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    Leading the Pack

    4.3 (176 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Response time

    1 day

    Response rate

    35%

    Services - Leading the Pack

    Bath and groom only

    Full grooming

    Pet haircut

    Leading the Pack Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Leading the Pack

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    Reviews With Photos

    Corgi puppy
    Erik R.

    We come here for both our corgis! Alma always does great job with breed specific trims.... Butt floof is on point. Availability can be tight but they're very accommodating when there are openings!

    Before
    Linda B.

    I repeat - there was no need to shave my pup's ears and tail, they were not matted. It is many months later and the smooth hair on her ears and tail have not gown out. You have 2 trainees on staff and I have no doubt they were overzealous in practicing on my pup.

    Our corgi Bento, after a grooming session with Leading the Pack (including a cute bandanna!)
    Jared F.

    Great local dog groomer! We have a two year old Corgi who we took to another chain groomer previously, but when their availability disappeared, we started to look for alternatives. We're so glad we found Leading the Pack! By allowing you to book sessions on a recurring basis, it makes it so much easier to ensure that you have appointments when you need them. And of course, he looks great! I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable, prompt dog groomer.

    I'm new to the area and took my senior, and somewhat sensitive little guy in for a groom today. He not only looks great but he was so calm when I came to get him. Alma was very sweet and gentle with him. I appreciate her patience and kindness with his special needs

    Georgie after a hair cut and mid nap
    Catie J.

    My pups love going to Leading the Pack! Alma is so good with them. We have two pups, one girl and one boy and we think they are a havanese Maltese mix but we aren't sure. Either way they are fluffy! My girl dog Sasha is so sassy and doesn't like a lot of humans (or dogs) but she behaves so well for Alma and Carlos and they always come home so excited to show off their haircuts! Reasonable pricing, close to home, and my dogs are always happy. They also have really great treats at her shop and my dogs LOVE them so much more than the grocery store snacks they used to eat. What a win all around! Highly recommend!

    Alex L.

    My dog is a three coded mut: half golden retriever, half malamute, and all long hair! She's 13 years old, and has been terrified of the groomers her entire life. Leading The Pack is the first groomer she has ever visited that she actually looks forward to visiting. Not only is Alma sweet, direct (which I so appreciate) and kind, but she always provides me with useful information as to how I could do a better job taking care of my dog. A word to overly sensitive people: don't expect 'yes' people here. They are real, they are pros, and likely get your dog better than you do.

    Griffin after grooming
    Laura D.

    Alma has been a godsend for our high anxiety rescue pup. We've been so fortunate to be on a consistent schedule with this guy!

    Brent J.

    Not only were LTP able to squeeze us in for a last minute-and much needed- wash for our pup Cleo, they totally understood that it was her first time at the salon and was a bit apprehensive of the experience. All of the staff we encountered were kind and patient and it was completely appreciated on this end. I was astounded at how beautiful Cleo was when she was done! The session took exactly the amount of time that was estimated, and they were honest and up front about Cleo NOT wanting her nails done on this day, lol. We immediately made an appointment for the following month.

    Razor burn underneath
    Helen W.

    First time there and would never go back again! First of all, they did not schedule my dog in even though I had an e-mail confirmation from the manager a week ago. They did manage to squeeze us in but I wish they did not. My dog came back with sever razor burn underneath. I also just found dried up blood on his ears and I didn't even notice :( the service was also very overpriced.

    Fletcher B.

    I fully disagree with the recent 1 star reviews! Sounds like a lot of these people had a hard time dealing with change of new ownership. I didn't see anything in the reviews about how the dogs groom looked. So let me set the record straight as a first time customer here. Our experience was amazing! I would say the owners OVER communicated with me. I got text message reminders, along with emails. We even got a text letting us know our dog was 15 mins from being done. Most importantly, the haircut turned out great!! I showed Paola a photo of our dogs last haircut as she wanted to see an example. Paola pretty much gave her the exact same haircut, I was sooo happy. There is no doubt we will be back. Thank you Paola for making sure Austin stays flossy.

    Fall cut (the paw was a darn foxtail)
    Roschelle L.

    I have a bernedoodle named Franklin and my husband and I have been looking for a place that does doodle haircuts well. We've tried a few different groomers in the area but were never too happy with the result. We met Ruby back when she was doing grooming at her home over a year ago and have followed her since. Franklin is always so excited to see her and looks and feels great after his visits with Ruby. While his body cut shorter, his face and tail still give him that teddy bear face we love. Ruby is also super helpful with making sure Franklin is comfortable. She always checks if there's anything new she needs to know about his body and takes our concerns to consideration. Franklin has been a little sensitive with one of his paws, and Ruby worked with him over several grooming appointments to make him feel more at ease. More recently, she has helped us keep his coat nice and short for the hot summer days and unbearable foxtails. I'm happy to see such a reliable groomer at a well established business like Leading the Pack. The reservation confirmations and appointment reminders are super helpful. I also really appreciate how their Covid guidelines ensure there's the least amount of human contact possible. We'll continue to come back!

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    2 months ago

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    Alma K.

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    3 years ago

    They provided the best service and were the friendliest neighbors. Great communication, respectable, and the best groomers in the East Bay.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Leading the Pack Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Leading the Pack

    My golden has never been to a groomer. I brush her wkly but has a few mats around ears.She is docile except for her nails& not sure how she'll react to dryer. Is grooming stressful? Am I better continuing to groom on my own& just get her bathed?

    I think your golden will be in good hands. My dogs had matted hair around the ears, undercarriage and arms. The groomers not only removed the matted knots of hair, they did it without harming the dogs. You won't know until you try. Plus they are… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Leading the Pack

    I had been looking for just the right groomer for my big one-year-old guy and was excited when I found Caitlyn.

    Mentioned in 49 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Pet Stylist Heather Tuthill - Daphne the Dapple Doxie

    Pet Stylist Heather Tuthill

    (69 reviews)

    Piedmont Ave, North Oakland

    I am super happy with this place!!! My toy poodle Curry is really nervous around groomers due to…read morebad experiences and gets really anxious, but she was doing great after her appointment with Heather!! Heather gave me really good instructions and commentary on how to prepare Curry for a grooming appointment so that she wouldn't be nervous or in pain and was super accommodating and patient with her. The cut is so cute and exactly what I wanted!! Love this place, will definitely come here for future hair cuts :-))

    This is a positive review for Heather.  She was very knowledgeable and helpful. She also showed…read moregood character. I had reached out to Heather seeking advice on how to help a stray cat "Miss Kitty".  Miss Kitty comes around 2x a day for food in my backyard. She is a very pretty kitty with medium length black hair who seems to have some matting issues. Miss Kitty is very skittish but I have been slowly building trust with her these past few weeks. So can now pet her. Given she has been outdoors she is not used to being brushed and gets scared when she sees it. I contacted Heather seeking advice for how to best help the cat with her coat. Heather very generously spent 30+ mins talking with me.  We covered all sorts of topics. Including ways to desensitize the cat to brushing, which sort of brush/comb to use, and how to make sure it's also paired with a positive reward (like a treat). HEather also explained that I should first get her used to me brushing/combing her where there are no tangles, just so that cat can get used to the experience. Then as I build comfort with cat, gradually work my way over to the tangles to gently work on them.   She also gave her take suggesting that maybe this was winter undercoat growing out with some tangles. Versus extreme matting that was pulling the skin and causing pain to the cat. Which was a huge relief in itself! We also spoke about the pros/cons of shaving her. She explained it would definitely give her a fresh start for the coat. However, Heather voiced that if it was done now (April) she worried the cat would get cold outside.  So suggested if it was done, either to wait until warmer months or until the cat maybe was more socialized and willing to live indoors afterwards. We also spoke about if eventually the cat was shaved that would also be a good time to bathe her, which type of soap to use, etc. We also spoke about if I did ever get her socialized to that point, how we could make any future appt less stressful for the cat. During the conversation Heather also spoke with me about not rushing things, given strays have a lot of trust issues. So Heather understood how fragile the budding bond is with this cat. (She mentioned her mother in law did feral cat rescue, so was familiar with how to work with these types of cats who generally are not used to human interactions.) If Heather was as different type of person and greedy - she would have just wanted me to bring the cat in for an appt immediately or tried to sell me a bunch of products.  But she really seemed to care about the cat's well being which I really appreciated.  There was zero attempt to sell me on anything which these days is very rare. Heather also declined my offer to pay her for the phone consultation, saying she was happy just to help. Again very rare! If you want someone who is a knowledgeable and experienced groomer, genuinely cares about the animal's well being, and is a wonderful human being to boot - you will be in good hands with Heather.

    Spaw Fitness - In between professional grooming session, my husband and I regularly groom our dog ourselves.

    Spaw Fitness

    (93 reviews)

    Rockridge, North Oakland

    It's been nearly 2 years since I brought my dog to Spaw Fitness to be groomed and I have not…read moreforgotten how traumatized he was. He woke me up several times that night after I brought him home. He was agitated, seeking comfort. He'd been nicked and in some spots was shaved so close the skin was exposed. When we first arrived -- before I left him to be groomed -- he responded with panic. I have felt such regret for not listening to him and the plea in his gaze not to leave him. I wonder what he sensed. I will post a photo of how he looks after an excellent grooming elsewhere, and another of how he looked when I picked him up from Spaw. I didn't post a review at the time because I felt the owner was nice and meant well -- but I can't drive past the business without a shudder.

    After a 6-hour appointment with Taj, my dog now looks like this. My husband and I are heartbroken…read morethat our dog came back stressed and anxious. We've recently moved to this area, and all our previous grooming experiences elsewhere have been positive. I had provided Taj with clear instructions for my dog's grooming: poodle paws, teddy-bear face, and a summer cut for his body. However, my dog came back with visible razor burns, uneven patches of fur, and nails that weren't trimmed. I was also in absolute disbelief that his face was completely shaved, contrary to our discussion. Along with the traumatic experience for our dog, Taj's interaction with my husband was less than professional. Instead of acknowledging the mistakes, Taj was defensive and lacked courtesy. Given our experience, I am genuinely surprised by the high reviews Taj has received.

    Guidance Dog Training

    Guidance Dog Training

    (7 reviews)

    Temescal, North Oakland

    Jess is a patient, insightful, and thoughtful trainer. She helped us understand and work through…read moresome of our older toy poodle's quirky and problematic behaviors (attacking certain people's feet, barking at the tv, hiding whenever it was time to go for a walk, etc). We felt very stuck and unsure of how to navigate these behaviors prior to meeting with her. We worried that our dog being older would make change impossible, but that definitely isn't the case. I particularly appreciated how collaborative she was with us throughout the process-- she made sure to check-in with us each week about how we felt regarding her suggestions, how things were going when we were practicing training on our own, what interventions we were comfortable with or not, what behaviors we wanted to prioritize working on next, etc. Jess is also in general just a lovely and kind human who clearly has such a strong passion for the work she does. This made it really easy for us to trust that we were being guided by someone wise and with the best of intentions. Highly recommend.

    Jess is so so sweet and patient, and is a wonderful teacher for both dogs & humans! She's extremely…read moreknowledgeable and has had some really helpful and creative ideas for navigating confusing behaviors/challenges that my senior rescue dog has been struggling with. She really knows how to break down training steps in an approachable, non-overwhelming way. We have only had a few sessions with her so far, but her warmth and support have really helped us both already! :) I have some health challenges, and Jess has been incredibly accommodating and understanding about my different needs. Highly recommend!! :))

    Leading the Pack - groomer - Updated May 2026

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