Can you believe it’s almost the end of the year? Where does the time go!? Fall season has now dawned upon us, and you know what that means. We are this much closer to the HOLIDAYS! We have been hard at work this year making sure we have the staffing, processes, vehicles, tools and equipment to handle our busiest season yet.

Here are some important operational announcements and policy changes to keep in mind as we approach the holidays.

Introducing Faviola! Our newest groomer.

Many of you have already had the pleasure of meeting our amazing pet stylist Faviola. She joined us back in August and has been ramping up to pamper our clients’ pups throughout Orlando. If you’re looking to get your pup on a schedule, now’s your chance! Faviola has 2, 4 and 6-week recurring slots available and is eager to help your pup achieve the skin and coat they need to look and feel their best.

Coming Soon: Creative Grooming

Some of our groomers are excited about dipping their toes into the colorful world of creative grooming. We will be using OPAWS hair dying products, which are the most reputable and widely recognized brand of pet-safe, no-toxic products.

These dyes are semi-permanent (only comes off when you cut the hair off and it regrows back). Unlike chalk, they will not wash-off, stain furniture, bleed or flake off. A perfect solution for the pet parent who wants to add a little flair to their pup without the mess that typically accompanies it.

If interested, let Ivie know via text or email so we can add you to a list of interested candidates.

Recurring Schedule Policy Changes

We have learned many lessons these past 2 years. We quickly realized too much flexibility and too many options, while well-intentioned, can create disorganization and a messy schedule. In the long run, while this helps some of our clients, it creates confusion and inconvenience for most others. For these reasons, we do have to reign in how we handle recurring schedules moving forward.

Only 2, 4, or 6 week schedules will be allowed

Even-numbered schedules cause fewer scheduling conflicts. 3 and 5-week schedules were constantly overlapping and/or bumping out 2 and 4-week clients. Rather than reserving certain days for even and odd number schedules, we decided to do away with odd-numbered schedules altogether. If you are currently on a 3 or 5-week schedule, we will honor it until your cycle completes.

Resetting your recurring schedule will only be done on a case-by-case basis

When you are on a recurring schedule, rescheduling your appointment will throw your cadence off for the next 2 appointments. In the past, we have been flexible in allowing people to rearrange their entire schedule to keep up with their cadence. We now have 4 full-time groomers. Each time you want to reset your schedule, it becomes increasingly more difficult to accommodate you with that same groomer at that same cadence, let alone around the same day and time.

Moving forward, if you are on a recurring schedule, and you need to reschedule a single appointment in that schedule, you will be given 3 options:

1. Reschedule that single appointment and keep the remainder of your schedule intact. This will mean that the timing of the next 2 appointments may be off until you get back on track.
2. Cancel your upcoming appointment, but keep the rest of your scheduled appointment on the books. A $20 upcharge may apply if this means your pup will not be seen for over 6 weeks.
3. Cancel your entire schedule, and move to as-needed appointment scheduling. Many of our clients who have difficulties committing to a fixed schedule opt for this method as it gives them the most flexibility. You can have up to 3 appointments booked in advance, and we will gladly move those around as needed.

We understand people go out of town, get called-in to work unexpectedly, or have personal emergencies come up from time-to-time. We absolutely do our best to be understanding and accommodating of this. We also ask our clients to understand that changing your schedule is not inconsequential, as your schedule modification often requires us to move other people’s appointments around in order to accommodate your changes. Remember, we are not a salon. We can’t just slide another pup into your spot. We have to readjust the route in order for groomers to drive less and groom more.

Courtesy Reminder of Cancellation & $20 Fee Policies

We have added policy disclaimer languages in multiple places, such as the home page, the appointment scheduling page, the FAQ page, etc to ensure we are as transparent as possible. We also want to take the opportunity of this mass announcement to make sure we are clear on our cancellation and $20 fee policies as we near the holidays.

Cancellation Policy

You MUST cancel your appointment no less than 48 hours before your upcoming appointment. Failure to do so will result in a $50 cancellation fee per pet scheduled. Exceptions to this policy are reserved for emergencies or unforeseen circumstances beyond the pet parents’ control (ie sickness in the family, family emergencies, hurricanes or natural disasters). We give courtesy reminders 72 hours before each appointment. However, all clients can see up to their next 6 appointments in their account profile. It is the pet parent’s responsibility to cancel future appointments that conflict with other scheduled plans.

$20 Fee For 6+ Week Appointments

It is our belief that every pup should be bathed, have their ears cleaned and have their nails trimmed, at the very least, every 6 weeks. A lot of oil, dirt and debris can build up in a month (especially in the ears, they can develop infections). If you have a short-coated pup, or a pup who’s coat doesn’t require regular trimming, it is still recommended that they get seen by a professional groomer every month. Even 6 weeks, especially for breeds that need consistent coat maintenance (poodles, doodles, dogs with dense undercoat, etc), is pushing it.

Our base pricing is reserved to those pet parents who adhere to our scheduling recommendations. We understand that we are not the cheapest option, in which case, we strongly suggest a salon setting where costs are lower and your pup’s coat can be tended to more frequently. We won’t turn away someone who only sees a groomer once every 2-3 months, but we do think it is fair to charge $20 more per appointment. These pups often require longer baths, more deshedding, longer grooming times and more brushing/dematting. They are also a higher risk and liability to us because pups who are not bathed or groomed regularly are more likely to have undiagnosed skin conditions, anxiety around the grooming process, severe matting, hematomas, and/or fleas and ticks.

For more information on why we charge $20 more, check out our March 2024 update.