The Violet Poodle Professional Pet Grooming

02/01/2023

For appointments, please utilize online booking or comment on this post which days would work for you. Availability is limited as a large portion of clients have already booked out for February & March. Confirmation texts/emails are sent once an appointment is booked. For any other questions, please TEXT (901) 632-0241. Email/Facebook/Etc is NOT closely monitored. Reminder that business hours are 8:30am-2:30pm Monday/Wednesday & 9am-12:30pm select Saturdays. Due to shortened hours & the fact I do not answer messages while actively working on pets, please know my responses are limited to those days (Responses concerning appointment availability may take several business days if the day is back to back grooming).
February 15th: 1 Small Groom
February 17th: 1 midmorning appointment any size
February 25th: 1 Small Groom
March 1st: 1 Small Groom
March 6th: Open
March 8th: 1 Large Groom or 2 Small Grooms
March 11th: Open
March 13th: Open
March 15th: 1 Small Groom
March 18th: 1 Small Groom
March 20th: 1 Small Groom
March 22nd: 1 Small Groom
March 23rd: 1 Small Groom
March 25th: 1 Small Groom (LAST DAY UNTIL JUNE/JULY)
*Please see previous post concerning other local groomer/shop availability if dates listed above do not work for your pet.
**Pre-Scheduled Post

01/07/2023

*Please Read*
I appreciate all of my clients who have helped The Violet Poodle become the success that it has turned out to be. With the new year, comes a few new changes & decisions going forward. The most important being the decision to take leave April-June of 2023. This will be medical leave, so I will physically not be able to groom during those months.
From January-March, my updated available schedule will be Mondays & Wednesdays with at least 2 Saturdays a month. My last day before leave will be March 25th, 2023.
I love all of your pets as if they were my own, and this decision has come with months of contemplation for the betterment of my health & ability to continue grooming, albeit very part-time.
At this time, due to high demand I can only guarantee availability to those who maintain a prebooked appointment schedule with no longer than 10 weeks in between grooms (there will be exceptions for those pets with specific coats or needs up to 12 weeks). Online booking will still be available but keep in mind that the request has to be accepted & a confirmation email/text received for the appointment to be valid. I understand that not all clients wish to be on a schedule or simply prefer as-needed appointments, however with such limited availability I cannot guarantee any last minute openings. We have been lucky enough to have more groomers and larger shops start up in Tipton County, many of whom I have spoken with who are accepting new clients about taking care of your pet's grooming needs during my time away or for those needing more flexibility in scheduling.
Millington Animal Hospital, Millington 901-872-0157
Pooch Parlor, Covington 901-487-7382
Just Groom It (Inside Legends), Atoka 901-287-9060

Lastly, please save the new number going forward, it will be the best way to contact me. I have already updated it on the webpage.
I will make another post with January-March availability.
Thank you so much for your continued support and patience! Please reach out to 901-632-0241 with any concerns or questions!

01/07/2023

I had a family emergency this past week & have not been at the shop/answering mesaages. I will respond to messages this weekend. Thank you!

12/14/2022

Last Appointments Until January 🎄 (Established Clients Only)
December 16th-- Individual Services Only
December 17th-- 1 Spot Available Morning Drop off Only
December 18th-- Individual Services Only 10:30am-3:30pm (Nail Services/Face Trims but NO baths/grooms)
December 19th-- 3 Spots Available Small Grooms Only
December 21st-- Individual Services Only (No Grooms)
December 23rd-- Individual Services Only (No Grooms)
December 27th-- 3 Spots Available
December 28th-- 4 Spots Available
December 30th-- 3 Spots Available

Pet Sitting Services Available Over The Holiday (Overnight Boarding In My Home or Drop In/Walks At Client's Home)

11/19/2022

I have had to adjust my schedule due to ongoing illness with myself and daughters, so I will be posting an updated schedule of availability this afternoon.
If you are wanting to get your pet in before thanksgiving, I will be offering morning drop off/afternoon pickup when done with later hours Monday and Tuesday. This is an option for those who would like their pet to get done and do not have time restrictions as I would be working their service in between the scheduled appointments for those days. This is available for CURRENT clients only. Dates available after the holiday will be posted this afternoon.
I am offering a holiday promotion until the end of the year in which I will be discounting services for donations of old/used towels, sheets, blankets, etc. as we go through so many between baths and making sure pets have comfy items while they are here for visits.
I will be catching up on messages this afternoon, so if I have received a message from you please except a response this afternoon/evening or tomorrow morning at the latest. Thank you for your ongoing patience.

11/02/2022

Starting this month, I will be changing the way I offer available appointments. This decision is one I have mulled & considered for a couple of months as I pride myself in offering flexibility along with personalized services for all pets. Due to many factors including but not limited to physical limits, work/life balance with my kids, and on going issues with messages through one phone on multiple platforms (messages not sending/receiving, voicemails coming through days later, Facebook messages not showing up, etc), I have decided it’s best for me to have a set schedule which I will set up at least 90 days in advance. Once appointments are listed, I will unfortunately not be able to squeeze in last minute requests. Our area is blessed to have more groomers opening businesses locally after a shortage and for those who are looking for someone closer to them, or even those who need an appointment sooner than I am able to offer, I have several groomers/businesses I recommend that I can promise will treat your pets with the same level of love and care!

I will not be taking on new grooming clients until after the new year.

In order to ensure an appointment, I ask that clients please book desired dates one of three now available ways:
1. Prebook your next appointment at pick up! If you like to stay on a regular grooming schedule (4, 6, 8 etc weeks), I would recommend this as we can prebook out as many as you’d like without having to wait for approval like online.
2. Comment to claim a date(s) on my post! I will be checking this post several times a day to ensure I get pets set for the dates/times that work best.
3. As always, online booking is available! Dates are set out through the end of December, so this allows clients to look ahead to see available dates right there in front of them. You are also able to cancel, confirm, or request a reschedule online as well.

I have soul searched, prayed and talking this out with anyone who will listen, and I feel especially while my babies are little that this is the best decision for my family and in the long run, the wonderful clients who have encouraged & stuck with me through navigating being a solo groomer/business owner. 🫶🏼

NOVEMBER AVAILABILITY
Thursday November 3rd
Monday November 7th
Friday November 11th
Saturday November 12th
Monday November 14th
Wednesday November 16th
Friday November 18th
Saturday November 19th
Week of Thanksgiving November 21st, 22nd & 23rd
Monday November 28th

DECEMBER AVAILABILITY
Friday December 2nd
Saturday December 3rd
Monday December 5th
Wednesday December 7th
Friday December 9th morning only
Monday December 12th
Friday December 16th morning only
Saturday December 17th
Week of Christmas December 19th, 20th, 21st 22nd & 23rd (morning only)
Wednesday December 28th
Friday December 30th

09/01/2022

Goodmorning!
Policy Updates: Communication, Appointment Availabilty, & Matting Policy

Please text (901) 652-8559 for the quickest response for questions & appointment availability. Voicemail is not closely monitored. This is my personal cell phone as my work phone is out of commission for the foreseeable future, so I ask for continued patience as I field all inquiries through one source again. Facebook still does not notify me of most messages or comments on the business page, so clients are more than welcome to text my cell or message my personal facebook (Tara Kathleen Swirka). Availability and online booking can still be found on the website.
It is highly recommended to book out your next appointment in order to ensure a desired appointment spot, especially going into the fall/holiday season. I do not have much wiggle room concerning even same week appointments due to a part time (3 days a week) schedule. A 4-8 week schedule is recommended for those pets who need haircuts. It is understood that not all pets need a full groom within that time frame, however, to ensure their coat is in good, manageable condition between full grooms, I do advise either regular bath/brushouts or bath/tidy ups. Not only will this keep your pet's coat in comfortable condition, it saves money on potential matting/coat condition fees that I will be enforcing. New clients are still welcome, but established clients do have priority with any last minute availability! If you prefer or need a Saturday, it is suggested those be booked in advance as I only work 1-2 per month.
My availability is scheduled out for the rest of the year for those who would like to book out their monthly/bimonthly appointments, or those who would like to secure any appointments before specific holidays.

08/01/2022

In order to promote Clear The Shelters pet adoption campaign happening August 1st-31st, any client (new or established) who adopts a new pet in the month of August will receive a credit for a complementary bath and nail service for that pet! This will be redeemable until September 30th 2022 and is only valid for that pet. An appointment is still required, and proof of adoption is necessary! Please TEXT (901) 652-8559 for appointment availability.

*There may be a wait period of 2+ weeks for medium/large dogs.

07/31/2022

07/28/2022

Good rainy morning, all! 🌧
I will be returning messages throughout the day today. Due to the overwhelming amount of calls, texts, messages, and mentions, it is taking me several days (closer to a week) to get through them all. I am also sorting through all of these inquiries and questions through one phone as my work phone is still broken. I apologize for the delays in responses, it is a juggling event. My schedule is limited to 3 days a week, however, during each of those days is a 9-12 hour work day of JUST actively grooming pets, along with having both daughters with me (4 1/2 years old & a 4 month old breastfeeding infant), an additional 2-4 hours each day returning messages/entering grooming notes/cleaning/any other office duties, etc.
I want to continue to be able to offer a one-on-one, fear free experience for all pets, and that includes giving my full attention to each pet while they are being worked on, so I rarely touch my phone other than to contact clients for pick up/approve online requests in between pets. I do schedule myself breaks in between grooms, however the majority of that time is consumed by the kiddos/laundry/cleaning/etc.
I don’t want to have to limit my schedule even more, stop taking on new and large clients, or implement a mandatory 8 week or less schedule for pets, so I am doing my best to balance my schedule while still providing the type of personalized service for pets that my business is all about. Going forward, I will be responding to work related messages on MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAYS. Occasionally, you might receive a response on a Tuesday or Thursday, but I aim to keep my off days solely focused on my girls, my family, and utilizing the day for much needed rest to prevent burnout.
I am aware of the shortage of availability of appointments, with all the wonderful groomers & shops staying so consistently busy around this area. My desire is that all pets are able to be pampered with their spa day at the time they need it, and if you are unable to get an appointment with me in the time frame your pet needs, there are several fantastic groomers who may have availability that lines up better schedule-wise! 🫶🏼
I appreciate all of my wonderful clients & their sweet pets more than I can put into words!

07/22/2022

The shop phone (901) 592-9922 is officially out of commission for the foreseeable future, please TEXT (901) 652-8559 or message the business page or my personal Facebook (Tara Kathleen Swirka) if you need to get in touch with me about grooming! I apologize for the incovenience and should have it fixed within the next 2 weeks!

07/01/2022

The best kind of Friday is the one that starts a holiday weekend! 🥳
To celebrate the long weekend, I’m running a promotion TODAY ONLY between 12:30-4:30pm for SELECT WALK IN SERVICES ONLY!
Services included:
🔹Nail Trim $7
🔹Nail Trim & Filing $15
🔹Face Trims only $10
🔹Sanitary Trim only $5
🔹Paw Pad/Feet Trim only $10
🔹Face/Feet/Sanitary Trim only $20

*No walk in bath or additional grooming services available!
*Debit/Credit cards, Venmo, & cash accepted.

06/29/2022

Happy Wednesday, All! ☀️
Online booking is currently available! One setback is I’m not able to put a limit the number of appointments per day, so all appointment requests will be approved by me before the appointment is booked. I appreciate your patience as I am aiming towards having the smoothest experience when booking appointments! If you see a day that works for you, but isn’t showing availability, please reach out! If you haven’t already, please text or email a picture or bring updated copies of vaccine records for your pet to help me ensure a level of safety and protection for pets off all ages! 😁
A reminder that I am working Monday/Wednesday/Fridays from here on out except next week and the week of the 19th! I try my best to respond to texts, voicemails, and Facebook messages within 48 hours, but I fully focus on each pet while they are here for their visit on days that I work & fully focus on my family on days I am off. Of course I do not always follow this rule and may respond on a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday as there are lot of secretarial/office duties on the business side of thing that I try to catch up on. Along with actively grooming 10-12 hour days worth of sweet pups with my 11 week old & 4 1/2 year old girls being at the shop with me, I truly do appreciate all the patience! As always, if you haven’t received a response from me, please try texting 901-592-9922 or remessaging me through the business page as I’m still experiencing messages not being received or getting notifications for messages days after they are sent. Thank you! 🐶🐱

06/27/2022

Online booking is back up! Please use the website linked on my page & reach out with any questions! ☺️
*Editing to include August dates!
I am still working out kinks with online booking on this new site! Unfortunately, the online calendar and the booking calendar aren’t synced yet, so the dates are inaccurate. I will post my available dates for July below! I will continue working 3-4 days a week, and will be settling on Monday/Wednesday/Friday with 2 Saturdays a month to have some consistency! If you have a Tuesday/Thursday appointment already booked, that will still stay! I have scheduled out until December 31st 2022 for those who prefer to book or plan ahead around the holidays.

July 5th- Small grooms only
July 6th-8th I will be off due to Aubrey having a dental procedure done.

July 11th, 13th, & 15th- Small & Large grooms

July 19th, 21st, & 23rd- Small & Large grooms

July 25th, 27th, & 29th- Small & Large grooms

August 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th, 29th, & 31st are open for both small & large spots.

I will be working on syncing calendars this evening after I finish grooming & will make another post when it is fully accurate!

06/26/2022

Seeing as one year ago I started this crazy adventure of being home-based/owning my own business, it seems fitting to announce a few big things I have had in the works!
The first big change is that I will be transitioning my business to a name that is near & dear to me, The Violet Poodle. In February, I lost my standard poodle, Violet. She was my heart dog, my baby before my daughters, & my grooming inspiration for the last 5 years. Although I had considered rebranding before her passing, it has taken a while to circle back around between the grief, a new house, new baby, and coming back to work from maternity leave. Now, celebrating one year of officially being my own boss seems like a fitting time to follow through with this change!
The second thing being a switch to a new booking system, DaySmart! It will still offer the same benefits such as online booking, communication, and listing services & products. It will also allow me to keep track of client/pet notes, information, & history in one place so I am able to condense down paperwork and keep a more accurate calendar for appointments. All appointment confirmations & reminders will now be sent from there instead of Square.
Lastly, I will be implementing a price increase on some services. For the last three years, I have been lucky enough to have low overhead costs that have allowed me to charge well below the average grooming prices for this area. However, in order to keep up with the increasing prices of products and equipment, I have made the decision to restructure pricing on some services. Most current clients will have their current grooming price grandfathered in. The standard change will be a $3-$5 increase on both bath and grooming services. Those with dogs who are large or have thick coats that require additional time, products, & effort along with cat services will be the ones who might experience a more significant price restructure on their baths and grooms.
Thank you all for sticking through all of these changes and continuing to trust me with your babies!

06/23/2022

Model Pose 📸
Featuring Miss Harley 🥰

06/18/2022

A few snapshots of some of the kiddos who have been keeping me busy & making me smile the past month! ❤️🐶

I will be at the shop Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday of next week & Monday/Wednesday/Friday the week of the 27th! As always, please text the work phone at 901-592-9922 for appointments or inquiries! 😊

06/10/2022

Happy Friday! 🐾
We have stairs & signage! 🙌🏼
I am officially working out of the shop now, so please bring your babies to me there for drop off instead of the house. 😁 I have a few more to-do’s & some more organizing inside as well as some aesthetic touching up outside to finish, but I’m so excited to have this space functional!
I am booking for end of June/beginning of July for all appointments other than nail trims or individual services like that (a**l gland expressions, brush outs, blow outs, sani/paw/face trims with no bath, etc). If you have commented on a post or messaged the business page and haven’t heard back, please text or call the shop number at 901-592-9922 as I’m still having ongoing issues with notifications with Facebook!
Also, I have my daughters with me so time frames for appointments are still quoted at 2-3 hours for small/medium clips & minimum of 4 hours for large clips if there are no issues with coat condition or extra time to accommodate medical or behavior history. Extra time may be required for multiple pets, XL pups, or those with thick coats who desire a coat length longer than 5/8“. Thank you & wishing all a happy weekend! 🐶🐱

05/30/2022

Wishing a safe & relaxing Memorial Day to all! 🇺🇸
I have been experiencing ongoing issues with Facebook concerning the business page (deleting/not publishing pre-planned posts, sporadic message and comment notifications, overall glitches on the page, etc). With that being said, I will still be checking the page on days that I am at the shop, but if you do not get a response from me within a few days or need to get in contact asap, please text the shop phone at 901-592-9922! If you prefer to call, please leave a message with your name & best contact number and I will return your call during days I am working! I will be keeping the page up to date by posting the days I will be at the shop each week since I am still working an alternating weekly schedule. I look forward to seeing each & every fur baby again throughout the summer! 😎☀️

05/12/2022

First day trial run easing back into things. 💜
Thankful for the most patient & kind clients, and their best pups (& kitties) for hanging with me as I navigate what works best for myself, the kiddos, and my clients (& their fur babies)!
Due to a few setbacks with the salon building (yay no air conditioning 🙃) & kiddo schedules, I have been very delayed in responding to messages as I’ve had to completely redo the schedule I originally published. If I haven’t responded to your inquiry or message, please know I appreciate your patience more than words can express, and I will do my best to respond with dates & times I will have available the rest of this month & into June! Those who I’ve had to reschedule due to setbacks this week will be booked first, along with those on a regular schedule/inquired while on maternity leave. With my temporary limited schedule and physical ability due to surgery, it may be a few weeks until there is an appointment available for some who need specific days/times, large or nervous pet appointments (I may need to schedule when I have help to lift or when I’m cleared to lift over my current weight limit) & new clients! Thank you again to all those who have been SO SO patient. I know with the weather warming up & being on maternity leave many pups are in desperate need of a visit so please know I will do my best to get everyone taken care of who still needs an appointment! A reminder that I am still implementing slightly longer appointment times to account for necessary breaks that come with having my 4 week old newborn & 4 year old kiddo with me. ❤️

Picture of the best Boogie boy who had all the patience with us this morning. 🥰

05/07/2022

Happy Saturday, y’all!
Thank you so much for your patience as I adjust to life with two kiddos, physically healing & starting back with my work schedule! I am returning all messages this afternoon regarding appointments! They will be very limited starting out with me only being able to schedule a few (2-3 appointments/dogs) as opposed to my normal 4-6 per full work day and a 3-day work week with alternating days each week (Tues/Thurs/Sat & Mon/Wed/Fri). For the time being, I will also have both daughters with me, so appointments will require time similar to pre-maternity leave. A minimum of 2 hours starting for small/medium grooms, and minimum 3-4 hours starting for large grooms/appointments. I will be scheduling those clients normally on a regular grooming schedule & those who inquired about appointments while I was on leave first! Any available appointments after then will be offered to new clients or pets! Online booking will not be back open until June due to the limited and alternating weekly schedule for the month of May. As always, I’m so grateful to my clients & their sweet pets and look forward to seeing all the wagging tails starting next week!

Also thank you to Letter Lady Crafts for my sign to my salon ❤️🐩

05/01/2022

Goodmorning! ☀️
As maternity leave comes to an end on May 8th, I’ll be using this upcoming week to finish setting my schedule for the rest of May and beyond. Due to having baby with me & physical limitations due to having surgery, I will be starting back with a VERY light daily schedule working 3 (maybe 4) days a week. My work phone has been shut off & I have not looked at any messages to the business page while on leave, but I will now start returning any messages that were sent during March/April concerning appointments or inquiries about services. I appreciate all of the patience and support as I’ve taken the time I’ve needed to spend with my family, soak in the baby loving, and heal. I look forward to seeing & loving on all my sweet fur baby clients again. ❤️

03/29/2022

Just a reminder that I am on leave until May! I do not have an exact return date as it all depends on when baby makes her appearance! I will reach out after May 1st to book appointments for mid & late May for regular clients! Booking for new clients will start in June. Online booking will also be available again starting in June. During this time, I will not be responding to any messages or appointment inquiries as we prepare for baby and take a much needed rest period. ❤️

03/22/2022

Please keep in mind that if you arrive more than 5 minutes before your appointment time without prior conversation about early drop off, you may be asked to wait in your car or outside until your appointment time! Again, this is to ensure I am able to equally dedicate time to every pet & their spa day, keep stress levels as low as possible for pets, as well as adequately clean & disinfect! Thank you! 🐕🐾🐈

03/17/2022

Happy Friday Junior! ☀️😎Please comment/message which day(s) of the week Mon-Sat that you would like to see available! I will be prebooking for mid-May appointments after May 1st & will be working 3 days a week starting out.

03/14/2022

I am officially booked for haircuts for the next 2 weeks, and will not be taking ANY appointments from March 26th until May! Thank you all for your support and patience. 🐾

03/10/2022

Updated Hours! (For Messages/Inquires)
Tuesday-Friday 8am-3pm
I will respond to messages and inquires during these hours. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response, as I will also be grooming during this time. Text 901-592-9922 for the quickest response. Thank you! 🐾