Madeline’s Pet Grooming Salon & Institute

The bad reviews are there for a reason!!! I took my dogs there last year before reading the Unilocal ratings but NEVER again! The place is dirty… dust built up all over, in the heat of summer no AC and the sun is shining right in the front window. The only one that was somewhat friendly was the receptionist but the owner, her husband and daughter all have a very bad vibe. I think one of my dogs was drug in by the caller as well. They were always afraid to go in and acted strange afterward. Please pay attention to your pets their instincts are very good. The recent news about the Petsmart groomer that killed a dog is pretty scary. Not all people are good… Many groomers are out to earn a dollar and don’t really care about your pet. Be diligent just like a good parent would be.

Just got back from taking my girlfriends dog to this place and i must say they did a great job. When i first looked up this place i saw the negative reviews and was alittle iffy but thought what the heck and made an appointment and on the sameday took my little pooch and did the drop off. Droped him off at 11am got him back at 3pm didnt really care about the long wait for pick up cuz it was well worth the wait got him back and he looked like a new doggy all together and the price was pretty good to $ 57 straight. Which i cant complain the dog REALLY needed a haur cut. Granted there were a few cuts but thats to be expected but from now on im taking my dogs here frim now on.

This is the best place to have your dog groomed! We have two standard poodles and they love this place. My dogs jump out of the car and know that they are going to a Spa where they get pampered.

Its tuff moving to a new neighborhood and having to become established at a business you have never been too. Often times you are at the mercy of review sites like Unilocal to determine where you should spend your business.
One of the biggest hurdles for us was finding a groomer; I wanted something affordable, but close by. We needed someone who had flexible hours and was able to accommodate a last minute booking on our part. This was extremely difficult to find. I came across Madeline’s Pet Care through Unilocal and before I could read through all the reviews, I called to see if she could get us booked for a Saturday (I called on a Friday!) I was expecting to get a resounding «no» which is what I have heard from all the other groomers I contacted. But to my surprise, they said I could come in! The office staff was friendly and nice. I even asked if they could put a rush on his time frame so my family and I could head out of town with our pup, and they accommodated me there as well.
After I made my appointment, I started combing through the reviews. Yikes, it seems as though no one had offered any current reviews of this place, and the older reviews sound scary and awful. This was not the feeling I was getting over the phone. I was hesitant to cancel, but then I felt like everyone deserves a second chance. Especially a business who has been in business for so long and they were so friendly over the phone.
Well, Saturday came, and I am so happy I decided to stick it out and go through with our appointment. I figured if anything felt off, I would leave. This was not the case at all. The building itself is in an older part of town, and it doesn’t look fancy by any means outside or inside. But it’s filled with nice people that have a care for animals. You can tell! The lady who checked us in was pleasant and informative, she was patient and kind and sweet to our dog. She walked me through all that was to be done, and even remembered me asking if they could rush so we could leave town on time. I left our puppy there feeling confident that he was in good care and everything was going to be all right.
I received a phone call an hour and a half before his scheduled pickup time that he was ready to go home. When we came to pick him up they had done an incredible job! He looked amazing, he smelled amazing, and he was super clean; the cut was spot on breed standards. His ears were cleaned and spotless. I didn’t have one complaint at all! And best of all, he was HAPPY! This business offers several ways to get discounts. We will most certainly be back. Please give this business a chance to impress you the way they did our pet and family.

I’ve always been pleased with the cuts and service. Tried other places. Always come back.

few years later. im over it my cat is alive and well and. very grateful they called me after to make ammends.

Great price, nice people, good service. My two cats are so glad for their lion cuts now that our A/​C died (they are long hair cats).
Be aware they moved to 1610 Pomeroy Ave. parking is very limited there.

I have been going to Madeline’s for about 10 years. I first took my dog there when she was 1 year old. She is 11 now. It was convenient due to location, and I think that it was a good value as I have a big dog, and didn’t have a lot of experience with groomers. For years, I was happy with their service. For the last 4 years or so, at least as long as they have been at their Alameda location, the service has been mediocre, but I kept going there out of loyalty, convenience, and price. My dog has been cut several times. Her toenails have been cut to short and have been bleeding, several times. The last time I brought my dog there, she was not her self for about 4 or 5 days With all of the things that have happened to my dog, never once did any one say, anything about it. I absolutely believe after reading all these posts that my dog was traumatized. I have never brought her back since, and I will not. It’s like bringing your kid to an abusive babysitter. They can’t tell you what happened.

I have urged my parents to call the police department and after reading other Unilocal reviews I’m glad I did. They dropped their dogs off at this groomer. Upon picking them up they noticed that one dog had his eyes half closed and underneath had terribly red eyes and was not acting like himself. What’s in his eyes are petechiae or little red dots. This evidences strangulation and is part of the physical evidence that police look for when strangulation is suspected in people or when a baby is shaken. My mom called this place and they told her «yeah he came in like that but we ‘forgot’ to write it down». My mom called BS. The dogs are my parents’ other children and they hold these dogs all day. They are fed home cooked organic food. There is no way my parents wouldn’t have noticed this. If he was like this prior to going to the groomer, he would’ve ended up at the vets rather than the groomer. My parents are just sick over this as am I. These are our family dogs and are almost ten years old. I have since moved out of the house to start my own family, and I am relieved that my hubby grooms our four dogs at home for this very reason. The dogs have provided my parents much comfort during some very tough times. I’m writing this as a warning to others and in addition to the frightening accounts in other Unilocal reviews. Pup is going to the vet in the am. Pictures will be taken. The police will be called. They may not be able to do much but at least this will be on their radar should there be future reports. I’m also considering having my parents file a small claims suit so that if there is a judgment against this business it will go on their credit report. I’m confident the dog was at least negligently strangled and if that is the case this groomer needs to be shut down and stop working with animals. It’s not just a dog, this little guy is a loyal loving innocent family member. We are all livid and will be taking the appropriate legal action to help protect future patrons of this business. Needless to say none of us will ever be going back. Probably not to any groomer. My hubby will teach my dad how to groom them at home.
UPDATE: my mother talked with someone and they basically turned it around on my mom!!! OUTRAGEOUS!!! They denied everything of course. Said he came in that way and said he was covered in urine when he came which is total BS. If he was stuck in the crate there and peed on himself that’s one thing but he didn’t come to them in bad shape. Hey Madelines: the appropriate customer service is to say «I’m so sorry. We don’t take this lightly. We will look into this at length and get back to you» instead they denied everything and turned it around saying «your dog had mats and was covered in urine» I can’t believe my parents have been giving this place their hard earned money for years.

I brought my dog to this place last year and they did a fantastic job shaving her. She didn’t look ridiculous at all. She is a lab-​chow mix, and she was shedding all over the house. I was tired of cleaning up after her, so I decided to have her shaved. They quoted me the cheapest prices that I found. She seemed lighter and happier after her shaving. I’m bringing her back this next Tuesday. I’ll update if there are any changes.

I have been on the hunt for a great dog groomer for my maltese who is 1 years old and I am happy to say I have finally found a place who does a great job!
Their customer service was good. The receptionist in the morning (Debbie) i think was sweet. She answered all of my questions and was able to tell me honestly and accurately how short they were going to have to trim him. When making the appoinment she was able to give me exact times on how long the groom session would take etc. which is appreciated with a busy schedule.
My maltese looked great after he was finished, smelled nice and clean and evenly trimmed. Nails were cut as well. All topped off with 2 flowers in his ears. Cute and nice touch, even though he is a boy. :)
Another aspect that will earn my return business is the competitive pricing! The groom was 45 with an extra 10 for matting. This is a great price considering Suzy’s in Campbell charges almost $ 75 for grooming my little 7lb maltese!
they also offer a report card for how your pet’s visit went, which i enjoyed recieving. It lets you know their behavior and has the staff take accountability for the care of your pet as they must sign off on each duty they complete.
The only down side was when we were returning to pick him up, the gentleman working at 5pm (i didnt catch his name) was lacking in the customer service at first. We walked in and were standing there for a few minutes until he noticed us. (He was in the room behind the desk on the computer). When he did come out to give my dog back and take payment, he was friendly.
Honestly, this was a small negative of the visit and not enough to discourage all of the positives this business offers!

We have been using them for years. Good work, nice with the dogs… it looks bad but i like the way the cut my dogs hair. Debbie the front desk person is really nice if you just give her a chance. Don’t let the negative reviews throw you, it is easier to write when you are mad than when you are pleased. I am a loyal customer.

We’ve used Madeline’s for years. The grooming is still pretty good but the facility and staff seem to have gone downhill. I hate to say that … we’ve used this place for so long and always felt they took good care of our pets and done a great job with their grooming. However, the professionalism is no longer there. They appear to run a daycare for small children. I feel bad since I’m a mom myself and I know it’s hard to find good childcare. But the place is a dump, it smells bad, and there’s little kids running around in diapers.

I have never written any review on Unilocal.When I reading those negative reviews here, I feel I should share my positive experience with the viewers. My neighbor recommended Madeline’s Pet Grooming to me 5 years ago when I first got my CavaChon puppy (a mix of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon Frise). At first I was hesitant to go to a dog groomer 12 miles away. But after the first service, I became one of their royal customers. I have very specific requests (poodle feet, clean shave on the nose bridge etc) They have done exactly as I requested every time. Most of time, I call in the early morning and get appointment on the same day. They price is very reasonable too, $ 55 for the full service on a medium size dog.
BTW, My neighbor has been taking all his 3 dogs to Madeline’s for last 10+ years.

PLEASE DO NOT take your pet to this Salon unless you want them to get tortured and you charged for it!
Brought my Persian cat here and they burned & cut him (I didn’t realize this until after I paid and got him home). Then, they had the nerve to write him up and say that he didn’t behave well. If I was being tortured by someone I probably wouldn’t behave well either! This cat had been going to the groomers for 10 years before I brought him here.
BEWARE, these people are cruel!

My Ratings:
Quality: 2 — not so good job
Price: 2 — cheap but quality of work does not compensate
Location: 2 — not so clean
Parking: 3 — parking lot
Service: 1– eh!
Speed: 2 — took a while
Overall: I don’t think I’ll take my baby at this place anymore. I was not a satisfied customer.
My Opinion/​Story:
My dog’s haircut was sloppy, uneven and they did not follow my directions. Parts I didn’t want them to cut, they cut. Parts I wanted them to cut, they didn’t. I don’t know how they got them confused. I got my dog slightly wet so I had to dry her more at home. I just hope she wasn’t traumatized by her experience at this place. The place also looks like they need to clean up, smelly and filthy. I was afraid my dog would come home with fleas, thank goodness she didn’t!

DO NOT COME HERE!!!
We have been taking our dog here for a little over 2 years. In the beginning their service and quality was pretty good. However, the last few times it has been HORRENDOUS! My dog has gotten cut 3 times and the cuts were so deep that 2 of the times it required stitches! I let the first time go because i know that sometime dogs wiggle around or slip. However, this last time was it! They didn’t even tell me he got cut until i noticed it when picking him up. Of course they did pay for the vet bill, but that is besides the point. DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOG HERE!

I have been taking my dog here for a few years now. It is the only place that has cut his hair the way I like it. He always comes out clean, happy and not to mention oh so handsome!
The staff are nice and are always ready to take him in with hugs and kisses. He does sometimes need to go back in for a stray hair out of place or to have a couple of nails files down a little more, but other than that Kirby and I have no complaints. He is always eager to show off his new tricks for the girls in the front.
I’m sad to read all the negative review from others but I know that Kirby is always in good hands when he is there. I will continue to take him there until I feel otherwise needed.

I have been going to Madeline’s for the past 2 years and they have been great. They do a really great job on my shih tzu.
If you refer a friend, your friend gets $ 5 dollars off; you also get $ 5 dollars off your next visit… it’s a win win situation! =]
If you sign up for their rewards program, which entails you taking your pet in every 6 weeks, you save 10% off each visit. You also get priority scheduling for Saturdays to drop off your pet early in the morning.

***BEWARE****
Please, Please, don’t send your dog or cat here!
I had the worst possible experience here. Unfortunately, I didn’t read the other Unilocal reviews that allege abuse to the animals. I was approached at a Farmers Market by a woman, (who turned out to be the receptionist, not a groomer as she led me to believe.) She seemed nice enough, so we took our dog there, without doing as much research as we should have. Although, never in my wildest imagination would i have expected what would happen.
After dropping off our pooch, I made a phone call to specifically request they use a certain shampoo, so he wouldn’t flake.
He flaked worse than I’d ever seen
His hair was falling out, he had not been brushed, and he was wet when we picked him up, (after they called and said he was ready.)
We ended up having to take our dog to the do-​it-​yourself wash. He desperately needed a conditioning treatment for his skin, and he needed the excess hair rinsed out.
I was pretty annoyed about this, and I called the groomer, (to cancel the other appt. we had made.)
The receptionist was rude, and even laughed at me when i described the condition my dog was in.
She put the owner on the phone, who was also very unpleasant. He did offer a free bath, but there was no way I was bringing my dog back in.
He expressed that even if I wouldn’t return, he wanted me «to be satisfied.»
I told him i would be if we could have a refund.
My fiancé went in for the refund early that week. The owner screamed and yelled, swore, and physically threatened him. (Pretty stupid on his part, my fiancé is a big strong guy, the owner is a shrimpy 60ish man.)
Obviously, my guy wasn’t going to get in a physical fight with him. He told him to back off, and he continued to bully him.
From other reviews I’ve seen, this seems like usual behavior for this guy.
Ridiculous. truly ridiculous.
We’ve reported him to the BBB, and he replied with bold-​faced lies.
I can honestly say, I hope this man goes out of business. He doesn’t deserve to be around animals.