Client Information
All clients are required to complete a client registration form before their dog’s first appointment.
All personal information is kept confidential and stored in accordance with UK data protection legislation. Your information will never be shared with third parties without your consent unless required by law.
Please inform Bennett & Hounds of any changes to:
- Your contact details
- Your dog’s health
- Medication
- Behaviour
- Veterinary treatment
- Any other information that may affect your dog’s groom.
Your Dog’s Health & Welfare
Your dog’s health, safety and welfare are always our highest priority.
Every dog will be groomed according to its individual tolerance, temperament and wellbeing. If your dog becomes distressed, fearful or uncomfortable during any part of the grooming process, alternative methods may be used, additional breaks given or the groom may be stopped if this is considered to be in your dog’s best interests.
During grooming, pre-existing skin conditions, lumps, parasites, injuries or other health concerns may become apparent. Should this happen, we will inform you so that you can seek veterinary advice where appropriate.
Although every care is taken, grooming equipment can be sharp and accidents, while extremely rare, can occur. In the event of an accident, illness or medical emergency, you authorise Bennett & Hounds to seek emergency veterinary treatment if necessary. Any veterinary costs incurred remain the responsibility of the owner.
Groom Feedback
Following every appointment, we will provide feedback on your dog’s groom, coat condition and behaviour.
If you have any questions regarding your dog’s groom or coat care, we are always happy to help.
Should you be unhappy with any aspect of the groom, please let us know before leaving the salon. Where appropriate, reasonable adjustments will be made immediately or noted for your dog’s next appointment.
Pricing
Our prices are based on dogs that:
- Are groomed professionally every 4-12 weeks (depending on breed and coat type).
- Have coats that are regularly brushed and maintained at home.
- Are comfortable with routine grooming.
Additional charges may apply for dogs that:
- Have matted, tangled or heavily impacted coats.
- Are significantly overdue for grooming.
- Require additional time due to size, behaviour or coat condition.
- Are anxious, nervous, elderly or require additional handling and rest breaks.
- Display difficult or aggressive behaviour.
Any additional charges will reflect the extra time, products and handling required.
If a groom cannot be completed due to aggression or unsafe behaviour, the full grooming fee will still be payable.
Payment is due in full upon collection of your dog.
Photographs
With your permission, photographs of your dog may be taken before, during or after grooming.
These photographs may be used on the Bennett & Hounds website, social media platforms or other promotional material.
Please let us know if you would prefer your dog not to be photographed.
Appointment Times
Appointments are scheduled specifically for your dog.
Please arrive on time for both drop-off and collection.
Late arrival may result in your appointment being shortened, rescheduled or cancelled if there is insufficient time to complete the groom safely.
Cancellations
We kindly ask for a minimum of 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment.
This allows us the opportunity to offer the appointment to another client.
Late Cancellations & Missed Appointments
Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice, or failure to attend your appointment, will incur a charge equal to 100% of the booked groom price.
Outstanding cancellation fees must be paid before any future appointments can be booked.
Bennett & Hounds reserves the right to request a non-refundable booking fee for future appointments.
Matted & Neglected Coats
The welfare of your dog always comes first.
In accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006, Bennett & Hounds will not cause unnecessary pain or distress through excessive de-matting.
Minor matting may be carefully removed where appropriate. De-matting during a routine groom is limited to approximately 15 minutes and only undertaken where it is safe and humane.
If your dog’s coat is severely matted, the only humane option may be to clip the coat short.
By agreeing to these Terms & Conditions, you acknowledge that clipping a severely matted coat may reveal pre-existing conditions including but not limited to:
- Skin irritation
- Cuts or sores hidden beneath the coat
- Bruising
- Parasites
- Ear haematomas
- Skin infections
Bennett & Hounds accepts no responsibility for any after-effects resulting from the removal of a severely matted coat.
Additional charges will apply for matted coats due to the extra time, equipment and care required.
Aggressive Behaviour
Owners must inform Bennett & Hounds before the appointment if their dog has ever bitten or shown aggressive behaviour towards people or other animals.
Failure to disclose this information may result in the groom being stopped immediately and refusal of future services.
If your dog’s behaviour places themselves or the groomer at risk, Bennett & Hounds reserves the right to end the appointment. The full grooming fee will still be payable.
Hand Stripping Terms
Pet Hand Stripping
Hand stripping is suitable for dogs whose coat is appropriate for the technique and who can maintain a regular grooming schedule.
To achieve and maintain the correct coat condition:
- Dogs should attend every 6-8 weeks.
- Hand stripping is generally recommended for dogs under 9 years of age, depending on their health and coat condition.
- Coat quality may be affected by neutering, age, hormones and previous clipping.
A pet hand strip includes:
- Full health check
- Nail trim (if required)
- Ear cleaning (where appropriate)
- Correct hand stripping of the jacket
- Bath and blow dry
- Finishing and styling
For your dog’s comfort and welfare, more sensitive areas including the neck, throat, cheeks, belly and rear may be clipped or scissored where hand stripping is not appropriate.
Please note:
- Bennett & Hounds cannot guarantee the coat will always be suitable for hand stripping.
- If the coat has been clipped previously, is soft, heavily neutered, or unsuitable for hand stripping, alternative grooming options will be discussed.
- Hand stripping is a specialist service requiring significantly more time and skill than clipping, and pricing reflects this.
- Dogs that miss their recommended grooming schedule may no longer be suitable for hand stripping and may require clipping instead
Ultrasonic Teeth Cleaning
Ultrasonic teeth cleaning is an additional service offered by Bennett & Hounds to help reduce plaque and tartar build-up, freshen breath and support your dog’s oral hygiene. This treatment is cosmetic and preventative in nature and is not intended to replace routine veterinary dental care.
Prior to every treatment, an assessment of your dog’s teeth and gums will be carried out to determine whether ultrasonic teeth cleaning is suitable. Bennett & Hounds reserves the right to refuse or discontinue treatment where it is deemed unsuitable or not in the best interests of the dog’s welfare.
All ultrasonic teeth cleaning treatments are carried out entirely at the owner’s risk. Whilst every care is taken, no guarantee can be given regarding the level of plaque or tartar removal, as results vary depending on factors including the dog’s age, dental health, previous dental care, temperament and the extent of any existing build-up.
Some dogs may require multiple treatment sessions to achieve the desired results. The number of sessions required will vary between individual dogs.
If, at any stage during the treatment, your dog shows signs of stress, anxiety, discomfort or distress, the procedure will be stopped immediately to protect their welfare. The full appointment fee will remain payable for the booked session.
Ultrasonic teeth cleaning will not be carried out on dogs displaying signs of severe dental disease, loose or fractured teeth, oral infection, bleeding gums, oral tumours or any condition that, in our opinion, requires veterinary assessment. If any concerns are identified before or during treatment, you will be advised to seek examination and treatment from your veterinary surgeon before any further ultrasonic cleaning appointments are undertaken.
By booking an ultrasonic teeth cleaning appointment, you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted these Terms & Conditions and consent to the treatment being carried out in accordance with the above.
Fleas & Parasites
At Bennett & Hounds, the health, safety and comfort of every dog in our care is our priority. To protect all dogs visiting the salon, we operate a strict flea and parasite policy.
Flea checks
All dogs may be checked for fleas and other external parasites during their groom. Fleas can sometimes be difficult to spot, particularly in dogs with thick or dark coats, so finding evidence of fleas during the groom may occur even if none were visible on arrival.
If live fleas are found
If live fleas are discovered, we reserve the right to stop or alter the groom immediately. This is to prevent fleas from spreading to other dogs, equipment, furniture and the salon environment.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be contacted and asked to collect your dog from the salon.
Flea treatment
Where appropriate and where the groom can safely continue, we may offer a flea-removal bath/treatment. This is intended to remove live fleas from the dog and does not replace veterinary flea treatment or treatment of the home environment.
A £25 flea treatment/cleaning charge may apply where additional time, products or salon cleaning are required.
Severe infestations
In cases of a significant flea infestation, we may be unable to continue with the groom and your dog will need to be collected. The full or partial grooming fee may still be payable where time has already been spent on the dog or the appointment has resulted in lost grooming time.
Salon cleaning
If fleas are found, additional cleaning and disinfection of the grooming area, equipment and surrounding areas may be required. An additional £20 flea contamination/cleaning fee may therefore be charged.
Rebooking
Dogs found to have fleas may only be rebooked once the owner has treated the dog with an appropriate, effective flea treatment and addressed the home environment where necessary. We reserve the right to refuse a grooming appointment if live fleas are still present.
Owner responsibility
Owners are responsible for keeping their dog’s flea and parasite prevention up to date and for informing us before the appointment if their dog has, or has recently had, fleas.
Please do not bring your dog to the salon if you know they currently have an active flea infestation. Contact us first so we can advise you on the best course of action.
Flea eggs & the environment
Fleas can lay eggs which may fall into the salon environment. Finding fleas on one dog can therefore potentially put other dogs at risk. Our policy is in place to minimise this risk and protect all of our clients.
Right to refuse service
Bennett & Hounds reserves the right to refuse, postpone or stop a grooming appointment where a dog has fleas or another contagious external parasite, particularly where continuing the groom could pose a risk to other dogs or the salon environment.
By booking an appointment with Bennett & Hounds, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Flea & Parasite Policy.