"I want my dog short but not shaved."
Shaving and Clipping are the same. Blades come in all different lengths, from short to long. The longest blade made now is a ¾, which leaves the coat over an inch long. The better maintained the coat is, with no matting or knots, the longer clip style a groomer can do. Longer clipped styles require more frequent grooming every 4 weeks to maintain the style. Anything longer than that is hand scissored, and is not practical for the dog and the family to maintain their coats. If you enjoy the long-hair breeds, can afford frequent grooming and are willing to put in the time, a long coat style is a sight to behold.

"Will I get a discount if I have two or more dogs?"
Bark Avenue will not offer any discount to two or more dogs. The same amount of work goes into each dog and the fee is charged accordingly to the breed, the style, condition of the dog, and the time preformed to complete the dog. To understand this better if you and your friend walked into a hairdresser and said, "Since there are two of us, do we get a discount?" Probably not… Bark Avenue will however offer $10 off to all clients who regularly prebook their next appointment within 4 weeks upon leaving. This offers you the convenience of scheduling your dog on a day that fits your requirements, and you will never have to wait for an appointment. It is also the normal length of time, every 8 weeks for grooming on coated breeds such as Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Schnauzers, etc.

"Will my groomer do a Bath Only?"
At Bark Avenue we specialize in "Full Service Grooms". Dogs coming in with excess undercoat need to be raked out prior to bathing and nails clipped every 4 weeks. Without brushing out the coats prior to bathing the dogs coat will become impacted and tighter with all the dead undercoat still there and will not breathe, which will cause skin problems in the future. We do offer just a tidy up which is face and eye trims, sanitary trim and nail clipping for a nominal fee, a ten to fifteen minute job, by appointment. Bark Avenue is proud of the artistic work we do on each dog and it is a reflection of our work that is walking down the street, so we want your dog to shine and you the client to be proud to have your dog walk beside you in his or her "NEW" do.

"What products or equipment should I have on hand at home, and what else should I know prior to having my dog groomed?"
All dog owners should have the proper brush(s) and comb for their type of breed. A good quality nail clipper and "Kwik stop" to stop bleeding of a clipped nail. Sometimes when groomers cut the nails, we are suppose to go just in front of the "quick" or vein. When the owner shows up the dog prances and spins on the flooring and carpet just enough to file that nail a little more, opening up the vein, which bleeds. Now don't panic, the bleeding looks like a lot of blood but if your dog is healthy and has no blood clotting disorder, it will clot all on its own, or apply that Kwik stop to the nail that you just bought for your dog supplies. While your at the pharmacy buy Gold bond medicated powder and/or Zincofax diaper rash cream. These two products help dogs to stop scratching, sometimes just because of clipping. They will get used to it in time. Some dogs react more than others. Apply gold bond to the coat, NOT on any open sores or head or eyes. Use diaper rash cream for butt, belly and under jaw. White dogs are more prone to scratching. Let your groomer know if this happens to your dog so we can keep a record of it and apply the products right after grooming is complete.

"Do's and Don'ts"
Before going to Groomers:

• Do NOT feed your dog
• Do take your dog for a walk prior to leaving home for him or her to relieve itself
• Do NOT let your dog urinate on the walkways or poles leading into the studio
• If your dog poops, please DO dispose of it properly at home
• DO have a dog crate or a blanket to cover your car seat
• DO have paper towels and garbage bag, in case of accidents
• Do NOT bring toys, or treats (75% of dogs get stressed over grooming and will not eat/play)
• DO simply "hand off" your dog to the groomer and NOT make a big deal about leaving your dog (it’s less stressful for your beloved dog)
• DO NOT worry about a thing – we’ll take good of your dog.
  DO NOT show up or call while your dog is being groomed (again, less stressful and unsafe). We will call you when the dog is ready. All dogs are required to be picked up with-in 30 minutes of our call.

"Why does my Groomer not quote me a price over the phone?”
Most owners are not aware of what blades will get through certain types of coats, what condition the dog is in, and what type of temperament the dog has. All these factors play a part in pricing, along with what type of style can be done on the dog versus what the owners want. So, without seeing the dog, we can only estimate the cost and "up". Extra fees could be applied to the extra time taken to clip down a dog because of matting or behavior, or for a longer hand scissored style, if the dog is in excellent coat condition.

“What are the best days to book?"
Groomers busiest days are always Fridays and Saturdays. At Bark Avenue it is extremely rare to take in same day appointments on any given day, as we are usually booked in advance – please give us a call and we’ll get you in as soon as we can.

"Why do clients have to prepay their appointments upon drop-off?"
At Bark Avenue our appointment slots are filled in advance due to the fact that are "regular clients" prebook all year round. It is very rare that we have available time slots unless a regular client has rescheduled. It is very hard to fill a time slot if a "new" client does not show up for their appointment. Pre-payment is also applied to any client who pre-books an appointment and does not show for it.

"Why do we charge a NO SHOW fee?"
A groomer books dog throughout the day according to their size and breed. Only so many dogs can be done in one day. At Bark Avenue, we only take a minimal amount of dogs for a low stress environment. Bark Avenue understands there can be an emergency and we will work with our clients whenever possible. It’s important to give us a 48-hour cancellation notice when possible, as one late/no-show appointment can create a domino effect and throw off the entire day.

Important safety note: Your dog or cat must have ALL vaccinations before we can groom them.
This includes Rabies, Bordatella, Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus.

Our Newest Location Now Open at:

545 S. Main St in Downtown Los Angeles