TLC Grooming Clintonville

Most of the time my cat, a plump 12-​year-​old Maine coon mix, is very good about his hygiene, but for some reason he stops grooming himself when I go away for a few days. This last time, I came home to find…
Warning: grossness ahead.
…his butt completely caked in poop. Which is common, actually, but usually it’s big dry clumps, and I can just brush them out. This time, erm…
Seriously, yuck alert. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
…it wasn’t dry. And the poor guy was — ugh — getting the floor a little soiled every time he sat down. I tried brushing, I tried wipes, I tried following him around the house with a pet stain cleaner in my hand. I know I could have given him a bath, but I weighed my priorities and decided it would be worth the cost to take him to a professional.
I called for an appointment on a Monday, and the earliest they could get us in was Friday. I was a bit dismayed at the time, but I’ve since learned that they are often booked much farther ahead than that. Even though I knew I’d likely have gotten through most of the buttcakes before then, and it would certainly not be wet poo anymore, I gave the go-​ahead.
TLC is set back from the road, so it’s a little tricky to spot, and the driveway is very small, so if you’re not carrying a 20-​pound cat/​crate combo, you might be best off parking on the street rather than risk getting boxed in (which I was at one point). I confess, there is a no parking sign. They do mean it.
The cat groomer was very, very sweet. If I recall correctly, it cost $ 95 for a grooming that focused on trimming his tukhus. He explained that there are other options with heavier levels of grooming, up to and including a full-​body trim aside from the head and feet and some of the tail. But my guy is good at keeping the rest of himself clean; he just loses motivation to reach under his tail when I’m not at home.
I had just about the right amount of time to go supermarket shopping and come back to find a fluffy, clean kitty with a shaved rear, crated, purring, and ready to go home. They are so nice at TLC and worth the waiting list — if you can even get on it. My critter’s butt is just now growing out after almost three months, and we’ve had a blissful, buttcake-​free time of it.

After moving far, far away from the Ohio area and having to find a new dog groomer I felt compelled to hop over to Unilocal to give these groomers the 5 star rating they deserve.
The two things I love the most about this business is their cage-​free facility and the staff. The staff has always been so friendly and caring. I remember one year they passed out treat bags for the clients at Christmas time.
I’ve had two of my Westies groomed by Christian, Brandon, and a newer girl (can’t remember her name) and each time I walked away with happy, beautiful looking dogs. They take notes on each dog they groom to ensure they know what you’re expecting the next time around and then give you a courtesy call about 20 minutes before it’s time for pickup. (They’ll also give you a call to remind you about the upcoming appointment.) I would typically call about a month before I wanted a reservation as they do book up quickly.
This is just a wonderful place, staffed with wonderful people who truly love what they do.

I called TLC and they had me booked for an appointment two days later. I was greeted and my boy, Teddy, received plenty of loving upon arrival, putting him immediately at ease. An hour and a half later I received the call that he would be ready for pickup in twenty minutes. When I went to pick him up, he was happy to see his mom, but he ran back to Caitlyn (groomer) wagging his tail like he was saying «You are now my friend but my mom is here and I have to go home». He looked fantastic. I am so happy to have found TLC and will be using them from here on out. The stress free environment with no cages is such a blessing for both me and my dog. Thank you TLC!

Did not properly trim the paw hair of my golden and he was having trouble iwth the stairs before the next grooming four weeks later. Also, very uncooperative.

This is the place to go if you’re looking for a wonderful dog groomer. I absolutely LOVE Brandon and the care he gives my Lucy! My Lucy is a golden retriever and he gives her the best golden cut that I’ve seen. Lucy gets so many compliments and I tell everyone that Brandon is the one to take your pups to. It’s clear when I drop my girl off how much they pamper her. She runs right in and forgets that I’m even there!

I can’t say enough good things about TLC. If Graycee could talk, she would tell you they our the BEST!
They are all about being dog friendly and making it a good experience, instead of scary one for your pet.
Not all groomers do well with Schnauzer’s but Brandon knows how they should be cut and Graycee loves him.
Don’t hesitate going here. You won’t be disappointed with your decision.

I was really impressed by the staff at TLC, great customer service and my dog was very comfortable with the kind staff. The prices are great and my dog was very happy after she had her nails trimmed and teeth brushed. They did a fantastic job and Delilah feels better. We will be back for sure

I used to be a fan of this groomer. I never had problems or complaints until now. I don’t know what’s going on but things have changed radically. Not for the better either. I have a Papillon and a Papillon mix. I always get my Papillon trimmed for a «sanitary» cut. However, her fur in the back was really thinned out too much. Her back legs were almost shaved and her front
legs were too long. It was like a reverse mullet. Party in the front, and all business in the back. When I went back the next day to show the groomer why I was unhappy. I got a defensive response and a hostile groomer. I decided to let it slide. I came back this month and asked that my papillon mix have his ears thinned out a bit. I came back to my papillon with a asymmetrical ears. My papillon mix hadn’t had his ears thinned at all. I was mortified. It took 8 years for her fringes to grow out. I was met with lies, defensiveness and hostility. I had no other choice but to get both ears trimmed. Btw, the fur is still uneven on both dogs ears. I brought them to the owner so he could see for himself. I never got an apology. I was promised I would get my money back on my card. That never happened either. I’m really sad that I am leaving this groomer. We had such a good rapport. If you go there, consider yourself warned.

After reading all of the glowing reviews, I was SO excited about TLC Grooming and had been eagerly waiting for them to hire a new groomer so that they’d accept new customers. That finally happened in September, and I immediately called to make an appointment.
I have the most calm, docile, sweet persian cat in the world. We adopted her when she was 6. She would never even think to bite or scratch; we pick her up all the time and, although she might not love it, she doesn’t even meow a complaint.
Which is why I was so disappointed with making an appointment with TLC. I called and set it up. One of the first questions I was asked was, «has your cat ever been groomed before?» as we got her when she was 6 from a rescue, I didn’t know the answer to that. We don’t need to bathe her because she keeps her coat in pristine condition and brushing her is enough. When I answered, the guy on the phone was like, «Oh, well you probably shouldn’t bring her in» and went on to talk about how cats who haven’t been groomed might not take it well, there are other animals running around, etc. He then assumed I wanted her to get a lion cut, which I didn’t, but he didn’t present any other options. Finally, I asked how long the appointment would be, and he couldn’t tell me, because «the groomer is new and they didn’t know how she worked.» While I can sympathize with that to a certain extent, I’d more than likely have to drop her off and pick her up which would mean missing work hours — I need to at least know what to expect. The whole time, the guy seemed really rushed and frantic. I felt like I was inconveniencing him by being a new customer trying to set up an appointment.
So I ended up cancelling my appointment, and my cat still hasn’t been groomed. I’m pretty bummed, because I had high hopes for TLC and I think, if we had gotten there, it probably would have been a good experience. But the phone call to set up an appointment left a lot to be desired. I’ll keep looking for a local groomer.

Update: I returned to TLC, who has moved locations since my first visit, and the owner made it all right as promised!
Previous review: I looked everywhere for a new groomer as I recently moved to Columbus and I chose TLC solely based on their Unilocal reviews, it was a bit of a drive but I figured with a good experience, it would be worth it. They were able to get me in just two days after calling, which was great. TLC is priced pretty similarly to other locations and they are the only place I’ve ever heard of that includes tooth brushing with no additional cost.
The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is the fact that I believe they didn’t fully rinse the shampoo out of my dogs head. She smells great, and her body feels fine, but her face, head and even inside her ears feel sticky and stiff and she keeps itching. I had to rinse her when we got home which I don’t feel should be necessary after paying as much as I did.
I will likely keep my business here but will probably have to mention this upon making our next appointment as I don’t want it to happen again. Nothing like washing your dog after getting her washed…

I have a 50ish pound Chow Chow and possibly Shepard mutt, so essentially she is a big fluffball. Having only adopted her during the winter this was her first trip to the groomers ever. I was a little nervous how she would do, given that she is not into bath times. I was greeted by the friendly Deirdre when I walked in, she definitely is a dog lover and listened well. Never having a dog before I had no idea what to ask for exactly, but she was very helpful and had me select a nice grooming treatment so my big fluffy dog could be comfortable in the hot months to come. I told her my dog didn’t seemed to like blow dryers near her head and so they kindly avoided them and just towel dried her!
The shop is small so they call you 20 minutes ahead of when your dog is ready. The prices are very reasonable and they are also obviously dog lovers. Huge plus in my book. Willow got to leave with a nice new cut and a cool bandana as well. Thanks a bunch TLC!

I have an 85 lb senior pit mix who is the apple of my eye. He is a sweet happy dude who also has a penchant for rolling in mysterious substances and coming up smelling like garbage and squirrel carcass. As such, it is important to me to have a good relationship with a trustworthy groomer. I had previously tried another (chain) groomer in the area and they not only failed to meet my expectations, but they were rough with my sweet dog and he left with a limp. I tried a different local place but when I arrived to pick him up they had him in a cage so small he not only was unable to stand, but he was unable to even sit up. He was crammed into a cage made for a toy breed, laying flat on the ground. I don’t know how long he had been like that. Needless to say, I left furious after each of these encounters and never returned. For the record, my sweet pup never held a grudge.
I looked online and asked around to find someone else and came across TLC. The reviews looked great and their facebook page really made me think they were animal lovers– I value this very highly. My only hesitation was that I didn’t see a ton of bigger dogs, but I decided to give them a try anyway.
Any doubts or worries I had vanished the moment I walked in the door. Though the shop was busy, I was greeted instantly and warmly by Dierdre, who would be responsible for grooming my special guy. He LOVED her and started cuddling and kissing her face immediately. She listened to all of my (neurotic, i’m sure) concerns about his arthritic hips and other idiosyncrasies, and helped me pick a shampoo/​wash plan for his flyaway hairs.
When I came back later to pick up my guy, he could not have looked more relaxed or comfortable. He was straight up reclined across the grooming table like he was the King of the Castle, and Dierdre was fussing over him as gently as if she was his own mom. She helped him off of the table carefully because of his hips, and when he came over to me he smelled amazing and was fluffy and pristine and SO HAPPY. He had clearly had a great day at the doggie spa.
TLC has made a client for life out of us. They were so sweet and gentle and caring with my dog. I am very grateful! Thanks again to Dierdre, Christian, and the rest of the staff for your wonderful care and services!

First time being here and I walked in and spoke with what turns out to be the owners and they were really cool. I rather have my pride and joy with a local shop than at a chain store. They are cage free and he was very good in their care. Future customer for sure. Pricing was good too ;-)

On the first visit, my husband brought our Corgi and picked him up. He said it was a small shop and our Corgi was hanging out with the other dogs. I kind of thought this was odd. Our Corgi has attitudes with other dogs. Either he likes them but doesn’t interact much with them or he doesn’t want anything to do with them. Corgi came home with an old-​school comic Superman bandanna. Corgi had the usual stuff — bath and nail trim. He looked and smelled good.
On the second visit, I did the transport of the Corgi. It is a small shop. That’s one reason why they call about 20 minutes before the groom session is done. Several walls have photos of the cats and dogs after grooming. I noticed three or four grooming tables lined up and a sink in the back. There is a sturdy looking metal gate separating the front seating/​waiting area from the grooming area. We were one of the first appointments for the day so other dogs were coming in at the same time.
Christian got the Corgi’s grooming card, greeted us and asked some questions to confirm what was to be done and whether or not treats were okay to give. They were cuddling and getting to know each other when I left.
When I returned to the shop, it was organized chaos! A Basset Hound was on the floor getting toweled off and wanted to greet everyone who came in the front door. I was promptly introduced to him by name and they knew who I was there to pick up.
It felt a little like a social gathering. Christian was working on a small dog (I think a Bichon). The other tables had dogs on them. Corgi was on the last one. The Bichon let out a Unilocal (I assume he had his quick cut or didn’t like his paw being handled). Christian handled it very calmly, introduced me to the Bichon and my Corgi started barking in the back to tell everyone someone in the shop was upset about something. The Corgi would make a great town crier. They let Corgi have his say and eventually things calmed down again.
Corgi was happy to see me but he’s always happy to see me! He looks dapper in his red plaid bandanna. I asked Deirdre how Corgi did since he’s not always good around other dogs. She said he was a good boy! He got to know the other dogs by smelling them and he barked at one on a grooming table because she wouldn’t get down to play with him.
The phone is always answered promptly. Deirdre calls the day before to confirm the appointment. I like it the dogs aren’t caged up with blow dryers on them. The atmosphere is very calm.
It’s almost a week after our second visit and Corgi still looks and smells good. From my observations it’s obvious the dogs are loved and treated like individuals. I’m reserving a 5-​star rating only because I want to make sure my initial impressions stay the same over time. :)

I have taken both my newly rescued yorkie-​poodle mix and my beloved 12 year old «rag doll» tomcat to Christian. He is sweet, he is patient and he does an amazing job! He truly loves animals, and his performance supports that.

Super pleased with this place. Took my dog in for his summer cut a couple of months ago, they did a fantastic job, and my dog seemed very at ease there, which means a lot, since he’s normally pretty nervous around groomers. All the employees were genuinely nice and welcoming. I’ll be going back soon, Dusty’s hair is getting shaggy again!

Christian did a wonderful job on our Persian cat, Mona. He made me feel very comfortable and my cat seemed very at ease. Her hair came out wonderfully and we are definitely going to keep coming back for grooming. Christian is so quick too! It was about an hour.
I definitely recommend TLC Grooming for your fluffy kitties.

I can’t say enough awesome things about TLC Grooming. Technically I suppose my basset is not groomed in that he doesn’t need a haircut etc. I bring him for bathing and nail trims and ear cleaning and he comes out being the softest and sweetest smelling honey hound ever! These groomers are top notch! I have seen them interact with dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages and they are incredibly caring, affectionate and knowledgeable. It is well worth the trip for me coming from Lancaster. Please do yourself and your pet a favor and give them a try!

I love bringing my 2 year old Persian, Conan, here! Christian is so lovely and sweet with him; he really spends the time making sure he’s comfortable and not too stressed out! You can really tell what talent Christian has, he works wonders with scissors. I don’t even know how you do a scissor cut in under an hour and have the animal look so stunning! Very impressed with the customer service here, love this place so much! Definitely recommend Christian for your kittehs.

I have a shelter dog (Rosie) with pretty wild, weird hair and they took GREAT care of her. I almost didn’t recognize her when I picked her up.
In the past I’d had her groomed at Petsmart and THAT was a disappointing experience. You can tell the groomers don’t even like the dogs there, and they did a lousy job on the trimming (and still charged $ 100, which is almost twice as much as it cost at TLC).
Try it – you won’t be disappointed.

I was so pleased with TLC Grooming. The prices are very reasonable and everyone I’ve ever met there has been both helpful and knowledgeable. It is evident that the groomers really care about animals (also your satisfaction!) There is so much more of a personal experience (at TLC) than what I would receive at a larger store. I highly recommend TLC Grooming and will be back in the future!

What a great find… This is an awesome place and my dogs look great… Super nice folks and they have a very friendly attitude and I will for sure be back.
Love the natural products that they use, and my Dogs not only look good they smell great…