The Bubbly Puppy

Comfort & Safety

Your dog's comfort and safety is my number one priority. I care about your dog's well-being, and grooming involves working with sharp tools on live animals. The more comfortable and calm your dog is in the salon, the less likely it is for any type of injury to occur. The goal is to work with each dog in a way that will set them up for success in having more comfortable grooms for the rest of their life by making each visit a positive, or at least neutral, experience.

If your dog is reaching too high of a stress level for any part of the groom, I may stop that part of the service and offer other options to work on reducing stress. This may involve breaking apart your dog's service into multiple sessions in order to give them time to decompress, as I will not push a dog past their limits. I ask for your understanding if some things are not possible or take longer to achieve in order to finish the groom as calmly and safely as possible. While I would love each dog to leave the salon looking perfect, I ask for your understanding that this may not be what is best for reducing anxiety in extra nervous dogs, and that our initial goal might be to get through the groom safely and to keep their skin and coat maintained.

Medical Release, Senior Pets, & Pre-Existing Conditions

I will always take the time to groom your pet as safely as possible, but working with sharp tools and live animals does come with inherent health risks including irritation, nicks, exposing nail quicks, etc. Should an injury occur, you will be contacted immediately via the phone number that I have on file for your pet. If I feel that the injury needs medical attention, I request your permission to seek veterinary care.

*Making your groomer aware of your dogs behavioral or medical issues is extremely important.*

Without passing judgment on you or your dog, I will use this information to more comfortably and safely service your dog. The only exception to The Bubbly Puppy covering the cost of medical bills due to groom-related injury includes injury brought on by pre-existing conditions. This can include but is not limited to matting, heart conditions, seizures, pregnancy, allergies, old age, joint issues etc.

Although I am very mindful of the health of every dog in my care; please understand that I am not liable for injury or death resulting from pre-existing conditions. Making your groomer aware of any behavioral issues or medical conditions before your appointment will help to lower the potential of injury occurring. I work with each dog to get through the service as calmly and safely as possible, however, I reserve the right to deny or stop the service if I feel it is in the best interest of your dog.

Should I, as your dog’s groomer, feel as though medical care due to an injury caused during the groom is not necessary but you chose to seek medical attention; The Bubbly Puppy will cover 50 percent of medical costs. Exceptions due to injury include pre-existing conditions and any other medical abnormalities you are either aware or unaware of during the time of the grooming. In the event you choose to seek such medical attention as a result of the grooming beyond my professional judgment; your dog must have seen the vet no longer than 24 hours from the time of the groom appointment, and The Bubbly Puppy must receive a copy of the bill within one week following the date of the vet trip.

Calming Medication

If your dog needs some medication in order to be groomed safely, it must be vet-prescribed and you must have given it to them at least once before their appointment to ensure your dog has had no adverse reactions. Your dog must arrive to the appointment aware and able to walk as normal, otherwise I reserve the right to reschedule the service (the no show and cancellation policies will apply).

Matted Pets

Mats can pose health risks such as irritation caused by constant tugging at the skin or poor air flow to the skin, sometimes resulting in hematomas and other conditions. Mats can be painful for your dog and trying to brush them out could cause more, unnecessary pain. Making an appointment with The Bubbly Puppy means that for the comfort and safety of your dog, I will shave out any mats that I find.

I am always more cautious while grooming a dog with matting because mats can make it difficult to see to the skin where lumps, bumps, moles, and growths may be hiding. I promise to do my best to avoid nicking these areas, but will not be held liable for irritation, cuts, bruising, etc. caused by mat removal, nor for any health issues under the matting.

When groomed on a regular schedule, many dogs only have a small amount of matting by the time of their next appointment if any at all. Without regular grooming, I have seen dogs come in with a more moderate to severe amount of matting. Because of the wear on tools and extra time needed in a more involved dematting process, there may be a fee added to your bill. The fee amount will depend on the severity of the matting. If the matting is too severe to safely remove, I may decline the service and refer your dog to a vet for mat removal.

Shaving Double-Coated Dogs

The summer heat may have you looking at a big, fluffy double-coated dog and imagining how hot they must be. However, the coats of double-coated breeds are designed to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer without the risk of sunburn. Please be informed of the risks should you want to shave your double-coated dog. The Bubbly Puppy is not liable should your dog experience skin irritation or coat regrowth that is choppy, patchy, or all together absent due to shaving. The Bubbly Puppy holds the right to refuse shaving if I feel it may be too detrimental to the health of your dog. Feel free to ask me about alternatives to shaving these breeds if you are unsure.

Maternity Grooms

I will be more than happy to groom your dog in preparation for pregnancy, but I will not groom a pregnant dog until after she has given birth and her puppies have been weaned. This is for the safety of your dog and her puppies. The groom will serve the purpose of comfort rather than style and I will not be held liable for complications that may arise as a result of unknowingly grooming a pregnant dog.

Fleas and Ticks

If you find that your dog has fleas, please cancel or reschedule your appointment. Although I would love to help your dog feel better, I have cats and dogs of my own who call The Bubbly Puppy home. Please understand that I need to protect my own pets as well as other clients under my care. I will be more than happy to schedule an appointment after I see a note from a vet that your dog has been cleared for grooming.

If I find that your dog has fleas after beginning their appointment, I will immediately stop the service and contact the phone number that I have on file to be picked up.

Ticks love dogs. We don’t love ticks. I will remove up to 15 ticks that I find on your dog. Removing more than 15 ticks may pose health risks to your dog and for their safety, and I may instead stop the service and ask you to see a vet.

Proof of Vaccinations

Massachusetts state law requires The Bubbly Puppy to receive the rabies vaccination full expiration date (including the day, month, and year of expiration) before servicing any dog. I cannot accept the rabies tag as proof as the tag does not contain the full expiration date. Your veterinarian will be able to send the paperwork to you, and then you can either send it to me via email before your appointment (recommended), or bring the paperwork with you to your appointment. Some vet offices also have an online portal you can log into to view vaccine expiration dates. If you cannot provide the rabies vaccine expiration date, your appointment may need to be canceled and you will be charged accordingly.

*You do not need to bring this paperwork to every appointment. I keep this information on file and only request to see it again should the expiration date that I have on file expire.

Late Policy

If it is your first appointment at The Bubbly Puppy, arriving a few minutes early is recommended. This will give us time to go over your pet and their haircut as well as any necessary paperwork.

Although I do appreciate pet parents being on time in order to best help their pup, everyone is late sometimes and I understand that! Please just note that safe grooming does take time, and I will not rush working on a dog due to lateness. Starting 5 minutes after the scheduled appointment time, I have a “do what I am able to” policy. I will try my best to accomplish the most I can within the remaining time, but that may mean getting your dog in for a bath or a bath and cleanup instead of a full haircut. You are still expected to pay the price of the full groom.`

I will always give you a pick-up time while checking in your dog. As I am a one person operation, it is very important that I stay on schedule. Therefore, a $1/minute late fee will apply starting 5 minutes past your pick-up time. Thank you for understanding.

No Shows and Cancellations

If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment that is no problem, but I ask that you notify me at least 24 hours in advance. This will allow me time to fill the spot with another dog in need of a haircut. Failure to do so may result in a fee of 50% of the groom price for the second time and 100% of the groom price each subsequent time, payable via Square or Venmo before scheduling your next appointment. The same fee will apply if you miss your appointment without letting me know beforehand. Snow days (days when school is called off in Auburn due to snow) are an exception in which there will be no fee applied should you feel uncomfortable driving in the snow and want to reschedule that days appointment. After three no shows or short-notice cancellations, you may be removed from my client books. Always feel free to talk to me, I will try to work something out whenever possible.

Drop off and Pick up

If you are dropping off your dog and have someone else picking up, please leave me their contact information at drop-off. I will not hand a dog to anyone unless they have been approved beforehand.

Please understand that I am a one person operation, so it is much appreciated if you are on time to drop off/pick up your dog. I will give you a pick up time at check-in and I do leave a small gap between appointments to sanitize and prepare for the next, but being too late may mean having to put the next appointment on pause. For this reason, a fee of $1 per minute will apply starting 5 minutes past your pickup time. Thank you for your understanding.

If I have not heard from you for two or more hours past your scheduled pick up time, Animal Control may be contacted for pick up. All charges and fees will be paid by the pet owner.

Payment

I accept cash, debit/credit, and checks. All payments are due at pick-up, or you can pay online before picking up after all costs are determined for your dog’s appointment. Another appointment cannot be made until the most recent has been paid. Please note that the cost of your dog’s groom may vary each appointment, as your dog’s behavior and coat condition can differ each time.

Satisfacton & Zero Tolerance Policy

I put love into each bath and/or haircut that I get to do and each dog that I get to work with, and truly want you to be happy with your dog's haircut. Please feel free to look over your dog at pick-up and let me know if you would like anything touched up or to be noted for future appointments. I want you to love your dog's look and I will do my best to remedy the issue as soon as possible.

I respect you and your dog and hope for the same in return. I will not tolerate disrespect in the form of insults, threats, or rude comments and have the right to decline service if I feel disrespected and/or unsafe. If there are any issues, please be kind and I promise that I will help out however possible. Thank you.

Media Release

By signing the release form, you give The Bubbly Puppy permission to photograph your dog for use in client files, social media pages, and on The Bubbly Puppy website. Your dog's name may also be used in posts, but I will never use yours.

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