0401 505 896 (text preferred)

I cannot give a quote over the phone.

And I cannot give an exact quote by looking at the dog.

There are too many factors to give an exact quote before the groom has commenced. Any quote I give before I have started the groom on your dog is prefaced with the words "Starts at". These factors are as follows:

Coat type, thickness and length

If you are wanting your dogs' coat kept long, the coat preparation time and effort is significantly higher and can vary significantly due to coat type, thickness and length, than for a dog that gets a regular shave down

Coat condition

Matted coats require careful attention and depending on the severity can take a long time to carefully remove. Pre-clipping matted coats blunts my tools and requires me to get them sharpened more often.

Knotted coats require extra work to work around and makes my job unnecessarily difficult.

Type of work

I do not "just shave off" or "just brush out" knotty/matted/pelted coats. Coats that are severely knotty, matted or pelted take very careful precision work to remove, this IS NOT a part of my job description but is unfortunately seen all too often.

My job is to maintain coats, not fix coats because of neglectful owners. Due to this the cost will be significantly increased if I am required to fix a coat because of a neglectful owner. How much is dependent on severity.

Knots in the coat

I may encounter knots in the coat during the groom that I deem I can brush out or manipulate, this is extra time and effort on my part and I can only assume I am required to remove them one way or another. Knots cannot always be easily detected by feeling over the dog during the initial consult. One or two is fine, but several knots will incur an added cost.

Time it takes

Dog behaviour (this can affect the time factor and makes my job more difficult)

Aggressive

Wriggly

Bitey

As you can hopefully appreciate, many of these factors cannot be known before the groom is complete.

No

• Pricing is determined by coat condition on the day of the groom. It is a waste of my time, and yours, to discuss all of this as a walk in when the condition of the coat may be drastically different on the day of the groom. It is unfair on me to expect (or demand) a quote, as, quite often, the amount of work that will be involved isn't known until the groom has commenced. Being in the industry as long as I have, I have been caught out many times giving quotes, only to realise I have to do twice as much work and not be paid for it.

• I don't know what service you are wanting me to quote. A clip isn't just a clip. I don't know if you're wanting a lamb clip (short body, long legs), a shave down, kept long with a slight trim, half off etc. etc. The time it takes to prepare a long coat for a clip is drastically different to a shave down, and there is much more scissor work involved. Also, a shave down isn't "just a shave down", matted shave downs are very dangerous to do.

• I won't even vocalise an estimate any more as I am often met with shock and abuse when I say, for example, "starts at $90" and they then expect to pay exactly $90.

Please view the pricelist to obtain estimated cost.

No

For one, dog grooming is not expensive

And two, no, you couldn't

Sure, you could grab a cheap pair of clippers and whack off some hair in blotches messily, or you could go somewhere cheaper and with less experience. But, you won't get a smooth scissor finish (which takes skill), or a dog with a properly prepared coat. You'll probably get back a cage dried dog (which curls the coat and makes them look terrible and impossible to groom properly, and is also very dangerous), and a dog that has been clipped without a scissor finish.

I use 10 different pairs of shears with 2 backup sets, each pair of those scissors cost over $400. Each.

A decent pair of clippers costs $400-$500. I have 10.

All of the tools and equipment in my shop cost me around $80,000.

My shop fit-out costs were around $70,000.

I am able to groom at the speed I can due to years of training, seminars, practicing my craft, making mistakes and slowly getting better and faster.

This is the same for all professional trades and services. Dog grooming is no different.

When you compare the cost of a dog groom to other skilled trades, it is actually quite cheap. I work on a $70-$80ish an hour system which is drastically lower than the average hourly rate for many trades. This industry often charges less than they should mainly to avoid the abuse we often receive for being "so expensive".

A 2 hour session with a dog trainer is $450.

I had an electrician at my shop for a 30 minute job, that cost me $495.

A small dog in good condition that takes me 1 hour and 15 minutes to groom costs you $90.

A Samoyed that hasn't been groomed for 6 months could potentially take me 3 to 4 hours to groom and would cost $180ish but should be $250-$300. We are conditioned in this industry not to charge what we are worth due to some owners attitudes and ignorance about how much work actually goes in to grooming certain breeds and the utter disgust and abuse that often accompanies it. It's not always about how long the groom takes. It's the type of work we have to do (deal with pelting/matting, avoid being bitten, dealing with large dogs trying to jump out of the bath etc. etc.).

It is very deflating when people assume my job is easy and should take 20 minutes.

"How long will it take, when should I come back?"

"About an hour and a half, but I'll send you a text message"

"Really?! That long?"

Yes.

That long.

So, no

Dog grooming is not expensive.

I understand leaving your dog with someone can be anxiety-inducing but I prefer not to have the owner stay and watch their dog being groomed. It can be quite a distraction for them if they know you are there which can make the grooming process more difficult as they will often try to get to you. If I am not too busy and am able to groom your dog straight away, I can let you stay as long as you stay seated and out of the way, and it isn't too much of a distraction for your dog.

However, I have rules regarding an owner staying for their dogs grooming session with me

You MUST NOT:

-interfere with the grooming process in any way

-feed your dog treats while being groomed

-stand next to me while I'm grooming your dog (you will most definately be in my way and hinder the process)

-jump up and rush over to reassure or "rescue" your dog

-attempt to hold your dog to "help" me

-tell me to stop doing something because "s/he doesn't like it"

Trust me, we know dogs and do not need or want your help in any way

I am a one man band and have approximately 200 regular customers. I can only groom so many dogs in one day and am booked out several months in advance.

The best way to ensure you have a regular spot is to book out the entire year, this is preferrable as I want to ensure my regular customers get in for their regular appointments. If this is not doable, booking in advance for your next 2 appointments is necessary to ensure your beautiful pooch receives their spot in the book.

Thank you for your understanding.

As a sole operator, it is not always easy for me to answer my phone due to the practicalities of bathing and grooming. The safety and well-being of dogs is my top priority, and it is often unsafe, or too difficult, for me to stop what I am doing to answer the phone. I ask that you please leave a voice or text message and I will follow up on your enquiry as soon as I am able.

It is preferable that you contact me via text message or email. Thank you for your understanding.

Please don't do this to me.

I work alone and by appointment slots. I allow enough time for the service that has been booked in and a tidy takes less time than a clip. This puts me under immense pressure for the rest of the day and is unfair on the following scheduled appointments as they have to wait.

Puppies should be introduced to the grooming salon as soon as they have had all of their vaccination shots. If you wait until they are 6 months old, they will find the experience terrifying and be left traumatised.

No, I can't de-matt a dog, the main reason being it is extremely painful and unfair on the dog. The second, is that it is time-consuming, meaning it will interfere with my schedule and will cost you more.

The best option all round for a dog with matting is to shave it off and start again. Before I can proceed with grooming a knotty or matted dog, I will require a matting waiver to be signed.

If you are wanting your dog to have a longer coat I am more than happy to show you how to brush and comb your dog correctly so that you can keep up the maintenance at home. We can also organise a schedule where we alternate between a clip and a tidy to keep your pooches coat in top nick

Brush them

All you need is a slicker brush and a comb. Brush and comb your dog at least once a week. You must brush your dog from the skin out to ensure the hair is brushed properly. Line brush the whole dog and finish by running a comb through the whole coat.

If you can't get a comb through the coat from the skin, they havn't been brushed out correctly.

There is more risk associated with shaving a matted dog. The risk of nicking the dog becomes significantly higher as the blade has to shave under the matting. The closer the matting is to the skin, the shorter we have to go, which in turn means a significantly higher risk factor. A matted dog must be pre-clipped before being bathed. Clipping under dirty, matted coats blunts my tools and requires me to get them sharpened more often. Depending on the severity of the matting, it can take a long time to safely and carefully remove the matted hair. Pre-clipping pelted dogs is very dangerous. As such, a matting fee will be added to the cost of the groom. This will be anywhere from $10 to $100, and this will be added on top of the cost of the actual groom.

Generally no, I will probably need to shave off any knots in the coat, however, in some cases, I may be able to brush them out which will incur an added cost

No

I am not a vet. I don't have any qualifications to recommend any treatments.

Please refer to a vet.

Because some dogs can't eat certain things, I don't give them treats, however, you are welcome to bring some treats for me to give to your dog while they are here

Don't be! I love a dirty dog. To me, that means that they are a real dog that gets in there and has fun. The dirtier the better, I say!

There's a real satisfaction and sense of achievement getting a dirty dog clean, and I, for one, love it!

I wil generally need a 2 to 3 hour window to complete the service. Most of the time, it will be completed sooner, however, as I work alone, I must take into account many things including late arrivals, walk ins, dogs that may take longer than expected and any unexpected occurrences throughout the day.

I will contact you when the groom is complete. Please don't turn up before you have heard from me, if your dog sees you before the groom is complete, I may be unable to complete the groom due to the dog's eagerness to get to you. Alternatively, on drop-off, we can arrange a time for you to pick up your dog.

Yes! I am more than happy to have them stay as long as needed if you are busy throughout the day. I have very comfortable dog pens which will always be replenished with fresh water. Your dog will be able to walk around at times to stretch their legs and talk to other dogs if they feel comfortable. They will be regularly toileted in the backyard during their stay.

Yes

• You don't go eight weeks without washing or brushing your hair

• Your hairdresser doesn't clean or pluck your ears

• Your hairdresser doesn't remove the boogies from your eyes

• You sit still for your hairdresser

• Your haircut doesn't include a manicure or pedicure

• Your hairdresser only washes and cuts the hair on your head

• You don't bite or scratch your hairdresser

• The likelihood of you pooing or weeing on your hairdresser is pretty slim

• Your hairdresser doesn't clean your bum