The Bark Side Grooming Policy Agreement
Pet(s) and Groomer Safety
The Bark Side Grooming Policy Agreement
Welcome to The Bark Side, thank you for entrusting your pet with us. With our almost 2 decades of experience and year-round continued education in our field, we believe your experience at The Bark Side will be a positive one. The following are some everyday policies to ensure a positive and safe grooming experience. There are additional policies that will only apply to some pets who do not enjoy grooming as much as others.
The Bark Side is a small grooming facility - we take only 9 to 10 dogs a day in three hour time slots with three dogs per slot. This ensures your pet gets individualized attention and that the grooming is not rushed.
SCHEDULING
At The Bark Side we strive to make scheduling easy by setting up a schedule for the calendar year. When setting up your initial appointment, please provide days and times that will work for you and we will create a schedule for you upcoming appointments. Note: All dogs must be on an every 6 weeks or less schedule. With grooms that are breed-specific, or are kept in very long clips, the appointments will be made every 4 weeks or less. If your pet's coat grows very slowly, a schedule of every other groom or Full Groom and then Mini Groom, can be made.
DROP-OFFS
Please arrive on time for your pets’ appointment to ensure that there is enough time to groom your pet and to help keep our schedule for the day on time. While showing up early may seem like a courtesy, it actually can complicate the day’s schedule. Coming early to an appointment will interrupt an appointment already in process. If you need to arrive early, please notify us prior to your appointment so we can make the necessary arrangements.
Reminder: the Bark Side opens at 8:30 am, and while we are in the shop prior to opening - that is to get the salon set up for the day. Please arrive at the time of opening and not prior so we can make sure that the salon is ready to receive your pet. If you need to drop off earlier than 8:30 you will need to make these arrangements prior to the day of your appointment. There will be a $1 per minute daycare fee for early drop-offs as we will have to arrive even earlier to get the salon ready before your arrival.
If you are running late for your appointment, please call us to make sure we can still take your pet for the given day. Our scheduling system relies on accuracy of pick-ups and drop-offs to be able to accommodate all clients for the day - arriving late can negatively affect all subsequent appointments. Arriving 20 minutes or later for an appointment can void your appointment. First appointments of the day can have their appointment cancelled after 15 minutes. Full payment of the missed appointment must be paid in order to schedule a future appointment. If we are able to take in your dog after 20 minutes, a $15 “late take in” fee will be added to your bill.
*Note: If you arrive early and we are inside working on pets, these are clients who scheduled to have their dog groomed before opening time, and at the aforementioned extra fee. Even if we are working on a dog in this instance, we will not be able to come and let you in. If we seem to be in a conversation or on our phones, it means that we are discussing the work day ahead or answering messages left after hours. We will open the doors at 8:30 when our day starts. If you must come in early, there will be an extra charge as it requires our day to start earlier than expected, and we will have to rush our preparation duties to stay on schedule.
PICK UP
All of our appointments are three-hour appointments unless your dog is oversized or requires special handling or care. If your dog is finished before the time you have been given to pick up your pet, you will receive a call or text letting you know. Due to our smaller facility, and to ensure a lower stress environment for other pets, pets with a morning/mid-morning appointment must be picked up within one hour of their scheduled out time. Pets left at our salon beyond that will have a daycare fee of $15 added to their grooming bill. If you need to have your pet longer at the salon, arrangements need to be made with us prior to your appointment.
All 12:30pm and afternoon drop-offs mean your pet/pets are the last appointments for the day. Our salon closes at 3pm so you must pick up your dog at their pick up time. Arriving late will mean that a $1 per minute past closing daycare fee will be added to your bill. If you do not arrive for your pet after 30 minutes, and we cannot get a hold of you, your pet will be taken to go potty and will be kenneled with water and food for the night. A $25 boarding fee will be added to your bill.
Note: sometimes our scheduling is light and a morning or mid-morning drop-off could mean your pet will be the last pet of the day and you will be notified of that during scheduling.
COMPLETION TIME
If unforeseen circumstances cause us to be late, we will call and make arrangements for a later discharge. Please be sure to provide us with a cell phone or home number where you can be reached in case we are late. Pets are expected to be picked up as scheduled. If you cannot make the agreed upon time, please call and allow us to alter our schedule accordingly. Dogs not picked up after an hour past their pick up time can result in a day care fee of $15. Last pet of the day not picked up on time will have a $1 per minute fee added to their bill. If after 30 minutes past pick up time and several phone-call attempts, your pet will be walked, fed, watered, and housed overnight at our salon for a boarding fee: minimum $25.00.
Every effort will be made to keep our scheduled grooms running smoothly. A typical pet groom can be completed in 3 to 4 hours from the time of your appointment. If your pet is oversized, has behavior issues, or skin and coat problems, then a longer period of time might be required. If you need your pet returned by a certain time please let us know prior to the appointment so we can make sure your pet is scheduled on a day that will allow for an earlier pick-up time. Note: We do not provide waiting facilities for our patrons. For the comfort and security of your pet, we ask that you do not come in early while we are still grooming your dog or stay for the grooming appointment.
NEW CLIENT AND PUPPY APPOINTMENTS
New clients and puppies are always exciting and we feel very lucky to have been chosen by you to care for your pet. We will schedule our day to ensure that you have time to go over grooming and care instructions for your pet so arriving at the scheduled time is best and you will not need to arrive early. Please bring a current copy of your pet’s vaccination records. California does require all dogs to have their rabies vaccinations Health and Safety Code 121690 DHLP-Parvo and Rabies are needed for the protection of your pet. (rabies vaccination isn’t required for puppies under 6 months of age). All puppies must have finished their DHLP-Parvo shots before their first appointment.
We want your puppy's first few visits to be as pleasant as possible and will make every effort to do so by starting with the most simple haircuts. To make sure your puppy learns to enjoy grooming, we ask that you be flexible with the time your puppy is at our salon. Grooming is a new and overwhelming experience and many puppies need rest breaks during the grooming process. Clippers can also be overwhelming for your young puppy and they also might not have the patience yet for grooming. This can result in a simpler cut than requested or even skipping specific aspects of the requested cut. We feel that it is better for your puppy to gain trust and learn to accept grooming as a positive experience rather than finishing a cut that is making your pet nervous.
RESCHEDULING
Though we strive to confirm our clients' appointments in advance, it is the pet owner's sole responsibility to remember their appointment. The Bark Side must be notified at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment if any rescheduling is needed to avoid fees. Those with multiple dogs will need to notify us 72 hours in advance. This allows us time to try to book a replacement for your vacated appointment. Cancellations made with only 24 hours notice will be subject to a charge equaling 50% of the cost of the scheduled groom. Same-day cancellations or missed appointments are subject to a charge equaling the full cost of the scheduled groom. With canceling you must reschedule another appointment. If you choose to wait until their next scheduled appointment to a $20+ overdue grooming fee will be added to your bill. After hours, the cell phone is left in the salon, so the best way to communicate with us after hours is through email. Emails will be responded to after hours only if they are pertaining to a current appointment that is coming up for the next business day. Otherwise the email will be answered on the next business day during business hours. The client will be billed for the full grooming price if 24 hour rescheduling notice is not provided and 50% if only 48 hours was given. If an emergency rescheduling is made, there will be a $35 fee added to the next grooming bill. Service may be terminated for repeated rescheduling. We book your pet for the entire year and the schedule will be sent by email before the new year. After schedules are sent, you will have two weeks to review the schedule and make any changes. After that, while you can reschedule appointments through the year, a new year long schedule will not be made.
LATE or "NO SHOWS”
“No shows” and last minute rescheduling are subject to the full grooming fee. The charge must be paid prior to the next appointment made. Please be respectful of our time as we are a by-appointment business. Keep in mind that another client could have taken your appointment if we had known about the rescheduling in time. Note: Clients that are 20 minutes late or more will have their appointment cancelled and full payment of the missed appointment must be paid to schedule another appointment. If we are able to take in your dog after 20 minutes, a $15-$25 late take-in fee will be added to your bill.
EXPRESS SERVICES
Express services are available for pets that need to be in the salon for as little time as possible. This could be for their mental or physical health or in the event that you need your pet returned earlier than normal. An 'Express Service' means that we will receive your pet and immediately begin the grooming process from start to finish with no interruptions. Sometimes a dog may be required to have an express service if a dog is disruptive before or after the groom (i.e. excessive barking, digging at kennel doors, defecating etc.). Appointment slots for Express Services are only available at 8:30 AM and must be made prior to the appointment date. A charge of $20 for small dogs and $40 for large dogs will be added to a pet's bill for this service. If the client does not pick up a pet within 15 minutes of the groom's completion, $1 per minute will also be added to the pet's bill.
ELDERLY PETS
We will use extra care and patience for older pets. Elderly pets are a special appointment and require extra time. Please let us know if your pet needs this specialized appointment. Grooming elderly pets can cause mental or physical stress due to grooming being much more tiring for the pet, or more uncomfortable with arthritic pets. Due to this, we will at times have to do a much simpler cut for your pet’s health and safety or stop the grooming process altogether. Pets who can no longer stand for long periods or require multiple breaks during the grooming process will have an extra charge added to their bill. Please be sure to notify us of any health conditions that might make your pet uncomfortable during the bathing, drying, or clipping phases.
Any grooming which takes place on an elderly or frail pet is conducted at your risk and The Bark Side will not be held liable for any mental or physical stress the grooming process may cause.
PET HEALTH CONDITIONS
Your dog's safety and comfort are our primary concern. Please do not come to an appointment with an ill or injured pet, or a pet that has become too feeble for the grooming process. If your dog is showing signs of illness, has open wounds, or has an injury, please call and reschedule your appointment. For the safety of your pet and other pets, we will turn away an ill, injured, or geriatric pet. Pets brought in with these conditions will be considered a late cancellation.
Allergies and Sensitivities: Please advise us of any allergies, sensitivities, or pre-existing medical conditions so we can avoid aggravating the health issue and even help alleviate the discomfort in some cases. Please let us know of any prior grooming history you or your dog may not have found satisfactory. We want to avoid the repetition of poor or unpleasant experiences or situations.
FLEA INFESTATION/SALON SANITATION
All dogs must be on a flea and tick preventative. If fleas or ticks are found on your pet, The Bark Side will inform you immediately, and we will administer a flea/tick bath to eradicate the fleas in order to maintain salon sanitation. This is at the groomer’s discretion and at the client’s expense. If your dog comes in repeatedly with fleas, a new appointment will not be made until the dog is put on a flea preventative. Flea and tick baths will eradicate fleas and ticks on your pet at the time of treatment and act as a preventative once your pet has left The Bark Side.
MATTED OR NEGLECTED COAT AND SHAVE-DOWNS OR CUSTOM CUTS
Allowing a pet’s coat to get matted is not only very uncomfortable, but unhealthy for your pet. Excessive matting can be avoided with regular grooming appointments. We will de-mat your pet (if possible) at $2 per minute (minimum $10) in addition to the regular grooming fee. De-matting will not be done if it causes your pet undue stress or pain or if the pet is under a year old. Excessive de-matting is a painful, time-consuming, and costly procedure that can cause extreme discomfort and can aggravate (or cause) skin problems. In the circumstance where your pet cannot have its mats brushed out or the expense is too much, your pet will receive a “shave down” to remove the mats. Under this circumstance, a shave down is the more compassionate or economical way to groom your pet. Mats are constantly pulling the skin of your pet and are always painful. Shaving them will release the tension and cause pain to your pet, making them struggle and putting them at risk for “clipper burn”, nicks, and stress. The Bark Side will not be held liable if this should arise. Extra charges for the shave down or shaving ears and tail if they are matted are $1 per minute with a $10 minimum.
Shave downs or custom cuts that are outside a basic pet trim or breed standard cut will be discussed and the groomer will perform the cuts to the best of her understanding of client’s directions and her ability but no other guarantee is made.
*Note: shaving of your pet may dramatically change your pet’s appearance and the hair will be very close to the skin. This may expose pre-existing skin conditions.
AGGRESSIVE PETS AND PETS THAT WILL BITE FOR GROOMING
The Bark Side does not take aggressive pets or pets who bite for the grooming process. You must inform us if your pet has ever been turned away from another groomer or if they have ever shown signs of aggression such as growling, scratching, snarling or biting.
We consider the terms "nipping and snapping" to be biting. California Civil Code 3342 requires you to inform a groomer if your pet has bitten a person before. Withholding this information and your pet bites someone in the salon you will be held liable.
If your pet is biting and cannot be calmed or safely groomed, you will be called to pick up your pet and the full grooming bill must be paid. If you know your pet becomes upset or is sensitive about a part of the grooming process, for the safety of your pet and us, you must inform us before your appointment date. Knowledge of your pet’s fear of nail clipping, de-matting, drying, etc. helps us successfully groom your pet and makes the experience easier and, in most cases, help your pet overcome this fear. Pets who struggle for aspects of grooming are at greater risk for nicks, quicked nails, or a haircut that isn’t quite perfect looking. We always take great care to ensure your pet is not injured during grooming, but pets who are biting or struggling put themselves at greater risk for this happening. The Bark Side will not be held liable for these types of injuries or for haircuts that are less than satisfactory.
PAYMENT
Payment for grooming services is due at the time the services are rendered unless prior arrangements have been made. If payment is not received on the day of the appointment , then a $10 a day fee will be added to the bill until it is paid. There is a $30 insufficient funds/returned check charge and client will be placed on a cash only basis thereafter.
REFUSAL OF SERVICE
The Bark Side has the right to refuse service for a pet that is aggressive or too large/heavy to handle. You must inform The Bark Side if your pet bites, has bitten, or is aggressive to people, other pets, or specific grooming procedures. Your pet’s safety, comfort, and well-being are our utmost concern. Your pet will be groomed by a professional certified groomer in the style you have requested. We reserve the right to alter or cease any groom in the event that we determine it is in your pet’s best interest or your pet displays aggressive behavior. The Bark Side has the right to refuse service to your pet at any time for any reason. The client may be charged the full price of the groom even if we are unable to complete it.
Contacting us
The Bark Side business hours are Tuesday through Friday from 8:30-3pm. This wonderful day and age of cell phones makes it easy to contact us through texting. The Bark Side will try and answer all texts during business hours. This is also a great way for us to communicate with you during your pet’s appointment when the salon is a bit loud and a voice call would be harder to hear. We only answer texts and voice calls during business hours. After hours the cell phone is left in the salon. The best way to communicate with us after hours is through email. Emails will be responded to after hours only if they are pertaining to a current appointment that is coming up for the next business day. Otherwise the email will be answered on the next business day during business hours. That way, after hours time can be focused on our family and friends.
Customer releases The Bark Side from any and all liabilities, financial, and otherwise, for injuries to Customer, Customer's pet(s), or any other property of Customer, which arise in any way from services and/or products provided by or as a consequence of Customer's association with The Bark Side including, but not limited to, veterinarian bills.
I, the undersigned, have read and understand and agree to the above terms and my rights and obligations for the grooming and maintenance of my pet(s) and in consideration of the grooming services of The Bark Side.
I am the legal owner caregiver of this pet.
____________________________________ ______________________
Pet owners signature Date
____________________________________ ______________________
Pet owners printed name Pet(s) Name
Please print this document and sign prior to your pet’s first scheduled appointment. to
Welcome to The Bark Side, thank you for entrusting your pet with us. With our almost 2 decades of experience and year-round continued education in our field, we believe your experience at The Bark Side will be a positive one. The following are some everyday policies to ensure a positive and safe grooming experience. There are additional policies that will only apply to some pets who do not enjoy grooming as much as others.
The Bark Side is a small grooming facility - we take only 9 to 10 dogs a day in three hour time slots with three dogs per slot. This ensures your pet gets individualized attention and that the grooming is not rushed.
SCHEDULING
At The Bark Side we strive to make scheduling easy by setting up a schedule for the calendar year. When setting up your initial appointment, please provide days and times that will work for you and we will create a schedule for you upcoming appointments. Note: All dogs must be on an every 6 weeks or less schedule. With grooms that are breed-specific, or are kept in very long clips, the appointments will be made every 4 weeks or less. If your pet's coat grows very slowly, a schedule of every other groom or Full Groom and then Mini Groom, can be made.
DROP-OFFS
Please arrive on time for your pets’ appointment to ensure that there is enough time to groom your pet and to help keep our schedule for the day on time. While showing up early may seem like a courtesy, it actually can complicate the day’s schedule. Coming early to an appointment will interrupt an appointment already in process. If you need to arrive early, please notify us prior to your appointment so we can make the necessary arrangements.
Reminder: the Bark Side opens at 8:30 am, and while we are in the shop prior to opening - that is to get the salon set up for the day. Please arrive at the time of opening and not prior so we can make sure that the salon is ready to receive your pet. If you need to drop off earlier than 8:30 you will need to make these arrangements prior to the day of your appointment. There will be a $1 per minute daycare fee for early drop-offs as we will have to arrive even earlier to get the salon ready before your arrival.
If you are running late for your appointment, please call us to make sure we can still take your pet for the given day. Our scheduling system relies on accuracy of pick-ups and drop-offs to be able to accommodate all clients for the day - arriving late can negatively affect all subsequent appointments. Arriving 20 minutes or later for an appointment can void your appointment. First appointments of the day can have their appointment cancelled after 15 minutes. Full payment of the missed appointment must be paid in order to schedule a future appointment. If we are able to take in your dog after 20 minutes, a $15 “late take in” fee will be added to your bill.
*Note: If you arrive early and we are inside working on pets, these are clients who scheduled to have their dog groomed before opening time, and at the aforementioned extra fee. Even if we are working on a dog in this instance, we will not be able to come and let you in. If we seem to be in a conversation or on our phones, it means that we are discussing the work day ahead or answering messages left after hours. We will open the doors at 8:30 when our day starts. If you must come in early, there will be an extra charge as it requires our day to start earlier than expected, and we will have to rush our preparation duties to stay on schedule.
PICK UP
All of our appointments are three-hour appointments unless your dog is oversized or requires special handling or care. If your dog is finished before the time you have been given to pick up your pet, you will receive a call or text letting you know. Due to our smaller facility, and to ensure a lower stress environment for other pets, pets with a morning/mid-morning appointment must be picked up within one hour of their scheduled out time. Pets left at our salon beyond that will have a daycare fee of $15 added to their grooming bill. If you need to have your pet longer at the salon, arrangements need to be made with us prior to your appointment.
All 12:30pm and afternoon drop-offs mean your pet/pets are the last appointments for the day. Our salon closes at 3pm so you must pick up your dog at their pick up time. Arriving late will mean that a $1 per minute past closing daycare fee will be added to your bill. If you do not arrive for your pet after 30 minutes, and we cannot get a hold of you, your pet will be taken to go potty and will be kenneled with water and food for the night. A $25 boarding fee will be added to your bill.
Note: sometimes our scheduling is light and a morning or mid-morning drop-off could mean your pet will be the last pet of the day and you will be notified of that during scheduling.
COMPLETION TIME
If unforeseen circumstances cause us to be late, we will call and make arrangements for a later discharge. Please be sure to provide us with a cell phone or home number where you can be reached in case we are late. Pets are expected to be picked up as scheduled. If you cannot make the agreed upon time, please call and allow us to alter our schedule accordingly. Dogs not picked up after an hour past their pick up time can result in a day care fee of $15. Last pet of the day not picked up on time will have a $1 per minute fee added to their bill. If after 30 minutes past pick up time and several phone-call attempts, your pet will be walked, fed, watered, and housed overnight at our salon for a boarding fee: minimum $25.00.
Every effort will be made to keep our scheduled grooms running smoothly. A typical pet groom can be completed in 3 to 4 hours from the time of your appointment. If your pet is oversized, has behavior issues, or skin and coat problems, then a longer period of time might be required. If you need your pet returned by a certain time please let us know prior to the appointment so we can make sure your pet is scheduled on a day that will allow for an earlier pick-up time. Note: We do not provide waiting facilities for our patrons. For the comfort and security of your pet, we ask that you do not come in early while we are still grooming your dog or stay for the grooming appointment.
NEW CLIENT AND PUPPY APPOINTMENTS
New clients and puppies are always exciting and we feel very lucky to have been chosen by you to care for your pet. We will schedule our day to ensure that you have time to go over grooming and care instructions for your pet so arriving at the scheduled time is best and you will not need to arrive early. Please bring a current copy of your pet’s vaccination records. California does require all dogs to have their rabies vaccinations Health and Safety Code 121690 DHLP-Parvo and Rabies are needed for the protection of your pet. (rabies vaccination isn’t required for puppies under 6 months of age). All puppies must have finished their DHLP-Parvo shots before their first appointment.
We want your puppy's first few visits to be as pleasant as possible and will make every effort to do so by starting with the most simple haircuts. To make sure your puppy learns to enjoy grooming, we ask that you be flexible with the time your puppy is at our salon. Grooming is a new and overwhelming experience and many puppies need rest breaks during the grooming process. Clippers can also be overwhelming for your young puppy and they also might not have the patience yet for grooming. This can result in a simpler cut than requested or even skipping specific aspects of the requested cut. We feel that it is better for your puppy to gain trust and learn to accept grooming as a positive experience rather than finishing a cut that is making your pet nervous.
RESCHEDULING
Though we strive to confirm our clients' appointments in advance, it is the pet owner's sole responsibility to remember their appointment. The Bark Side must be notified at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment if any rescheduling is needed to avoid fees. Those with multiple dogs will need to notify us 72 hours in advance. This allows us time to try to book a replacement for your vacated appointment. Cancellations made with only 24 hours notice will be subject to a charge equaling 50% of the cost of the scheduled groom. Same-day cancellations or missed appointments are subject to a charge equaling the full cost of the scheduled groom. With canceling you must reschedule another appointment. If you choose to wait until their next scheduled appointment to a $20+ overdue grooming fee will be added to your bill. After hours, the cell phone is left in the salon, so the best way to communicate with us after hours is through email. Emails will be responded to after hours only if they are pertaining to a current appointment that is coming up for the next business day. Otherwise the email will be answered on the next business day during business hours. The client will be billed for the full grooming price if 24 hour rescheduling notice is not provided and 50% if only 48 hours was given. If an emergency rescheduling is made, there will be a $35 fee added to the next grooming bill. Service may be terminated for repeated rescheduling. We book your pet for the entire year and the schedule will be sent by email before the new year. After schedules are sent, you will have two weeks to review the schedule and make any changes. After that, while you can reschedule appointments through the year, a new year long schedule will not be made.
LATE or "NO SHOWS”
“No shows” and last minute rescheduling are subject to the full grooming fee. The charge must be paid prior to the next appointment made. Please be respectful of our time as we are a by-appointment business. Keep in mind that another client could have taken your appointment if we had known about the rescheduling in time. Note: Clients that are 20 minutes late or more will have their appointment cancelled and full payment of the missed appointment must be paid to schedule another appointment. If we are able to take in your dog after 20 minutes, a $15-$25 late take-in fee will be added to your bill.
EXPRESS SERVICES
Express services are available for pets that need to be in the salon for as little time as possible. This could be for their mental or physical health or in the event that you need your pet returned earlier than normal. An 'Express Service' means that we will receive your pet and immediately begin the grooming process from start to finish with no interruptions. Sometimes a dog may be required to have an express service if a dog is disruptive before or after the groom (i.e. excessive barking, digging at kennel doors, defecating etc.). Appointment slots for Express Services are only available at 8:30 AM and must be made prior to the appointment date. A charge of $20 for small dogs and $40 for large dogs will be added to a pet's bill for this service. If the client does not pick up a pet within 15 minutes of the groom's completion, $1 per minute will also be added to the pet's bill.
ELDERLY PETS
We will use extra care and patience for older pets. Elderly pets are a special appointment and require extra time. Please let us know if your pet needs this specialized appointment. Grooming elderly pets can cause mental or physical stress due to grooming being much more tiring for the pet, or more uncomfortable with arthritic pets. Due to this, we will at times have to do a much simpler cut for your pet’s health and safety or stop the grooming process altogether. Pets who can no longer stand for long periods or require multiple breaks during the grooming process will have an extra charge added to their bill. Please be sure to notify us of any health conditions that might make your pet uncomfortable during the bathing, drying, or clipping phases.
Any grooming which takes place on an elderly or frail pet is conducted at your risk and The Bark Side will not be held liable for any mental or physical stress the grooming process may cause.
PET HEALTH CONDITIONS
Your dog's safety and comfort are our primary concern. Please do not come to an appointment with an ill or injured pet, or a pet that has become too feeble for the grooming process. If your dog is showing signs of illness, has open wounds, or has an injury, please call and reschedule your appointment. For the safety of your pet and other pets, we will turn away an ill, injured, or geriatric pet. Pets brought in with these conditions will be considered a late cancellation.
Allergies and Sensitivities: Please advise us of any allergies, sensitivities, or pre-existing medical conditions so we can avoid aggravating the health issue and even help alleviate the discomfort in some cases. Please let us know of any prior grooming history you or your dog may not have found satisfactory. We want to avoid the repetition of poor or unpleasant experiences or situations.
FLEA INFESTATION/SALON SANITATION
All dogs must be on a flea and tick preventative. If fleas or ticks are found on your pet, The Bark Side will inform you immediately, and we will administer a flea/tick bath to eradicate the fleas in order to maintain salon sanitation. This is at the groomer’s discretion and at the client’s expense. If your dog comes in repeatedly with fleas, a new appointment will not be made until the dog is put on a flea preventative. Flea and tick baths will eradicate fleas and ticks on your pet at the time of treatment and act as a preventative once your pet has left The Bark Side.
MATTED OR NEGLECTED COAT AND SHAVE-DOWNS OR CUSTOM CUTS
Allowing a pet’s coat to get matted is not only very uncomfortable, but unhealthy for your pet. Excessive matting can be avoided with regular grooming appointments. We will de-mat your pet (if possible) at $2 per minute (minimum $10) in addition to the regular grooming fee. De-matting will not be done if it causes your pet undue stress or pain or if the pet is under a year old. Excessive de-matting is a painful, time-consuming, and costly procedure that can cause extreme discomfort and can aggravate (or cause) skin problems. In the circumstance where your pet cannot have its mats brushed out or the expense is too much, your pet will receive a “shave down” to remove the mats. Under this circumstance, a shave down is the more compassionate or economical way to groom your pet. Mats are constantly pulling the skin of your pet and are always painful. Shaving them will release the tension and cause pain to your pet, making them struggle and putting them at risk for “clipper burn”, nicks, and stress. The Bark Side will not be held liable if this should arise. Extra charges for the shave down or shaving ears and tail if they are matted are $1 per minute with a $10 minimum.
Shave downs or custom cuts that are outside a basic pet trim or breed standard cut will be discussed and the groomer will perform the cuts to the best of her understanding of client’s directions and her ability but no other guarantee is made.
*Note: shaving of your pet may dramatically change your pet’s appearance and the hair will be very close to the skin. This may expose pre-existing skin conditions.
AGGRESSIVE PETS AND PETS THAT WILL BITE FOR GROOMING
The Bark Side does not take aggressive pets or pets who bite for the grooming process. You must inform us if your pet has ever been turned away from another groomer or if they have ever shown signs of aggression such as growling, scratching, snarling or biting.
We consider the terms "nipping and snapping" to be biting. California Civil Code 3342 requires you to inform a groomer if your pet has bitten a person before. Withholding this information and your pet bites someone in the salon you will be held liable.
If your pet is biting and cannot be calmed or safely groomed, you will be called to pick up your pet and the full grooming bill must be paid. If you know your pet becomes upset or is sensitive about a part of the grooming process, for the safety of your pet and us, you must inform us before your appointment date. Knowledge of your pet’s fear of nail clipping, de-matting, drying, etc. helps us successfully groom your pet and makes the experience easier and, in most cases, help your pet overcome this fear. Pets who struggle for aspects of grooming are at greater risk for nicks, quicked nails, or a haircut that isn’t quite perfect looking. We always take great care to ensure your pet is not injured during grooming, but pets who are biting or struggling put themselves at greater risk for this happening. The Bark Side will not be held liable for these types of injuries or for haircuts that are less than satisfactory.
PAYMENT
Payment for grooming services is due at the time the services are rendered unless prior arrangements have been made. If payment is not received on the day of the appointment , then a $10 a day fee will be added to the bill until it is paid. There is a $30 insufficient funds/returned check charge and client will be placed on a cash only basis thereafter.
REFUSAL OF SERVICE
The Bark Side has the right to refuse service for a pet that is aggressive or too large/heavy to handle. You must inform The Bark Side if your pet bites, has bitten, or is aggressive to people, other pets, or specific grooming procedures. Your pet’s safety, comfort, and well-being are our utmost concern. Your pet will be groomed by a professional certified groomer in the style you have requested. We reserve the right to alter or cease any groom in the event that we determine it is in your pet’s best interest or your pet displays aggressive behavior. The Bark Side has the right to refuse service to your pet at any time for any reason. The client may be charged the full price of the groom even if we are unable to complete it.
Contacting us
The Bark Side business hours are Tuesday through Friday from 8:30-3pm. This wonderful day and age of cell phones makes it easy to contact us through texting. The Bark Side will try and answer all texts during business hours. This is also a great way for us to communicate with you during your pet’s appointment when the salon is a bit loud and a voice call would be harder to hear. We only answer texts and voice calls during business hours. After hours the cell phone is left in the salon. The best way to communicate with us after hours is through email. Emails will be responded to after hours only if they are pertaining to a current appointment that is coming up for the next business day. Otherwise the email will be answered on the next business day during business hours. That way, after hours time can be focused on our family and friends.
Customer releases The Bark Side from any and all liabilities, financial, and otherwise, for injuries to Customer, Customer's pet(s), or any other property of Customer, which arise in any way from services and/or products provided by or as a consequence of Customer's association with The Bark Side including, but not limited to, veterinarian bills.
I, the undersigned, have read and understand and agree to the above terms and my rights and obligations for the grooming and maintenance of my pet(s) and in consideration of the grooming services of The Bark Side.
I am the legal owner caregiver of this pet.
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Pet owners signature Date
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Pet owners printed name Pet(s) Name
Please print this document and sign prior to your pet’s first scheduled appointment. to