A first-timer's guide to a DoggyFontein visit, from the WhatsApp in the morning to the goodbye at the door, including the two things we need from you.
Most people booking a mobile groom for the first time have the same quiet worry: what exactly happens, and what do I have to do? Short answer, very little. Here is the whole visit, start to finish.
Before we arrive
The booking already tells us your address, your pet, the package and the time, so nobody phones you to confirm what you have confirmed. You get a reminder email the day before, and on the morning of the groom a WhatsApp with a rough arrival time, so you are not stuck at the window.
The two things we need
- An outside tap. The salon is in the van, but the water comes from you.
- A plug point within reach of where the van parks. The dryer and the clippers run off it.
That is it. No bath to scrub afterwards, no wet floor, no pile of towels. We bring everything else.
The groom itself
Your dog walks from the front door to the van. No car trip, no waiting room, no other dogs barking in cages while yours waits its turn. It is one groomer and one pet, start to finish. Wash, conditioner, dry, nails, ears, teeth brushing and mouth spray, and a fragrance at the end. On the Signature Pamper that includes a hygiene trim around the face, legs and nether areas. On the Grand Fontein it is a full body cut, styled to the season.
How long it takes
It depends on the size of the dog and the package. A small dog on the Healthy Essentials is about 35 minutes. A giant breed on the Grand Fontein is closer to an hour and a half. Cats are between 30 and 45 minutes. You carry on with your day. Most people go back inside and make coffee.
Afterwards
Your dog comes back to the door dry, trimmed and smelling considerably better than it did an hour ago. One customer told us their dog came in feral and left like he was off to a job interview. We think about that a lot.
Money
You pay when you book, by card or EFT, so there is nothing to settle at the gate. The price in the booking is the price. Coat type never changes it, and nothing gets added on the day.
Where the vans go
Three vans cover the West Coast, the Northern Suburbs, the Atlantic Seaboard and the Southern Suburbs, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:00 and Saturdays 08:00 to 14:00. Closed Sundays. Type your address into the booking and it tells you straight away whether we reach your street. Check yours.
Does the van reach your street?
We check your address against the round before anything else. Then you see exact prices for your pet.
About two minutes to bookExact prices, no "from"Mon to Fri 08:30 to 17:30. Sat 08:30 to 14:30.