Dog grooming in Kattakada, at your home

Neolokam's boarding farm is at Kollodu, via Malayinkil, east of Trivandrum city towards Kattakada. Kattakada is the closest town to the farm, so the Kattakada belt is home ground for the team rather than a long ride out from the city.

The groomers travel by scooter, which matters here. Many homes around Kattakada, Malayinkeezh (Malayinkil), Kollodu and Edathara sit on narrow lanes, up slopes or behind other houses, where a grooming van could not turn. A scooter with the kit on board gets to the gate.

When you book, share your exact area or a nearby landmark. The team confirms that it is covered and offers a visit time. If you live further out from Kattakada, ask anyway; the answer depends on the day's route.

Living close to the farm, some owners ask if they can just bring their dog over for a bath. The answer is no, and the reason is worth knowing. Standalone grooming is done only at the customer's home, never at the farm, to reduce the risk of spreading skin disease between the dogs who board there and visiting dogs.

It works in your dog's favour too. Your dog stays on familiar ground, there is no car or auto ride, and there is no waiting around other dogs. The one exception is boarding: dogs already staying at the farm are groomed during their stay.

Every dog gets the same complete groom, adjusted to its coat:

• Nail cutting and ear cleaning.
• Brushing and combing, including loose undercoat on shedding breeds.
• A shampoo bath with products the team brings.
• Hygiene and paw-pad trimming.
• Scissor shaping of the head, belly and tail.
• Blow-dry and finish.

You provide three things: accessible water, one bucket and a raised, non-slip area to groom on. In most homes around Kattakada that means a sit-out, verandah or courtyard with a tap or well water nearby, and a sturdy table or bench with a rubber mat. Pick a shaded spot, since a groom in the afternoon sun is hard on the dog.

There is no published bath-only or nail-only price. If you only want part of the groom, ask on WhatsApp.

Homes around Kattakada are surrounded by gardens, trees and open land, which is lovely for dogs and also good country for ticks. A few things make the groom safer and more useful:

• If you have seen ticks, give a vet-recommended tick treatment before the visit. A bath alone does not deal with a tick problem.
• Tell the team about any skin problem before booking. A medicated bath for skin issues is ₹2,200 plus GST, and contagious conditions need vet clearance first.
• During the monsoon, dogs that live partly outdoors can stay damp for days. Drying the coat properly, which the blow-dry does, helps prevent skin trouble.
• Heavily matted coats, common in long-haired dogs that spend time outside, may need a full shave as the kindest option, at ₹2,000 plus GST.

Most dogs do well with a bath about once a month, adjusted to their skin, coat and your vet's advice.

If you are travelling, the same team runs Neolokam's cage-free, dogs-only boarding farm at Kollodu, on 1.5 acres with shade, open ground and a stream. Pickup and drop-off for confirmed boarding are available by appointment from Kattakkada, Malayinkil, Edathara and Kollodu, among other areas; the team confirms the route, timing and any charge. Every new dog starts with a trial visit and temperament assessment, and farm visits are by appointment between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM.