I’m easy to get along with. These are here for the few people who make that difficult.

• Show up. If you can’t, call me. A no-show takes a spot from a pet who needed it. Do it twice and you’ll be paying up front.

• Be on time, both ways. Late drop-offs cut into your pet’s appointment. Late pick-ups mean your pet sits waiting and wondering where you went.

• Tell me the truth about your pet. If they bite, say so. If they’re old, sick, anxious or hate having their feet touched, say so. I’ll find out either way, and I’d rather hear it from you than from my hand.

• Matting is not a styling choice. If the coat can’t be saved humanely, it comes off. Your pet’s comfort outranks the haircut you had in mind.

• I can stop a groom. If your pet is too stressed, too sick or too unsafe to continue, I stop. Wellbeing matters more than finishing.

• Be kind. As humans, we don’t have any excuse not to be. We both have the same goal: to get your pet groomed safely and for each of our time to be respected.

That’s it. Follow these and we’ll get along fine for the next fifteen years!

Can I stay and watch?
No. Your dog behaves better when you’re not there. So do you.

My dog is nervous. Is that a problem?
Not for me. Nervous dogs get extra time and a slower pace. Tell me ahead of time so I can plan for it.

My dog bites, is that an issue?
Thank you for telling me. Most of them have a reason, and I’d like to know it before I find it.

Do you have any breed restrictions?
Absolutely not! We don’t discriminate. Over the years we have learned the smaller the dog, the bigger the bite, and most aggression in animals comes from upbringing and their environment rather than breeding.

Can you just brush out the mats?
Sometimes. If it would hurt, no. See “Matting is not a styling choice.”

How long will it take?
It depends on how booked I am that day and how cooperative everyone’s pets are being. I’ll give you an estimate at drop-off and call when they’re ready. Please don’t be late, we have had customers abandon their pets, so if you’re running late and don’t communicate correctly, we will have to assume that is what’s happening and notify authorities.

Do you groom cats?
Not anymore, sorry.

Do you offer sedation?
We do not, and we ask that you do not sedate your pet prior to arriving.

Do you have a weight limit?
The weight limit is 45 pounds due to a neck surgery I had, if I take in a pet heavier than that my back, neck and doctor will be angry with me, but my daughter will be even more so.

Why are your prices so low?
Because I care more about the animals than the margin. My accountant and my daughter have opinions about this, but we’ll deal with that later.