Do I need an appointment? Yes please. Even though we would always try to accommodate, it is very important to book an appointment for us to allocate the appropriate amount of time needed for your hound and reduce stress during the grooming procedure. Also pre-booking is also the best way to avoid disappointments of not being able to get an appointment when you need it For Nail Trimming you DO need to book an appointment but we usually can slip you in more easily, within a day or two. We strongly recommend trimming your pets nails (dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs) at least once a month.
What is your cancellation policy? All changes or cancellations to appointments must be made within 24 hours. Failure to do so will result in $25 charge.
How long does it take to groom? It all depends on the size and breed as well as the kind of haircut your hound is getting, the coat condition and their comfort level. In average it would take anywhere between 1 hour and half to 3 hours to groom your hound. To facilitate this process we will always give you a time frame on when the grooming service will be finished so that any waiting time for your hound can be reduced to the minimum.
We are a very small space and we do not accept hounds all day without a kennel fee in addition to the grooming cost.
Do you groom cats? No, unfortunately we do not have a separate space to groom cats and therefore do not feel that it would be safe and peaceful environment for a cat to be groomed while other hounds are around.
Can I stay and watch while you groom my hound? Your hound loves you very much and will wiggle and move around trying to catch your attention and trying to get close to you. That makes our work more difficult trying to keep the attention of the pet and it is not safe for the hound to move when we are using sharp tools, scissors and clippers around it. Even just smelling or hearing your voice will get your pet excited. The best is to drop off your hound at your appointment time and pick it up when we are completely done. If we are running late with your hound we will call you and let you know when your hound is ready to go home. You are always welcome to watch us grooming as long as it is not your pet that is in the tub or on the grooming tables.
Will you shave my double coated hound or shave them very short? We want to accommodating, and make each customer happy, so we only shave double coated hounds if their is excessive matting. All hound’s coats provides insulation from not only the cold but also the heat and sun. Hounds do not “sweat” like humans do: in fact they cool, themselves by panting from the mouth, sweating at the paws and cooling the blood in their ears. When you shave a double coated hound you actually take away their protection from the elements, exposing them to harmful skin problems, sun burns and causing heat stroke. Their coat also acts as a protection against insects and parasites, so by removing that protection your hound could be exposed to more problems. A hounds undercoat actually grows faster than the top coat, so when we cut into the top coat it causes the undercoat to grow uninhibited. This hair is thick and can matt easily or result in patchy, uneven growth until the top coat eventually re-grows. By then the coat maybe so damaged that it may not grow back at all. In addition, shaving a double actually interrupts the natural shedding process and can cause MORE shedding.
How can I prepare my hound for its grooming appointment? Do I need to bring anything? We strongly recommend giving your hound a chance to relieve themselves before coming to the salon at their appointment time. If your hound is nervous, it probably will do better with an empty stomach so that they won't get sick during the appointment. Depending on the time of your appointment please consider if it is convenient to hold your pet's meal until after the appointment. In general you do not need to bring anything for the appointment but if you wish you are welcome to bring your hound's favourite toy or treat.
Will my hound be in a kennel during the appointment? This is a spa environment for hounds and we try our best to maintain a relaxing and stress free environment for everyone. We like to keep our hounds as safe as possible so we do kennel hounds to minimize barking and running around, this way they stay safe while we are working. Please let us know if your dog does not like kennels we can accommodate that as well.
How often should my hound be groomed? It depends on the breed and their lifestyle and on how you want them to smell. Non-shedding breeds should be groomed every 4 to 6 weeks. Shedding-breeds should be groomed every 6 to 10 weeks. Never the less, many of our clients like to pre-book there appointments for every 5 weeks which significantly reduces the amount of shedding around the house and matting when your life gets busy. This kind of attention enables the groomer to devote more time and effort to beautify them rather than to dematting and try to salvage a neglected coat.
Do all hounds need grooming? All hounds need bathing but it is more important to keep your hounds brushed out, especially if they have long hair. Matted hair can easily cause skin problems and unnecessary discomfort. If neglected to long can become expensive with veterinary care. Regular brushing improves your hounds skin tone and circulation and makes their coat healthier and more attractive.
My hound may bite while being groomed, will you still do it? We are extremely experienced and caring groomers. We have handled some hounds that have been rejected from other groomers. We are always willing to give it a try. Please be sure to let them know what might be a problem, and if need be we are willing to use a muzzle to get the job done. For the safety of both your hound and the groomer, we will not continue working with hounds that become too aggressive or anxious, if we believe they have become a danger to themselves or the groomer. In these cases, we may skip any stressful procedure or take a “time out” before we continue.
Do you express anal glands? Yes, we only express small hounds anal glands externally. If your large hound has problems with its anal glands, we encourage to have them treated and/or expressed by your veterinarian. This service is an added cost to your grooming as not all hounds require it. Please let us know if you have any concerns about your hounds anal glands.
Can I bring my hound in for a haircut without a bath? All hounds must be bathed before getting a haircut. Dirty and stuck hair is not only hard on our grooming equipment but also makes the groomer's job very difficult trying to keep the desired style during the cut. Brushing a dirty coat can also damage the hair and be hard on the hound. Also brushing and drying are part of the de-shedding process and a fundamental part of the grooming process. In our efforts to accommodate we would only groom hounds without a bath if they suffer of a medical condition that would put them at risk if being bathed. In either case the grooming costs are the same. Please talk to your groomer about this when booking your appointment.
When should my puppy have its first groom? Puppies should have their first groom as soon as possible after they have received their second round of vaccinations (usually 12 weeks) even though they may not need it. This allows them to get used to the bath, water, smells, noises, dryer, etc. Getting your hounds used to this process at an early age will help them to fully enjoy the grooming experience.
My hound's fur is matted, can you help me? Mats and tangles occur naturally your hounds skin has a 3 week cycle that expels cells into the hair which is where most matts start at the skin level. Pets that are often de-matted associate grooming with pain. Following our policy of only performing pain-free procedures on hound's, if your hound's coat is badly matted we will recommend removing the coat by shaving underneath the matting. The best way to avoid matting is by having your hound groomed once every 5 weeks to three months depending on the length of the coat and breed. Regular brushing (sometimes daily) is required to prevent build up. Please ask one of our groomers about the best grooming frequency for your specific pet. We also encourage the “Bath or Tidy up” in between appointments.
Why does my hound shake his head after grooming? As part of the groom we clean the ears and pluck hair from the ear opening (unless the owner asks us not to do so) to allow air flow more freely into the ear to keep it dry. After cleaning and removal of the ear hair, the hound sometimes has a tickling sensation and shaking their head is the hound’s way of responding to the tickle.
My hound doesn’t behave when I try to brush them. How do you get them to stand still? Most hounds tend to be on their best behaviour with groomer, especially when they sense the professional touch of a groomer. Many times a hound that reacts poorly or scared of the grooming process will learn to accept and appreciate the process as the hound becomes more at ease with the groomer and frequents the salon more and realizes how much better they feel after the groom. For brushing at home use two people one the hold the leash and the other to brush until your hound allows you to do it. Don’t wait until they are matted to brush this puts a painful experience to brushing.
My hound was just sprayed by a skunk, can you help? Yes. We are really sorry to hear that. This is probably one of the worse experiences that you and your hound would go through. It's important to know that there is no treatment that would eliminate the smell from the skunk 100% with just one application. It will take some time for the smell to go away but we can certainly help reducing as much as possible the smell and the uncomfortableness of it. In contrast to many products on the market that mask or cover up the odors with perfumes and scents, we use a bio-enzymatic treatment to break down and neutralize skunk oils and other odor-causing matter to permanently eliminate many unpleasant smells. Due to this process pets should be allowed to air dry after the treatment and additional applications are suggested. Also we ask that you treat you hound before they come in, contact us to find out how.
What if my hound has fleas and/or ticks? Any hound that arrives to our premises with fleas or ticks will be immediately given a flea bath at the owners expense, usually $10.00. Please let us know when you are booking your hound's appointment if you are concerned about fleas or ticks so that we are prepared for it and we can discuss with you the treatment and its costs. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the presence of fleas until the grooming process has started, if we find fleas we will contact and let you know. We take this very serious and have many procedures in place to eliminated them from our salon and your hound.
