I was in town dog-sitting my sister's two dogs for the week. We've shared custody of them for years, and they're usually groomed in Virginia. Since I'm not familiar with groomers in this area, I turned to Yelp and chose Lina Pet Grooming mainly for the convenience of it being a mobile service.
One of the dogs is reactive, which I clearly communicated upfront. I was asked whether they needed full haircuts or just baths and cleanup. I explained they needed a light face trim, slightly shorter coats, but that my main concerns were nail trimming, paw cleanup, and a sanitary trim.
When the groomer arrived, I was surprised it was a male (not necessarily an issue, just unexpected). I thought I would see the person in the pictures. I tried to explain that one dog cannot be grabbed suddenly due to his reactivity, both for the groomer's safety and the dog's. I also reiterated what I wanted done. Unfortunately, I don't think my requests were fully understood, as the outcome wasn't what I expected.
At first, I was asked to stand inside the van and watch, but the space was cramped and I wanted to avoid triggering the reactive dog, so I stepped outside and waited near the van in the cold. In under an hour, both dogs were finished.
When they were handed back to me, they smelled strongly of Johnson's baby wash and their coats were blown out and puffy. I didn't have time to inspect them closely until we went inside, where I noticed their bellies and private areas hadn't been touched at all. The positive: their paws were cleaned nicely, and the nail trim was done very well.
I reached back out via text (the same number I had been communicating with the entire time). I was told they had done what I requested in the texts. I tried calling the number to explain verbally, but the call was declined. I asked if someone could call me so I could better explain, but no call came. I was told via text that the groomer understands English and that I should tell him directly to explain what I really need.
They offered to come back later. I was told 6 PM, but around that time I was informed the groomer was still with another client. They eventually returned around 8 PM. At that point, my concerns were addressed and the dogs' bellies were shaved, but the overall shaping could have been better.
In the end, I felt heard, but not truly understood. While I appreciate them coming back to correct some of the issues and acknowledge the good nail work, I'm not satisfied overall. This was my first mobile grooming experience, and unfortunately, it's left me knowing that mobile grooming isn't something I'll choose again.
This review is not meant to discourage anyone. Hopefully my experience will help someone in knowing what to ask for, for themselves when working w this company. read more