1. What can I expect when booking an appointment with Foofie Poochies?
- You can expect nothing less than a 5-Star experience from Foofie Poochies. Our mission is to provide the highest standard of pet grooming along with a special experience for our clients – both human and pet. For this reason, we offer nothing less than thorough and complete services. We begin our appointment scheduling by asking detailed questions about your pet's health & grooming history. An arrival window will be given to you based on your scheduled appointment. Upon arrival for your first appointment, we guide you through a thorough consultation, going over your pet from nose to tail. We review your grooming expectations and go over any additional requests or concerns you may have. After you are satisfied with our consultation, we work our magic, returning your fur baby fresh, clean, and feeling great!
2. How old does an animal have to be to be groomed/ have microbubbles bath in Foofie Poochies?
- An early start on a grooming regimen helps the groomer and your fur baby start off on the right paw. Grooming is something your pet will need monthly for the rest of their lives so the sooner the better! We recommend starting after appropriate shots have been administered and your puppy is weaned, and healthy – typically around 8 weeks of age.
3. Do you groom Cats?
- We do not groom cats currently. Perhaps in the future.
4. Do you pluck ear hair?
- Over many years of providing professional grooming services, and consulting many veterinarians on the topic of removing ear hair on the breeds that require it, we have decided to remove it from the list of services we provide. Many experts on the topic disagree on whether the procedure can cause ear infections, and how often it should be done. As a result, we have decided to leave that decision between our clients and their chosen veterinarians. If your veterinarian deems it necessary, it’s a service they can provide. If your veterinarian doesn’t deem it necessary then the ears can be left alone. We are more than happy to trim or clip the hairs in the canal to keep the area hygienic and easy to clean, but otherwise we leave the procedure to veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
5. Can I supply my own shampoo?
- When you go to your hairdresser do you bring your own shampoo? Probably not. While we understand that everyone wants the very best for their best friend, rest assured that we have the same goal. We have invested considerable time and money into our education and selection of products so that you can have confidence that your pet is in good hands and leave your products at home. All of our products are free of SLS, parabens, phthalates, are naturally inspired, and environmentally sustainable. We have a product for every skin, coat condition and concern, as well as microbubbles spa treatment (Hoboken Location only) which is hypoallergenic. We have hypoallergenic shampoo as well for our Clifton location.
6. I have a veterinary prescribed shampoo, can I bring it?
- Veterinary prescribed shampoos are generally prescribed to be used on an affected area 2-4 times a week. A professional grooming session isn’t the appropriate replacement for the treatments your pet should be receiving on a weekly basis. Prescription shampoos are meant to address an issue with the skin, and don’t pair well with a professional grooming session where we are addressing both skin and coat to provide a perfect finish. Many prescription shampoos leave the coat limp, and oily – a less than optimal finish on any breed. Additionally they typically do not address odors that may be lingering in the coat, hygienic areas and feet. If your pet has sensitive skin and is undergoing medicated baths at home, we can keep it simple and provide a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioning along with no fur-fumes. The result is a professional finish, without irritating their skin, while your fur friend undergoes their veterinarian regimen.
7. Do you charge extra for matted pets?
- We do charge extra for handling a matted coat. We will never tack on extra fees without discussing it with you first or initially at the consultation.
8. Do you provide de-matting services?
- Mats can happen even to the most dedicated pet parents. Rain, snow, salt, sweaters, the quick sink bath, missing a few days. Mats are painful, tugging and pulling at the skin. At Foofie Poochies, our motto is “Changing how your pet feels about going to the groomer.” For that reason, we will not subject our fur-clients to a long painful de-mat session. Don't have time to comb/brush your dogs in between grooms? We do! We do offer comb out sessions weekly in between grooms. When on this maintenance schedule it only takes us a few minutes per week. We have a monthly membership price available based on size of the dog. If the coat is not maintained, we typically recommend shaving down and sticking to a routine grooming schedule. We are happy to show you all the proper techniques, tools, and products to make it easier at home between grooms. Hair grows back, but the trust that your fur baby will have in us as their caretakers may not if we cause them the discomfort of pulling at mats.
9. Do you accept animals that have been sedated, or do you sedate animals yourself?
- We do not provide sedated grooming nor do we work on sedated pets. We can schedule your fur baby at a time when there are fewer dogs in the salon if being around other dogs over stimulates them. We try our best to make the grooming process have the least amount of stress as possible. We provide aromatherapy and can play calming dog music while your pet is in our care to create the most relaxing environment possible. With that being said, if you are still concerned that your pet may still need to be sedated while in our care, then your pet should be groomed under a veterinarian’s supervision.
10. Do you express anal glands?
- For decades anal gland expression has been an expected service to be provided with your grooming session. When provided in a grooming facility the procedure is done externally. When done by a veterinarian or veterinary technician they do this procedure internally (as they are certified to do so). Over the years many studies have come forward supporting that expressing the anal glands externally can cause trauma, and not fully drain the glands, in some pets. After consulting with veterinarians in our professional network we have come to the conclusion to leave this procedure to be provided by veterinarians and veterinary technicians. They can safely provide this procedure, assess any potential issues, and get the glands 100% emptied. Your dog will thank us in the long run.
11. What is your cancellation policy?
- We require notice of cancellation 48-hours prior to your appointment. Failure to provide this notice results in a $50.00 fee charged to your account. For same-day cancellations, the entire service charge will be charged to your account. Our software sends reminders out 2 days before your appointment in case something comes up. Just let as know as soon as you get your reminder!
12. How long does it take for my pet to be fully groomed?
- We work by appointment. The average groom on a small dog is 1.5 - 2 hours. Medium and large dogs will take longer. It also depends on condition of coat and behavior which can extend the grooming time. We do not keep dogs for long extended periods of time. You will receive notification as soon as they are finished. If you prefer we can give you notification a few minutes prior to being finished. We request they get picked up within half an hour of notification that they are ready.