Bark Side of the Groom

05/09/2025

We’re so excited to welcome Ball-Chatham Veterinary Services, LLC to the Bark Side!

At our upcoming seminar, they’ll be joining in on the fun to talk about hematomas and other important grooming-related health topics. 🩺✂️ This is the perfect opportunity to have your pet’s health team and grooming team together in one place—ready to answer your questions and help keep your pup looking and feeling their best.

✨ Don’t miss out—this is going to be an awesome chance to learn, connect, and groove with your pet community. To reserve your seat, head over to barksidegroomer.com and scroll down to our event!✨️

✨ Bark Side Presents: Another Brush in the Coat ✨
📅 October 18th, 10 AM – 12 PM
📍 Rediscover Your Dog, Springfield, IL

Join us for a hands-on coat care seminar where you’ll learn proper brushing techniques, coat maintenance tips, and how to keep your dog’s coat healthy between grooms. 🐶✂️

🎟️ Limited seating available!
💲 $50 per person
🌐 Reserve your spot at barksidegroomer.com (scroll down to Events).

Come learn, laugh, and level up your dog’s coat care routine—because every brush stroke matters. 💜🌈

04/09/2025

Did you know the Bark Side is welcoming new furry faces? Come see what sets us apart from the rest.

Check out some of our recent grooms and see why pups (and their parents) love coming back!

Every dog is treated like family.
From everyday spaw days to Floyd-inspired flair, we take pride in the details.

Spots fill fast—book your appointment today at barksidegroomer.com

03/09/2025

Hey everyone, Ashley here!

Bark Side of the Groom will be closed until Tuesday while I attend my last grooming conference of the year in Hershey. Because I’ll be in a different time zone, I won’t be able to accept any appointment requests until I get back home Monday night.

Thank you for your patience and support — I’m excited to bring back fresh knowledge and inspiration for your pups.

– Ashley

29/08/2025

✨ Bark Side Presents: Another Brush in the Coat ✨
📅 October 18th, 10 AM – 12 PM
📍 Rediscover Your Dog, Springfield, IL

Join us for a hands-on coat care seminar where you’ll learn proper brushing techniques, coat maintenance tips, and how to keep your dog’s coat healthy between grooms. 🐶✂️

🎟️ Limited seating available!
💲 $50 per person
🌐 Reserve your spot at barksidegroomer.com (scroll down to Events).

Come learn, laugh, and level up your dog’s coat care routine—because every brush stroke matters. 💜🌈

26/08/2025

Its national dog day!!! Show us pictures of your furry friends so we can celebrate their day!

25/08/2025

This past weekend, Ashley had the honor of competing with one of our beloved salon clients, Coal! 🐾

Coal’s owner has let Ashley borrow him before, but this time she got to take him along for the entire show—and together they entered not one, but two competitions, placing in both! 🎉

In Salon Freestyle, Ashley transformed Coal into a stylish Portuguese Water Dog look. Then, in the Clipper Challenge, she faced an extra tricky task: only clippers were allowed, with just 20 minutes of scissor work at the end, and part of Coal’s coat was already shaved. Rising to the challenge, Ashley decided to “poodle the doodle” right there in the ring. The result? A creative trim with separated, fuller front legs blended into the shaved body—a look Coal absolutely rocked!

Huge thanks to Greg for trusting Ashley with Coal all weekend—he was a superstar in and out of the ring (and is probably catching up on his beauty sleep now 😴💜).

21/08/2025

18/08/2025

✨ Why It’s Important to Listen When Your Groomer Recommends a Vet Visit ✨

As groomers, we see your pets on a regular basis—sometimes even more consistently than their vet. Because of this, we notice changes that might seem small but can actually be very serious.

One of our regular clients came today, and just 8 weeks ago, we noticed a new mass on his leg that hadn’t been there before. We recommended a vet check, and thankfully, his owner listened. The vet diagnosed it as sarcoma. In only 8 weeks, it had grown to the size of a large grape—but because it was caught, they were able to remove it. 💜

This is a reminder that:

Not every lump or bump is “just a fatty lipoma.”

Things can change quickly in a matter of weeks.

Early detection and veterinary care can make all the difference.

When we recommend you see a vet, it’s because we truly care about your pet’s health and want the best outcome possible. Please trust our professional eyes—we spend hours with your pets and notice changes over time.

Your groomer is not a vet, but we can be a vital part of your pet’s health team. 🐾

14/08/2025

What a cutie😍 Happy birthday, Ferdinand!

11/08/2025

We recently had a staffing change at Bark Side of the Groom, and with that comes a few setbacks to our schedule. This means some appointments may need to be canceled or rescheduled, and available booking times may be a little tighter than usual for the next few weeks.

We know how important your pet’s grooming appointments are, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to keep things running smoothly while maintaining the quality and care you expect from us. 💜

We truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this change. Our focus will always remain on providing the best possible experience for you and your pets. 🐾

Thank you for supporting our small business and our mission to keep your pets looking and feeling their best.

— The Bark Side Team

04/08/2025

📵 Why We Don’t Answer the Phone (And Why That’s Okay)

We get it — not every salon runs the same. But we’re not like every salon. And that’s by design.

At Bark Side of the Groom, our priority is — and always will be — your dogs. When they walk through our doors, they’re treated like family. That means they get our full attention — no ringing phones, no split focus, no unnecessary distractions while working on live animals. Because grooming isn’t just a haircut. It’s care, trust, safety, and connection.

Why we don’t answer calls:
Because we’re literally working hands-on with your pets. Grooming can be dangerous when our attention is divided.
Because we document everything via text, for clarity, safety, and accountability.
Because when we’re done with a dog, we respond — with intention and attention.

Why we use online booking:
So you can easily book anytime, on your own schedule.
So it’s all organized, accurate, and streamlined.
So we don’t miss any important info due to rushed phone calls.

Why we require forms and policies to be signed:
Because we’re a real business with real policies — and we expect them to be respected.
If you don’t sign our policy form, your appointment will not be accepted. No exceptions.

We work hard to make things simple. But it only works if you read and follow the instructions.
And truthfully? We’re not for everyone — and we’re totally okay with that.

We’re for the people who trust us, respect our process, and want their dogs to be treated with the love and care they deserve.

Signed,
A Very Tired-Ass Owner Who Loves Your Dogs (But Also Boundaries) 💜