Danny Gets Groomed

If you've been following this blog, you'll probably realise that Danny has been getting shaggier and messier with each post. I initially booked an appointment with Bark & Bubbles at Bukit Merah. This meant bundling our friend in the car for a 25 minute drive but I didn't mind because the place got quite good reviews.

But shortly after, I discovered that a new grooming salon was opening within a 10-minute walk from my house. During one of his walks, I popped over to Bark Angel while it was still being renovated and managed to speak to the main groomer, Bryan. Danny and him hit it off right off the bat. Bryan also came across as the nice, gentle sort, so I booked an appointment.

Yesterday was D-day.

"Yes, I know. I look like a mess."

The great thing about Bark Angel is that it is a pet cafe cum grooming salon. My plan was to be present throughout the grooming session, (mainly because the very naughty dog was going for his first grooming and I wasn't sure how he would behave) so having a cafe where I could lounge was brilliant.

The decor is nice an cosy, with sofas, magazines and even a Nintendo Wii! The place is equipped with wi-fi so next time I'm bring my laptop. The cafe serves a range of drinks and some simple sandwiches for humans, but for dogs, the menu includes chicken rice balls and grilled boneless chicken as well as side dishes. *Drool!*

Very importantly, it doesn't smell of dog.

Danny lost no time in making himself comfy.

I settled down to a nice breakfast of kaya toast and fizzy Ribena...

...while Danny got his haircut. I went ahead with a full grooming as his fur was getting a little matted in some parts. Bryan discussed his cut with us and we eventually decided on a terrier-like cut for his face, and a good trim for the rest.

(Yes, I know he is a Schnauzer, but the beard is really impractical. When he drinks water, he drips all over the floor, and then his chin fur gets matted cos the water makes it clump together.)

Getting sheared.

Danny giving Bryan some lurve...

"Check it out. I'm getting my paws done!"

"Don't I look neater already?"

After watching him for a bit, hubby and I hit the Nintemdo Wii so we missed the bathing and nail trimming. But eventually, Danny emerged. We couldn't recognise him.

What I like was that Danny was never left alone at any point. He was also dried with a hair dryer instead of being chucked into drying cage and left alone.

Despite having two other dogs waiting, Bryan still took the time to do a great job. I was initially told that the grooming would take about 1.5 hours, but because of his matted fur, it took a total of 2.5 hours in the end.

Mom still likes him to be messy and shaggy. She was trying her best to convince me not to "waste my money on grooming". She thinks that dogs shouldn't look all prissy and neat, and that now he looks like a Dandy, not a Danny.

But she's outnumbered. Rhoda, Dad, hubby and I all think he looks so much better and a heck of a lot cuter! Dad said that he never realise that Danny had so much white fur.

Before

After

Oh yeah, I discovered one bad thing about getting your dog neutered...Bryan thought he was a girl! We spent the rest of the afternoon calling him Danielle.