Terms and conditions
All clients are required to complete and sign the Client Card, terms and conditions and opt-in form. If you do not agree to The Woof Shack terms and conditions, we will be unable to groom your dog. The information on your records will be collected and used in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. It is important that you notify us of any changes in your dog's health, temperament, behaviour, medication, veterinary requirements your personal details to allow us to continue to provide a service tailored to your dog's needs.
*Payment in cash is preferable*
Your dog's health and wellbeing
Whilst your dog is in our care their health and well-being are our primary concern. They will only ever be groomed according to their tolerance of the process. If your dog is fearful of any of the procedures during grooming, a workaround or alternative will be employed. Occasionally during grooming, a pre-existing condition may be discovered which you may not have been aware of. We will notify you of this so that you can seek veterinary advice. Although extremely unlikely, accidents can happen during grooming. In the event of an accident or serious medical issue arising during your dog's groom, you authorise us to seek emergency veterinary treatment.
If emergency veterinary treatment is required during or immediately following the grooming appointment due to a medical condition or incident outside of the groomer’s control (for example, seizures, pre-existing health conditions, or sudden illness), any veterinary costs incurred will be the responsibility of the owner.
The groomer will always take reasonable care and appropriate precautions; however, the owner accepts responsibility for any veterinary expenses arising from circumstances that are not caused by negligence, error, or accident involving the grooming service or equipment.
Groom feedback
You will be given detailed feedback after every groom. If you have any queries or need further clarification, please just ask or contact us at a later stage. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your dog's groom, please let us know before you leave. Reasonable requests to alter the trim will be dealt with immediately or changes noted for the next groom. We are more than happy to disclose any details of your dog's groom and give advice as to how best to care for their coat in between grooms.
Pricing
Pricing is subject to change at any time. Starting prices are guide prices only and are for dogs:
• That are used to being professionally groomed on a regular schedule (a MINIMUM of once per season, 4 times per year depending on breed).
• Whose coats are well maintained between professional grooms (kept tangle, knot & matt free by regular brushing or combing).
You can reasonably expect to pay more than the starting price for:
• Matted, poorly maintained and/or overgrown coats.
• Dogs which are difficult to manage or uncooperative during grooming.
• Overweight dogs or oversized for the breed standard.
• Timid, anxious or nervous dogs, which require frequent breaks & may need special handling.
These cost more time, labour and/or product. These costs are passed on to you.
If we are unable to complete a groom due to behavioural problems or aggression you will be charged the starting price of the groom. All costs are payable in full at the time you collect your dog.
Photographs
Your dog may be photographed before, during or after its groom. Photographs may be used on The Woof Shack website, social media, other printed materials, and marketing.
Time keeping
Please be punctual. We work by appointment only; the appointment slot allocated for your dog's groom has been booked at your request exclusively. We do not double book appointments; a no-show is lost income.
Most grooms take between 1 - 3 hours or more depending on the size and temperament of the dog, and its coat condition. You will be advised what time to collect your dog. It is advisable not to enter the salon before this time, as your presence may distract your dog during the finishing stage of its groom. It is essential that you collect your dog at the agreed time as once the groom is finished, your dog will be eager to go home and may become unsettled or anxious and cause a distraction to the next dog being groomed.
Late collections will incur an extra charge of £5 every 15 minutes or part of. Please phone us if you are running late. We understand that from time-to-time unforeseen circumstances may arise.
HOWEVER … Clients arriving more than 15 minutes late for their appointment will be considered a missed appointment and will have to re-book, this will incur a charge of 50% of the cost of the groom. If you need an earlier drop off/later collection time due to other commitments, please discuss this with me when booking. If your dog is collected after closing time a late pick up and/or sitting fee of £5 per 15 minutes or part thereof applies. If you incur any of the above-mentioned fees, they are payable in full at the time you collect your dog.
Cancellations
We respectfully request 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel your dog's appointment. The slot can then be offered to another customer.
No-shows & late cancellations (of less 24hrs notice)
A fee of 50% of your usual groom price will be charged for missed appointments and late cancellations. A non-refundable deposit of the starting price of the groom will be asked for to secure a new appointment slot. If you incur any of the above-mentioned fees, they are payable in full before booking your dog's next appointment.
Neglected & matted coats
If your dog's coat needs to be clipped down to release it from matting or coat neglect, The Woof Shack salon, its owner, and operator are not liable for any post-grooming effects of this procedure, which is not without risk. Severely matted coats can carry risks including skin irritation, bruising, cuts, abrasions, discomfort and other complications. Clipping a severely matted coat may reveal pre-existing skin conditions or injuries which were not visible beforehand.
Any humane de-matting will be undertaken solely at our discretion, in compliance with The Animal Welfare Act 2006. De-matting during a routine groom is limited to a maximum of 15 minutes and is only possible if the matting is minimal. For severely matted coats where de-matting isn't possible, the only humane way to deal with this will be to completely shave off the coat.
You will be given an estimate of how long the groom is likely to take & an estimated cost for the procedure. A shave down consumes significantly more time, labour, product, and tools/equipment wear and tear than a routine trim therefore will incur an extra charge. All shave down costs are payable in full at the time you collect your dog.
Late collections
We aim to give around 20 minutes notice for collection of your dog. As we run on a one-to-one basis, we do not have sufficient holding capacity for 2 customers at one time. A courtesy period of 30 minutes (from the point of notice phone call / message) will be given. On booking the groom, if you are aware that you will need more time, please let me know as we will need to allocate this and will charge accordingly. Anything past this time will be considered a late collection. Late collections will be charged at £5 per 15 minutes or part thereof. This will be payable upon collection of your dog.
Fleas
If you are aware that your dog has fleas before their appointment, please let us know prior to their groom. If your dog is found to have fleas at any point during their groom, a flea bath may be undertaken. A standard charge of £15 will be added onto the groom price to cover costs of time, salon flea spray, and sanitation. The salon will be sprayed/flea bombed after the groom to avoid cross contamination. The charge may be significantly more for a large breed where additional product and cleaning is required.
Agressive & poorly socialised dogs: The dangerous dogs act
I reserve the right to refuse to groom any dog where I consider there is a significant risk of harm to the dog, groomer or another person. If your dog is accepted for grooming and displays aggression that we have not been informed of during its session, the groom will be terminated immediately. You will be contacted to collect your dog. The full starting price of the groom will be charged. You must inform us prior to grooming if your dog has ever bitten or displayed aggression towards people or other animals or has previously required special handling during grooming. Failure to disclose this information may result in refusal of further services. Your attention is drawn to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which holds owners liable for bites and injuries caused by their dogs.