The Hair of the Dog, Malvern East: Where Poodle Craft Meets Neighbourhood Care

On Waverley Road in Malvern East, The Hair of the Dog has built a reputation that goes well beyond a routine wash and clip. It is a specialist dog-grooming salon with deep roots in Standard Poodle showing and breeding, now run by a team that treats every Cavalier, Groodle, Poodle and family pet with the same patience and precision. After a busy 2025 that included a move to new premises, Anna, Nathan and the staff are settled in and taking bookings again.

 

The name is a wink — “hair of the dog” is an old phrase for a hangover cure — but the work is serious. Clients come for clean lines, healthy coats and dogs that leave looking (and smelling) like themselves, only better.

A salon with a show-ring pedigree

Long-time locals will remember the salon’s connection to Chatain Standard Poodles and the circle of Victorian exhibitors and breeders who have used the parlour for years. Early Word of Mouth reviews praise “expert services from people who show and breed Poodles,” and owners of new Poodle puppies noted that the dogs actually liked coming back after their first few clips. That background still shapes the work: coat texture, balance, and breed-correct trims matter here, whether the dog is heading to a show or just to the café on Waverley Road.

The team has changed over time. Older reviews mention Lyn, Nicole and Kylie; more recent clients thank Anna and Nathan by name for handling everything from a well-behaved Cavalier pair to a “challenging Groodle.” Anna’s December 2025 note to clients thanked regulars for supporting a “big year,” especially the move, and thanked her staff for getting through a frantic festive period. The salon closed over Christmas and reopened on 12 January 2026.

 

What they actually do

This is a grooming parlour, not a daycare warehouse. Typical work includes:

• Full grooms and breed-style clips (Poodles and Poodle-crosses are a particular strength)
• Bath, blow-dry and tidy
• Face, feet, sanitary and pad work
• Nail clipping and ear care
• Coat management for curly, wool and double coats

Reviews consistently pick out two things: the dogs come back relaxed, and the finish is tidy. A first-time visit with two Cavaliers in 2020 described the dogs as “beautifully groomed and… very happy and relaxed.” Regulars talk about six-year relationships and puppies that learn to enjoy the table. Quality ratings on Word of Mouth sit at 4.8 from a small but loyal sample — typical of a busy specialist salon that lives on repeat bookings rather than walk-ins.

Prices sit in the mid-to-upper local range (one older review put a Poodle clip around $80; expect more now, especially for large or heavily coated dogs). Book ahead. Good groomers in Stonnington fill quickly, and this one always has.

 

Why Poodle people keep coming

A Standard Poodle coat is not “set and forget.” It grows continuously, mats if neglected, and looks ordinary if the clip is rushed. A salon that has lived with show Poodles understands:

• How a teddy-bear or puppy clip should sit on the head
• When to leave length on the legs and when to tighten the body
• Why a Groodle or Cavoodle needs a different hand from a clipped Cavalier
• That a first puppy visit is as much about building trust as it is about scissors

That is the difference clients describe: not a factory trim, but a groom that still looks like the same dog six weeks later.

 

Malvern East, on the doorstep

The listed address is 506 Waverley Road, Malvern East VIC 3145, in the heart of the local strip. Waverley Road is tram-served, mixed with cafés, hair salons and everyday shops, and easy to combine with a school run or a coffee. Street parking nearby is typical of the suburb: short-stay on the main road, longer options on side streets. Confirm the current shopfront after the 2025 move — directories still show the Waverley Road listing, and Instagram is the fastest way to check.

 

What regulars say

The tone of the comments is personal rather than generic.

• “Kylie and Nathan were a pleasure to deal with.”
• “Thank you Anna and Nathan for the kindness, skill and expertise… and for putting up with a certain cute but let’s face it, challenging Groodle.”
• “Lily also thanks you for making her look the goods.”
• Long-term Poodle owners: “Very happy” after years of visits.

That mix — skill plus patience with difficult or young dogs — is what keeps a neighbourhood groomer booked when bigger chains open nearby.

Practical notes for first-timers

• Book by phone or message. This is not a high-volume online-only salon.
• Say the breed and coat condition when you book. A six-week Groodle is a different job from a matted first visit.
• Ask about the new premises so you arrive at the right door.
• Follow Instagram for holiday closures, staff notes and the occasional “before and after.”

Regular grooming every 6–8 weeks is the rhythm most curly-coated dogs need. Leave it longer and you pay in time, money and coat health.

The Hair of the Dog — contact details

The Hair of the Dog
Dog grooming — Malvern East, Victoria

Address: 506 Waverley Road, Malvern East VIC 3145
(Confirm after the 2025 premises move.)

Phone: (03) 9571 4451
Mobile / Facebook: 0431 253 769

Instagram: thehairofthedogmalvern
Facebook: The Hair Of The Dog. (Malvern East VIC)

Website (listed): hairofthedog.chatainstandardpoodles.com

Hours: Not published consistently online — call or message to book. Closed over the 2025–26 festive break; reopened 12 January 2026.