Has anyone used Pets at Home Groom Room?

[StillMedusa]

I've not needed to bath my puppy yet..I brush her daily (double thick coated Eurasier) but having been out in the mud and rain a lot she's got an air of swamp about her now!
She's a timid dog with people on walks but I don't have good facilities at home for bathing her and wondered if it would be better to take her somewhere to have a bath, but don't want to terrify her!

Are they any good, especially for a first time bath (she's 5 months now..I should have started when she was tiny but had no idea how to do it!)

[SomeKindOfMonster]

My pup seemed to get on ok there for the first time, but the problem is you can't see what's going on as they tell you to leave.

We use a groomer that comes to the house now so he's in his home, he is used to one person, we can see what's going on and know he's had no negative experiences. She's told me a lot of horror stories about groom room and similar, so we don't go anymore.

If you really can't bath him yourself (or hose him down) personally I'd find somewhere less corporate to get him done.

[StillMedusa]

Ah thank you..I didn't realise they boot you out! I'm not leaving her!
I'll look for recommendations for a mobile groomer locally!

[Slappadabass]

My mum uses the Groom Room for her dogs, she's allowed to stay in and as far as I'm aware she's never been asked the leave. Might be worth asking your local branches policy on it.

[talia66]

I have never used a groomer where you stay. My appoinjent takes two hours and the dog is usually more stressy when you are there (it's like when you drop a child at nursery and they cry etc but the moment you are gone they are fine!) I use the groom room. Love them. Our branch is all open - so although you have no waiting room etc if you wanted a sneak peek you can see the dog.

[BiteyShark]

I haven't seen any groomers where you are allowed to stay (think it affects their insurance).

I would however use one where you go to the same person each time. My dog started having a fear (long story but due to other experiences) of the table and hair dryer but because he went to the same person they recognised the issue and tried to work out what was wrong and gained his confidence again.

[Floralnomad]

At our groomers the dogs are all groomed on tables open to the shop so perfectly visible , I don’t stay but I don’t think they’d have an issue with people watching except it might put the dog off .

[BiteyShark]

Ah yes Floral you have reminded me that I have seen a few places where they are behind glass but not where you can actually stay with them.

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

I’ve never stayed at any groomer when my dogs were done!

The problem with the PAH Groom Room it that it totally depends on who is actually working in it. You could have a good groomer in Manchester but shite ones in the branch in Dorset.

Personally I’d also much rather go to a local independent groomer who comes recommended. Especially as it’s her first groom and is timid, she needs someone experienced who will take their time with her.

[SlightlyStaleCocoPops]

Hello, dog groomer here. (And I used to work at Pets at Home)

I have never heard of any groomer letting you stay while the dog is being groomed, and that includes the independent salon I now work at. Having the owner around usually means the dog won't settle and won't listen to a thing we say! If you insist on being there then they'll launch themselves off the table to get to you. (Similarly, if you come back and the dog is still on the table, PLEASE don't enter the salon. The groom will be pretty much over whether the dog is finished or not, because they'll just throw themselves at you. Sharp scissors + moving target = danger!) Even a mobile groomer will usually work out of a van and will ask you stay out. It's not so groomers can abuse your dog, it's so we can do our work safely and without distractions.

The salon I work at now has "puppy intros", where we give the dog a good brush through, trim round the feet, eyes and bum, and will do things like put a dryer on them without bathing them just to let them hear it and get used to the sensation. We would also turn on a set of clippers to let them hear it and feel the vibration without cutting the hair. The owner is asked to leave during this and to come back and collect their dog after about 30 minutes or so. I know Pets at Home do something similar though a bath is usually included which obviously takes longer, but if you ask they could probably do something like this if you are really worried about leaving her for any length of time. A dog of that coat type is going to need grooming, so better get her used to it sooner rather than later!

[Floralnomad]

Ours aren’t behind glass , it’s a reception area with a waist high counter , behind the counter are the 4 grooming tables with the drying cabinet and behind that is the bath area / handheld hairdryer section and kennel area .

[Ylvamoon]

I think it really depends on the groomer. A good groomer, will build a good lasting relationship with you and your dog.
Important questions to ask are: do you trim nails, so you empty anal glands and do you clean teeth?
This will give you an indication of their training and ability. You will need these things done eventually and having the right groomer from the beginning is essential.

[SlightlyStaleCocoPops]

I would never empty a dog's anal glands as it can very easily go wrong if you're unsure of what you're doing and is a job for a vet. I don't think that reflects on my ability to style a dog's coat?

[PookieDo]

I don’t stay as he gets upset. I do use them. They do a nice job on my dog but I don’t know if he has a good relationship!

[666onmyhead]

The first time is ok, it's how your dog reacts to the second time that tells you all you need to know, with any other human interaction with your pet . I too would rather be present or at least within earshot of what's gong on.

[dangermouseisace]

I use them, my puppy needs a lot of grooming (doodle). He started with the puppy groom (bath, nails etc). He was a bit of a nightmare to them at the start but I was given things to work on at home with him, and he’s not too bad now. He loves a shower these days. Last time I had him clipped and a lot of people commented on what an excellent job they’d done. The one I go to has a glass front so you can see dogs getting groomed and nothing untoward goes on!

[Giraffe31]

My BIL works with appliances and got called out to a Groom Room to fix a something. He said that in the back they just put them in a crate and blast a dryer at them to dry them after the bath. Mine hasn’t been back since

[SlightlyStaleCocoPops]

"He said that in the back they just put them in a crate and blast a dryer at them to dry them after the bath. Mine hasn’t been back since"

Dogs are blasted in the bath with a high velocity dryer (if they will tolerate it) as it gets a lot of the water out of the coat and speeds up the drying process. If a dog is particularly nervous of dryers they may be put into a crate with a low velocity dryer on them from a distance to let them get used to it and so they might actually dry off!

Stuff like this is why I hate telling people what I do sometimes because they "heard" something, or their cousin's hairdressers dentist "saw" something. If we put the dog in a crate to dry off we're abusers, if the dog goes out soaking wet we're incompetent. Can't win! 🤷‍♀️

[MrsEricBana]

I do and they have been fantastic with my boy and the dogs are visible through the glass, which reassures me. He fell asleep while he was being groomed last time and he's not unusually chilled. Definitely worth a try.

[stophuggingme]

No
I never would