Your dog will be groomed with kindness, respect and style!
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The Dog Shed’s Terms of Service​
By booking an appointment slot client’s are acknowledging they have read and agree to these Terms of Service in full without exception.
APPOINTMENTS
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
When booking an appointment all clients are specifically reserving a one to one appointment time slot with no client crossovers so it is essential client’s must be on time for that appointment for both drop off (see cancellation fee) and collection (see late collection fee) Clients must always be contactable by phone and be within 10 minutes travel distance while their dog is in my care. Most grooms will be from drop of to collection in 90 minutes, clients will be given an approximate collection time (times may vary)
*Late collection fee- beyond 10 minutes will result in a £5 charge and £5 for each additional 10 minutes thereafter
CANCELLATIONS & NO SHOW FEES
When a client books an appointment slot they have requested to book my time exclusively to them on a one to one basis.
Owners are responsible for remembering their dog’s scheduled appointments, I do not provide a reminder service.
CANCELLED APPOINTMENTS
A 25 fee will be incurred for;
*Cancelling with less than 24hours notice
*Missing the appointment by arriving later than 10 minutes which will result in it being cancelled
*Arriving but the groom can’t go ahead and needs to be cancelled through no fault of my own, example; if the dog is ill or injured
NO SHOWS- all pre-booked appointments will automatically be cancelled and 100% of the appointment fee will be incurred and required to be paid before rebooking
As a business owner I rely on appointment slots being filled to earn my wage, if a client misses or cancels an appointment I cannot assume they will rebook and hold the appointment rotation open for them with no guarantee, if the appointment isn’t rebooked within 1 week the rotation will be opened up and offered to other clients. Another appointment rotation may be available but it would most likely be a few weeks wait.
*Consistently missing appointments, arriving late or refusing to pay the cancellation, no show or late fees may result in refusal of any future bookings and being taken off my client list.
I GROOM HUMANLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 2006
HUMANITY OVER VANITY ALWAYSÂ
As a holistic groomer I have always put a dog’s mental welfare as well as their physical welfare before anything else without exception. Each dog is an individual with individual needs and I will always use my professional knowledge and integrity to do what I feel is right for the dogs in my care. There’s a bond and trust that grows over time between the dog and myself which is deeply ingrained and shouldn’t be underestimated, it should be encouraged by the owner
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
I can only work with what I’m given so the finished groom is dependent on the condition and qualities of the coat, the dogs behaviour and temperament and also grooming frequency
GROOMING SCHEDULE
My professional advice is dog’s should be on a 4-6 week maintenance schedule.
A 6 week schedule works out to be only 8 visits over the year.
It is the client’s responsibility to maintain their pet’s coat at home in between regular pre-booked 4-6 weekly professional grooming appointments. It’s an important part of a dog’s health and wellbeing. Dogs need to see grooming as a way of life and be comfortable with it. The difference between a dog having a home maintenance routine and professional 4-6 weekly maintenance schedule and one who doesn’t get groomed for months is clear and undeniable. The dog’s love the routine and are happier, their skin and coats are healthier, they know the routine and become used to be handled. Their time being groomed is kept to a minimum and a better overall finish is achieved.Â
The next appointment must be booked and confirmed on collection
HEALTH AND WELFARE
HUMANITY OVER VANITY ALWAYS.Â
All services are based on the dogs welfare first. They will only be groomed according to their tolerance of the process, if they begin to show signs that they are uncomfortable or distressed with any part I’ll try an alternative method, if this doesn’t help and they’re still struggling the groom will be stopped. Desensitisation sessions will be advised.
*Full payment for the appointment slot will be due.Â
It’s the client’s responsibility to ensure their dog is fit and healthy prior to their appointment and I must be told of any health conditions or concerns prior to each grooming appointment. Grooming may expose underlying skin or health problems which client’s may not be aware of, I will inform client’s of this so that veterinary advice can be sought, I cannot be held liable for any pre-existing health conditions found on pets.Â
Whilst every care and attention is given to the client’s dog they are accepted entirely at the client’s own risk, although extremely rare accidents can happen during grooming, sometimes dogs move quickly whilst being groomed and when working with sharp scissors and clippers there’s always a possibility an injury can occur even when every effort is made to ensure it does not happen. Any known injuries will always be reported to the client. In the event of an accidental injury or they become ill during the dog’s grooming appointment I will stop and the client will collect their dog immediately and seek veterinary advice-unless it can be clearly shown with a full veterinary report, which the client will need to provide, in relation to the incident that I am liable all costs in connection with the injury or illness is at the client’s expense. Â
I will not groom a dog that isÂ
*knowingly unwell
*carrying an injury
*sedated
*in season, pregnant, nursing
I follow the guidance from the RCVS and don’t express anal glands or pluck ears.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT
A dog bite can cause life changing injuries and for this reason I do not groom aggressive dogs or a dog that is at risk of hurting itself or me. The client is responsible for their dog's behaviour and temperament. The client must disclose all details about their dog's behaviour and temperament. If a dog bites, shows any aggression or other dangerous behaviours the groom will immediately stop. This is for the dog's safety and mine.Â
*Full payment for the appointment slot will be due
NEGLECTED AND MATTED COATS
There are only 3 ways a dog will leave The Dog Shed shaved short, client’s request, ability to be groomed or if they are matted.
It is the client’s responsibility to follow a grooming routine at home and get their dog professionally groomed on a regular schedule to keep the coat and skin in good condition. I groom humanely in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the dog's welfare is my priority. Attempting to de-matt by brushing and combing can cause a great deal of stress and pain and would go against this act and I refuse to do it! I want every dog to have the best experience possible and I don't want a dog to end up being traumatised and put off grooming for life. If a dog is brought in with matts it’s my policy to shave those matts off which requires a clipper blade to go underneath the matts as safely and as quickly as I can. Although shaving closely will drastically change the dog's appearance it is the kindest, gentlest way to remove the matts with the least amount of trauma to the dog. Matted hair is damaged hair and it will only matt up quicker. Hair grows back. I am not liable for any after effects of removing the neglected, matted coat or anything uncovered, a matted dog can suffer from many things which can include skin irritations, abrasions, nicks, hotspots, sores, skin infections, parasite infestations, haematomas, urine and faeces scalding and severe itching. The client will need to sign the matted release form
HUMANITY OVER VANITY ALWAYS
Shaving a neglected matted coat off isn’t something a groomer wants to do or does through choice and it is not the easy option. It will look absolutely awful but that is not a reflection of my styling skills but it is a reflection of the neglected coat. It takes a great deal of skill and compassion to do such a difficult job, we help bring relief to the dog in such difficult circumstances and the client should appreciate that.
When I have to shave a matted coat it causes extra wear and tear on my equipment which financially costs me and this cost will be passed on to the client.
*DEPENDING ON SEVERITY OF THE NEGLECTED MATTED COAT AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE ON TOP OF THE GROOM WILL APPLY STARTING FROM £5- £40
PRICES
Grooming prices are a guide only and based on lots of different factors such as breed, behaviour and temperament, coat condition, grooming frequency, size and what's required and are subject to change accordingly
Client’s can reasonably expect to pay more than the starting price for;
*any matts or poorly maintained, overgrown coats
*if the coat is kept longer
*if the dog’s behaviour and temperament is challenging
*if there’s an increase in the dog’s size
*when a puppy becomes an adult
*increasing the length of time between appointments
The extra costs are for the extra wear and tear on my own body and the extra time, labour, products and utilities needed
*Additional charges on top of the groom price include
EXCEEDING THE 4-6 WEEKLY MAINTAINANCE SCHEDULE- starting from £5-£40
MATTING- starting from £5- £40
PARASITES- £20
SOILING- £5
IN-BETWEEN NAIL MAINTAINANCE -£15
LATE COLLECTIONS- beyond 10 minutes £5 charge and £5 for each additional 10 minutes thereafter
There is an annual price increase on 1st November
Individual prices will be reviewed again in May and if needed will be increased
PAYMENTS
Full payment is in cash only and is due at collection or can be accepted prior to the start of the appointment
All fees must be paid for in full before future bookings can be made
Failure to pay the full fee owed will result in immediate discontinuation of all future servicesÂ
I reserve the right to not offer refunds for services rendered in the exclusively reserved time slot
PRE-GROOM
Please ensure you've left plenty of time between your dog eating and being groomed and they’ve been to the toilet before their appointment, not doing so can cause a lot of discomfort for them and can make them ill.
*A £5 soiling fee will be charged if a dog defecates on my property. This is to pay for my extra time and products used to clean, disinfect and to properly dispose of the faeces
VACCINATIONS AND PARASITES
It is entirely the owner’s and veterinarian’s responsibility to ensure a safe level of protection for the dog’s in their care. I cannot be held liable for a condition that dog’s could have been vaccinated against or prevented from getting.
Dogs can suffer with many different parasitic infestations, some of which can pose a health hazard for humans too eg. Fleas can pass on Tapeworms and Ticks can pass on Lyme Disease. If a client’s dog harbours any parasites it is the responsibility of the client to clear them at their own expense.
Be assured The Dog Shed and the equipment is cleaned, disinfected using a vet grade disinfectant and sterilised after every dog and is up to date with it's parasite treatment.
*Any dog which is found to be carrying any parasites will be sent home and full payment will be due whether the groom has been completed or not
ADDITIONAL CHARGE OF £20 will apply to cover the deep clean needed
Kennel Cough- please note under no circumstances will I groom a dog if it's been given the vaccine within the last 4 weeks. Dogs can shed the virus for many weeks after having it
NAILS
I only do nails as part of a full groom as a complimentary part of the service or in-between grooms at an additional cost for my regular clients. Please note if a dog won't let me clip them on my own and it would take extra people to restrain the dog to clip their nails then it's not included and I won't do them due to the stress and anxiety caused to the dog and the possible aggression that the dog may feel the need to display.Â
*In-between nail maintenance £10
GROOMING FEEDBACK
Client’s will always be given honest, detailed feedback following every grooming appointment. If a client is dissatisfied with any part of the groom it should be discussed before leaving, small changes may be possible immediately or noted on the record card for the next appointment. Any issues found post groom must be reported within 24 hours of the appointment, I cannot be held liable for any issues found after this time
ZERO TOLERANCE
I will not accept or tolerate any physical or verbal abuse, harassment, slander, libel, malicious falsehood or defamation. Appropriate action will be taken
PHOTOS
Photos will be taken before, during and after the groom for my reference. They may be used for social media or marketing and may contain the dogs name and breed but you can opt out. Due to copyright they remain the property of me Tessa Morris LCGI and legally they cannot be reproduced in any way without my permission
PRIVACY POLICY
The Dog Shed is committed to protect your personal data that you share. The following statement explains how.
What Is personal data?
Personal data is any information which could identify you as a specific individual and which may be contained in the information collected by means set out below such as name, postal address, telephone number, email address, information related to the services which you request and or use.
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How The Dog Shed collects your personal data
Your personal data is collected via
*client forms
*through websites
*by email, mail, telephone or other oral means
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How The Dog Shed uses your personal data
*your personal data will be used to provide customer care, support and services
*in compliance with the laws or regulations.
Who will your personal data be disclosed to?
The Dog Shed will not disclose your personal data to third parties without your prior consent except:
*in a form or manner where the personal data is not identifiable as yours
*when required by law.
How The Dog Shed secures your personal data
The Dog Shed takes the security of your personal data very seriously and will protect it as best as it can so that you can feel confident in the security of the information you provide. The Dog Shed will comply with the laws and the regulations.
Amendment to this Privacy Policy
The Dog Shed may amend this Privacy Policy in accordance with the revision of the applicable laws or any other reasons