Dog Grooming Policy

DogFluff takes your privacy seriously and is committed to protecting your personal information.

Prior to your first appointment we will collect information such as name, address and contact details. This is to ensure we can contact you for collection or discuss any problems. We will also collect details about your pet including name, age, breed, any medical conditions and veterinary details.

Information collected will be securely stored and not shared with any third party.

Your pet’s safety and comfort are our priority

Please ensure that your dog has been given the opportunity to relieve themselves and is exercised appropriately prior to the grooming appointment. This will help to reduce stress and agitation and get the maximum enjoyment from their grooming experience.

We will not perform any grooming procedure that causes pain or a level of stress that we think is excessive.

All grooms requested by owners will be considered, however, if your dog becomes unduly stressed, we will modify the groom to ensure their cleanliness and comfort only, a full groom charge may still apply.

Please note that although we aim to groom your dog to the style you require some factors may affect this such as coat type, coat condition and dog temperament.

We ask you to advise us of any medical, physical, emotional issues, allergies, sensitivities, or pre- existing conditions and any treatment they are receiving via a new client form we complete prior to the first grooming appointment. Such conditions may include, but are not restricted to, prior surgeries, hip or joint issues, warts, moles, ear infections or skin problems.

In the event that we discover any conditions or problems we will notify you when you collect your dog, or in urgent cases we will contact you immediately. We cannot be held responsible for any conditions or problems discovered during grooming or associated treatments.

It is your responsibility as a dog owner to make sure that your dog is free from any parasites before entering the salon.

Should we find that your dog is carrying fleas, you will be contacted and advised. Extra costs will be added to cover additional time needed to bath, treat and remove fleas plus additional time to clean the salon post appointment.

Any ticks found during grooming will be removed with a specialist tick removing tool. 

Care between appointments

We strongly recommend that you brush your dog between appointments (at a minimum brushing twice a week if you can) to ensure their optimum care and minimize any discomfort when they attend their grooming appointment.

We can advise on suitable brushes for this, please just ask.

If you are unable to brush between appointments, please consider increasing the regularity of your grooming appointments for your dogs comfort.

Refusal of service and aggressive dogs

We all have the right to work in a safe environment and therefore reserve the right to refuse any groom at any time.

If your dog shows signs of aggression or biting the groom, in some cases may continue with the use of an appropriate muzzle, please let us know if you do not wish this to happen. If this is not feasible or this could cause the dog undue stress the groom will be terminated immediately. A full or part groom fee may be required. We will always put the welfare of the dog first. Very aggressive, fearful dogs may need grooming at your vets, please speak to them for advise on this.

We expect any known behavioural problems to be declared at your first visit.

Please consider a settling in, introduction to grooming session with us prior to booking full grooms should you feel your dog may be nervous or may need extra reassurance to build trust and be more comfortable. We will happily accommodate this.

Intact Male Dogs

Please discuss with us if your male dog isn’t neutered so we can plan the most appropriate grooming appointment

Additional charges may apply for extra time required due to a dog’s temperament or behaviour during a groom or treatment.

We do not accept pregnant dogs or dogs that have not been fully vaccinated.

Anal Glands/Ear Plucking

We do not offer any anal gland emptying or ear plucking as this procedure is recommended to be carried out by a veterinary surgeon. We are not covered by our Insurance for these procedures. (As per the Veterinary Surgeon’s Act 1966).

Matted Fur

Mats are not simply knots which we can brush out. Matted fur is much tighter, pulls on the skin and does not brush out. Matted fur in dogs cuts the airflow to the skin, this can then trap moisture which can cause irritation and sores. In severe cases they can cut off circulation and cause hematomas. Mats not only look unsightly but are detrimental to your dog’s wellbeing. Brushing regularly prevents mats forming.

Please do not cut matted fur out yourself, we will assess the coat and remove if safe to do so.

If during your consultation or at the start of a groom, we notice your dog has some matting we will always put welfare first in accordance with our de-matting policy and the Animal Welfare Act (2006).

Please note the following regarding matting in dog fur:

As a result of noted severe mats, we may have to shave your pet short, either in just some areas or all over, in order to remove the matting and make your pet more comfortable.

Although we will attempt to brush out the coat wherever possible, excessive brushing will cause undue stress, skin irritation and will not make the groom the enjoyable experience we would want for your dog.

By booking your grooming appointment you understand the following and accept our shaving agreement. However, we will speak to you first.

• We need to shave your pet very short, even close to the skin, to remove the matting which is causing your pet discomfort

• Shaving mats from a dog means shaving very close to the skin which may already be irritated.

• All shaving will be done slowly and with extreme care however, removing a heavily matted coat runs the risk of nicks, cuts and abrasions due to warts, moles and skin folds trapped or hidden within the matted

• There may be an extra charge for de-matting due to the additional time taken and extra wear on Shaving very tight mats where the circulation may have been cut off may result in the dogs experiencing a tingling feeling as the blood rushes back to the surface which can make them itch or shake the affected body part. In very rare cases near the ears this rush of blood and shaking can result in a hematoma. If at all concerned please contact your vet.

• You may not receive the look and groom you anticipated at this appointment – welfare is our main concern. As a groomer, we cannot be held responsible for not achieving   the desired result on this occasion however with proper care this can be avoided for future grooms and together we will work  to achieve the groom you would like

• Please be aware that failure to maintain regular brushing and grooming between appointments may result in further matting so please try brush at least twice a

Lateness / No-Shows

You will receive a reminder via call, text or email the day before your appointment. If you can no longer attend, please to try give us a minimum of 48hrs notice so we can rearrange your appointment and have time to fill the appointment slot with another dog.

If you are more than 15 minutes late to your appointment, we reserve the right to refuse service. We will try to accommodate as much as possible. We allocate a time slot to groom your pet and arriving late may mean that we unfortunately no longer have the time to carry out the required service to the standard we would like.

Failure to attend appointments may incur a compulsory non-refundable deposit to secure future appointments.

Please be on time to collect your pet. We can tell you the duration of the appointment when you drop off your pet and contact you before we are done to give you enough time to get back to the salon.

Regularly being late to collect you pets impacts subsequent grooms we have booked in. We appreciate things can happen so if you think you may be late or delayed, please just let us know.

DogFluff may wish to post photographs of your pets on social media for advertising or educational purposes. Photo rights remain with DogFluff.

Please advise us if you do not wish photographs of your pet to be posted.

Payment

Full payment is required upon completion of groom. We accept card or cash.

By signing this you agree to the above terms and conditions.

Owners Full Name:

Owners Signature:

Date: