17/07/2026
WELLLLLL the heatwave hasn’t really ended, and the busy period is continuing. I’ve never shaved so many dogs so short in 3 years. 🤣
I’m so sorry for the radio silence on social media, and thank you for your continued patience in getting an appointment slot, receiving communication, updates, invoices, etc.
My usual working day is 9am-7pm (10 hours), 6 days a week, and I’ve been regularly adding earlier starts and later finishes to squeeze another doggo in (and Sundays where possible). With summer here, there are also home visits and pet sitting, as everyone is taking a well-deserved holiday! 😊
If you can "self-serve" online, it’s hugely appreciated, but I am getting through WhatsApp, texts and website enquiries as fast as possible. Responding to voicemails just isn’t happening because I’m picking them up at 8:30/9pm, when I finally sit down to eat (like now, as I’m posting this!), and it’s far too late to call back. So if you need me, text, WhatsApp, email or socials are always best atm.
I’ve had an endless number of "Can you fit my dog in today? They’re really struggling in the heat." While my heart genuinely aches, I simply can’t add any more working hours to the day. The grooming day doesn’t start and finish when the dogs arrive and leave. There’s also the daily cleaning, Sunday deep cleaning, washing towels, scrubbing myself free of hair splinters, communication, accounts, etc. Then I count myself lucky if I get half an hour with Maggie-cat on my lap.
This is by no means a pity post. I’m running a lovely business with the loveliest customers, but I’m just trying to say there’s no more "me" that I can give without running the risk of burning out. So please don’t be short, rude or nasty if I can’t accommodate your dog the same day, the next day, or pet sit for you next week. (I’ve received my first set of bookings for pet sitting in 2028! Yes, 2028. You know who you are! 😅😘)
And so, to have an image to post alongside this long-winded post (for the algorithm AND FOR THE LOLS)... please don’t leave me a negative review because you think I haven’t responded to your messages! Yes, this happened! Do I laugh or cry?! I’m on the fence.
The funny part is that I actually had responded four times to their 15 messages (excessive much?), but they couldn’t see my replies. Why? They’d blocked my personal Facebook account! 🤣 They obviously didn’t like my views on local current affairs, perhaps?! IDK.
Facebook links any business Page to the personal account that publishes it, and while you can message the Page, if you’ve blocked the person behind it, you won’t receive their replies. After the first couple of messages I’d probably have given up, but after 15 messages they decided to leave me a negative review, calling me rude.
I was furious because I couldn’t contact them to respond - I was blocked! But luckily (said sarcastically), they decided to complain via email about my "rudeness". That meant I could reply with screenshots of my four responses. They realised what had happened, saw sense and removed the review because I’d done nothing wrong.
The final nail in the coffin? After all of this palaver, they gave me their phone number and wanted me to look after their cat. 🤯
I politely declined, explaining that any relationship involving pet care - whether grooming, sitting or walking - is built on a solid foundation of trust and respect, and that had ABSOLUTELY been broken. Nothing good could have come from that situation.
But my goodness... BONKERS.
Happy Friday, folks. 😍
