A full groom is the complete service: bath, blow-dry, brush-out, a styled haircut, nails and hygiene areas. A tidy-up is a lighter freshen of the face, feet and hygiene areas between grooms. A deshed is a bath and blow-out that lifts loose undercoat without a haircut. Your dog's coat, not their size, decides which.
What is a full groom, and who needs one?
A full groom is the whole job from bath to finished shape. Your dog is washed, dried, brushed through to the skin, then clipped and scissored into a style, with nails, ears and hygiene areas looked after along the way. It suits dogs whose hair keeps growing instead of dropping out, which means poodles, doodles, Maltese, Shih Tzu, schnauzers and most of their crosses. Left alone, that kind of coat doesn't stop at a nice length. It lengthens, tangles and eventually mats, so the haircut is part of keeping it comfortable, not just a matter of looks. Our step-by-step guide to a full groom shows what happens once your dog is through the door.
A comfort groom is the easy-care version: an all-over clip at one practical length, without the breed styling or detailed scissor finish. It's a sensible choice for dogs who find long sessions tiring, owners who want a low-fuss coat, or coats that have grown past the point where styling makes sense. Both are covered on our dog grooming page.
What does a tidy-up cover?
A tidy-up is a freshen-up between full grooms. The groomer neatens the face, feet and hygiene area, the places that get messy or overgrown first, and leaves the body coat as it is. It's quicker and gentler than a full groom, which makes it popular with dogs who like their salon visits short. Puppies often begin here too: a short tidy-up of the face, feet and hygiene area lets them get used to the sights, sounds and feel of grooming before the bigger jobs arrive.
The catch is that a tidy-up only works on a coat that is already in good order. It can't reshape a body coat that has grown out, and it can't be used to dodge a clip if mats have formed. If we find knots close to the skin, we'll explain why a full or comfort groom is the kinder option, and why brushing them out isn't.
What is a deshed, and which dogs need it?
A deshed is a treatment, not a haircut. Your dog is bathed, then dried with a high-velocity blow-out and worked over with an undercoat rake to lift the loose, dead undercoat that would otherwise end up on your floor and couch. The topcoat is left untouched. It's designed for double-coated and heavy-shedding dogs: Huskies, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Pomeranians, Labradors and the like. In Perth, expect the heaviest shedding in spring and autumn, when these dogs drop coat in handfuls.
A deshed is also the answer to the summer shaving question. A double coat doesn't keep your dog cooler when it's clipped off, which is why we recommend deshedding instead. Deshedding is offered at Jandakot and O'Connor. It isn't available at Byford.
How do I choose between them?
Start with the coat. If the hair grows and curls and never really stops, you're looking at a full groom, with a tidy-up or hygiene visit to bridge the gap. If your dog has a short or double coat that sheds, a deshed (with a bath) is usually the right service. If the coat is clean, brushed through, still holding its shape and a few weeks past the last full groom, a tidy-up will probably do.
When you're not sure, tell us the breed, when the last groom was and how often the coat gets brushed, and we'll recommend one. Coat condition has the last word on the day: a tidy-up booked for a matted coat becomes a clip, and we'll talk it through with you before we start. For a dog who needs hygiene only, with no styling at all, a Wellness Club visit covers bath, ears, nails and more. And if you're working out how often to book, our coat-by-coat guide sets out the rhythm for each type.
Where can I book each one?
Jandakot and O'Connor look after dogs of all sizes and offer every service above. Byford grooms small to medium dogs up to around 17kg, by appointment on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with full grooms, comfort grooms, tidy-ups and baths but no deshedding. Large or heavy-shedding dogs should book at Jandakot or O'Connor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a tidy-up instead of a full groom?
Only if the coat is clean, brushed through and free of mats. A tidy-up leaves the body coat as it is, so it suits a dog who had a full groom recently and has been brushed since. If the coat has matted or grown out of shape, your groomer will explain why a full groom or comfort groom is needed.
Does a deshed include a haircut?
No. A deshed is a bath, blow-out and undercoat treatment that removes loose hair while leaving the topcoat intact. If your dog also needs a trim or a tidy, mention it when you book so we can plan the appointment properly.
Is a comfort groom the same as a full groom?
Not quite. A comfort groom is an easy-care all-over clip at a practical length, without breed styling or detailed scissor work. A full groom includes the styled finish. Both start with a bath, blow-dry and brush-out.
What if I'm not sure which service my dog needs?
Tell us when you book: the breed, the last groom date and how often the coat is brushed. We'll recommend the right service, and the groomer will confirm it at check-in once they've felt the coat.
Not sure which one?
Book a groom and tell us about your dog's coat. We'll choose the right service together.
More advice: What happens during a full groom · How often to groom by coat type · Double-coated dogs