Information
This page is full of more general information about grooming and how my salon functions.
To see specific terms & conditions or prices, please see my other pages!
About my salon
I am a luxury, boutique, salon. I cater to a certain premium market, and I understand that this does not suit everyone! I offer my services as a highly skilled, kind and experienced groomer on a very limited basis. I acknowledge that my policies, hours and prices may be prohibitive for some people, but this is what allows me to be able to continue to love my job and provide for my family without burning out and being unable to offer anything at all! There are other groomers/salons around who cater to other budgets, availabilities and needs, and I am happy to give my recommendations if you realise that I am not a suitable match with you. Please still reach out and see if I can help, I am always happy to chat.
Size of your dog
My salon is physically set up for ONLY small dogs. Dogs larger than, roughly, a cocker spaniel, are too big for my salon. This is not based on a set weight or height, but the combination of both, coupled with an individuals behaviour. I may be able to offer services to a taller dog if they’re lightweight and well behaved, but not to a shorter but heavier dog who doesn’t fit in my bath or struggles for the grooming process! If you aren’t sure about YOUR dog, then please still contact me and ask, I am always willing to talk.
On Time
I offer an exclusively one-on-one service, catering to each client as an individual at each appointment slot. Part of my luxury service is having the time allocated especially to spend with you and your dog without other distractions of other clients and dogs coming and going, so each slot is dedicated to only you and your dog. Please respect the time of your appointment and arrive promptly for both drop off and pick up. I will not tolerate excessively early arrivals nor late pick ups as I do not have space to hold your dog outside of the time allocated. Being early or late disrupts my entire day and affects all my other clients and/or my family time.
Knots/mats
If a dog has a lot of knots or just does not tolerate brushing, then knots will be thinned out or cut off entirely rather than brushed out. If the knots are extensive across the body and/or legs, the dog may well need to be shaved very short all over to get them off. This is for the well-being of the dog, and we can discuss how to regrow a fluffier groom style and how to maintain the coat at home as the coat grows back. Heavily matted coats can also hide underlying conditions, including. but not limited to: rashes, wounds, abscesses, thorns and parasites. These pre-existing conditions are exposed by the shaving process, not caused by it. Heavily matted ears can also form hematomas after grooming, and although all measures will be made to prevent this, these are a direct result of leaving the ears matted prior to the grooming.
Opening hours
I am only open part time! I have a young family and we homeschool our kids, so my family time is important and busy. I will still generally answer calls and messages during regular business hours (9-5 M-F) throughout the week, as I’m able to, but the salon is only open on Mon/Tue/Wed. Knocking on my door outside of opening hours will not be tolerated.
Training
My primary focus is on calm, cooperative, grooming, for the lifetime of your dog. I will always prioritise your dogs emotional and physical well-being, ahead of vanity. If a dog is struggling with the grooming process, acting up, stressing out or even just overly happy and wiggly, then I may switch from having just a grooming session, in to doing a training session. I will not force a dog or push them into freaking out, just for a groom, so this may mean your groom is not fully completed this time. The full price will still be required. You’re paying for the time and skill I spent with your dog, wether that is for grooming or for training! In the event that I’m unable to complete the groom this time, I will discuss with you about the ongoing training plan for your dog, and we will work towards regular training and conditioning so that your dog can learn to love the process again and we have a lifetime of happy grooms.
Skin Irritations:
Clipper "burn" - The clipping process can occasionally cause irritation and/or redness on pets with sensitive skin. This condition is not caused by the clippers becoming too hot but rather may be the length of the blade used, or from shaving that is done against the grain of the hair, such as is done for poodle faces and sanitary clips. If you see redness or irritation on your pet's skin, please let me know, so that I can adjust the blade length or style of clip to help prevent this in future visits. Brush "burn" - In the case of heavily tangled or matted pets, the excessive brushing necessary to remove tangles and mats can and will cause irritation to the pet's skin. To avoid this, I will cut mats out rather than brush them. You are best to have your pet groomed on a regular basis, and feel free to ask me for tips on how you can prevent matting at home. Itching - Dogs can itch from the loose-cut hairs annoying them, from pre-existing skin conditions, from the feeling of fresh air on what was overgrown, and even from just being stressed out. Of course, they may also have a reaction to a product used, so please let me know in any case so we can address your dogs special needs in the future.
Ear plucking
I do not pluck dogs ears routinely. I will remove mats and trim the hair growing from the ear canal, but as per the guidelines by the NZ Veterinary Association; routine ear plucking isn’t necessary, as it can cause pain and inflammation. Any exceptions (such as dogs with chronic issues) should only be determined by a veterinarian and may be best done under sedation.
Anal glands
I do not routinely do every dogs anal glands at every visit. I can check your dogs anal glands, and I can attempt to express them in the bath, externally, if required. I will never do more than gentle external pressure, and I will advise you of any sign of issues, so you can get it checked by a vet.
Nail bleeding
Sometimes, trimming the nails may result in the nail bleeding, even when trimmed with caution. I will apply a clotting powder to stop it, and this is all that is needed in the vast majority of cases. But if your dog's nails begin to bleed after you get home, I suggest applying a small amount of cornstarch to the nail tip to help stop the bleeding.
Products
I use all NZ-made high-quality natural products on your dogs. The "smith & burton" products are unique formulations, specially designed and purposely chosen for dogs, helping to promote and improve healthy skin, coat and general health. You can see more about their amazing products and the company ethos on their website www.smithandburton.com
Recycled hair
I recycle all of your dogs hair!! I am a partner of the Sustainable Salons program, where they take away all of your dogs clean dry hair, and use it to create hair booms that are used to soak up oil spills. This amazing program also puts money from their ventures towards feeding communities through charity, so we are not only diverting the hair going to landfill, AND helping the environment with oil spills, we are also helping communities in need across the country.
Boarding/daycare
I do NOT offer daycare OR boarding. I do not have the facilities to hold your dog outside of your appointment time.
Security/cameras
For the security of you, me, and your dogs, there is a security camera operating and recording at all times. All recordings are kept private and are only there for security if ever a need arises.