4Paws Grooming Terms and Conditions
Please make sure to read these terms and conditions in full and in particular to familiarise yourself with additional charges. As I specialise in co-operative grooming and behavioural rehabilitation my terms may be different to what you have previously encountered.
1) Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes early for your appointment.
Prior to this I am often with other clients so will not be able to guarantee giving you my full attention.
2) I work one on one with appointments booked in succession. Therefore if you are late I may not have enough time to groom your dog before the arrival of the next client.
This means that if you are more than 15 minutes late your appointment will be considered an ‘no show’ and the standard amount for your dog’s groom will be charged.
(If I am able to accommodate your dog despite lateness I will aim to do so and additional time will be charged at £10 per 10 minutes.)
3) Appointment types and duration - grooms take approximately 1.5-2 hours and there are the following options.
The Inbetweener (for existing clients only)
- Bath (double shampoo and conditioner with natural, vegan products)
- Blueberry facial
- Blowdry and brush out
- Nail trim (where necessary)
- Ear clean (where necessary)
- Paw trim, bottom trim, face trim.
Appointments are for short haired dogs or those who have had a full groom in the last 4 weeks who need a tidy up of face/bottom/feet - dogs must be mat free.
From £60
The Full Works
- Bath (double shampoo and conditioner with natural, vegan products)
- Blueberry facial
- Blowdry and brush out
- Nail trim (where necessary)
- Ear clean (where necessary)
- Bespoke styling
From £80
Puppy Grooming School
You should start bringing your puppy for grooming as soon as they have had their vaccinations and then bring them every 2-4 weeks during their first year until they are confident and happy with the process and able to be handled and groomed safely.
We have one chance with puppies to give them the best possible start for their future grooming experience. I want to avoid reinforcing any anxiety they may have and build up the best possible trust-based relationship we can.
Puppy Grooming School comprises 4 sessions to be taken over no more than 8 weeks. Typically puppies complete two courses before progressing to their adult grooming schedule. Each puppy package is tailored to the individual dog so progress depends on how your pup feels about grooming and the pace they progress at.
Price £150
Spa Add Ons 🛁🛁
The following can be added on to grooms:
Madra Mor Massage Mud Treatments £10
The ultimate Zen mud bath, infused with a unique blend of mother nature’s finest ingredients that calm, comfort and promote healing.
Available in four options:
Deshed - for double coats
Soothing - for itchy/sensitive/dry skin
Deep cleaning - for super grubby pups
Senior - for older and delicate skin
Nail smoothing £10
In addition to nail clipping which is part of all grooms I offer nail smoothing which helps round off sharp edges.
Deep Conditioning Treatment £8
An intensive conditioning treatment - vegan and hypoallergenic and packed full of
Coconut, Macadamia and Avocado oils plus Keratin.
This helps to improve hair quality, making it easier to maintain the coat and reducing the occurrence of matts and tangles as well as nourishing the skin.
Ultra Sonic Teeth Cleaning
This can be added to a groom or purchased separately and should be carried out every 2-6 weeks.
The first session is £50 and includes a brush head for your dog as well as Orozyme gel.
Subsequent sessions are £25 or £20 when added to a groom. Please ask for further details and whether this is suitable for your dog.
4)All appointments where a dog's body fur is cut count as a full groom and will be charged accordingly. If your dog needs a little tidy up around face/bum/feet and has had a full groom within the last 4 weeks then ‘The Inbetweener’ may be suitable.
5) COST - Grooming costs depend on size, coat condition, style, schedule and the dog’s behaviour. Because of this your dog’s grooming price may vary from session to session.
Keeping your dog on their recommended grooming schedule, typically 2-6 weeks (4 for rehab clients), is important not just for the maintenance of their coat, but so that your dog is used to the grooming process, finds it as stress free as possible and is good to handle.
If your dog goes longer between grooms than their advised schedule, is matted, difficult to groom, or particularly filthy (eg covered in mud, fox poo, burrs) then your groom will cost more.
If your dog goes over their advised schedule then the price increase is worked out by calculating the weekly cost.
Please remember that grooming costs can vary from session to session as they depend on coat condition, behaviour and style.
Payment can be made in cash, bank transfer or card.
6)MATTING
Lots of people want to keep their dog’s coat long and fluffy, but if you wish to keep their coat long and it becomes matted then their welfare is paramount.
Matted fur is a serious welfare issue as matted fur is VERY uncomfortable for your dog. It prevents the air from circulating to the skin and the combination of pulling on the skin and a build up of oil and dampness is perfect for bacteria, fungus and parasites to thrive.
Brushing out dense matting is impossible, it damages the coat and skin and is very painful for your dog. I want your dog to have a positive grooming experience and attempting to brush out extensive matting isn’t one. If your dog is severely matted they will require a close clip known as a shavedown.
The tightness and the areas of matting will determine how short your dog needs to go, and whether I can leave them with a longer face, tail or legs. Unfortunately the most matted area of the body usually dictates how short the clip will need to be.
A SHAVE DOWN DUE TO MATTING SHOULD BE A ONE TIME MISTAKE
If your dog has required a shakedown this means you should aim to brush your dog more regularly, choose a more manageable length/style and/or bring it for more regular grooming appointments.
A shavedown is an unpleasant experience for your dog and has more potential for injury than a regular groom. Due to the mats being tight against the skin the only way of removing them is to use a short blade to clip between the skin and under the mats.
As this requires clipping close to the skin there is an increased possibility of irritation, abrasion or even cutting of skin. While I am very careful please be aware that there is a much higher risk that the dog’s skin could be nicked with the clippers as I have to get the blade underneath the mat in order to remove it.
This risk is increased even further if your dog is unused to being groomed and handled and is stressed out and wriggling, so you need to be aware of this and give permission to proceed should it be necessary.
Additionally if a dog has excessively matted ears, bleeding at the tips of the ear can occur when the matting is removed, this is because circulation to the ear has been restricted by the tight matted hair and releasing this pressure means blood rushes to the tips of the ears and can cause the ears to split at the tip.
*Please note standard pricing is for a dog who is brushed daily, on a regular grooming schedule and whose coat is mat free. Should your dog be matted and require either close clipping (shavedown) or dematting then a surcharge of up to £40 depending on severity. *
This is for the additional wear and tear on the equipment as mats blunt blades and scissors, as well as additional time and products used.
If you find your dog is frequently getting matted then there are three things that need to be considered:
- Your home maintenance (more is required),
- The length of coat (you should go shorter),
- The frequency of grooming (visit more often).
I am always happy to advise you on how to care for your dog’s coat and have handouts available on how to keep your dog fluffy and tangle free.
7)FLEAS - if your dog is suffering from fleas please do NOT make an appointment as I will have to fumigate and cancel subsea bookings for that day. Any dog who is found to suffer from a flea infestation will be charged an extra £40 to cover premises treatment.
8)HEALTH- please advise me of any health conditions your dog suffers from or any changes to your dog’s health/behaviour - lumps and bumps, injuries, skin conditions and vet visits can all have an impact on grooming.
If you know your dog is going to the vet then I strongly advise against booking a grooming appointment on the same day.
I do not groom dogs that are in season or are pregnant.
If your dog has any signs of a transmissable illness such as a cold (coughing/sneezing) or an upset stomach (diarrhoea or vomiting) please reschedule your appointment.
I perform a health check on each visit so if I notice any areas of concern I will flag these to you upon collection.
9) STYLE SATISFACTION - When you collect your dog please take a moment to look over their furstyle. If you are unhappy with your dog's groom then I may be able to rectify it then and there. I will always do my best to achieve your desired look, but please be mindful that your dog’s coat and behaviour impact upon my ability to achieve this.
I will always give advice on collection about what you can do with your dog to make their grooming experience better - both in terms of handling practice at home and coat maintenance.
Adjustments to style after the time of grooming are charged on a sliding scale depending on what is required.
10)COLLECTION - You will be texted with a collection time 30 minutes before they are ready. Please acknowledge this text (even just a thumbs up) so I know you have noted the collection time.
As I work with one dog at a time your dog’s behaviour on each visit as well as its coat condition dictates the speed we can go at. Sometimes they may need more breaks, a different method of drying, more cuddles or treats, so appointment duration can vary from visit to visit.
Please do not arrive earlier than your collection time - or if you do, just text me from the top of the stairs and pop to the cafe next door 🙂
Those last few minutes are typically when I’m doing the final adjustments, if your dog is suddenly distracted then not only can this be dangerous but they may end up with an incomplete/uneven style.
11)LATE COLLECTION - there is a STRICT 10 minute grace period for collection - this is because I work with one dog at a time and I cannot safely start my next appointment while an earlier dog is still here.
If your dog stays on beyond this 10 mins then additional time is charged at £10 per 10 minutes.
12)CANCELLATION - If you need to cancel your appointment please give me as much notice as possible.
Appointments cancelled - this includes rescheduling - with LESS THAN two working days’ notice will incur the full charge.
As I book clients on a one to one basis a slot missed is a loss that I encounter. As a small business with only three slots per day one missed appointment greatly affects me.
No shows - that is failing to turn up at an appointment with no warning - will not be booked again.
Given my busy schedule, rescheduling may result in a lengthy wait due to limited availability. If I have a cancellation I will offer it to those waiting or you may wish to book an out of hours appointment (charged at groom cost and a half.)
Missed appointments leading to overgrown or matted coats may incur an additional fee at the next visit.
13) Changes to service booked - please provide 2 days’ notice for changes to your appointment type. Different appointment types take differing amounts of time so without notice I am unable to accommodate changes.
14)PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT - Please make sure your dog has been lightly exercised and been to the loo.
15) AGGRESSIVE DOGS - I do not groom dogs that bite. Dogs that bite are not only a danger to me, but to themselves as trying to bite sharp objects such as scissors and clippers can cause injury.
If you know your dog is very hard to groom I recommend either contacting your vet for grooming under sedation, or using a salon where multiple people are able to assist.
16) REHABILITATIVE GROOMING/NERVOUS DOGS
Some dogs find the grooming process distressing. This can be for a variety of reasons such as a late/poor introduction to grooming, infrequent grooming, previously stressful experience of grooming at home or at a groomer, separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, or abuse.
Working with a dog that is already worried about being groomed presents additional challenges.
If you know your dog is particularly nervous or needs rehabilitation then I will tailor a plan to their needs. Sessions will be broken down into smaller, high frequency, manageable chunks. Using my experience as a behaviourist and trainer I then work with your dog to desensitise and counter condition them so their experience and perception of the process changes.
The speed at which we move is dictated by your dog - for example for some this may mean several small, frequent sessions building up trust and calm. For these dogs we aren’t focussed on the style but on the dog’s emotional state and physical comfort.
Rehabilitative grooming starts at £120 per groom if a full groom is achieved or £60 per hour or part thereof if we need to break the groom down into multiple sessions.
Typically it takes place as the last appointment of the day so we have no time pressure and your dog is exercised, fed and calm.
Once your dog is able to tolerate a full groom in one session you should expect to be coming on no more than a 4 weekly schedule. While we are building up to this you should expect that visits may be more often. It is a condition of working with me that rehab dogs do not go longer than this length of time between visits.
Additionally you should expect to have homework to work on with your dog between sessions.
17) SOCIAL MEDIA - You may already follow me on social media, insta - @laurathefurstylist, https://www.instagram.com/laurathefurstylist/?hl=en
Facebook https://m.facebook.com/4pawsoutdoorsgrooming/
I share photos of the dogs I groom each day as well as hints and tips on coat care and more. If you’d prefer your dog not to be featured just let me know.
18) PRE BOOKING - Please note that I do get fully booked several weeks in advance - I cannot guarantee being able to offer you your desired day/time with less than about 6-8 weeks’ notice.
Appointments are offered on a first come, first served basis. Unless you have a regular, rolling slot (ie every second Tuesday at 9) then appointments are not ‘held’ after being offered - the first to reply gets the appointment.
For this reason I recommend either booking your next appointment at collection, booking a few grooms in advance or scheduling a repeat booking. If your dog is on a 2/3/4/6 week schedule then you do need to be mindful of this and book a few appointments ahead of time so we can stay on that schedule.
Similarly if you cancel at short notice please be aware that it may be several weeks until the next free slot.
19) TREATS - I use a variety of treats during my grooming appointments. They vary but are selected to be high value to aid with making the session as positive as possible. This is especially true with young puppies during their initial puppy sessions when we may use lickimats, snufflemats and treat dispensers. If your dog has food intolerances then please either bring your own treats, or some of your dog's kibble (and maybe feed them a smaller meal if they are coming for a morning groom). If your dog is overweight then just bring some of the kibble that makes up their meal.
20) Grooming tuition - if you would like me to show you the tools and techniques needed to care for your dog’s coat or groom them at home then this is charged at £60 per hour.
21) Working hours are Monday-Friday 9-6. I will reply as soon as I can if you contact me during these hours. Outside of these hours please note I may not respond until the next working day.
Out of hours appointments are available in the evenings after 6pm and on Saturdays - these are charged at 50% extra.
22) Payment is due on the day of grooming.
23) I do not offer ad hoc grooms. Swapping from groomer to groomer is very unsettling for dogs and building a bond of trust and creating consistency, stability and routine are vital. If you would like to work with me then you must be willing to commit to an exclusive an regular schedule, typically every six weeks.
Thanks in advance and do let me know if you have any queries! 🐶
