The Muddy Mutt

We’ve been here many times to get our dog bathed and have been very pleased. Unfortunately, in the last half year, our dog has become quite reactive to both humans and dogs and was not well behaved during his last visit. Most places will look down on you, get angry, tell you never to come back, etc. but this place did none of that. They have wonderful, understanding staff members. I can’t thank them enough for being so kind. It may be a while until we return (once our dog learns to be less crazy) but we will return! Overall, great experience!

Had a really great experience here this morning! We adopted our little chihuahua Felino a few weeks ago and knew we needed to find a reliable groomer. I’m glad we found The Muddy Mutt!
We made an appointment and had the professionals take care of the whole shebang — bath, nails trimmed, glands expressed, and adorable bandanna placed around his neck :) I was a little nervous about how Felino would do being left alone somewhere for the first time since we adopted him, but the staff were very reassuring and totally awesome. Felino smells like roses now! When we picked him up, the staff member who groomed him answered my questions about what kinds of brushes to use at home and how frequently to bring him in for expressing his glands, etc. As a new dog parent I appreciated the guidance!
I also think the self-​service areas are really cool and will probably use them in the future when Felino just needs a bath, especially if we’re coming after the dog park. What a perfect location for this place, it is EXACTLY next to the dog park — could not be more convenient for muddy puppies and their parents! I definitely recommend The Muddy Mutt.

Cute little place just ten steps away from the Shirlington Dog Park. Our dog, Eva, won’t set foot in our bath tub at home (plus the tub is a bit too small for her anyway), and Muddy Mutt has the most perfect set up for a self-​serve wash. For $ 18, you get a spacious bathtub, shampoo, conditioner, brushes, after bath spray, blow dryer, towels, ear/​eye wipes, etc. and very helpful employees that get you everything you could need. We usually go during times that aren’t packed, and have never had to wait for a bathtub. Once you’re done, there is no cleanup to be done, as the employees take care of that in the end.
We don’t have to groom our pup, but we had her anal glands expressed once and it was done very quickly and efficiently. The store also sells small, homemade treats that our dog loves. They carry Taste of the Wild food, which is also what we give to Eva. Just a great place and atmosphere to be in — if there was anything I could comment on, it would be that the place is not very big — but they seem to make do just fine!

My family including Bear, a blue Merle, and Memphis, a black tri, just joined Alexandria Aussies. Our first meet up was January 17 at Four Mile Run dog park. The dogs raced through the snow showers churning up the packed dirt into thick, sticky mud. Bear and Memphis were a mess. We took a chance and dropped into The Muddy Mutt next door to the park. What a great place! The staff show their deep love of dogs through their design and management of this self-​service dog wash business. My husband washed Bear in one tub while I washed Memphis in another. The Muddy Mutt dog bathroom has everything you need shampoo, leave-​in conditioner, towels, rubber aprons for the humans, brushes, warm water, warm air blowers… everything conveniently located near the deep dog-​washing tubs. Staff are constantly checking on your progress and offering help. They make suggestions to help you be a more effective dog bather. They continuously squeegee the floor to remove soapy water and thereby reducing the slipping hazard. They frequently talk to their dog clients and scratch their ears. The whole operation says «We love your dog and we want to help you keep her clean and healthy.» I highly recommend The Muddy Mutt for your dirty dog.

Good place for washing your dog. Usually not much of a wait, and the nice staff is attentive and aware. I go there often, whenever my hound adopts his special, moldy corn-​chips and decaying vegetables scent.

Wonderful service! There were a few uneven strands of hair last time I went but completely understandable because my dog can be a wiggle worm during grooming! Will be coming back here :)

I stopped in after a run at the dog park and got my dogs nails and glands done. A young lady clipped her nails in the front room so that I could hold her (she is a skiddish rescue) I was very relieved they did this without my request, I literally had to beg the last time. After, we took her to the back to do her glands in one of the washing stations, this was a first as well. I don’t know if they changed their policy… But I’m in love! Both groomers we saw today were Very professional, Thank you thank you!!!

Took in my big dog, who’s been at a farm/​boarding home for a week, because he’s going in for surgery and was grimy as all get-​out. My first time at a dog wash and the staff was friendly and explained everything clearly. Now Ryder’s clean and shiny and doing everything he can to change that.

It’s overcharged. I was getting my cat bathed, eat cleaned and nail trimmed. At the end, the groomer didn’t really clean the ears at all and charged $ 20 for nail trimming when they only trim the front paw.

We love Muddy Mutt. Thank you to Andrew, Letty, and the whole crew. Sometimes I take our dog Snowy, a cavachon, and bathe her myself for $ 18 including supplies, towels, apron. It’s also a great thing to do with a teenager or kid, by the way, if you are looking for something different for them to do after a good time in the Shirlington dog park getting dirty. They think it’s fun to spray water and play with the dog. Sometimes I hand her over and they wash and dry her beautifully ($ 30, I think). We also use the groomer regularly and she emerges looking like a princess. It’s a much calmer place than most of the local doggie salons, and our dog comes home in a better mood.
P. S. Do not take your dog into nearby Four Mile Run creek off the dog park just because other dogs are there — it’s very polluted, all the time, with e-​coli. The local vets make a fortune off treating dogs who play there. At the very least, wash your dog at Muddy Mutt promptly and thoroughly — but that still doesn’t do much about the water and bacteria they ingested.

Awesome job! We have a white Westie who doesn’t love to be groomed – but they managed to give him a great cut. They are also extremely accomodating when it comes to dropping off and picking up

I knew I needed Gemini’s anal glands expressed because she’s been scooting for the past two days. I called Muddy Mutt before I left the house to see how busy they were. I spoke to Andrew who told me there was a groomer who could do it.
The place was packed! I started to feel the irritation set in because I was thinking about how long my wait would be. It took me less than five minutes to get there. I had about a two minute wait before a groomer came out. She took me to the dog baths, and within seconds expressed the gland… and I was done!
It was so quick and easy and at $ 10 how could I not give them five stars!!! It’s such a deal. I pay almost triple that amount at Banfield (but I’m never getting that service there ever again).
Thank you Muddy Mutt!

I recently left a rather negative review for this place. They really do a great job with my dogs and the only issue I had was about an oversight concerning my dog’s ears. Shortly after my review I was contacted and the issue was rectified. With that said there is literally nothing left that would keep me from going back over and over again. I am glad to have a groomer nearby who does such an excellent job with my pups. Thank you.

It was our first time dropping off our dogs here and the experience was amazing! Prior to bringing our dogs in, we happen to meet the owner, Andrew (very cool dude!), and warned him that our Dobermans can get very excited when around other dogs and he ensured that it wouldn’t be a problem. The grooming and nail trimming for both of our dogs took about 40 minutes. The service was quick, thorough and the staff plus the owner was so great to work with that we look forward to coming back!

I really wanted to like this groomer. It’s right next to the shirlington dog park and was able to fit me in with only a day’s notice. However, now I wish so badly that I had not given them a shot.
I took my yorkie mix here on a Saturday afternoon. I explained to the woman who would be cutting my dog’s hair that I wanted a puppy cut with a teddy bear face, not too short but cleaned up (she was getting pretty shaggy at this point), to cut her legs the same length as her body and the OK to clean up her face as needed but keep it round.
Three hours later I picked my dog up — they brought her out to me squirming in the woman’s arms and not set up with her harness or leash I had brought her in on. The employees helping me then walked away as I struggled to get the harness on my terrified dog who scratched up my arms with her sharp, poorly cut nails. A few minutes later the person at the desk helped me get her set up and checked us out thankfully — for $ 60.
The haircut itself was the worst part. My dog had been shaved haphazardly all over, with chunky sections on her back, missed long pieces around her head (which I cut myself later at home to make her look normal), and they left it long in some spots on her legs. WORST OF ALL, my poor dog had been nicked by the razor in 5 PLACES. On her face, around her tail, and three separate spots on her belly. Due to the struggle that was picking her up, I didn’t notice until we got in the car and I am beyond horrified and ashamed of myself as a pet owner for taking her to this groomer. I’ll be watching her sores closely to make sure they heal okay. If you love your pet, don’t have them groomed here.

Wow I just tried this place last week from a recomendation from my dog walker and friend .
To begin with I called that day and was given an apointment the same day, that never happens for me. I dropped the boys off at 11 am, I have two dogs, a Golden Doodle and a Westie Poodle. Their hair is not easy to cut and I have had several bad hair do’s !!
I was so impressed when they called me just 3 hours later to say they were ready ! Again Im used to many hours later .
My boys looked great and were happy to see me but were not stressed out at having been cooped up for so long .
I then took them to the dog park right next door and of course they got all muddy again, Muddy Mutt were kind enought to let me use the self wash and rinse them off.
Thank you Muddy Mutt, your price was really great and excellent service I will be back.

Kudos to Andrew who responded promptly to an after-​work-​hours email requesting a last minute appointment, made the appointment for our Airedale on very short notice, and maintained a steady correspondence with me to answer any questions. But the real star here: Hindy, who is the resident Airedale favorite. She immediately greeted Alex (and me) when we showed up for our appointment, and Alex took to her right away.
After explaining what to expect, I left to run errands. I returned several hours later to Alex, looking more handsome than ever!
The shop is always filled with customers, some walk-​ins for groomers, some wanting to use the self-​service tubs (a fun experience!), and others still for appointment drop-​offs and pick-​ups. The staff is very friendly.
They offer a collection of toys, harnesses and collars, leashes, grooming aids, and specialty foods,
The price was very reasonable for this visit.
Ask for Hindy… Alex gives her two paws up!

Angie, you are lovely! Thank you for such a great first experience.
My boyfriend and I took Bella to the Shirlington Dog Park for the first time. We went on July 5^th and this was after the monsoon weather that nearly canceled fireworks. Bella jumped in every puddle and went from blonde to muddy. We brought our muddy mutt here and Angie greeted us and helped out a ton.
Princess Bella decided to be a brat and didn’t want to climb the stairs. She froze and refused to get in the wash tub. Angie was patient and must have known Bella was food motivated (takes after mom), so she brought her treats and started to feed Bella which put her more at ease.
Bella is also experiencing some fur loss (sad face) so Angie gave us a great tea tree shampoo to use. It left her fur soft and shiny even now, one week later!
We were going to buy her a new harness, but Angie showed us a great trick for how to clean it with a brush and water. Bella’s harness looked new again and she even dried it for us.
When paying, we asked her what she would recommend as a treat and she suggested an antler. We finally found something that has lasted more than a week! The same antler was at a store a mile away from Muddy Mutt and cost $ 40. We paid $ 25.
Thank you Angie for your outstanding customer service. We appreciated your patience and positive attitude. We just moved and are a 5 minute walk from your location. I am thrilled to have found a place that truly loves dogs and makes customers feel valued. Also, a huge thank you to the owners of Muddy Mutt. We didn’t get a chance to meet you, but we greatly appreciate that you take the time to hire employees who love what they do instead of people who sit at the front on their phone who only look up to say hello when they hear you walk through the door. Owning a small business is tough, but your prices were great and your employees help you stand out. I encourage anyone who is reading this to check this place out. While I cannot comment on the grooming, this place is welcoming, affordable and has staff who are personable and passionate about dogs.

«Sorry your dog’s hair is so short, it was too much of burden to brush him.» Huh?! Hold up?! The groomer that I paid $ 65 dollars to groom my dog actually just said that it was too much of a burden to brush my dogs hair? Are you serious? Isn’t that what I paid for?
My miniature poodle came in for a trim. His 2 inch long matte free coat was grown out and needed a trim for the coming spring weather. We discussed a trim with the groomer and then we left him in her care while he gave us sad eyes because she was man handling him. When I go to pick him up 4 hours later (I was asked to leave him an hour longer because they were over scheduled) I come to see that my dog has had his fur clipped continuously over his entire body to a centimeter in length.
So did my dog receive the trim discussed? On his head kinda, but NO everywhere else. I was expecting a trim with fluff and shaping, NOT a complete shave down. My dog had plenty of hair to work with so its absolutely rediculous that he received a time saving and lazy buzz cut over his entire body because they had scheduling issues. That’s not what I asked for or payed for. It’s going to take months to grow out and there’s not even enough fur left to bring him elsewhere to fix him up.
Does the groom at least look like quality work. No. Absolutely not. There are scraggly, long pieces of hair sticking out all over the place and his paw pads weren’t trimmed. You can also tell that he wasn’t brushed and blown out as there is a visible curl to what is left of his hair. Your probably wondering if my dog was cleaned at least? Yes, and his nails were clipped. So was the groomer professional? No. Telling me that my dog or her job «was a burden“is not professional at all.
So the bottom line is that I will not be returning to the Muddy Mutt. If I wanted to I could easly wash and shave my entire dog myself. Plus I’d save $ 65 bucks and spare my dog 4 hours of stress.

Overall, not a bad dog groomer in the somewhat high priced Shirlington area.
For $ 60 + a $ 15 tip, my dog got a nice puppy cut, shampoo, and TLC after he hadn’t been groomed in a while.
So why four instead of five stars?
The receptionist/​groomer who answered the phone… disorganized, long wait to figure out if they could take an appointment, and overall lax attitude (almost as if you’re inconveniencing her with your business). Otherwise, they’ll keep my business.