Brenda's Dog Spa

10/11/2024

If anyone needs me I am away and cannot be reached until Oct 23!

See you when I get home!

08/30/2024

Woke up at 5 this morning wondering about Miss Scarlet and how she slept last night.

I am happy to say she found a home last night with a lovely retired couple who live close by. This means she will have loads of attention as she grows into the loveliest little girl ever! It also means I will be close by and doing her grooming and getting to see her grow up!

She has been renamed Jet and I can’t wait to hear how her first night went and how she does on her new adventures today!

08/25/2024

Miss Scarlet

What can I say about her, to me she has stood out from her first breath. If I didn’t have 3 dogs she would not be available, to me she just drips with class. Almost always the first to try something new..she is very cautious at first but accepts things pretty quick. Today was her first face shave and I was ready for lots of fuss but within 2 minutes she relaxed and let me get it done. Really is what she is like. She just needs a second to figure it out.

I am hoping when her new home is found she is close by.

08/25/2024

Mrs Peacock!

Still looking for the perfect home. She is a powderpuff Chinese Crested, low shedding toy breed. She is a spunky girl with her littermates and very snuggly after playtime. She was our first born and my daughter’s favourite since day 1 . She came through her first set of vaccines without so much as a whimper and has been doing well with leash training, making great strides in housebreaking.

If you have been in the shop there is a great chance you have met her dad, her mom prefers to stay home but is definitely around for a meeting.

08/25/2024

Today was a huge day for the puppies. Everyone came to the shop for a face an ear shave and a bath and blow dry!

Mrs. White officially became Gracie and went to an amazing new home where she will be loved every moment of every day! Not only that but because she will live so close to home I get to watch her grow up as her groomer!

We are still looking for homes for Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum and Miss Scarlett. I will put up a separate post for each of them.

They did great..except for Plum who will need a few more quiet lessons with the clippers..he is currently running about with half a face of hair. Ear taping begins tomorrow.

08/21/2024

This morning at the shop! Three month old Lilly joined us for her first puppy package at the salon. Her breeder has done a wonderful job at getting her used to grooming already. She accepted her bath as so much fun and the blow drying which no one really enjoys is going so fabulous! Duncan is also having a good morning as Standard Poodles are in his top 3 of breeds and having a baby one on his table makes today a very good day!

Welcome Lilly!

12/22/2023

Erin looks like a fluffy dream, Tiffany is out there waiting to count reindeer and Henry is hiding behind the tree trying to spy on Santa! I love spending my last few days with these guys. It’s kinda like having your BFFs over for a cup of tea before the chaos really hits.

12/17/2023

Bear looking at the goodies on the dinner table! Yum yum!

12/08/2023

This morning it’s my own Bri and Frankie from yesterday, you can see how hard he is thinking about what he would like to see under the tree with his name on it!

12/06/2023

Nothing on the Christmas table is going to be as sweet as Channeller was for her first puppy bath!

12/05/2023

In house teeth cleaning is here!

For those who know my son Duncan who worked for me for most of the last 12 years, he completed a non anesthetic teeth cleaning course early this year. He is continuing on to complete his RVT course but will be available to clean teeth one weekend a month until he is off for summer break.

His price is 180 and that includes a thorough cleaning above the gumline, an exam, before and after photos and a complete polish to help erase microabrasions.

Introducing

The Polished Pup Teeth Cleaning Service.

For an appointment you can call the shop at 905-828-0999 and I will happily set you up.

12/02/2023

It’s Meg..she always looks like an oldie film star to me with those ears…and Broadway that are making out their lists at the shop. Sadly I don’t think either of them is wishing for more nail trims.

11/30/2023

Charlie and Mia today! Everyone is anxious for the holidays!

11/28/2023

Dudley is the one that got spiffed up for the holidays this morning! He was a prince throughout his entire bath and tidy.

11/25/2023

Ollie! Do you hear what I hear? Could those be reindeer feets ? Nope that’s Mom and that is better any day.

11/25/2023

I wanted to take a moment of time this morning to reach out to friends and clients. I wanted to apologize for the last year and a half or so. Things have not been going wonderfully at all and I have been letting that stress leak into the way I deal with my business.

I don’t mean grooming. I am still there and the dogs still get the best I have. I mean you guys. The owners. Life has been so..bad the last while. Pain, actual physical pain from grooming. Death..people..my pets..clients pets..debt..and then this summer Semra’s accident which took her away from grooming completely.

I have been staying in the back and not connecting in ways that I usually do. I am nervous I will do or say something that comes out wrong or is construed as rude. If you know me I am pretty blunt and not everyone sees that the same. I am not meaning to be rude I just don’t pretend that things are Rosie and perfect very well.

I guess I just wanted to say I have not forgotten that I have great clients. I have not forgotten that I love dogs. I still do things the best way I know how. The dogs are still done one at a time, no cage drying, no crowded space. Clients are still welcome to stay and watch.

I desperately want to get back to myself this year.
To those who have left because I was not the person you had met..I am sorry. I have been distracted and introverted. I just have had a lot on my plate and chatting at the front of the shop and being present enough to be thankful to each person just has not been in the front of my brain.

The front off my brain has been stuck on things like…how am I going to manage the bills…can I afford shampoo…how will I get my fingers and knee and wrists to get through 9 dogs today so I can do those things. Should I hire someone? How can I hire someone….what am I going to do?

The old questions are still there. Things like..how can I convince this person to spend 5 minutes a day brushing this dogs tail and ears. How do I get this person to bring their dog in more than 3 times a year..not because I am greedy..because I am not but because they chose a shih tzu or a cockapoo as their dog and those dogs really do need to be groomed 6 times a year at a minimum. Why don’t people understand that those gorgeous instagram dogs get groomed weekly and that’s why they look like that or that they are groomed by people with a lot more talent than I have who charge a lot more because they know they have it. Along with the ever present..if you would please sit still while I trim your face with razor sharp scissors..your face would come out nicer and your mom would be so much happier. I think I have that in my head 24-7. Working..eating..sleeping.

I love what I do. I really do. This year is a big year. Can Vicky and I keep people happy? Next December is the end of my lease.

I want to walk into it and reconnect. If I am failing..say something. If I seem absent..there is probably something going on upstairs. This week alone I have lost 4 client dogs. Dogs who have been coming for year, dogs I have loved and cared for that reached the end and crossed the bridge. Dogs I am grieving for but I can’t stop and really let it out because I am booked solid and there is no time to really stop and focus on that loss until my day is done.

But I miss them all. Jasper and Hiro and Sydney and Muffin and that’s just this week.

I am here. I do appreciate every single person who walks through my doors. I am sorry if I seem absent. I will try and do better.

11/25/2023

Brownie and Bear are wondering if they will have treats in their stockings.

11/24/2023

Daisy ready for the holidays

04/15/2022

Semra and Boris stepped into the ring today for the first time. I cannot express how proud I am of both of them! It’s a long time to stand on or beside that little table and literally work while thousands of people are walking by and watching. Victoria went above and beyond and stood beyond the rope sending mental support every minute!
What a team!
Sometimes a person just knows a good thing when it pops in her brain..kinda proud of me for just knowing that Semra was definitely the one.
I can’t wait for next time!

03/08/2022

So it’s time to have a real talk about no shows.

We are a very very small business. So when you book an appointment with us an don’t show up or call and cancel with a good 24 hour notice it is devastating. A spot has been taken for you. We are not Petsmart or even your dentist that can absorb that loss with ease. Losing that 70 dollars represents 10 percent of our day and losing two appointments is almost enough to force the doors to close.
I have been making changes to help. We are no longer accepting credit cards to help reduce fees. I have changed from laundry service to doing the towels nightly on my own…many nights this leaves me working until 10 pm and occasionally 11 pm if we are doing a night dog. I forgo being paid altogether many many weeks because spots are booked, staff is here and dogs don’t show up. Those staff must be paid. Rent must be paid. God knows taxes must be paid.
I wish it was as simple as opening a wait list and calling another dog but it is not. By the time we realise you are not coming it’s already 30 minutes into your appointment time. By the time I call someone that is available that’s 45 minutes and for them to arrive is a good hour and then we would be so behind on the next dog that it’s now impossible to stay on time.
So. Unfortunately I have to do something I never thought I would do. We will now be tracking no shows. Once you have not shown up. I will have to ask you to prepay for your next appointment.
Since the pandemic began it has become such a huge problem that I am faced with either implementing this policy or closing for good.
Example. Yesterday out of 3 dogs scheduled, 1 showed up. It is simply impossible to ask a person to bus here for over an hour on a Sunday for 3 dogs and have only one bother to show up.
If you have an appointment I implore you..please keep it or call and let us book someone else in your spot.
No shows accounted last year for 19,800.00 in loss.
My personal income was 9,450. For working 14 hour days 5 to 6 days a week.
So far this year is worse. I understand that emergencies happen. Just call.

01/17/2022

Missing Dog Alert:

Please keep an eye out for Lilly! She’s been missing since January 8th, and is still missing. She was last seen near Ridgeway Drive and Burnhamthorpe. This beautiful girl is very timid, do NOT approach, call to her, or chase her! PLEASE CALL OR TEXT (416)220-9980 IF SEEN.

Please spread the word! Lilly is STILL MISSING as of Jan 08, 2022, last seen in Mississauga, ON L5L 6B1 near Ridgeway and Burnhamthorpe

Update: Lilly is still missing. Lilly is a sharpie/greyhound mix and is tan in colour with a white underbelly. She has no collar on and has been missing since Dec 14th 403/ Ridgeway Dr. area in Mississauga. She has very small ears and a long thin tail. Lilly is very timid. Please if she is spotted, do not call out or chase her. She will just run. Please keep her in your line of sight, take a picture if you can and call 416 220-9980. Thank you.

Description: Grey hound/sharpie tan color amber eyes about 40 pounds

For more info or to contact Lilly's owner, click here: https://www.pawboost.com/p/7581907

Re-Post - STILL MISSING AS OF Jan 15, 2022***

12/05/2021

My day begins the same every single day. I open my eyes..stretch and reach for my appointment book. Before I say hi to Calloway, before I tell Boris he is a good boy. I can’t remember anything beyond a few hours but every morning I want to see what my day is going to be. To be honest I am looking for names that make me smile. Most days have a couple. Dogs that know me, trust me, come in pulling and wagging, trust me, can’t wait to get in my arms for a cuddle. They keep me going. They don’t care if my hair is a mess…I do try..it just ends up like that. They don’t care about my missing teeth. They don’t care about the fact that I may not smell terrific…in fact they might like me better for it. They just wanna see me. I don’t know why, they don’t love what I do but they know I won’t hurt them. Smile dogs. They make my days easy and happy.
I lost two today. I hope that they can see and hear and they don’t itch and they don’t hurt. So many are gone now, when I reach my end, I want to go and find my friends. I wanna be in the middle of that puppy pile. I will bring the liver treats.

11/16/2021

Hello friends! Important changes are coming in the new year. We will no longer be accepting credit cards as forms of payment and will only be accepting debit card and cash as payment methods. Thank you for understanding! For those wondering why this change. We are doing this to help lower costs in order to avoid increasing grooming fees this January.

04/08/2021

New guidelines. We are open

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03/04/2021

Hi friends! Boris here 🐾 We are OPEN!!! With COVID-19 around, we have taken preventive action to keep staff and clients safe! We are incredibly busy as we are booking two weeks out. Please CALL US DIRECTLY as we do NOT answer messages on social media! We are too busy and unfortunately, we have not been able to tend to these messages. Our phone number is (647)968-6722 and we are taking on new clients. We have had a price increase this year and are doing our best to accommodate all our furry friends. Nail trims are still a walk in service, simply call to ensure we are in the shop! Thank you!!