Petropolis Pet Grooming

Petropolis Pet Grooming sits in Leichhardt, in Sydney's Inner West, where Veronica and her team have built a following among owners of doodle crosses and spaniels. Groodles, labradoodles and cocker spaniels are the breeds named in feedback, and matted coats come up often, with customers arriving braced for the worst and describing an even, carefully finished cut instead. Detail is the word that recurs: neat paws, and requests such as keeping length on the ears and the top of the head followed exactly as asked.

The other consistent theme is patience with the practicalities of pet ownership. Owners who cannot get away from work describe dogs being kept comfortably for longer and walked around the block for a toilet break, then handed back happy and clean-smelling. An anxious dog is described as being worked with kindly and with treats rather than hurried through. Reviewers also warn that the books fill up. It suits Inner West owners of high-maintenance coats who would rather wait for a groom that gets checked over.