Barking Mad Grooming is a crate-free dog salon at 31A Orchard Road in Browns Bay, on the North Shore. The owner, Valerie, is a Master groomer, and the website says she is one of only two Master groomers on the North Shore. There are no crates in the salon. Dogs either play with each other or with the toys, or rest on one of the beds. The salon says its aim is a stress-free experience for each dog.
Services include full grooms, with coat cuts to a chosen style or breed standard, and a Mini groom, which cleans the dog and tidies the important areas without a blade, leaving the body coat long. The website says that suits cooler months. It also has before-and-after photos of its styling. Valerie has owned many breeds and has more than 50 years' experience with dogs, and she says she is in touch with the vet's work between visits, so she notices changes in a dog's health. Our pick in Browns Bay for a calm, crate-free groom.