1. Payment – Must be made at time of collection. If making an electronic payment, it should be sent in advance or at the time of collection.
2. Booking Fees – New clients may be asked for a 50% booking fee at the time of booking to secure their first appointment with us.
3. Cancellations – At least 24 hrs notice is requested for cancellations otherwise a late cancellation fee (typically 50% of the groom fee) will be charged. If you cancel on the day of your appointment, this will be treated as a “no show” and you will be charged for the full appointment fee. Booking fees will be retained by Wagging Tails Pet Grooming if appointments are cancelled within 24 hrs of the scheduled appointment start time.
4. Length of Appointments – Please allow up to 3 hours for your dog’s grooming appointment. If you need to collect your dog at a specific time, please let us know at least 24 hrs in advance of your appointment.
5. Change of Grooming Requirements – Please let us know at least 24 hours in advance if you wish to change your dog’s grooming requirements. Appointment times are scheduled on the basis of what work will be required therefore if you change your dog’s grooming requirements you may still be charged for the full groom fee.
6. Late Arrivals – Wagging Tails operates a 15-minute no-show policy. Please let us know if you are on your way and are going to be late. If we do not hear from you, we will do our best to contact you however in such cases an alternative date and time will need to be arranged, and you may be charged for the appointment.
7. No Shows – If an appointment is missed or if an appointment is cancelled on the day it is scheduled for, 100% of the missed groom fee must be paid before another booking can be made. Repeated no-shows or late cancellations may result in future service being refused.
8. Grooming fees are assessed on an individual basis and will fall within a set price range for a specific breed/cross breed. Individual prices are dependent on coat condition, behaviour and style required.
9. Matted Coats – All reasonable efforts will be made to save a matted coat. However, a maximum of 15 minutes will be spent attempting to de-mat a coat. If longer is required, the owner will be advised that in the dogs best interests the coat should be clipped off below the length of the matting. The process of clipping off a matted coat can reveal unknown health problems or aggravate existing ones. Photographs are taken throughout removal of a matted coat as a record of the groom. Wagging Tails Pet Grooming will not be held responsible for any skin irritation caused by the removal of a matted or neglected coat.
10. Matted Ears/Tails – Wagging Tails Pet Grooming will not be held responsible should a haematoma develop following the removal of a matted or neglected coat from a dog’s ears or tail.
11. Young/anxious/elderly dogs – A full groom in one session can be overwhelming for some dogs, especially those who are not used to the process, are anxious or are elderly/infirm. If a full groom cannot be completed, this will be discussed with the owner.
12. Use of Muzzles – If a pet bites or attempts to bite a muzzle may be used to ensure the safety of the groomer. A muzzle will never be left on un-necessarily. If a muzzle is required, the owner will be informed.
13. Refuse To Groom Policy – Wagging Tails Pet Grooming reserves to right to refuse to groom any dog or dogs.
14. Data Protection – Contact details including phone numbers, email addresses etc will be used by Wagging Tails Pet Grooming to contact you about your dog’s groom or to keep you updated about our business. Wagging Tails will never pass on any client’s personal information to 3^rd parties without the client’s prior knowledge and consent. Please read the Wagging Tails Privacy Policy.
15. Photographs & social media – ‘Before’ and ‘after’ photographs are taken as a record of your dog’s groom. Selected photos are placed on the Wagging Tails Facebook page and other social media. If you would prefer your dog’s photos not to be published, please let us know. 
16. Health & Medical Conditions – Please inform us about your dog’s health and any medical conditions that may have developed or changed between groom appointments. This is important so that we know to expect any behavioural changes and can adapt your dog’s groom to suit them and their needs. If your dog is unwell or undergoing veterinary treatment when they are due to come in for their groom, please get in touch to discuss and rearrange your dog’s appointment. If your dog has undergone surgery or serious veterinary care, please obtain your vets authorisation that they are fully recovered and are fit enough to be groomed before attending an appointment with us.
17. Students and Trainee groomers – From time to time we may have student groomers or trainees working the salon. They are fully supervised and all grooms are checked by the tutor/head groomer before a dog is handed back to the owners. These dogs may need to be in the salon for longer than usual to ensure a safe teaching environment and to allow for rest and breaks. This will be discussed and agreed with the owner prior to the dog coming into the salon.
18. Fleas & Other Parasites – If you know your dog has fleas, lice or any other parasite prior to their grooming appointment please let us know so we can reschedule their appointment. If fleas, lice or other parasites are found on a dog during their groom, the groom will be stopped, the dog will be quarantined, and the owner will be asked to come and collect them immediately. The owner will be charged for the full groom. There will also be a £15 surcharge to cover the cost of disinfecting the salon. If we find ticks on a dog during their groom, we will remove them with a Tick Twister if safe and we are able to do so. The area will be cleaned with Leucillin and the owner will be informed.
19. Pregnant Bitches – We will not groom any bitch who is pregnant or thought to be pregnant due to the potential risk to her and/or her unborn puppies.
20. Bitches in Season – Please let us know before your dog’s groom if they are in season so that we can reschedule their appointment. If we discover a dog is in season during their groom, the owner may be asked to come and collect them immediately and will be charged for the full appointment.
21. XL Bully Breeds – XL Bully breeds are welcome in the salon as long as their owner can produce a valid Certificate of Exemption, the dog is muzzled at all times and is accompanied throughout the groom by their registered owner
22. Accident or Injury – We work with very sharp tools on live animals who move around and who sometimes are not fully comfortable with the grooming process. Unfortunately, accidents can happen. In such cases, first aid will be administered if and when required and the owner informed. In extreme cases, the groom may be stopped and veterinary treatment sought with the permission of the owner.
23. Complaints – We strive to do our very best work with each and every dog that comes into our care. We will do our best to work with each dog in a way that minimises their stress. Unfortunately, sometimes a groom may not be completed to the standard we would ideally want. If you are unsatisfied with any aspect of your dog’s groom, please let us know at collection so that we can do our best to rectify it. Otherwise, please let us know within 24 hours of your dog’s groom.

Updated January 2026