Frequently Asked Questions
How are prices determined for grooming?
Many of our clients seem a little surprised when they find out how much it is going to cost to have their dog groomed. In fact, frequently a dog's haircut can cost more that a human haircut.
The reason for this is that it takes longer than most people would imagine to groom a dog properly. Our hourly rate for grooming is $60.00 per hour. Full service grooming at Happy Tails includes a thorough brush out, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and or plucking, bathing, and scissoring and clipping to your specifications. Several factors determine how long it takes to groom a dog:
- Coat condition is the number one factor in determining grooming costs. Dogs with high maintenance coats such a Wheatens, Bichons, Poodles, Shih Tzus, and Lhasa Apsos require more on-going maintenance than natural coated dogs such as Labrador Retrievers. If your dogs coat is matted or tangled and you want to save the coat (not have a shave down) then additional brushing out may be required which takes longer.
- Temperament. As gently as we are some dogs just don't enjoy grooming as much as we would hope. Who can blame them really.... they have just left their best friend and are being worked on by people they don't know as well. Some dogs may be quite active on the table or in the tub and may require an additional set of hands to complete the grooming.
Naturally everyone would like his or her dog back from the groomers as soon as possible. To accommodate all of our clients we have developed a system that allows us to complete all of the dogs as soon as possible. Unlike getting your own hair done we don't work on each dog from start to finish. We prepare the dogs (brushing, bathing, nails, ears, drying, and preclipping) in the morning. In the afternoon the finishing groomers begin the final, or finishing clip. We usually start releasing dogs that have arrived at 8 am in the early afternoon and release throughout the afternoon right up to closing time.
If you have a particular pick up requirement please let us know at the time of booking.
How can I reduce my grooming costs?
The simplest way to do this is to maintain your dog's coat between grooming sessions. We can provide you with the correct tools to do this and teach you how to use them. If you don't want to do this at home then you can do it at Happy Tails by booking a do-it-yourself grooming appointment. Please see our articles: How to Maintain A Dog In Long Coat and Learning to Brush Your Pet.
Also different haircuts cost different amounts. It may be possible for you to save money by picking a simpler style for your dog.
Additionally, one of the most common problems we encounter is coats that are matted due to home bathing without pre brushing. In most cases it is far better to brush out the dogs coat before the bath. Failure to brush out all of the mats and tangles before the bath makes the matting much worse. After drying the coat should be thoroughly brushed out again.
In wintertime I like to leave my dogs coat longer to keep him warmer yet you don't suggest this....why?
The idea that a long coat is warmer than a short coat is actually a misconception. Frequently long coats are matted. Afterall it's much harder to brush out a long coat than a short one. Mats are more than a visual problem, they are actually an important health issue. Matting occurs at the dog's skin and retains moisture, and bacteria. Additionally unchecked matting can lead to bruising and discomfort to the dog. When your dog goes out in the winter with a long matted coat those mats retain moisture and become larger. Clearly retaining moisture next to the skin is not a good way to keep a dog warm. In other words a shorter coat that is mat free is actually warmer for the dog than a long coat that is matted.
Our best suggestion for our clients is to pick a year round coat length and maintain the grooming at the same frequency regardless of season.
I understand that my dog is matted and am willing to pay the additional cost for dematting yet you don't seem to think this would be the best thing....why?
It may simply be that we cannot recommend brushing out your dog's coat because it is too hard on the dog. Brushing out a heavily matted coat can be physically and psychologically difficult for your dog. At the best of times it can be a tricky procedure and there is sometimes a risk of brush abrasion. Additionally it takes much longer to do thereby adding to your bill. When this is the case our recommendation is usually to have the dog shorn down. It's true that haircut will make the dog look considerably different. Unfortunately in these cases we have to put the dogs health ahead of styling considerations.
The real answer lies in regular grooming. Either by us with pre-booking you next appointment or by yourself with more home maintenance.
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