Dollhouse Pets: Leave Your Fur-Kid In The Trusty Hands Of Singapore’s ‘Cutest’ Pet Groomer

As I was scrolling through the ‘gram on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I stumbled upon a very curious Instagram page, with the Instahandle @thatcutegroomer. The combination of words had me questioning many things.

Is this some sort of controversial naming and marketing ploy or is she a very legitimate pet groomer who just so happens to be very cute?

Intrigued and with a very ragged Toy Poodle by my side, I decided to verify her Instagram handle for myself.

Rachel a.k.a @thatcutegroomer, is the senior pet stylist and instructor at Dollhouse Pets. An establishment founded in 2009, she possesses over 10 years of experience in pet grooming. Make sure you make your bookings in advance as they are almost always booked by their loyal customers!

I spoke with Rachel before handing my furry buddy, Titan, over for his much-needed grooming. I picked her brain and found out some interesting facts.

She found her calling for dog grooming midway through her studies, and claims that the more chilled environment was what she was after and couldn’t see herself running the rat race.

So, what’s up with the Instagram handle? Rachel says that the page started out as a personal account before morphing into a bit of both — business and personal life.

It was catchy and easy to remember. And fair play to her, as she can also easily claim that title of “cute groomer”, for obvious reasons.

First Things First

Within seconds of handing Titan over, she started shooting questions. She asked about his diet, skin issues and overall well-being.

It was very surprising to know that she could instantly diagnose these problems, which most groomers don’t usually pay much attention to.

She also promised to point out the right products (food and shampoo) to use after the grooming session to keep Titan’s dandruff at bay, which I had thought was a small case of dry skin.

Rachel then whisked him away for prep work which involves detangling, a fresh cut, nail work and care for the ears.

As the process continued, she quizzed me further about the types of pet food brands I give him, as well as about his character. I could feel her genuine care for my pup and as a pet owner, I was extremely thankful.

She worked meticulously and firmly. Titan was quite a suaku about being in a whole new environment thus he fidgeted a lot on the table and was inquisitive about everything that was happening around him.

Rachel, however, was very professional and never once did she show any irritation, an assurance that your pet is in very good hands.

Shower Concoction

After the pre-work, Rachel then prepared a concoction for the bubble bath. Since Titan had an issue with his skin, she added a tinge of ginger to the hypoallergenic shampoo to soothe the skin as well; a very thoughtful touch that was much appreciated.

They have built-in spa tubs where Titan received his bubble bath. Using a microbubble shower head, the water comes out filtered and apparently it helps with deep cleansing.

Finishing Touches

He came out looking fluffy, exactly how a poodle should look like! He’s never looked so good and I must attribute that to the specialised treatment he was given.

Another cut followed, where Rachel started styling him. She engaged in conversation with us, recommending certain styles which would suit him. Because of his poor skin condition, she suggested not to do a shorter cut so as to not expose his skin too much.

This was especially important with regards to poodle feet, which I always thought would be cleaner and more hygienic with shorter hair, but not in Titan’s case as his feet would be exposed to more bacteria. Talk about being meticulous!

She then recommended that I switch up Titan’s diet and use other skincare products, which exceeded my expectations, because she really didn’t have to. But it was very much appreciated.

I can’t count the number of times where groomers would happily take the money and leave us be. Knowing that the place runs on a very loyal customer base, I knew I could trust her.

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Rachel and her crew at Dollhouse Pets were absolute joys to work with. Not only were they extremely experienced and knowledgeable, they were more than accommodating and put Titan’s best interests before anything. I could genuinely feel their care and love for the pets that were there.

Rachel has so many more future plans for Dollhouse Pets such as party areas for pet celebrations and whatnot. If her current offerings are anything like her future ones, you can be rest assured that you’ll be getting the absolute best.

Price: Starting from S$80+ (full grooming, small breed)

Dollhouse Pets: 5A/7A Kampong Bahru Road, (2nd Level), Singapore 169341 | Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Weekdays),11am – 9pm (Weekends), Closed on Tuesdays | Website | Facebook | Instagram