I have used this place for years and am quite satisfied. Many family members and friends use it as well. Sometimes the cuts are perfect, and sometimes they are good but not great; I guess it depends on who is doing the cutting. I think that if the owner makes it clear to the groomer about what they want, then the groomer can do it as they wish. Don't let a couple of negative reviews keep you from trying it. read more

I dropped of my Tic Tac and he was excited. The staff is very professional and the environment is good. I have been their customer for quite some time and we are very satisfied with their service. - Kishnani read more

The Barking Spa in Milltown NJ is a great place to bring your dog(s) for expert grooming. I have been bringing my 95 pound black lab there for many years and have been always extremely satisfied with their work. Give them a try, you'll like them. read more

I have been taking my dogs to the Barking Spa for over nine years, 2 Rottie's, 3 Pit Bulls. would not take them anywhere else. over the year's my Rottie's passed and one of my Pits just recently. Christine and her staff were very compassionate. My dogs were alway well treated. Thank you Christine and staff for always making time for "my girls" and always takingv good care of them. John Z. Chayna, Hailey, Zoey, Cholie and Chelsea - AKA "The Girls" read more

I've been bringing my Shihpoo to the Barking Spa for a few years now and have always been happy with the services. I like that they are always able to get him in on the same day and the staff is always courteous. read more

We have been bringing our cock-a-poo here for a while now and we are always pleased with our dog's haircuts. They listen to what we want based on time of year. They always accomodate us when I call for an appointment. The staff is very nice. It is one of the better places in the area to bring your dog into. read more

We've moved twice and still travel to Milltown to go to the Barking Spa! Shadow loves you guys thanks for taking such good care of him. Worth the trip! read more

Barking Spa - Pet Groomers Near Me - South River, New Jersey

I dropped off my Fox Terrier mix at 9 a.m. on Sat. and he was ready at 1 p.m. I know it gets busy there on a Sat. and it's small inside, so that may not be the best day to take your dog there. They will let you know how long the wait is. The good thing in these economic times is that the price has barely gone up ($53) over a 4- or 5-year stretch, which works for me. They did everything that was requested and my dog smelled wonderful when he came out of there, and the smell lasted a couple more days beyond that. I liked the bandana thing they put around his neck. He finally looked like a clean, well-groomed dog. I very much prefer this business over Petco, who employs groomers with an "I don't care" attitude, who openly complain about their jobs to customers. Barking Spa seems to care a bit more about the customer and the dogs that they groom. The higher price is worth it. Generally, I take him there once a year (for his spring cleaning). My only complaint is that at least two years back, they did not accept credit cards. Some people cannot or do not like to carry $50 on them. I don't know if this has changed since. read more

shari s. I have been going to the barking spa for almost a year.(actually won a grooming package at a tricky tray).They do a really nice job on my dog pepper. He comes out looking good and smelling clean. I would drop him off and they would call me 2-2 1/2 hours later to pick him up. The girl that does his grooming is zee. There prices are similar to other groomers (maybe a few dollars more). The only one problem I have is that they don't take credit cards. I never carry cash around. I hope that changes. All in all I am very happy with them. read more

I've been taking my dog to Barking Spa for about 4 years now. The girls are very friendly and professional. They always call if there is a question on the grooming. I couldn't be happier with the service. I thought they were pricy but after searching around they are about the same as other places. We will continue going to Barking Spa as long as we live in the area. read more

I had taken my dog to this place several of times. Every time i would pick up my dog he would have anxiety attacks and shake.The owner is very rude and unprofessional the same as the staff. If you love your animal DO NOT take them here for grooming.I would not recommend anybody to go here this is not a place of business. I will NEVER go back. read more

DO NOT USE THIS PLACE. I dropped my dog off for a bath and when my girlfriend went to pick the dog up she had a cut on her leg that was bleeding and there was fur hanging off. When I asked them what happened they said they didn't know and that the person who had groomed her wasn't there. I told them I wasn't leaving until I found out what happened but they insisted they didn't know and that she must have come in that way. I demanded to speak with the owner who is unavailable daily because "she has a two year old daughter" but eventually spoke with me on the phone and was completely unprofessional, rude, and nowhere close to a business person. She had not been present for any of the exchange but insisted that the injury did not happen at her store. Awful. And dangerous! read more

I have to agree with previous posts. The groomers are good, but the owner not so much. I have been here three times and I am always told different prices for the same services. I have a pitbull...short hair. Last time I requested a bath only and ears to be cleaned. No "blow out", no teeth cleaning, nothing else. I was charged $30 which seemed very reasonable. Today I requested just a bath again and nails to be clipped and was charged $54!!!! I specified three different times (when I called to make the appointment, to the owner when I got there and to the groomer who I handed my dog off to) that I only want her to have a bath and nails clipped...nothing more. Upon picking her up (two hours later for a bath and nails!), I noticed several spots of severely red, irritated and flaky skin that were NOT there when I dropped her off. When I pointed it out and asked about it, they said it was there when I brought her in. First of all, I would have noticed bright red spots with missing hair on my dog. Second, I would not have brought her in if she had been experiencing a skin condition. The owner was very aloof about the whole thing and did not seem concerned at all. When she rings me up she tells me its $54!! I ask her to please check my chart because last time I was told a bath was $30. She confirmed that I was in fact charged less last time by "them", referring to her employees, but that today her groomer did everything and gave my dog a "B&B" (bath and blowout). She argued with me that I would have to pay because that's what was done, even though I did not request any of that. She is completely unprofessional and as stated by previous customers, seems unstable. The more I thought about it, the more infuriated I became because I know I specifically asked at least 3 times for exactly what I wanted and she ripped me off. I called when I got home and the only thing she could say was, "I'm not gonna argue with you over 24 dollas", in her annoying Staten Island accent, so I'll just credit your account. I happen to be a PROFESSIONAL hairstylist... this is like a client coming to me and asking for haircut, but I decide on my own fruition to apply hair color because I feel she needs it, even though she does not want or request it, and then charge her for it!!!!! This woman, Christine, likes to scam her customers and thinks she can bully and intimidate customers and employees with her hard exterior. Today she barked up the wrong tree ***no pun intended :) If you choose to go here, demand to know how much services will cost you BEFORE you have them done. read more

My dog has always gotten anxious when going to get groomed. I took him here and he doesn't get as anxious as he used to. They leave him smelling great and it lasts weeks and leave his nails short which is good since i have wooden floors. I will continue to come here. read more

Allie and Zy do an awesome job! Love the décor also. great place!

We like Barking Spa.. Been going here for 4 years. My maltese always looks good when I pick him up.. The $60.00 cash only deal makes me crazy but other than that they do a good job. read more

Having a very rare breed, the staff here has had to take the time to learn to groom my dog. They have done a great job doing so. They have taken extra measures to make sure she is dry. Her hair is long and flocked and requires a special washing and drying. Her coat has changed from when she was a puppy to adult and they have been very good about learning how to work with it. The facility is clean and my dog comes home happy after a day there. They are also careful about buzzing people in and not letting dogs run out the door. Super friendly staff that you can tell cares about the dogs. read more

I have been bringing my dogs here for years. We now have 3 dogs and we are always pleased with the outcome and the pups don't seem to mind a day at the spa :) read more

This is an excellent grooming salon. I have been using them for about 5 years. My dog is a cocker spaniel with some pretty severe skin problems. The groomer, Allie, couldn't be better. Knows how to comfort my dog. he loves them and they show that they love him. I strongly recommend this salon. read more

We've been bringing our dog here for 2 years and the place is very nice! The staff are professional and the facility is very clean. My dog, a Japanese Spitz, is usually very cautious of people and even other pets, but is completely okay being here! It is very comforting to know that he is in good hands--he also seems to be really relaxed and calm after visiting. read more

Barking spa is a great place especially for puppies and young dogs. We brought our puppy there and they worked with her to give her the best treatment and to get her acquainted to having a bath etc. The people were friendly too! They even give cute bows. The place is clean and the facility has a homy feel. We'll be bringing our pup back. read more

I've been bringing my cockapoo here ever since he was a puppy (he's now nearly 9 years old). I've always had good experiences here -- they treat him wonderfully and they always do the job to your specifications. The staff is very helpful and friendly. I only wish the place was a little bigger -- must be claustrophobic at times, I'm sure -- but otherwise I think the Barking Spa does a great business and I would recommend them to anyone in the area searching for a quality dog groomer. read more

Love Love Love The Barking Spa. Great staff. Every pet is treated with a little extra TLC. Venus and I are hooked on the Barking Spa. Nothing but the Best for my baby girl. read more

They are very welcoming. All of the stuff is very nice and know what they are doing. My girls look great.. Will definitely bring them back again. read more

I love the way they groomed my dog he looks like show dog. They have excellent service and even a follow up call the next day. My dog was happy going in and coming out at previous places he hated going here he was completely fine with going. We cannot thank the groomers enough with the splendid job the did!!!! read more

Barking Spa took my dog Izzy on short notice and did a great job. I'll definitely use Barking Spa again.

I bring my shih-tzu to Barking Spa every 2-3 months. While I must admit that they do take a ridiculous amount of time to get the job done when you bring a dog in on the weekend, weekdays the groom takes an hour at best! My dog's cut is always exactly the way I requested and they are willing to make any corrections, if necessary, right then and there before I leave. The workers are down-to-earth and truly enjoy working with the dogs. I always feel as though my dog received top-notch treatment from the groomer who worked with him- which, by the way, it seems as if they try to have the same groomer work on your dog each time. The only reason I wouldn't rate Barking Spa 5 stars is because of the 3-4 hour wait on weekends! read more

We have went there all of two times and they are over priced. The second time I dropped my dog off there they had called later on saying they had locked him in a bathroom and chewed his leash in half! I am extremely upset that they would even consider putting my animal in a bathroom and expect him to be okay just sitting in there without freaking out! I cannot express how upset I am with this place. read more

I love the Barking Spa! I've been taking my family dogs there for years so when I got my own puppy I knew exactly where I was going to get her grooming done. As a new puppy owner I knew nothing about dog grooming, and Barking Spa was more than helpful in giving me the correct information so that my Bubbles got the best treatment! Bubbles loves going there, they do an incredible job, and in a very timely fashion. Highly recommended! read more

Good experience my dog had.... Clean and very professional! He was a new puppy and we never had experience with dogs before. They were super informative and knowledgeable! My pup was a little anxious at first but they were totally great about it and were patient and sweet with him...totally recommend The Barking Spa! Thank you. read more

I've been taking my dog here for two years. They are always accommodating to my dogs needs and do an excellent job with her grooming. I would recommend them to anyone in the area looking for a great groomer. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!! We took our perfectly healthy bichon mix here for grooming, and one of the staff butchered the inside of both of his ears!! They very aggressively pluck hair from the inside of dogs ears, causing extremely bad irritation which led to infection in my dog. My poor dog ended up with ulcers and discharge inside of his ears. When I brought him to the vet the next day, both he and the nurse said what they did was extremely inhumane and must felt like torture to my dog--they had never seen anything like it. My dog was quivering in pain for days. He said that if ear hair must be plucked, there is a technique to it, and it's best if the dog is sedated. Clearly there was NO technique here. I ended up with a $200 vet bill. I found another place that agreed to only trim the air inside his ears so as not to cause so much pain and suffering to the animal, not to mention infection. This place should be fined for animal cruelty. NEVER AGAIN. read more

Please think twice about taking your pets here. Despite the awful reviews and complaints I have heard from people, I have been taking my dog here for over three years because I never observed anything with my own eyes and the staff appeared nice to my dog. However, this past weekend was the last time I will ever take my dog to Barking Spa. When I picked him up, he couldn't get out of that building fast enough -which was odd. I asked the girl if all went okay. She said he was great and stated that they played with him the whole time - which again was odd - but I didn't think anything of it. Once we got home, my dog would not leave my side and was very clingy. I decided to inspect him. Sure enough, I checked his mouth and he had a chunk of his gum just hanging! Even though he is well-behaved, I understand that sometimes an animal can jerk away from you (especially when doing something like grooming him). What really, really REALLY angered me is that the staff failed to even mention to me that anything happened. For goodness sake - A CHUNK OF HIS GUM WAS HANGING BY A THREAD! I am disappointed, angry, upset, everything! I took my dog to the vet because my dog was obviously hurting when I went near/ touched the area. The vet also pointed out a deep indentation in my dog's teeth caused (in his opinion) by whatever Barking Spa uses to clean teeth. He also stated that that shows they are using excessive force, as that should not happen. I am so furious that I trusted Barking Spa for so long. The lack of integrity of the staff to report such an event is beyond inexcusable. Please, please please think twice about bringing your pet(s) here. I wish I listened to everyone sooner!! I have yet to speak with the owner but will call on Monday once I calm down. If I could rate this ZERO stars, I would. read more