Because this is a small home business, I cater to dogs and pet parents that prefer a one-on-one, low-stress environment. I only work on one dog at a time (multiple dog families are the only exception) and provide a cage free, private grooming session to ensure that your dog is getting the best care possible and is in the salon for a shorter duration, which means less stress on your pet.
I put the safety of our clients first. Dogs are never left unattended. Safety loops are used on the tables and tubs for restraint, and I use the Groomer's Helper brand safety restraint system on more difficult pets so that they may be groomed without injuring themselves or others. I do not use heated cage dryers. Pets are hand-dried wherever possible. For the pets that have difficulty with being dried, I use box fans that circulate room temperature air, and only under direct supervision to ensure that the pets do not become stressed. When there is an overlap between the pickup of one dog and the drop-off of another, the dogs are not allowed to interact to reduce the possibility of injury or stress. Dogs from the same family are allowed to remain together.
Value of service is very important to me. Instead of up-charging for extras such as nail grinding or premium shampoo, I include everything in the price. I only use premium shampoo and grooming products to get the best results without passing that cost onto my clients.
A grooming salon can use a lot of resources such as power and water,
which can be harmful to the environment. I try to be energy-efficient
wherever possible to reduce the salon's impact on the environment. I
use a shampoo delivery system which mixes the shampoo with water as the
dogs are bathed, reducing the amount of water used, and ensures that the
shampoo used goes onto the dogs and none is wasted. Excess grey water
is used to water my plants in the summer. Dogs are thoroughly
towel-dried before being hand-dried to reduce the drying time.