FAQS
Dog Grooming FAQs
How often should my dog be groomed?
Most dogs benefit from professional grooming every 4–8 weeks, depending on breed, coat type, lifestyle and how quickly their coat grows. Regular grooming helps prevent matting, keeps the skin healthy and allows us to detect changes that may need veterinary attention.
Can you groom anxious or nervous dogs?
Yes. We specialise in calm, one-on-one grooming and use low-stress handling techniques. We work at your dog’s pace whenever possible to create a positive experience.
Do you groom puppies?
Yes. Puppy introductions focus on creating positive experiences with bathing, drying, brushing and handling so future grooming visits are enjoyable.
Do you groom senior dogs?
Yes. Older dogs often require extra care due to arthritis, reduced mobility or medical conditions. We adapt the grooming process to keep them comfortable.
How long does grooming take?
Most appointments take between one and three hours depending on coat type, size, temperament and the services being performed.
Do you groom large dogs?
Yes. We groom dogs of all sizes, from small breeds to large breeds.
Which breeds require regular grooming?
Breeds such as Cavoodles, Groodles, Labradoodles, Moodle, Shih Tzus, Maltese, Poodles, Schnauzers and many double-coated breeds benefit from regular grooming.
Can I stay during the groom?
No. Most dogs settle better when owners leave during the appointment, reducing anxiety and allowing us to work safely.
Why is regular grooming important?
Regular grooming helps prevent matting, improves skin and coat health, keeps nails at a healthy length and allows early detection of potential health issues.
Can you help with excess shedding?
Yes. Our de-shedding service removes loose undercoat and helps reduce hair around your home while maintaining coat health. Great for long-haired breeds, double coats and short hair.
Pricing FAQs
Why are prices based on weight?
Dogs who are smaller in size and weight take less time to groom than larger heavier dogs. Prices are based on the amount of time the groomer requires to complete your dog’s groom. Most appointments take between one and three hours depending on your dog’s size, coat type, temperament and the services being performed.
Why does coat condition affect pricing?
Dogs with severely matted, heavily impacted or poorly maintained coats require significantly more time, specialised equipment and additional care, which may result in extra grooming charges. Any additional costs will be discussed with you before we begin.
Will I be charged extra for matting?
Yes. Matting can be painful and may hide skin problems. In severe cases, clipping the coat short is often the safest and most humane option for your dog. We’ll always explain our recommendations before proceeding.
What’s included in a full groom?
A full groom includes bathing, blow drying, clipping or hand scissoring, nail trimming, hygiene trimming and a finishing style suited to your dog’s breed or your preferences.
Why do large dogs cost more?
Large dogs take more time to wash, dry and groom compared to smaller dogs, often more than double the amount of time than a smaller dog for the same groom. Large dogs grooms are more physically demanding to complete as these grooms require significantly more time.
Can I request a specific style?
Yes. We offer finishing styles suited to your dog’s breed or your preferences, including teddy bear face, poodle feet, terrier style face, Schnauzer breed style etc. You may be charged an additional fee if additional hand scissoring or time is required, this will be discussed with you beforehand.
Why does my long haired dog need a de-shed at each service?
When double coated, long haired dogs get wet if they are not dried properly due to water being trapped amongst loose hairs, they become prone to skin conditions caused by an excess of moisture. By de-shedding these dogs after a bath, we can ensure the skin is clean and dry when we send them home, reducing the chance of any infections or conditions between grooms.
Do you provide quotes?
Yes. If you require a quote please bring your dog into the studio at least a week before your booked appointment for an estimate based on your dog’s current coat condition and your dog’s weight. Please note your quote may change if your dog arrives to their appointment with matting or if you request add-ons services.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept cash and most credit cards (except American Express).
Veterinary Nurse FAQs
Are you a qualified veterinary nurse?
Yes. Liz is a qualified and highly experienced vet nurse who has worked in the field for 10+ years.
Do you clean ears?
Yes. Ear cleaning is available as an additional service using either your supplied ear cleaner or ours.
Do you brush dog’s teeth?
Yes. Teeth brushing is available as an additional service during grooming appointments and helps maintain oral hygiene between veterinary dental checks.
Can you express anal glands?
Yes. Anal gland expression is available as an additional service. External anal gland expression is available through our grooming service, while internal expression is performed by our qualified veterinary nurse when appropriate.
Can you help overweight dogs?
Yes. You can book a weight management appointment with our qualified vet nurse.
Can you help senior dogs?
Yes. You can book a senior health appointment with our qualified vet nurse.
Can you monitor skin conditions?
Yes. We can monitor and treat your dog’s skin conditions with over the counter products and refer you to a vet if required.
Can you advise if my dog needs a vet?
Yes. Please note we are not an emergency vet clinic or have a vet at the shop. Whilst our vet nurse can provide many medical services including bandage changes, medication administration and professional advice in line with the vet industry our preferred veterinarian for in home visits is Dr Sam from Park Vets.
Why is having a veterinary nurse important?
A vet nurse on staff is incredibly important to ensure we can provide the best and most current knowledge to our clients. Liz brings many specialised skills to the role that are not available at other dog grooming shops.
Can you identify health problems while grooming?
Yes. Many health problems can be identified during grooming including skin irritation/rashes, changes to the coat, body condition score, ear infections, potential foreign objects in the skin, eye problems and dental issues.
Dog Training FAQs
What training methods do you use?
Mel uses positive reinforcement methods to train your dog.
Do you train puppies?
Yes. Puppy training can begin as soon as you bring your puppy home, even as early as 8 weeks of age.
Can you help with reactive dogs?
Yes. Mel can help with reactivity issues. Dogs can be reactive for a variety of reasons, anxiety, dominance, fear etc. Mel will assess your dog and design your training plan to get to the root of the problem.
Can you stop dogs pulling on the lead?
Yes. Mel can help stop your dog from pulling on the lead. Dogs pull on the lead for a variety of reasons, Mel will assess your dog and design your training plan to address these issues.
Can you help with barking?
Yes. Mel can help stop your dog barking. Dogs bark for a variety of reasons, Mel will assess your dog and design your training plan to get to the root of the problem.
Do you help with separation anxiety?
Yes. Mel has successfully worked with many dogs suffering from separation anxiety and can design a training plan to tackle this problem.
Can you help dogs living together?
Yes. Mel helps many households whose dogs are experiencing difficulties getting along. Your training plan will be designed to best suit your dogs, living environment and human members of the household.
How many sessions are needed?
The number of sessions is determined by the behavioural problem being addressed, the length of time the problem has existed and your dedication to following your training plan.
Do you come to my home?
Yes. Mel comes to your home for you private training sessions.
Booking FAQs
Where are you located?
We are located at 326A Carlisle St, Balaclava VIC 3183.
Is parking available?
There is free on street parking available.
What are your opening hours?
Our opening hours are 10am -6pm Monday to Friday. We are closed on weekends and public holidays.
How do I book?
Call us on 9041 6775 or use our online booking portal.
How can I contact you?
Call us on 9041 6775, email us at hello@carlislegrooming.com.au or visit us during opening hours at 326A Carlisle St, Balaclava.