Step by step
What happens at your first appointment
The same six steps whatever brought you in, from the door to collection.
Arrive and hand over
Come in through the door on 61st Street. If you are bringing a cat, tell the desk and you will go straight through to the quiet room rather than sit in the front with the dogs. Drop-off takes about five minutes, because we look at the coat with you rather than take the lead and disappear.
The coat check
Your groomer runs both hands over the whole animal before anything starts: behind the ears, under the collar, the armpits, the belly, the back legs and the tail. That is where mats live and where the things you have not noticed turn up. You will be told what we found and what it means for the price and the plan.
The price, agreed out loud
We tell you the number and the finish time before you leave the building. If we think what you have asked for is not achievable on this coat today, we say so then rather than call you at two o'clock. You can change your mind about anything at this point at no cost.
Bath and hand-dry
Into the raised tub, washed twice on most coats and rinsed until the water runs clear, because leftover shampoo is what makes a coat itch afterwards. Then hand-dried and brushed at the same time by the person grooming your pet. No cage dryer, no heat box, nobody left alone with a dryer running.
The haircut
One groomer, one animal, one table. Your pet is not passed between three people, and it is not put away half-finished while somebody else's dog is done. If it needs a rest, it gets a rest in an open bay with a bed in it.
Collection, and what we noticed
You get your pet back and a straight account of how it went — including if it went badly. Anything we found on the skin, in an ear or on a paw gets pointed out, and if we think it should be looked at by a veterinarian, we will say so plainly and we will not pretend to know what it is.
Getting on the book
How to book your first appointment
Call the salon
The fastest way, and the only sensible one if the coat is matted or your pet is nervous and you want to talk it through first.
Use the contact form
For new bookings, prices and questions. We answer the same day we are open, and Monday's messages are answered Tuesday morning.
Walk in for a quick visit
Nails, ears, a sanitary tidy and a paw trim do not need an appointment when we are quiet. Call ahead and we will tell you honestly whether we are.
Bring the details
Your pet's age, weight, any medical condition a veterinarian is treating, and what your last groomer did. If your dog has bitten anybody, tell us — we will still groom it, and we would rather know.
Before you arrive
What to bring and tell us
- Your pet's age, breed or best guess, and weight, and roughly when it was last groomed.
- Anything a veterinarian is currently treating, and any medication your pet is on.
- A photograph of a haircut you liked — describing a length in words is how two reasonable people end up disagreeing about a dog.
- Whether your pet has ever bitten a groomer, or found a previous groom difficult. Telling us is what makes the next one go well.
The first ten minutes
What happens at the coat check
Where we actually look
Both hands over the whole animal before anything starts — behind the ears, under the collar, the armpits, the belly, the back legs and the tail. That is where mats form first, and where anything else worth mentioning tends to turn up.
What you are told afterward
The price and the finish time, said out loud, before you leave the building. If what you have asked for is not achievable on the coat in front of us today, we say so at this point, not at collection.
Timing
How long the first visit takes
Longer than you might expect, on purpose.
- About two hours for most small dogs.
- About two and a half hours for a medium dog.
- Three hours or more for a large or double-coated dog.
- Cats are booked longer than the job needs, in the separate quiet room, on purpose.
You are welcome to wait on the bench; most people do not, and we will call or text when your pet is ready rather than have you sit through the whole appointment.
If your dog needs a slower start
Nervous dogs, and dogs that have struggled before
A nervous or reactive dog
Tell us before you book and we will build the visit around it rather than around the clock. That can mean a short introductory visit where nothing happens at all except treats and the ordinary sounds of the salon, at no charge, repeated as many times as it takes before we attempt an actual groom.
A dog that has bitten before, or struggled with a previous groomer
Tell us plainly, and we will still take him. This is the single most useful thing an owner can say to us before a first visit, because it changes how carefully we handle the appointment from the first minute, rather than us finding out the hard way partway through a haircut.
Puppies
When can a puppy start?
From about sixteen weeks old, once a veterinarian has finished the first vaccination course — check with yours, since that timing is their call to make, not ours.
The first appointment is $50 and is deliberately not a haircut: the table, a warm bath, the dryer held at a distance, a comb, a nail trim, a few treats, and home. It is the cheapest appointment we sell and, for how a dog feels about grooming for the next fifteen years, probably the most valuable.
Questions
First visit — the questions we are asked most
What should I bring to my dog's first grooming visit?
Your pet's age, breed and weight, roughly when it was last groomed, and anything a veterinarian is currently treating or medicating. A photograph of a haircut you liked is more useful than a description in words, and if your dog has ever bitten a groomer or struggled at a previous salon, telling us is the single most useful thing you can say.
What happens at the coat check?
Your groomer runs both hands over the whole animal before anything starts — behind the ears, under the collar, the armpits, the belly, the back legs and the tail — because that is where mats form first. You are then told the price and the finish time out loud, before you leave the building, and if what you have asked for is not achievable on the coat today, we say so at this point.
How long does the first appointment take?
About two hours for most small dogs, two and a half for a medium dog, and three or more for a large or double-coated dog. Cats are booked longer than the job needs, on purpose, in a separate quiet room. You are welcome to wait, though most people do not.
At what age can a puppy have its first groom?
From about sixteen weeks old, once a veterinarian has finished the first vaccination course — that timing is your vet's call, not ours, so check with them first. The first appointment itself is $50 and is deliberately not a haircut: a short, calm introduction with a bath, a comb, a nail trim and a few treats.
My dog is nervous about being groomed. What do you do differently?
Tell us before you book and we will build the visit around it. That often means a free short introductory visit where nothing happens except treats and the ordinary sounds of the salon, repeated as many times as it takes before we attempt any actual grooming. It takes longer than a normal first visit, and it is worth it.
My dog has bitten a groomer before. Will you still take him?
Yes, and telling us in advance is exactly what makes it go well. It changes how carefully we handle the appointment from the first minute, rather than us discovering it partway through a haircut. It does not change whether we will see your dog.
What if my dog does not finish the groom on the first visit?
Then we stop, and you are not charged for more than what was actually done. Some dogs need two or three shorter visits to get to a full groom comfortably, and that is a completely normal outcome for a first appointment rather than a failure of it.
Do I need to do anything at home before the first visit?
Not specially — just try to get your dog used to being touched on the paws, ears and mouth in the days before, if you can, since that is where most of the appointment happens. Beyond that, arriving on time and telling us anything unusual about your dog's temperament matters far more than any preparation at home.
Ready when you are
Book your dog's first appointment
Call, use the contact form, or walk in for a quick visit if all your dog needs today is nails. Tell us anything unusual about temperament and we will do the rest.