Frequently Asked Questions

You can sign up to become a member of Mabel & Friends here.

A membership gives you full access to all of our services, which you’ll be able to book here.

This includes things such as workshops, seminars, advice, packages and much more. View our list of services here.

We are in a countryside location between Hatfield Peverel and Terling, just 10 minutes from the A12 and 5 minutes from J20A and J20B.

Our membership fees cover one household for up to two dogs.

We are open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, closed on bank holidays.

Our online portal enables you to reschedule your appointments. See our cancellation policy for more details.

We do not offer any overnight care. We do have members of our team who are experienced dog sitters who can offer this service independently off the retreat.

Of course! We try to accommodate all conditions that dogs may have, and care for them accordingly.

For day care access all adult dogs must be neutered. As a guide, we recommend small breed puppies at 6-9 months and larger breed puppies at 15-18 months. Advice on this can be sourced from your vet as these guidelines can vary according to breed.

We do not accept any banned or specially licensed breeds.

Puppies are more than welcome at Mabel & Friends. We have separate indoor and outdoor areas for younger dogs, as well as puppy-specific training classes to help them get used to socialising.

Our skilled groomers are fully equipped to handle any styling request, just tell us what you’d like!

Our salon manager will hold an initial consultation, where they can advise on the best treatment for each dog.

It’s important to have your puppy groomed as soon as possible so they can get used to and learn to love the grooming experience. We recommend they come in two weeks after their last set of vaccinations.

We will not clip your puppy on their first visit. This appointment is purely about introduction and building trust. The groomer will take longer, so not to intimidate the puppy and create a comfortable environment. Their first groom is referred to as ‘Puppy Intro’.

On average, a Full Groom takes around 2 – 2.5 hours to complete. However, it all comes down to the condition/length, age and temperament of your dog. Working with dogs can be very unpredictable, so it’s not possible to give exact times. We will discuss collection times at drop off.

Potentially – we have a selection of crates or wall rings that we can attach your dogs lead to. Dogs will be separated at all times during grooming (unless from the same household). If the dog is in day care they will be returned to the lounges.

As your dog loves you very much, they will wiggle and move around trying to get close to you which is not safe while we are grooming. It is best to drop off your pooch at their scheduled appointment time, and then come back when the treatment is finished. We are very happy to show our customers around so they can see where their pooch will have their treatment. Also please feel free to give us a call any time during the treatment to find out how your pooch is doing. We take a lot of pictures and videos (to be shared on our social media) so you can see the process your dog goes through.

Feel free to bring along any special blankets, toys, or treats that you know your pooch loves. Please bring along any medicated shampoo you have recommended by the vet. If you have a preference for their haircut/style then please bring a photo of the type of haircut you would like. Also, please make sure your dog has been for a walk and had a chance to relieve themselves beforehand.

The length and type of your pet’s coat will determine how often your dog needs to be groomed. If you require a ‘Full Groom’ these are usually every 5-8 weeks. This will be discussed with the groomer as each individual dog is different.

All dogs regardless of age benefit from being groomed. However, aged, disabled, and ill pets require specialist treatment during the grooming process. We are experienced in working with deaf, blind, arthritic dogs, and those with diabetes. Sometimes their groom may be split over two appointments so that they have more chances to rest – this will be discussed with the groomer.

If in any doubts please consult your vet who will help you to decide whether there would be any adverse risk in grooming your older dog.

It is incredibly important to let the groomer know if they are reactive or aggressive. It is important for both your dogs safety, and the safety of the groomer. If the groomer is not notified of any aggressive behaviour, then it puts the groomer and staff at risk of being bitten and can unintentionally make the process more stressful for your dog.

We will never refuse an aggressive dog initially, but we must be made aware.

Any dogs that try to bite the groomer will be muzzled.

Please refer to the Grooming Consent Form for more details.

The grooming salon will not remove ticks or express anal glands. However, we do have a Veterinary Nurse on site some days during the week who will be able to assist with these services.

Yes. There will be an additional charge between £10 – £30 depending on level of flea infestation.