13/05/2026
We pride ourselves on creating a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for both our clients and our staff.
One of the most important parts of grooming is communication. Every dog is different, and every owner has different preferences, so we will always ask questions and clarify instructions to ensure we understand exactly what you would like for your dog. That isn’t incompetence, it’s care.
Yesterday, while attempting to clarify grooming instructions with a client, our staff were met with unnecessary hostility and disrespect. Dog leads were thrown into our hands, communication became increasingly passive aggressive, and when both dogs urinated and defecated throughout our reception area, it was neither acknowledged nor addressed by the owner.
As per the consent form signed by all clients, a cleaning fee was applied for the soiling incident, something that has always been standard policy. This fee was scoffed at.
At pick up, the client stated they would be leaving us a review. And honestly, that is absolutely their right. We fully understand that reviews are part of running a business, and if somebody genuinely feels they received poor service, they are entitled to express that opinion.
However, we firmly believe we did nothing wrong in this situation. Our team remained professional throughout the interaction and simply attempted to ensure we understood the requested groom correctly. Due to the behaviour displayed toward our staff, we made the decision to no longer continue with this client, because no member of our team deserves to be treated that way in their workplace.
In 14 years of business, we can count on one hand the number of clients we have ever chosen not to continue with, and we believe that alone says a lot about this situation.
Since then, multiple one star Google reviews have appeared with no feedback attached, including from individuals not directly involved in the appointment. Attempting to damage a small business’s reputation in this way is incredibly disappointing and unfair.
Overnight, our Google rating has dropped from 5 stars to 3.9 stars. As a small business, that is incredibly disheartening when so much care, effort and love goes into what we do every single day.
If you have ever had a positive experience with Happy Tails, we would truly appreciate you taking a moment to leave an honest review reflecting your experience with us.
To our wonderful clients who continue to support and respect us, thank you.
