Pet Safety
Safety of animals comes above all else at Barking Beauties. While pets are in our care, we aim to give them a fear-free experience by not forcing anything on the pet. This includes all aspects of what we do such as nail trims, dematting, ear cleaning, face trimming, doggy daycare, etc. Instead, we will aim towards easing their fears with training and trust to help build their confidence. This trust-building can sometimes take multiple visits, we aim to build a relationship with you and your pet as well. If we feel that a service brings unnecessary stress or discomfort to your pet, we will opt to not perform that aspect of the groom and notify you of the reasons behind our decision.
​
Aggressive or dangerous dogs
Having a dog that nips out of fear or has bitten groomers or vets in the past does not automatically bar you from getting your dog groomed at our salon. However, owners must inform Barking Beauties about the circumstances under which your dog tends to become aggressive. Some dogs bite for their nails, legs, face etc. This is something our staff must know sp that we can be properly prepared to mitigate the potential of our staff being and your pet from being injured. Barking Beauties reserves the right to discontinue a groom on an aggressive or dangerous dog if the dog or groomers well-being is in danger. If we have to end the grooming process due to aggression, the client will be charged a grooming fee of what we could complete. If an additional groomer is needed to complete your dog, there is a $20 special handling fee.
Matted Coats
Tangles and matting happens even to the best of us down owners. While some tangles may lend themselves to being easier to brush and comb out, others are too tight to the skin and require shaving to remove them. Tight mats can cause a variety of skin and health problems. Matted fur does not allow for air circulation to the skin, causing hot spots, bacterial and fungal infections. Stickers as well as fleas, ticks, maggots and other parasites might be lurking in the coat causing further skin infections. Matted fur also pulls and binds, causing pain to your pet when they move or lay on mats. The skin underneath is usually raw and inflamed or bruised. Matted coats will not dry properly and can lead to rotting fur and skin. Ear hematomas can form due to the matting cutting of circulation to the ears. Our groomers are very careful, however we are not immune to the possibility of inflicting skin abrasions or nicks in extreme cases of matting. While the likelihood of suck injuries occurring is very low, it is important for us to communicate this possibility to our clients. Removing matting is a very short clip, allowing the skin to breathe again. It is always our goal to try and demat your dog to the best of our abilities but in cases where matting is present in different areas of the body, a shave down is a groomer's only recourse.
​
Parasites
Due to the large volume of dogs we see in a day at Something to Wag About, we do not accept dogs with fleas. If you suspect fleas, prompt thorough action on your part will be needed. Flea infestations can lead to tape worm and other health problems. If fleas are found during the grooming process, your pet will receive a a flea bath at the rate of $10. Flea baths are NOT a preventative and are unlikely to kill all the fleas on your dog. A prompt follow-up with your vet for flea preventative is necessary to thoroughly treated for fleas.
Use of Muzzles
For the safety of the dog and groomer, we do allow the usage of muzzling and Elizabethan collars as a last resort. Muzzling does not harm your dog and protects both your dog and the groomer. In some cases, muzzling may even calm a stressed dog, allowing the grooming process to continue.
​
No Show and Cancellations
Please let us know within 24 hours of the appointment's scheduled start time if you need to cancel your pet's grooming appointment. We have a 15 minute grace period for arrival times. If you show up later than 15 minutes past your grooming appointment it is unlikely that we will still have time to groom your dog and you will have to reschedule. Groomer’s work off of commission, they are not hourly workers, therefor when a client no call no show, we charge a $50 fee for your missed appointment to ensure fair compensation to our hard-working staff.
​
Late Pick up and Daycare fees
We aim to ensure that all dogs in are care are properly looked after while they are waiting to be picked up. We understand that sometimes grooming may take a little longer or shorter than the original estimated time. We alot a hour for pick up after a client receives a ‘ready for pick-up’ text or call. If you are unable to pick your pet up with the hour time-frame, you will be charged $20 for daycare and your pet will be given appropriate potty, play and snack time.
If you know that you won’t be available once your dog is done being groomed, you must notify staff at the time of scheduling your appointment. You can do this by phone or by adding daycare as a service to your grooming appointment online. NO PET CAN BE LEFT OVERNIGHT AND ALL PETS MUST BE PICKED UP BY 6pm.
​
Refunds & Returns
If you have any concerns or need something fixed with your pet's grooming service, please let us know within 48 hours of pickup. We will do our best to fix anything you need within that time frame.
Respect and Kindness:
Please be kind to our groomers and staff. Grooming requires a lot of patience and training, our staff always goes above and beyond to make sure each and every cat and dog has the best experience possible. We kindly ask that you give us the same respect in return. We reserve the right to refer out clients if our staff is mistreated or otherwise made to feel unsafe by a clients behavior.