Potty break

Please ensure your dog has had a thorough potty break just before arrival. Dogs are often more anxious if they need to relieve themselves, which can make grooming more difficult and uncomfortable for them.

Skip their meal

it's best to delay meals until after their visit. A full belly can increase the chances of nausea, bathroom accidents, or added discomfort during the groom.

Walk it off

For nervous or high-energy dogs, a short walk or play session before your appointment can go a long way. Tiring your dog out helps release nervous energy and often leads to a calmer grooming experience.

Honesty helps

We’re here to help—not judge. But we need the full picture to give your dog the best, safest experience. Please be honest about things like matting, medical issues, behavior, or how often you groom at home. If we don’t know what we’re working with, we can’t prepare properly—and that can put your pup (and us) at risk.

Safety Comes First

We are experienced in working with anxious, fearful, and special-needs dogs, and we always aim to proceed at their pace. However, if a dog is displaying behavior that puts themselves or our team at risk, we may need to pause or discontinue the groom. Your pet’s safety—and the safety of our team—is our top priority.

Need to Reach Us?

We have a text line and a phone line—these are different and not interchangeable.
We focus on the dogs during working hours and may miss calls. Texting is usually the fastest way to reach us. Leave us a voicemail if needed—we will respond as soon as possible.

Check-Ins

To keep things running smoothly, we schedule all services in set check-in time blocks. Haircut appointments must arrive by 2:30 PM, unless we’ve made other arrangements in advance. please let us know if you are running late. Arrivals more than 15 minutes late may result in a cancelled/no-show appointment.

Ticks & Fleas

We do not provide services to dogs with fleas. Occasionally, we come across ticks during grooming. We will not remove ticks without your specific consent, as removal carries medical implications. If we find ticks, we’ll contact you right away to discuss next steps.

Reminders

We’re human—so even if you’ve told us before, please feel free to remind us of any important details. We may have it on file, but if it matters to you, and it matters to your dog, it absolutely matters to us.

Good grooming takes time

At Swifthounds, we don’t rush. Our grooms are thorough, intentional, and designed around your dog’s comfort and safety. From the moment they arrive, your pet is treated with care—not pushed through a process for speed. Each dog is given breaks between key stages—nail trimming, bathing, drying, brushing and styling—to reduce stress and ensure a positive experience. We also include deep coat conditioning, which adds to the overall time but greatly benefits skin and coat health.

Kennel time is part of our planned process, often used to support drying or rest between stages. That said, if a dog is showing signs of stress, we make it a priority to move them through the grooming process as smoothly and efficiently as possible. We don’t believe in keeping dogs in kennels longer than necessary, and we adapt our workflow to help keep each dog calm and comfortable.

Because of this thoughtful approach, a full groom can take four hours or more, and a bath-only service may still take two to three hours. The duration varies greatly depending on coat type, length and condition as well as your dog’s age and temperament. We recommend planning for your dog to be at the salon for half the day.

If you have a time-sensitive appointment or commitment, please let us know at the time of booking. We’ll do our best to accommodate, but realistic expectations help us deliver the safest, most thorough care—without putting pressure on your dog or our team.