Dogz Rock

14/10/2026

Sitting here doing next years appointment schedules. It's not usually an emotional experience. This year is hitting different. There's a bunch of very special dogs we aren't writing down... Shane and I have lost a lot of dogs this year, a lot dogs that mean so much to us. Dogs we learnt with, these dogs have been with us for 10+ years.
We are incredibly grateful to be able to build such beautiful friendships with our doggie clients although it never gets easier losing them especially the ones that mean so much to us...

08/09/2026

Wesley 🐕🐾

08/07/2026

I've gone back and forwards about posting this because I've always believed that my job is to smile, be professional, and leave my own feelings at the door.

To put on the customer service face.

The "I'm okay" face.

But the truth is...

I'm not okay.

I think somewhere along the way people forgot that behind this business are people.

Not a machine.
Not just a dog groomer.

People see a groom.

A haircut.
A bill.
A service.

I see a living, breathing animal that someone loves more than anything in the world.

I see fear.
Trust.
Body language.
Behaviour.
Health.
Comfort.
Safety.

I carry the responsibility of someone else's family every single day.

And I carry it home with me.

People think that when the dog leaves, the job is over.

It isn't.

There are dogs I groomed years ago that I still think about.

Dogs that I still question myself over.

Could I have done more?

Could I have handled that differently?

Could I have given more?

And the question that keeps breaking me is...

What more is there left to give?

Because I already give everything.

My body hurts.

My mind never switches off.

I lose sleep.

I replay conversations.

I replay grooms.

I replay decisions.

I carry the weight of dogs that most people have long forgotten.

To you, your dog is one dog.

To me, there are hundreds.

Hundreds of dogs.

Hundreds of personalities.

Hundreds of families trusting me with what they love most.

Hundreds of expectations.

And I genuinely care about every single one.

That's the part people don't see.

This isn't about one customer.

It's the accumulation of years of carrying so much because I care so much.

People often say, "It's just customer service."

No.

It isn't.

Customer service is making someone a coffee.

Customer service is serving someone at a checkout.

This is someone's family.

This is handling fear.

This is preventing injuries.

This is building trust with animals that can't tell me what's wrong.

This is making hundreds of decisions every day that nobody even notices unless something goes wrong.

If something doesn't meet expectations, you get to go home.

You might be disappointed.

You might find another groomer.

But I don't get to walk away.

I live with it.

I carry it.

Sometimes for days.

Sometimes for years.

People think this business is about making money.

It isn't.

If money was our priority, we could work full-time for someone else and probably earn more without carrying this weight every single day.

I chose this because I love dogs.

I chose this because I wanted to make their lives better.

I chose this because I care.

Maybe too much.

So before you judge your groomer, before you assume they don't care, before you think they rushed your dog or didn't try hard enough...

Just remember there is a person standing behind those scissors.

A person who has probably already questioned themselves more than you ever will.

A person who has given everything they have.

A person who will still turn up tomorrow, smile, put on the customer service face, and do it all over again.

Not because it's easy.

Because they care.

Love Steph

19/04/2026

Busta visited recently, and we just can't get over how cute he is with his new short-body cut! Who said you can't have a short cut and still be utterly adorable? 😍🥰

06/04/2026

What Your Groomer Might Be Missing (and why it matters!) 🐾

A professional groom is so much more than just a haircut. While the "teddy bear" face is what you see in the mirror, it’s the details underneath that keep your dog healthy, comfortable, and smelling fresh.

Here’s a look at the "hidden" spots we never skip:
1. The "Flew Flush" (The Lip Folds)
Notice those deep folds around the mouth? These are called flews. They trap saliva, food particles, and bacteria, which is often the real source of "dog breath" and skin infections (lip-fold pyoderma). We clip these out tight and clean to keep the area dry and irritation-free.

2. Deep Sanitary & Tuck-Up Care
The groin and "tuck-up" are high-friction areas. If the hair is left even a little too long here, it traps moisture and urine, leading to painful skin scald and tight matting. A precise, flush shave here is a must for hygiene and easy movement.

3. Paw Pad Health & Nails.
Overgrown hair between the pads is like walking on a floor in silk socks—it’s slippery and dangerous, especially for older dogs. We shave the pads flush for maximum traction and get those nails backed up as far as possible to keep the paws tight and healthy.

4. The Ear Base & Canal
I forgot to grab an "after" photo of the inside, but this is a huge one! We clear the hair around the base and carefully remove excess hair from the canal. This improves airflow—the #1 way to prevent yeast and bacterial infections. If we see redness or smell anything "funky" while we are in there, you’re the first to know!

Does your groomer check the "hidden" bits? Don't settle for just a haircut; your dog deserves a full-body health check every time they visit the salon.

12/03/2026

Hi everyone,

We wanted to clarify our upcoming pricing adjustments as we’ve had a few questions.

Our price list has reflected our standard grooming prices for a couple of years, but many clients have continued to be groomed at older, lower rates. We’ve tried gradually bringing prices up, but when some started quite low, this process takes a long time.

As we are not taking new clients and our books are full, it has become difficult to keep pricing consistent. Moving forward, we will be aligning all grooms with our current price list, mainly for full grooms, which is where most adjustments will occur.

Pricing will not change at your next groom unless you’ve already been notified in person. New prices will be applied at your following groom once you’ve been informed.

If you’ve already had a price increase this year but are still below our listed price, your price will be adjusted next year to keep alignment.

Our pricing is still very reasonable for the time, care, and work involved, and this change ensures we can continue providing the quality care your dogs deserve.

If you’re unsure about your dog’s pricing, please send us a message and we’ll happily clarify.

Thank you to all our wonderful clients for your support and trust 🐾

02/12/2025

🐾✨ We’ve moved!

Starting Monday the 8th, Shane and I will be grooming from our very own space:
📍 10/146 Lake Road, Port Macquarie

We’ve missed having a space that’s fully ours, and we’re so excited for more independence and freedom!

A huge thanks to the wonderful local Petstock team for their support over the past year. It’s been truly appreciated.

Same team, same appointments, same care, just our own home now 💛
Can’t wait to see you and your pups!

01/10/2025

08/09/2025

✨ It’s that time of year again! ✨

We’re starting to put together our appointment schedules for 2026.

✅ If you’re already on a recurring schedule – don’t worry, it will automatically roll over into the new year and we’ll send you your updated dates.
✅ If you’d like to adjust the frequency or change your preferred days, just let us know.
✅ Current customers who’d like to be added to the schedule – please send us a text with your preferred frequency and day (e.g. “every 8 weeks on a Tuesday”).

Please keep in mind – these schedules take a couple of months to complete, so thank you for your patience while we get everything organised.

08/07/2025

Just one of the cuties we’ve had in lately! 🐶✨
We’re currently not taking on new clients, but we’re still happy to book:
🐾 Returning clients with new pups
🐾 A few referrals from our amazing regulars

We’ll reassess in a few months and let you all know. Thanks for the love and support! 💛✂️