My parents recommended Rocky Mt. K9 after their groomer moved there, so we decided to try the bath…read moremembership for our five dogs. The online scheduling was convenient, but the website was difficult to navigate and had several features that didn't work properly. The front desk employee was extremely friendly and helpful when I called about signing up for the free 14-day trial.
Our first visit was okay, but the baths were disappointing. The dogs still had dirt on their coats, my hands became dirty after petting them, and I had to rewash parts of them at home. I chose not to complain because I wanted to give the facility another chance.
At the second visit, our dogs were noticeably more reluctant to enter the building. Staff also informed us that dogs may share kennels, which concerned me even if they're from the same household. When we picked them up, one of my German Shepherds, Violet, had diarrhea, feces on her tail and legs, and fresh abrasions and swelling on her nose that were not present before drop-off. I was never informed during the appointment that she had become sick. I had to clean and bathe her again after getting home.
My partner called to express our concerns, and the front desk employee was again kind, apologetic, and said he would pass everything to a supervisor. Unfortunately, my conversation with the supervisor was the complete opposite. Rather than showing empathy, she immediately became defensive, insisted Violet's nose injury existed before the appointment, implied we were providing inaccurate information, and repeatedly focused on my "tone" instead of addressing our concerns. At no point did she apologize or acknowledge how upsetting it was to pick up an injured dog.
We decided to cancel the membership during the advertised free trial. We were told it couldn't be canceled until after we were charged and then we'd have to request a refund, which made little sense for a trial period. We were also required to repay the 40% grooming discount that came with the membership. While I expected that part, it was frustrating considering we were canceling because of our experience.
I do want to recognize the groomer who groomed our two poodles. She did an excellent job, and I happily tipped her 20%. I also want to commend the front desk employee for being consistently kind and professional.
Ultimately, it wasn't the grooming itself that lost our business--it was the lack of accountability, empathy, and professionalism from management when concerns were raised. If our concerns had simply been acknowledged and addressed with compassion, we likely would have remained customers. Instead, we'll be taking our dogs elsewhere.
