Our doodle loves Alma! And she looks fresh and adorable after each grooming session.

I'd like to put in a review for Leading the Pack. I have two older schnauzers who were in real need of a grooming. Normally I do it myself but I was in the middle of moving. They were matted and the groomer, Alma, assess them ahead and let me know that they were going to have to be quite short. What I didn't know was that Alma assess their skin and gave them exceptional care with her understanding of dry skin. When I pick them up their coat was soft and I could tell that a lot of their skin issues were no longer causing them problems. She had taken great care to give them what she called a mud bath which helped their dry, itchy skin. I highly recommend giving this grooming Business a try. They are hard-working and they do know what they're doing. read more

I'm writing this review with a heavy heart because our first experience with Alma was so positive. The groomer was so great with my senior dog that I was happy to pay the high price of $200 for our next appointment. They said the price is higher now because I am not a regular customer. I only groom once a year because my dog has low maintenance fur, we only get haircuts for the heat so I don't mind paying more if they are gentle with my dog. Unfortunately, the second time was a complete disaster. My dog returned home from her groom limping and in pain, which I initially thought was just a temporary ache from her arthritis. However, she was still limping three weeks later and had to be put on medication. I had to carry her up and down stairs and the car. I also discovered she had severe razor burn on her armpits and belly, which I had to treat with special creams and shampoos. She began missing patches of fur from all the irritation. She was clearly miserable and uncomfortable for over a month with little to no energy to do anything but sleep. She's extremely high energy for her age and the difference was night and day from before and after our visit. When I finally contacted the groomer about the issue, their response was kind but dismissive. They were not willing to take accountability for what happened due to my choosing to wait to reach out. I know it's my fault for not complaining immediately, but I was just so worried about my dog and busy with my life that I didn't think to complain about the groomer. I also just don't like complaining, I prefer to just not support the establishment when it's bad, but this was beyond bad so I eventually had to say something. This was a heartbreaking experience, and I won't be returning. read more

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! read more

Leading the Pack - Corgi puppy - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

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Lovely people! Reasonable prices! Happy dogs! Really, what more could you want? My baby girl's nails were trimmed without causing her any pain, and her tail was wagging. Theses folks deserve all their rave reviews, and I appreciate Yelp for helping me find a good groomer. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

Leading the Pack - Our corgi Bento, after a grooming session with Leading the Pack (including a cute bandanna!) - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

I just had my dog's nails cut for the first time at Leading the Pack and I would never go any where else. Sammy is a very sweet dog but he is very set against having his nails cut and the lovely man was so gentle and fast that Sammy was done before he knew it. Alma even gave my daughter advice about stripping him when she found out we do it at home. Truly nice people and great with dogs. This was a great find. read more

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! read more

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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 read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

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. read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

I scheduled an appointment with Paola, which was confirmed via email. Their website's form wasn't working, so I was told to copy paste the intake info in. It didn't go through correctly, but no one said anything. I showed to the appointment on time, and no one was there. I called, no one answered. I later get a phone call w/ excuses, etc. The owner is claiming she has been out for weeks, and she can't speak for Paola, but she's out. I'm told I can bring in my dog. They say you can't be there at all - even to wait in the lobby (liability?) - AND they don't know how long the appointment will take. So it's essentially impossible to plan around the appointment. Overall this was a negative experience, unprofessional, and mismanaged. I will look elsewhere for services. read more

Great experience from beginning to end with our senior pup with anxiety and medical issues. The customer service was great as well as the price. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

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! read more

Leading the Pack - Griffin after grooming - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

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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. read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

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. read more

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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. read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

Over all, I would definitely come back and support this business. Pro: I did not have to drop off my dog early in the morning. My dog was in and out within 3hours so he did not have to stay in shop too long. Clean cut over all. My dog is very fluffy and they did good job. Con: Maybe I am not still used to inflation but it is pricey. It cost me 200$ before tip. read more

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! read more

Leading the Pack - Fall cut (the paw was a darn foxtail) - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

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If you love your pet, do not take them here. After the new ownership, they do not care for your dog when getting groomed. I have a shy two year old golden retriever who gets anxious when he is unfamiliar with the person he is with. Super sweet after you give him a few pets and reassurance. When I picked him up, his haircut was good but I noticed something was off about him. He was constantly shaking and scared when he came home. He was scared for two days hiding under the table and dazed. We have been to lots of different groomers to test out which one we like and thought to come back when we enjoyed the first time we brought him here in 2019. Please be warned if you don't want your dog to be traumatized like mine. read more

The recent ownership changes have been detrimental for Leading the Pack. We loved LTP when Caitlyn owned it, but things have been going downhill for a while lately. They are unprofessional and rude, and communication is lacking. We recently tried to schedule an appointment for our dog, and the new ownership refused because we hadn't been on "a regular grooming schedule." They also told us we hadn't showed up for our previous appointment (which we had...I had credit card proof). How exactly do you get on a regular schedule if you can't schedule an appointment? The grooming used to be fantastic and they used to take such good care of our dog. We miss the old LTP. read more

Was a long time customer of LTP. New ownership was not very nice and declined service to my two aging dogs last minute. *Matted? Thats why they get groomed. Reactive to other dogs? They didnt even step foot in the door, they were declined before we checked in. Had them checked per your recommendation - non issue. You were the only groomer that had an excuse....again, went elsewhere with no issues. Took my business elsewhere. Like I said, last owner and groomers were solid. Not this new pack. read more

The team at Leading the Pack is so sweet with our pup Oliver. They know he's very timid and afraid of noises so they always take special care of him. His hair cuts are adorable, and his pawdicure well done. read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

We love Leading the Pack! Our cavapoo puppy had some bad grooms before we came to Leading the Pack, but we've loved every groom that he's had with Alma. She is kind and caring, and listens to what we request, and it's easy to book a future appointment immediately after a grooming. read more

First appointment for our four month old Maltipoo For her first haircut, and bath. I was worried she was is so sensitive it would be a little traumatizing for her. Alma took a lot of time with her played with her gave her treats in the end, not only did she come out looking beautiful, she actually wanted to go back in! We definitely will be making future appointments. read more

Called for nail grinding, they was able to assist right away! Very nice individuals, very friendly and an adorable location. Thank you so much! From Lucca & Corneka read more

We were huge fans of the previous owner of LTP. However, everything with the new owner has been difficult: our favorite groomer left, then all the employees left, communication has been a nightmare and mostly unanswered, but the major issue is my dog has been traumatized by Alma. I KNOW that my dog is super sensitive and nervous getting groomed. She felt safe, loved and adored at LTP when Caitlin owned it. And with the one previous groomer she's had in her life. They managed her anxiety well and she was a happy girl when I arrived to pick her up. The three times she was groomed by Alma she came home trembling and hid under the bed for an hour. Now, even I have a hard time giving her a trim. I'm not sure she will be able to be professionally groomed again. I had referred many friends to LTP and helped them build their business. I feel I have let my friends down as most of them have complained to me. read more

I've been a client here for a while. The new ownership has poor communication. They rescheduled our latest appointment, while this wasn't quite an issue, they also changed the prices on us last minute from $80 to $100 (tip not included) for a small dog. I understand that the standard of life is always changing, but price changes should be disclosed upfront, especially when we've been going here for a while read more

Fantastic groomer! Alma is an absolute pro: knowledgeable and our Newfy-poo gets a total makeover every time I bring her in. And, I can attest that she leaves very happy. Recommended! read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

We had been bringing our puppy to Leading the Pack since he was just a few months old. Since the pandemic started, we feel like it has heavily tested this groomers ability to manage expectations and their communication skills. We have attempted over the course of 5 months to get a hold of them, leaving messages over and over again. No response. At one point, we had an appointment but was then cancelled by them with no excuse. We understand the pandemic has made business tough but they should still be able to communicate. We had literally given up and found a new groomer. It's ashame because we would have liked to continue to give them business. Good luck on talking to anyone. I would suggest looking elsewhere. Not worth our time anymore to chase an appointment that could get cancelled. At this point, I find them unreliable as a business. read more

I don't write a lot of reviews, but need to say that my dog bounces into Leading the Pack. If my dog trusts his groomer, so do I. He is a dog that mats, I do my best. Alma tells me what I've missed and gives me help. I feel like she is a partner in my dog's care. You can't ask more then that. There have been comments that she's expensive. She's good. I've done the math, she's making a living, not getting rich. read more

I hate leaving this review because my initial experience with Leading The Pack was amazing. But my last few experiences have been terrible and this place is not what it once was. My last few experiences have led with Groomer's either canceling on me, arriving late or not getting back to me at all. This last time I gave up after calling on five separate occasions over the course of 3 weeks and still no one has gotten back to me. This is incredibly difficult during Covid seeing as hell most dog groomers are not taking on new clients so my pop and I have been heavily reliant on our current Groomer. Hope things turn around here soon. read more

I've been taking Riley to Caitlyn for a 3-4 years now and love how she asks so many questions including: preference on cut, ears, eye lashes, muzzle, tail, length, etc. I've never had someone so detailed, which I really appreciate since Doodles have many different looks. One time Caitlyn let me watch the entire time since I was thinking I wanted to do it myself... then I realized, she was worth every minute! What was I thinking... lol. Caitlyn is a great business owner, making the online apt. process easy. She's thoughtful, gentle with my girl, and very friendly. Her shop is cool, clean, open and transparent to those who pass by. Give her a try...I would highly recommend Caitlyn's grooming to everyone. Thank you for making me feel secure with grooming decisions. read more

Leading the Pack - Riley loves Caitlin's attention to detail with ears, tail and muzzle- I've never look better!! Woof - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

Caitlin and the entire Leading the Pack team are fabulous. We had a very challenging, senior Welsh Terrier who was occasional cranky and could bite, yet desperately needed to be groomed because he could no longer do it very well himself. Caitlin took him on and kept grooming him, even though he was a challenge. Through her perseverance she discovered how much he enjoyed an extra long CBD-infused soak before bathing and grooming. After every visit he would be so happy, almost like a puppy again. I highly recommend Caitlin and Leading the Pack. They're experts, and they love all our furry friends. And the shop is the bomb for pet supplies and treats! read more

Leading the Pack - Before and after his makeover - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing amazing amazing amazing x 1000 I'm so excited and happy I finally found an amazing groomer that not only does excellent cuts but is so kind and gentle to the animal. They use great products and don't spray with hard perfumes like another groomer I took my doggo to. I'm so happy I was able to become part of the pack and can not recommend them any higher! 10 stars if I could!!!! Thank you! read more

Leading the Pack - Hazel - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

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Before the pandemic this was my go to place to bring my goldendoodle. Since then the communication with them has been horrible. It's taken months to even get them to reply and finally we schedule a grooming appointment weeks ago I arrived there and no one is there to receive us. Who ever took over this business is completely over their head. Do not go here. read more

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

Caitlin's new spot on Shattuck is bright, clean and welcoming. I took my dog Roxie there for a grooming and wash, and she left smelling clean and happy with a nice blue kerchief to make her look cute! Caitlyn was very helpful and gave me tips on how to know if Roxie's nails need trimming (they did not as I walk her frequently) as well as recommendations for a trainer (I am a first time dog owner). Caitlyn's prices are very reasonable, and the appointment system on the website is easy to use and you get a confirmation via text. Roxie is already looking forward to her next visit! read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

Alma does a beautiful grooming job on our mixed breed Charlie, and we have found the communication to be fine. Charlie is very skittish but he responds well to Alma, and he comes out of there handsomely groomed and confident. Thanks Alma! read more

Leading the Pack - Charlie groomed by Alma LTP - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California

Brody doesn't love going to the groomers, but Caitlin did such a great job making him feel calm and did an amazing job with his summer cut! She asked all the right questions (even asked if I had any sensitivities to smells before she groomed him), and he was happy the entire time (I peeked in the window while he was on the table- tail wagging like it's his favorite activity)!! Also picked up an awesome new leash and cute donut collar! We will definitely be back!! read more

Leading the Pack - Pet Groomers Near Me - Oakland, California