Just Fetching

07/01/2024

https://booking.moego.pet/ol/JustFetching/landing

Online booking is now open to clients who wish to travel from Hamilton.
If you want to reach me new business number is (519) 617-9445

Our new Norwegian Buhund puppy, Myth, says he can't wait to meet you!
I will be taking him into the show rings later this year and hopefully into performance events in the far future.

The Norwegian Buhund is an ancient Viking herding breed in danger of extinction.

(And if youre wondering how I could afford him with the piles of vet bills I have; I can't. It's a long story but he was free.)

06/23/2024

Okay, one more weekend needed before I can take bookings. I need a faucet to get delivered and we have a small plumbing issue to trouble shoot but this is the bathing space. Walls are PVC so waterproof and easy to clean. Yay.

06/19/2024

Almost set up to take clients from Hamilton who wish to travel to my new location.
This weekend we are going to get the walls around the tub and dryer area waterproofed and the tub hooked up to water and I should be okay to work. There are still some functionality and aesthetic changes to be made but nothing that will impact my ability to groom.

Hopefully I will be able to get an email out by next Monday with booking availability,.

New number is (519) 617-9445.
My google listing is now updated with new location and phone number, so you should be able to find me if you need to.

Cheers,
Nicole

Send a message to learn more

05/22/2024

Today is my last day of work in Hamilton. If you want to pop in before we move I am around for the next week. Movers are coming on the 29th. Just give me advance notice or I may not be here.

To those that are making the drive to my new location I will hopefully be in contact soon.
Everyone else, it's been wonderful getring to know you and your dogs and I will miss you.

Sincerely,
Nicole

P.s. update on my dog: He's still not well and the vets aren't 100% sure why. They suspect he has a rare adrenal tumor and we are waiting on a referral to an internal medicine specialist. I've been rather upset but I'm starting to process it. If it is a tumor we will do what we can to maintain his quality of life.

Hes being pampered. This was him on Victoria day sunning his naked belly (shaved due to ultrasounds).
I am hoping we move and whatever curse this house has put on us the last 3 months will lift and he will miraculously get better...

04/06/2024

For those that know what's been going on the past week: Mjolnir is back home now

Hes been in and out of the vets for the past month. Had a UTI but didn't seem get better after a round of antibiotics. Shortly before his recheck he started vomitting. When he started to refuse food I brought him to regular vet.

His lab results made no sense and they didn't see an obstruction so he got transferred to emerg vet in Scarborough. Turns out it's a liver infection and something in his bowels. The thing in his bowels did get moving and broke up and he's on antibiotics, liver protectants and going for frequent blood tests but he's not dead. I was worried it was cancer and I've been a wreck. I can't lose my only remaining dog right now....

The staff at Chedoke animal has been really kind to me through all this. Between Maple passing, Mus issues and my cat over grooming himself to the point of a skin infection it's been a lot and they've shown me a great deal of sympathy. (Also my regular vet, Andrea, is a client of mine and she's one of the nicest people. Been one of my favorites for a long time. I highly recommend trying Chedoke if you're looking for a regular vet.)

03/17/2024

Many of you know already, but we recently sold our house and are moving to London at the end of May.

Housing is more affordable (we've been looking in Hamilton for 2 years) and my husband's drive to Oakville has been getting worse. He got a job offer in London and we found the perfect house so we decided to make the change. This has all happened very quickly. Basically since Maple passed away...

This is our new house if you're curious:
https://listings.walkthrumedia.ca/sites/59-sweetbriar-rd-london-on-n5y-5g1-7979132

02/28/2024

My poodle, Miss Maple, passed away this Monday. She was 12 but before her passing seemed energetic and joyful... So it's been a shock.

On Saturday she collapsed and we went through multiple vets and they thought it was an anaphylactic reaction. She seemed to get better so we thought it was correct. We picked her up Sunday night from the emerg vet.

Monday morning she seemed normal. She was giving high fives and bouncing around like normal but by the afternoon I knew something was wrong.

I took her back to the emerg clinic, she crawled into my lap and rested her head on my shoulder and it was then she let herself collapse again. I tried to get her help but when they checked her, her heart was surrounded by fluid and she passed away on her own while I was saying goodbye. I know she held on so she was with me. Her cuddling in my lap was when she knew she could go.

She was absolutely an amazing dog... Smart, playful, happy, kind. She never met an enemy. She would do tricks just for the joy of interacting with people.

So ya, I am in the shop this week and working but I'm struggling. I ask for patience as handling the communications is what I'm finding most difficult.
I appreciate everyone's compassion at this time. It's been a rough weekend and I'll hopefully be seeing you soon

02/14/2024

These guys are so cute. I've been grooming them for a long time (5+ years now) and I just love them.

12/21/2023

This has come up a few times this week so I'm just going to address it quickly:

My price raises aren't because I'm trying to get rid of any specific person. In fact, they are because I like almost everyone but I do need to cut down my client list.

I was really hoping to get things down to a level I could keep everyone on schedule while also not burning myself out. I am scared of ending up where I was before Lorelei was hired.

Additionally, Im also am having some issues with pain and I was trying to lessen the amount of handstripping I'm doing on a weekly basis. (I do a lot of it. Way more than my body is okay doing.) And I've been drastically underpricing it because imposter syndrome I guess.

So, yeah, if my price increase is something you can manage then awesome. Glad to keep you! However, if it's not that's totally okay too! I won't be insulted as long as you communicate respectfully.

I have never had an issue with clients trying other groomers. I won't be insulted if you cancel. I won't ask you where you are going. I dont think other groomers will traumatize your dog. Other groomers just have different ways of doing things and different strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes Im the best fit and sometimes not. The only thing is I may not have space to fit you in if you want to come back.

Anyways, ya. This was way too long but hopefully it will help stop people from looking at me oddly/asking if I have an issue with them specifically.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!
Sorry I dropped the price raise right before the holidays. It was just me trying to adapt to things as they come up.

12/19/2023

Last week before we take our break between Christmas and New Years!

Thank you everyone who has shown us kindness throughout the past year! I truly appreciate the support you have shown me!

p.s. If you've noticed the giant boxes down here, that was originally going to be a new counter. With the changes happening here now I'm not 100% sure I'll be doing the renovations I wanted over Christmas but ya... Let's see what the new year brings. Lol.

11/28/2023

Significant Price Increase effective February 1, 2024.

Small dogs 9+ weeks: $82.50+
Prebooked 5-8 weeks: $75.00+
Prebooked 0-4 weeks: $67.50+

Medium dogs 9+ weeks: $110.00+
Prebooked 5-8 weeks: $100.00+
Prebooked 0-4 weeks: $90.00+

Large dogs 9+ weeks: $137.50+
Prebooked 5-8 weeks: $125.00+
Prebooked 0-4 weeks: $112.50+

If with this change in pricing you want to cancel or reschedule any upcoming appointments please let me know.

As is, I may be contacting some people with appointments booked past February to rework the schedule so I have more time. Due to an ongoing wrist injury Lorelei won't be assisting me as of February and I'm just going back to being on my own.
On the upside, this does mean I will only have one dog being currently groomed in the shop at a time but I also means less overall availability

10/27/2023

Education post:

Yeast

One of the most common things I see as a groomer is overgrowth of yeast. Yeast is a naturally occurring bacteria that can grow our of control if the body is out of balance in some way.

This can present in various ways but commonly:
- A distinct Frito smell
- Pink or Red skin that may appear swollen
- Spots of dark brown or red coat
- Brown or yellow skin crusts
- Thick elephant like skin
- many more but these are what I see

What caused the Yeast?
I can't answer that for you, because yeast overgrowth is symptom of something else being off.
Most commonly it's allergies or prolonged dampness (ie: tear stains are yeast), in cases of severe yeast you for sure need a vet to figure out the root cause. Your vet will probably give you a clorohexidine based shampoo to help kill off the bacteria or an antibacterial ear treatment if the overgrowth is in the ears.

In some cases there is a small amount I can do to help. In some dogs shaving the offending areas short or, in fur bearing dogs, a very thourough deshedding can reduce the time dampness can sit on the dogs skin and feed the yeast.
I can try to help balance your dogs skin PH with shampoos and conditioners made for that purpose. I may do a vinegar rinse to cut down on excessive oil and help with skin pH as well. I also clean dogs ears with ear cleaner designed to address dogs ear pH.

However at the end of the day tho, there really isn't much I can do to fix it. If it really bothers you, a good vet may be a good way to address the root cause.

07/20/2023

Hi!

Just a quick note that we will be closed from Saturday, July 29th until Monday, August 7th for summer break.

Phones will be turned off and messages won't be returned during those dates until we resume on Tuesday August 8th.

Thanks!
-Nicole

p.s- Hazel, my youngest, turns 3 that week! Getting so big!

05/26/2023

News:

1. If you've been in the past while you will know this, but I have managed to hire someone. Her name is Lorelei, she lives on a hobby farm and has a passion for animals. She's been here for about a month now and I'm hopeful she will be here for much longer.
I am hoping to teach her to groom over time, but for now she is assisting me, and I am still the one doing all styling.

2. I've recently opened client intake. I am going to try and work through contacting my waitlist but new clients are also welcome to book online or reach out for availability.
*this is only open to regular type services. I am unable to accommodate new handstrip clients at the moment.

3. More price restructuring. I'm restructuring the way I charge for bath and tidy services.
Instead of purely time, I'm splitting it up more by size of dog, bath and nails vs bath and tidy and by frequency (more or less than 8 weeks)
and then I am moving trimming of full body feathering into the haircut category.
This may seem a bit confusing so feel free to reach out so I can go over options in more detail. Pricing is up in online booking and I will update my website when I get the time.

Thanks and hope everyone has a great weekend!

04/22/2023

Lola got her first deep conditioning treatment and she's feeling extra confident!

https://justfetching.ca/services/luxury-coat-treatments/

Try a treatment for 50% off the cost of one treatment.

I've been experimenting with these treatments for the past bit and I do feel they make a significant difference so I highly recommend. I love them.

02/22/2023

Hiring: Grooming Assistant

If you know someone who may be interested in bathing dogs professionally, please have them email [email protected]

Looking for someone Tuesday to Fridays 8:30 until sometime between 3 and 4:30.
Must be reliable and able to work with large breed dogs.
$17hr + 50% tips

I would be open to teaching to groom one day if it's a good fit and the person is interested.

Thanks,
Nicole

02/09/2023

New pricing schematic and price increase effective June 1st.

https://justfetching.ca/pricing/

I am moving to a heavily frequency based pricing schematic and I am going to be firm on it. This change is due to my scheduling difficulties.

I'm sharing this now so you have time to decide if you want to adjust your frequency or cancel your future appointments as I begin to schedule August to January.

If you've already booked ahead and want to change or cancel based on my pricing update please don't hesitate to reach out.

If you are being charged $40, your price will remain the same.

I also do have a handful of dogs I charge based on a groom time of 2.25 hours. I didn't include those because it would make the list more confusing but can give you your price options if you ask.

I appreciate your understanding and support.
Thanks,
Nicole

Pricing: All pricing is based on an hourly rate and pricing can vary depending on breed, coat condition, and temperament. All prices listed below are estimates for dogs getting full body hair-cuts in basic pet lengths that are in good coat condition. For bath and tidy services or an estimate more sp...

01/12/2023

Good news: There is now a pet parent portal to go with my booking system.

*To set up an account I will need to send you a personal link.*

Once registered you will be able to access all your appointment information via https://my.moego.pet

I will also add the portal link to my website once I have the time to.

It's going to be a bit annoying to start because I will have to manually send the link to everyone so you can register. If you want to register now you can send me a text; otherwise I will send the links based on who is booked in soonest.

Any questions you can let me know!
Cheers,
Nicole

11/06/2022

Ive had several comments recently about how nice the dogs smell when they are finished so I thought I would share what I'm using right now and links to where I buy it at the bottom.

If you want to order some for at home use let me know and I can add them on to my next order. (I just ask you to pay for whatever it costs me to add it to my order. Or really, if you want anything from lynnpro I can add it. Not looking for profit. I just want to share.)

All dogs get at least 2 washes from the ears back, avoiding the eyes. I run all shampoos through a mixing head that mixes fresh tap water with shampoo I put in for that specific wash.

The first wash changes a fair bit depending on what the coat is like, but my usual go to is iGroom Squeaky Clean. Light scent, rinses nicer than anything else I've ever tried. I really like it.

The second wash is always iGroom Pre-Biotic shampoo. This is probably what you smell. Hypoallergenic. Promotes healthy skin bacteria. Soothes the skin. Lots of good stuff. Does it work in an actual medical sense? I have no idea but it can't hurt so I use it.

Next I wash heads with iGroom tearless shampoo. It's ph balanced for dogs eyes. I have a fear of causing retinal burns in dogs. There were a good number of groomers saying blueberry facial shampoos gave a client retinal burns, so I stick to clear, safe facial washes.

Finally, I apply iGroom Pre-Biotic conditioner. As a professional, this conditioner is kind of a pain. It's hard to rinse and gunks up my tub BUT if it works to help balance the dogs skin I think it's worth it. Does it work in a medical sense? I don't know but I'm working on the assumption it can't hurt.

Then, Im currently trying a extra rinse in cool/cold water to close the pores. On some dogs I will add a small amount of vinegar to this rinse to clarify the coat if the dog seems to produce a lot of sebum (skin oil) or tends to get yeast. I don't know if the cool rinse will actually help given I use a warm dryer after but as with many things I'm hoping it does and it cant hurt.

I also may use a finishing spray (heat protectant/leave in conditioner) but I don't think that's what people are smelling or I use scented spray as a finishing touch at the end of the groom. Right now, pupkin' spice latte by natures specialties is my go to for the season but I have many I like.

So ya, this is what I use and if you want to order something for home use let me know.

IGroom Squeaky Clean: https://www.lynnprofessional.com/igroom-squeaky-clean-shampoo-gallon.html
IGroom Pre-Biotic Shampoo: https://www.lynnprofessional.com/igroom-prebiotic-shampoo.html
IGroom Pre-Biotic Conditioner: https://www.lynnprofessional.com/igroom-prebiotic-conditioner.html
IGroom tearless shampoo: https://www.lynnprofessional.com/igroom-tearless-facial-shampoo.html

Also feel free to browse the lynnpro website. If you want to order anything let me know.
(Artero as had a nice product line. I would also recommend them if you see something by them you like)

GENTLY CLEANS THE TOUGHEST GREASE + GRIME A heavy duty Squeaky Clean shampoo will gently break up the heaviest greasy build ups. Chamomile extract helps to soothe skin and promote healthy hair. Rosemary extract stimulates healthy hair growth, while chia adds moisture and nourish hair. Squeaky Clean....

07/30/2022

Before and After of Mowgli.

I think this dog is really cool. Scottie X Min Pin but he's not spicy like either of those breeds. Super sweet guy with such a unique face.

06/03/2022

Few things:

1. Price increase coming September 1, 2022.
Like usual, it's a small increase.

https://justfetching.ca/pricing/
Details through the link. Prices do not include hst.

2. I'm on vacation next week. June 5th to 13th.

We never got our passports (it's been almost three months) so we aren't travelling, but I'm still planning to "disconnect" for the week.

If you need to reach me, I will be working tomorrow (Saturday the 4th)

Thanks!
-Nicole

04/26/2022

I will be unexpectedly closing this week. Hopefully only until Friday, but I'm going to have to see as the week goes on.

Both of my toddler age kids are sick and tested positive for covid last night. Im kind of expecting to test positive soon too as I am not feeling well.

If you have an appointment between now and Friday I will contact you around noon today to cancel. I'm not rescheduling yet because I don't know what's going to happen in the next week or two. Hoping I can keep Saturday but I will make that call closer to the day

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Talk to you soon,
Nicole

04/03/2022

Online booking is now set up.
You can request an appointment through here:
https://booking.moego.pet/go/?name=JustFetching

The link to the booking page is also accessible from my website. www.JustFetching.ca

If you've had an appointment in the past few weeks or have an upcoming appointment it should prompt you to book the service you've used before. If it doesn't prompt you and you're unsure of what to book please don't hesitate to reach out and I can guide you.

This is all new to me, so I appreciate your patience as I work out all the kinks. ☺️

Cheers,
Nicole

03/29/2022

Look! I found a westie under that hair!

Also just more updates:

If you are an existing client and could take a minute to fill out this intake form that would be appreciated: https://booking.moego.pet/go/form?formId=4ffb360eb2cc4b04bd656811dcb5fb59

It will just let me customize things a bit more for you.

And my main number (289) 309-5153 is now text enabled so feel free to contact me that way.

Thanks!
-Nicole

03/13/2022

More changes coming:

I'm switching booking systems right now and here are the new things you can expect in the coming month:

- Reminder messages can come from either text, email or phone call (if you have a preference, let me know) and you will be able to confirm you are coming via that message.

- Online booking will hopefully be available by the end of the month! I will let you know when it's ready to go.

- Booking confirmations can also be sent via text or email, if you have a preference just tell me.

-2 way messaging is functional! On my old system it was hit or miss if I got your text replies, but I seem to receive them with no problem on the new system!

-I'm really hoping for greater functionality and less headaches due to software glitches!

In general, I'm excited for this change but I ask that you please bear with me. Technology isn't my strong suit. I'm also having to enter a lot of information manually so if I've made a typo or mistake somewhere please let me know so I can correct it. :)

Talk to you soon!
-Nicole

Picture of cute little Miss Saydi I got from her mom for tax!

01/20/2022

Gizmo looking cute.

And just a quick update on some changes that have been happening this year:

1. Moving to a more "express groom" type of booking. This means, unless I've messed up my booking, you will have quicker more predictable pick up times.

This also means failure to show up within 10 minutes of your appointment time could lead to your appointment being canceled and a no-show fee applied to your account.

You can still leave your dog here if you want to. I don't care if you are early or pick up later than your booked time. Just let me know the plan so I know what's going on.

2. I'm working Tuesday to Saturday from now until September. In September I will no longer be offering Saturday appointments and only be open Tuesday to Friday. (My oldest will be starting JK and I don't want to miss out on time with her once she is in school.)

Hope this all makes sense. If you have any question or concerns feel free to reach out.

Cheers,
Nicole

12/23/2021

Closed for Christmas!
Be back January 6th.
Thank you for the support this past year and I look forward to next year!

12/02/2021

Hours changing starting in January.

Due to some unexpected circumstances starting in January my days of work will be changing to a Tuesday to Saturday.

If you currently have a Monday appointment set, I will be reaching out to reschedule as I am able to.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Cheers,
Nicole

11/08/2021

Don't be so excited Finn. Lol

09/23/2021

I really like when heads look like almost perfect circles. Lol.