For your convenience, we aim to offer your pet an appointment within two weeks of your enquiry. Being fully staffed and open six days a week, we can typically provide a broader range of available appointments.

Please ensure you walk your dog before your appointment. This helps release energy and provides your dog with an opportunity to relieve themselves (going to the toilet) before the grooming process begins. A good walk contributes to a more comfortable and enjoyable grooming experience for your dog.

Our appointment system is designed to minimise the time your dog spends in the salon, creating a stress-free environment.

Appointment Times:

• Morning Appointments: Dogs should arrive between 9:00 and 9:30 am and will be ready for pick-up at 12:30 pm.
• Afternoon Appointments: Arrival is scheduled for 13:00, and collection will be at 16:00.

If you require an alternative time, please email us at info@absolutelyanimals.biz.

Please bring a treat with your dog, preferably something really tasty that your pet won’t refuse. Cheese or sausage are favourites. This serves as a tasty reward for good behaviour.

You may feed your dog a small amount at least two hours before their appointment, as this can keep them comfortable during the grooming. Please avoid overfeeding and ensure your dog has the opportunity to toilet well before your arrival.

We provide a variety of styles for you to choose from, and the available options for your dog depend on the condition of the coat and temperament. You can view all our dog grooming styles by selecting “services” from the main menu and navigating to “all dog services.”

We offer consultations at no additional cost.

For the safety of our staff and your pet, we need to know if your dog is prone to any types of aggressive or difficult behaviour, so we can take the necessary precautions.

When dealing with dogs exhibiting difficult or aggressive behaviour, collaboration with their owner is essential to support the dog in accepting the grooming procedure. Some particularly aggressive dogs may need to come in at the end of the day with the owner.

Dogs with aggressive or challenging behaviour will incur an additional charge. We provide experienced and knowledgeable groomers for these types of dogs, equipped with up-to-date handling aids and techniques to complete the job safely.

Please call or email to discuss your situation with one of our team members.

At Absolutely Animals, we do not crate or cage dogs. Although dogs are situated in comfortable areas in the salon, where they are included in the ambience of the room, they can see each other and this settles them for the short time they are with us.

Please contact us if you require special arrangements for your dog.

We advise you to start your puppy’s grooming with a bath and tidy at least ten days after the final vaccinations. Your puppy can come in for an enjoyable session to become familiar with the sights and smells of the salon and build positive associations from an early age.

Please bring an item with a familiar scent for your puppy to help maintain scent continuity.

Dogs are not sedated on these premises.

We do accept dogs under prior arrangement and assessment who may be sedated by their owner under veterinary recommendation, but we find that sedation is not usually necessary.

This service is only offered with a view to re-training the dog’s behaviour and minimising any sedation over time.

Appointments are only available at 16:00.

This is a frequently asked question. We can remove mats using various methods, techniques, and products, but this can also depend on various factors.

The amount of hair left after knot and mat removal depends on many contributing factors, including the severity (tightness and extent of the mats) and the disposition of the individual animal.

We employ every technique to save coats and style them as owners wish, but we also prioritize humanity before vanity. Please be guided by our professionals when deciding the best course of action for your pet. Sometimes, removing the coat and starting again is the only option.

Ideally, regular weekly brushing and combing of your pet, along with regular grooming appointments, will prevent the build-up of knots and the need for coat removal. This approach also promotes a healthy coat and skin.

There is usually an additional charge for knot and mat removal, with prices determined by the individual pet’s requirements and any contributing factors.

The Animal Welfare Act stipulates that causing animals pain or discomfort is an offence, and we reserve the right to remove the coat if we believe it is in the best interest of the animal in question.

Please ask a member of staff about your individual pet.

We don’t offer a discount on initial multiple dog appointments as we offer a loyalty card. Please stop by and pick up our Customer Loyalty Card.

As we cherish our loyal customers, we would like to reward you. You will receive a 5% discount at every other appointment with our Customer Loyalty Card.

Please don’t forget your card as we cannot backdate it.

You will need a brush and comb for your pet’s coat type and will usually need to use them on a weekly basis to remove knots and debris from the coat.

A secure table makes a good place for grooming as your pet will be in a more comfortable position for you to reach around the legs.

Regular grooming at home makes the grooming sessions more pleasurable for your pet.

It is also beneficial for your pet if you remove the hair from the cup of the ears on a weekly basis.

If you would like to learn from a professional how to groom your pet properly at home, we offer to teach you for £20 for a half-hour session.

Please talk to a member of staff.

Prices are realistically set based on the breed and the required amount of work. We cannot give you a set price without seeing your dog and the work to be carried out.

Please see the price list guide on our website.

You may incur additional charges for the removal of stubborn knots, overdue and unkempt coats, aggressive behaviour, or flea baths.

We do not use drying boxes.

All the dogs at Absolutely Animals are hand dried and under supervision at all times.

We can only groom so many dogs in a day, so please note that if you fail to attend your appointment, you will lose your £40 deposit.

We are a small business and cannot afford to lose money through no-shows. Although your money does not cover the money we have lost, it does go some way towards covering costs.

Please remember that deposits are non-refundable but are transferable 48 hours before the appointment time.

Students may be working on your dog, along with an experienced tutor. We are fully insured for this and assure our clients that their pet is in the best possible hands as our students follow structured instructions and are supervised at all times. We have also reflected this in our prices and are positive that our clients will still receive an outstanding finish.

At Absolutely Animals, we provide tuition for students who want to learn the art of pet grooming and styling from the best in the business. Students leave us with the knowledge and skills to deliver quality grooming.

As there are no restrictions on groomers practising without qualifications in the UK, as an approved centre, we feel our clients can be assured of quality work as our students work towards qualifications in pet grooming.

The students receive thorough supervision and instructions at all times and often watch grooming being demonstrated. One of our qualified tutors also checks every animal before their departure.

Our main priority is the welfare of the animals at all times. Absolutely Animals and the students follow a strict health and safety programme and ensure your pet’s mental and physical welfare is met at all times.

We thank and appreciate our clients for their support and, together, sit in the knowledge that those students tutored at Absolutely Animals have learned and will go on to practise good handling techniques and quality grooming across the world.

Anal glands are situated on either side of the anus and are scent-producing glands. These can be externally emptied if they have become blocked or are uncomfortable for your dog. We do not routinely empty these glands as we feel if there is no problem with them, they should be left alone.

If your dog is having a problem, they will be scooting their bottom along the floor, or you may notice a particularly offensive smell around the rear of your dog. (If this is the case, please consult your veterinary surgeon).

No, we will not usually groom pregnant dogs as this can be unsafe. However, if your dog is used to being at the groomers and doesn’t get stressed by the process, we may be willing to do a tummy and hygiene clip if it’s the early stages of the pregnancy. The owner must be present at all times during this.

We will groom elderly pets, pets with disabilities or debilitating illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer etc.

Please provide us with best care support as advised by your VET.

At Absolutely Animals we use the most natural products and up-to-date techniques to ensure there is no itching or irritable post-grooming. Should this be the case, please contact us as soon as possible and we advise you to use colloidal silver or witch hazel to soothe the skin as they have anti-inflammatory properties.

As the grooming is carried out by hand, we offer a free correction service for the first 24 hours after collection.

You can get a 5% discount every time your pet gets a full groom. You will need to bring the card every time your pet is groomed and a staff member will sign the card. The loyalty card is non-transferable and cannot be back-dated.

Collection and delivery is available under prior arrangement at an additional cost of £3.50 per mile or £25 minimum charge. Please call for a quote.

We are always appreciative of a tip as this boosts staff morale and goes towards our holiday celebrations. We have a place you can put tips on the reception desk. Thank you!