12/24/2024
Omg! Finally putting a ribbon on our holiday grooming season. We are exhausted, I have been working 7 days a week some nights until 8-9 PM, and for the last week we had to haul buckets in and out of clients homes due to waiting on parts in the mail!
Thank goodness we have muscle in the bus with us now ☺️
Ty got everything all fixed up and has been working on tuning up mechanical issues daily! He is a diesel mechanic, champion fighter, single daddy to two beautiful little girls, and so gentle and sweet with all of the doggies and they all love him! He is specifically trained on these buses and will be with us daily, and if he isn’t there then he is on call! Having a man in the bus also makes us feel much safer after the assault a couple of months ago.
We will be training Ty up to Briana’s assistant position while I continue to coach Briana in her grooming apprenticeship- but she is absolutely killing it and has been doing most of the grooming for December, leaving me more time to plan out 2025 and focus on our behavioral cases and aggressive pups.
We are officially booked indefinitely, but I will continue to keep a standby list for open spots on routes & for when I feel like picking up weekend days, evenings, or Wednesdays! Please feel free to keep referring friends and family and if their pup fits our criteria we will prioritize getting them taken care of! And once you’re in, you’re in!
99% of our clients will now be required to be on an automated schedule of 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 weeks so that we can continue to operate smoothly. The reason for this is that with how busy we are now, we will not have time for surprises. I have tried to communicate to each client what schedule their pet will be required to stay on & which pets can be on an “as needed” schedule or seasonal. If you are not sure and I haven’t communicated, please feel free to ask!! There are no stupid questions!
Because of the automatic scheduling, I will be able to be more organized with communicating dates & not need to be sending 10pm confirmations and appt times since it will all be within our automated system. Between the organized automated system and having an on-call white knight, we should be able to *almost* completely eliminate the last minute cancellations and delays on our end, but Briana and I do both have chronic pain issues and injuries so if we need to adjust for any reason we will let you know with as much notice as possible. And obviously we still have to deal with the best part.. weather 😒.
That being said, we will be cracking down on last minute cancellations and rescheduling. If you miss your regular rotation appointment, your pet may have to wait until the next round or I can usually work in weekend or evening appointments at my house in North Pole, but you will have to come to me. Last minute cancellations (less than 48hr notice) will result in a $100 cancellation fee per pet in order to continue service. This is going to be a 1-3 strike policy depending on the situation and client.
Finding a work life balance is hard when I’d rather groom dogs than do literally anything else, but I really need to start giving myself grace. Briana and I are lucky enough to be at the point in our careers that we will be strictly enforcing our right to refuse service.
I always want client communication- negative or positive. Always. If you are unhappy with us for any reason, please communicate mindfully! I am happy to speak over the phone, text, or in person about any concerns. I am almost always open for discussion but I am not going to argue or tolerate disrespect for our craft in any way, shape, or form. I have been managing pet salons for well over a decade and customer service is my strong suit, though I am starting to have less and less of a filter 😆
Also we are reaching a stage where if we are asking you for water or power for your appt, it is because we absolutely need it. Valid reasons for denying this are- hauling your own water, frozen or turned off hose bibs, or simply not having the amperage we need. We carry a thawed hose and have the means to thaw most hose bibs without causing damage. The alternative to allowing us to use these things if we need them, is us cancelling your appointment and not grooming your pet. We absolutely only ask for help with those two things if we HAVE TO. It is a mean girl thing to deny people help if they need it and it ain’t cool. If we need your power or water at all, I am happy to offer up to a $5 discount. The amount of utilities we require when we pull from a house are literally pennies, and the businesses overhead does not change enough to make a difference on our end.
The entire time Briana and I were in San Diego, we were managing entitled clients with unreasonable expectations who treated us like “the help” and to be blunt, our bu****it battery is DRAINED. This isn’t a threat- but don’t be an as***le or you’re going to have to find a new groomer 🫶
Love us or hate us, we love your dog more than anything and we are here to stay!
Here is a big ol’ photodump, and as always I LOOOOVE LOVE LOVE everyone who is on our client list. Alaska has helped me find my chosen family 🖤🖤🖤 We feel as though the ones who cannot accept us for who we are have weeded themselves out and it’s pretty rad, but we do miss their doggies! 🥺
All of that being said (bit of a vent but eh it’s been the longest three months of my life and I have nothing to lose😆);
Have the happiest of holidays, friends! Do not feed your dogs cooked bones or excessive amounts of fatty food or you’re gonna end up with a vet bill!
I will be hibernating from my work phone for the next two days but I’m going to be working on the schedule on my computer, but feel free to leave me any messages!!
We have LOTS AND LOTS of amazing things planned for 2025 and cannot wait to share with you all and keep raising the bar for the pet care industry here in Alaska!
Enjoy a big ‘ol photodump since I’ve been slackin! (I have a Christmas tradition of collapsing on the floor at the end of “hell week”)
