Traci Williams
My precious 14-year-old rescue dog, Codi, is having difficulty standing during an entire bath due to arthritis and a torn ACL on her right leg. She's ~65 pounds, has LOTS of hair and had never been to a groomer/bather (we've always bathed her ourselves). I was trying to find a groomer who had a lift that could help keep her upright during a bath but couldn't find one. I contacted 5-7 places in central Houston and Brenda at Man's Best Friend won me over (even though they don't have a lift). When I told her our predicament and my concerns, she immediately put me at ease by explaining her (and Man's Best Friend's) love of and care for older dogs saying they've handled many of their customer's animals for their whole lives. She gave me the confidence that they would love Codi and handle her with care - allowing her to sit/rest, when she needed to. Even though it was a 30-minute drive away and I had to find a place to get her a Bordetella vaccine prior to the grooming, I thought it would be worth it and I was right! I called to confirm prior to our visit and spoke with Amarissa who was also very kind and helpful. When we arrived, I was introduced to Craig, the groomer, who was also very kind and gentle with Codi. I agreed to have him remove her undercoat (which we will definitely do again) along with the bath, ear cleaning and nail clipping. I felt guilty about leaving her there alone, but she was clean and happy when I picked her up and the decrease in her shedding has been amazing! The team at Man's Best Friend on Bingle is a hard act to follow! Knowing that I'm leaving Codi in good hands is the only way I'd transfer this responsibility at her old age.
