior dogs
Some dogs need it slower. We book it slower.
Older dogs get tired on their feet, and anxious dogs get more anxious the longer a groom goes on. For both, we offer a split appointment: the same groom in two shorter sessions, with a real rest in between. It costs the same as a regular groom.
We use a low table and a non-slip mat, let sore hips sit down, and keep the dryer quiet. Some dogs start on the floor and never go up on the table at all, and that's fine.
If it's too much, we stop.
Sometimes a dog is panting hard, shaking, or trying to get off the table, and no amount of patience fixes it that day. When that happens:
- We take a break first: water, a walk round the room, a few minutes on the floor.
- If it's still too much, we finish only what's safe (often the face and nails) and call you.
- You pay for the part we did, not the whole groom.
- Next time we'll suggest a split appointment or a few short practice visits.
We never sedate, and we never hold a dog down to finish a haircut.
We groom. Your vet treats.
If we see red or flaky skin, a hot spot, a lump, or ears that smell or look sore, we leave that area alone, tell you at pick-up and suggest you show it to your vet. We don't use medicated shampoos, and we don't treat or diagnose anything.
Ready to book the first one?
Send a request and we'll call or text you back within the working day.