You know that little voice in the back of your head that tells you NOT to do something, but you go through with it anyway? I had that happen the first time I called the Paw Spa to make an appointment, and I should have listened to it.
Side note: I'm not usually this long-winded, but given the lack of service I was given....I wanted to make sure that everyone else out there knew what they would be getting into if they decided to trust their pets to the Paw Spa.
The girl I spoke with when I first called seemed rushed, and I could tell by the background noise there was a lot going on there. I told her my name, the name of my dog and an appointment was made. I felt rushed off the phone. I decided to go ahead with the appointment anyway due to the one positive Yelp review.
The day of the appointment dawns. I had to reschedule and couldn't get a hold of anyone. The line was busy for hours. I reached someone about 3 hours after the scheduled time, explained what happened and set another appointment for later in the week.
Appointment: take two. I entered the address listed online into my GPS and set off. I arrived at the wrong place. I called, and the line was busy. Again. I waited a bit, called back, and was told that they had moved. They didn't move far, but that would have been useful to know ahead of time. Being new to the area, I had no idea where to find the original location, much less the new one.
I took my dog in and stood there unattended for what seemed like a couple of minutes, though it was likely just one. The desk girl came and asked who we had brought in today. I told her and she promptly disappeared into the back without a word before I had a chance to tell her of my dog's special needs. She came back out front and it was as if she had forgotten that she was waiting on someone. She was asking the manager/owner(?) something about another client. I was so focused on the desk girl and her lack of instructions that I didnt notice an unassuming woman reaching for my dog's leash without a word. I looked over at her and she spoke only, "Lily?" This is my dog's name and I told the woman about her special needs. She acknowledged this and spirited Lily into the back. The desk girl disappeared again. I stood there for a few awkward moments wondering if I was going invisible when I caught the manager/owner's attention. I managed to advise her that my dog has sensitive skin and requested that they use an appropriate shampoo. She said that they had an oatmeal shampoo and gave instructions to someone to advise her groomer. No one said anything to the effect of when she would be done or that they would call when she was finished or even a thank you, you may leave now. So I kind of meandered out the door and hoped for the best.
Five hours later I get a phone call saying my dog was ready and the cost so I could bring cash/check. (They don't accept credit cards. Really?!) When I walked in the door, the place was pretty empty compared to earlier. There was the owner/manager behind the grooming station and two people behind the desk. There was someone in front of me talking to the girl at the desk, and at first the other person either didn't realize I was there or didn't seem to care. Finally he asked who I was here for, and I told him my dog's name. It was a bit difficult to speak, there was a dog barking in the back room and loud music coming from a nearby radio. I had to say my dog's name twice before he understood. He said, "oh, ok" and went back to whatever it was he was doing when I walked in. An older woman standing towards the back of the shop noticed me just standing there and asked what dog I was there to pick up. I yelled my dog's name over Phil Collins but again had to repeat myself. Sigh. The guy at the front desk asked me to pay before I even had the chance to see how my dog looked and decide if I wanted to give them a tip. So I paid and he went into the back and retrieved my pup. She came out looking pretty shiny and nice at first but once I got her home I noticed a few things. The hair on the back of her legs was supposed to be trimmed but it looks like they used clippers wearing a blindfold. Some of it was down to the skin, which looked red and irritated as a result. Some was much longer. I'm also thinking they didn't use any type of sensitive skin shampoo on her. The smell wasn't like any type of oatmeal shampoo I had ever used. Lily can't seem to stop scratching herself in various places, which tells me they didn't rinse her properly.
Maybe they've taken on too many clients or they are understaffed, but customer service is seriously lacking as a result. The price was low for a dog groomer but after this experience, I'll pay more to get it done right somewhere else. read more
