Terms and Conditions

Matted coats

De-matting policy: Matting is uncomfortable for a dog and can cause your dog pain and discomfort. Where possible we try to manually de-mat your dogs coat however if your dog's coat is EXCESSIVELY matted, for the dogs comfort and to avoid distress we will shave the matting out. It is the owner's responsibility to ensure their pet is groomed regularly to avoid the coat ending up in a matted condition. Pawz First will not be held liable for having to shave the dog or any part of the dog due to excessive matting. However, we will contact you to inform you that your dog will need to be shaved before carrying out the shave and we will only remove the necessary amount of fur to remove the excessive matting.

Fleas

We only treat dogs with a couple to few fleas anything more than a few. You must treat them at home and only then after a period of a few days can your grooming request take place.

If your pet is found to have FLEAS when they come to the grooming salon, there will be an automatic charge of $25 added to your bill. When your pet comes with fleas we have to bath it in flea shampoo along with every other animal that comes in that day, and then we have to 'deep clean’ and spray the salon to kill any fleas that have escaped and prevent their eggs developing and to maintain salon hygiene.

There is ALWAYS an extra charge for fleas. Please do not try to be cute and pretend that you did not know that you have the problem. We can identify by the size and amount of fleas on your pet whether you would know or suspect!

Booking

When you book your pet in for a groom at Pawz First we will allocate your pet a time slot based on the information you provide us with we only perform 1-to-1 grooming appointments so this time slot will be dedicated exclusively to your dog.

No-shows for dog grooming appointments will be charged if you provide less than 48 hours notice. Grooming No-shows may also require future appointments being paid for in advance.
TIMEKEEPING - please be punctual for appointments. We have numerous appointments in a working day and any late appointments have a knock-on effect for the next subsequent bookings.
Cancellations - Please allow 48 hours notice for cancelling your appointment you must leave ample time for this slot to be filled. Less than $48 hours notice will have to pay a $30 fee on top of their next appointment.
Late dog collections will incur a charge of $5 every 15 minutes late.
Clients who 15 minutes late for their appointment will be considered a missed appointment and will have to re-book.
Pawz First encourages regular grooming by offering $15 saving on their 4 to 6-week regular grooming appointment.

Payment

Payment may be made in advance of a booking or when the groom is finished.

We accept cash.
We now have EFTPOS. The processing fee of 1.9% Surcharge will be passed onto the customer for the use of any debit or credit cards.
We Offer bank transfer but must be paid before or while picking your dog up ...

Pawz First | BSB: 06 6058 Acc No: 1037 7178

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Care and Welfare of your beloved dogs

Anal Glands

We do not express anal glands anymore due to the new guidelines by the PIF (Pet Industry Federation) its classed as a veterinary procedure. We would advise taking your dogs to a veterinary surgery for this procedure every time.

Ear Plucking

We do not pluck ears unless there are loose hairs that gently come away from the ear when rubbed. Ear plucking is painful for the dog and can further irritate an ear canal already prone to irritation and lead to ear problems that may not have occurred otherwise. Plucking the hair from a dog’s ear canal leaves minute openings–essentially, tiny wounds–in the skin where bacteria can simply settle more easily. Additionally, because (a) dogs generally don’t like the feeling of hair being plucked out of their ears and (b) plucking can leave the skin irritated, a dog may be more likely to scratch at his ears and shake his head, which will only make any ear problem worse. Seek advice from your vet regarding ear plucking.

Whilst your pet is in our care its health and welfare is our primary concern. It will only ever be groomed according to its tolerance of the process. If your pet is fearful of any of the procedures employed during grooming, a workaround or alternative will be employed

Your pet may be photographed before, during or after his/her groom, Photographs may be used on the Pawz First website, Social Media Pages or our printed marketing material. Please inform me if you'd prefer your pet not to be photographed.

Before Arriving

While your pet might already be a little anxious to be heading to the salon, think about how much worse they must feel if they also have to go to the bathroom. Try not to feed your pet before their groom. Your pet should be relieved prior to arrival.

Behaviour, Aggressive Dogs

At Pawz First, we reserve the right to refuse to groom any pet at risk of harming me or itself. If your dog behaves in an aggressive or threatening manner you will be contacted to collect your pet and the groom will then be terminated. The full starting price of the groom will be required to be paid by you.
BITING, STRESS, FEAR AND AGGRESSION. We encourage your dog to vocalise (bark, growl, whine), lick and play-bite to communicate and bond with us. Most dogs simply tolerate, and do not enjoy grooming, and may display moderate signs of stress such as lip-licking, yawning, tail-tucking and avoidance/wriggling. Dogs that exhibit higher levels of stress such as shaking, inappropriate toileting, standing rigid and severe vocalising a slower, reassuring approach, extra time will be taking for their needs. At Pawz First, we use evidence-based reinforcement-based methods and low-stress handling techniques and encourage our clients to continue this in between appointments. We do not intimidation, discipline or punishment to simply ‘get the job done’ as this often exacerbates any underlying behavioural/emotional condition. A dog bite to a groomer’s hand can happen in a split second and the consequences vary from a week off work with stitches, to career-ending permanent nerve damage. For this reason, dogs that bite or display fear and/or aggression simply for being handled will be referred on to a veterinary behaviourist. It is imperative that you inform us prior to grooming if your dog has ever displayed aggressive tendencies or has been known to bite. Failure to disclose this information will result in refusal of further service.

Muzzles will only be used if deemed necessary for groomer and dogs safety. please note we don't routinely use muzzles.

Disclaimer of Liability