Pampered Pooch Spa - Frequently Asked Questions

Do you recirculate the water to wash the dogs?
No, Pampered Pooch Mobile Pet Spa never reuses water. The fresh water and waste water are stored in separate tanks.

What type of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, check, money order (or equivalent) and Visa / Master Card.

Do I have to be home for you to groom my dog?
It is not necessary for you to be home as long as we have made arrangements ahead of time. We must have a way to access your pet and payment must be left.

Do you groom older dogs?
Yes, we have no age restrictions on the dogs we groom. However, Pampered Pooch Mobile Pet Spa reserves the right to refer some pets to a veterinarian to be groomed if the pet is too unstable or severely matted.

Is the facility heated and air conditioned?
Yes! Our facility is fully insulated, heated and air conditioned.

Do you have hot water?
Yes, we have an on board hot water heater so our water temperature is always optimal!

Do you need to hook up to my house for power or water?
No, we need nothing. Our facility is powered by a very powerful Onan Generator with circuited electricity and we have fresh water tanks, full plumbing and on demand pumps for water.

Is your equipment non slip?
Yes, all of our equipment is non slip for the safety and comfort of your dog.

Why is my appointment scheduled in an hour time-frame instead of an exact time?
Scheduling with an hour leeway, for instance "between 9 and 10" is the best way for us to provide quality service within a reasonable amount of time. Many factors contribute to the timeliness of arrival at the scheduled appointments including: traffic, weather, and how expediently each proceeding client is groomed. With this in mind, the groomer may be ahead or behind and therefore it is impossible for us to estimate an exact time. Each client is important to us and we do our very best to stay on time. Unexpected events do arise and occasionally the groomer may be early or late for an appointment even with the hour leeway. If this is the case, we will contact you as soon as possible to keep you notified.

Why is shaving sometimes more expensive than a hair cut?
In many cases the animal is matted, has extremely thick hair, is excessively dirty or has other conditions which make shaving not only more difficult than a hair cut, but usually necessary. Stripping, especially a dirty, matted coat, also subjects clippers and blades to unusual wear and tear which can be costly to maintain or replace. In addition great care and extra time is required in an effort to shave the coat evenly and avoid cutting the skin with the clippers.

My pet has a lot of mats, is it necessary to shave them out?
It depends on the severity of the matting. Minor mats may sometimes be worked out, but many times shaving or stripping is necessary. Severe mats can cause skin irritations and hide other conditions such as hot spots, dermatitis, seborrhea, cuts, scabs, sores and redness. It is not unusual to encounter these problems when the coat is stripped from a badly matted animal and it is definitely in your pet's best interest to address them.

Can I see the mobile salon during my appointment?
Yes, you are encouraged to see the mobile salon before your pet is groomed but insurance prohibits visitors while grooming services are being performed.

Why is mobile grooming more expensive than grooming done in a shop?
Mobile grooming is a specialized service including convenience and luxury. Mobile pet stylists are limited to the number of pets they can accommodate in the same amount of time as shop stylists, due in part to the very nature of offering such specialized one-on-one service.

What is carding?
Your groomer will use a special tool to remove your dog or cat's undercoat or secondary hairs leaving the primary or guard-hairs intact. It can be done on any of the straight coated breeds and is an excellent method to reduce shedding.

What can I do to keep my pet from matting?
Here are a few tips that should make his life and yours easier.
First, if you don't have time to comb him to the skin, don't bathe him! Washing a tangled dog or cat will have the same effect as washing a woolen sweater in hot water! The tangles shrink and tighten as they dry. Before his bath, brush and comb him to the skin. Concentrate on chest, belly and "armpits," where friction and wet grass cause the most tangling. Check with a fine comb under his collar and right behind his ears. These areas tend to tangle too. Ask your groomer to show you the correct combs and brushes to use. Use products made for your pet, often over the counter shampoos can be harsh and drying to your pet's hair.
Remember your groomer would much rather groom a happy mat free pet than one that is miserably tangled and thinks groomers are bad guys....because they pull his hair!

DID YOU KNOW...?

Your pet must be groomed at least every 4-6 weeks. EVEN during winter months. Winter is prime time for your pet to get wet, muddy, and matted. If they don't get groomed often enough, they end up having to be shaved in the middle of winter! Not a good situation. Short hair breeds also need to come in every 4-6 weeks. We not only wash your dog, we clean their ears too and make sure there are no infections. We clip their nails to keep their feet healthy, plus we shampoo and condition according to your pet's skin needs.

Toe Nail clipping is more important than you may think. Luckily some dogs are active enough to keep their nails in tip top shape. Unfortunately, most dogs do need nail trimming every 4-8 weeks. If nails are clipped often enough, the "quick" or vein starts to recede, keeping nails at a healthy length. If they are left to grow too long, it becomes very painful. When their nails touch the floor, or even bend sideways on the floor, it's trimming time!

Ears are an important subject as well. Take a quick whiff of your dog's ears. If they have a very faint smell of "dog" you are safe. If you wince at the smell, it's time to get them cleaned! Most often, "D.O." or "Doggie Odor" can come from infected or dirty ears. If you own a high maintenance breed such as a Lhaso Apso, Shih Tzu, or Poodle, just to name a few, they have ear hair that must be pulled. This hair can cause ear infections due to the moisture that is held. Please check your dog's ears on a regular basis to avoid an infectious disaster.

If your dog has dry, itchy skin, you have tried all flea controls, and there are no more fleas, it is possible that your dog may have developed flea dermatitis, or simply dry skin. With frequent bathing in medicated treatments your dog's skin can improve immensely.

Oral care is a very important aspect in your pet's life. If not regularly maintained, serious health problems can result, even death! We don't want that. Brushing your pet's teeth at least every other day can improve and prevent gum disease. A vet scaling is recommended every 6-12 months.