Frequently Asked Questions
Our no-show policy means that clients who fail to show up for an appointment will be unable to book future appointments until the missed appointment is paid for. If a client has recurring appointments and fails to show up, we will contact the client and ask if they'd like to keep the future schedule. We will review the no-show policy with them.
How Long Will The Grooming Appointment Be?
Each visit varies upon the package or services requested. For a full service bath and grooming, expect 3-5 hours. However, due to extremely high volume and difficulty in finding employees, wait times may be quite long between the time you drop your pet off and the time we notify you of completion. If your dog has mats, this will increase the cost and the time.
Our Process: When you drop your dog off, they will be placed in a kennel. Our morning bather will work through as many dogs as possible before her shift ends. The owner/groomer will work through each dog, one at a time, and let you know via text message when your dog is done. Depending on the number of dogs on the schedule as well as the condition of those dogs (i.e. if many are matted, it will take much longer to finish them), how long it will be between drop-off and pickup varies.
Our Process: When you drop your dog off, they will be placed in a kennel. Our morning bather will work through as many dogs as possible before her shift ends. The owner/groomer will work through each dog, one at a time, and let you know via text message when your dog is done. Depending on the number of dogs on the schedule as well as the condition of those dogs (i.e. if many are matted, it will take much longer to finish them), how long it will be between drop-off and pickup varies.
Can My Pet Be Groomed Straight Through?
We are currently unable to offer this due to the high volume and staffing shortages. Expect 3-5 hours between drop-off and pickup of your pet. Please see previous question for an explanation of our process, and why we are unable to groom a dog straight through from bath to cut at this time.
WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREPARE MY PET FOR THEIR GROOMING VISIT?
Prior to an appointment, try to take your pet to go potty before arriving for their appointment. Please keep your pet on a leash. If you do not have a leash with you there are some available for use in our lobby, just ask and we'll get you one.
To ensure your pet is protected, we strongly recommend using a topical flea and tick preventative as your monthly routine. If your pet has fleas, we will automatically administer a flea bath and we will notify you if possible. The charge for this service is $20. This cost covers the shampoo, time, and cleaning necessary to ensure that no fleas are active in the salon. The treatment will kill the fleas on your pet, but after leaving our facility, your pet will not be protected from any fleas that may be present in your home or pet area.
To ensure your pet is protected, we strongly recommend using a topical flea and tick preventative as your monthly routine. If your pet has fleas, we will automatically administer a flea bath and we will notify you if possible. The charge for this service is $20. This cost covers the shampoo, time, and cleaning necessary to ensure that no fleas are active in the salon. The treatment will kill the fleas on your pet, but after leaving our facility, your pet will not be protected from any fleas that may be present in your home or pet area.
What Records or information Are Required For My Pet?
A current rabies vaccination is required for every pet. Please bring proof of a rabies vaccination with you. We highly recommend both the distemper/parvo and bordetella vaccinations as well but are not required. If you do not have these records readily available we can call your veterinarian to get expiration dates as well. Find out more here.
If your dog has any medical problems (seizures, arthritis, collapsing trachea, etc.) please make us aware of them so that we can take the necessary steps to ensure your dog’s comfort. Sometimes grooming can expose a pre-existing condition. We cannot diagnose such a condition, but may advise you to seek veterinary attention.
If your pet has any history of biting, please notify us before grooming. This will help prevent injury to us.
If your dog has any medical problems (seizures, arthritis, collapsing trachea, etc.) please make us aware of them so that we can take the necessary steps to ensure your dog’s comfort. Sometimes grooming can expose a pre-existing condition. We cannot diagnose such a condition, but may advise you to seek veterinary attention.
If your pet has any history of biting, please notify us before grooming. This will help prevent injury to us.
Does My Pet Need To Be On A Leash Or In A Carrier?
Please have your pet on a leash or in a carrier when you come to The Dog Shop.
Are You Certified/Licensed?
South Dakota has no required state certification or licensing for groomers. High standards of care are a priority for us. We want your pet to not only have a great haircut, but encourage overall healthy experiences. We have over 25 years experience as a veterinary technician, and are working on additional certification for specific types of grooming (e.g. cat grooming).
My Dog/Cat Has a Lot Of Mats. How Do You Handle That?
We always want to give your pet a good groom and will try to leave your pet's coat as you want it. However, when it comes to mats, we like to think of it as humanity over vanity. If the coat is matted, it may need to be shaved down. There will be an additional charge for this process; it is time consuming, dangerous, and can be painful for your pet. It also increases wear and tear on equipment. We will try to call you before we proceed.
Mats in a pet’s coat grow tight and can ultimately damage and tear the pet’s skin. Removing a heavily matted coat can cause nicks, cuts, or abrasions due to skin trapped in the mats. Heavy matting can also trap moisture near the pet’s skin causing skin irritation that exists prior to grooming. After-effects of mat removal procedures can include itchiness, skin redness and/or self-inflicted irritations or abrasions caused by scratching, rubbing on the ground or floor and/or profusely shaking head (common for matted ears). In some cases, pets may also exhibit brief behavioral change.
Prevention is the best defense by scheduling regular grooming appointments, every 4 to 8 weeks.
Mats in a pet’s coat grow tight and can ultimately damage and tear the pet’s skin. Removing a heavily matted coat can cause nicks, cuts, or abrasions due to skin trapped in the mats. Heavy matting can also trap moisture near the pet’s skin causing skin irritation that exists prior to grooming. After-effects of mat removal procedures can include itchiness, skin redness and/or self-inflicted irritations or abrasions caused by scratching, rubbing on the ground or floor and/or profusely shaking head (common for matted ears). In some cases, pets may also exhibit brief behavioral change.
Prevention is the best defense by scheduling regular grooming appointments, every 4 to 8 weeks.
What If I can't Make It To A Scheduled Appointment?
If you must cancel your appointment, please give us as much notice as possible (preferrably with 24 hours). Not showing up for a scheduled appointment with no notice is considered a "no show." Chronic cancellations or no shows may result in a cancellation fee up to the price of the grooming and the inability to book future appointments.
What if there is a medical emergency or other incident during the grooming?
Although accidents are rare, there is a risk when dealing with pets. The Dog Shop will inform you of any incident that occurs or any condition that we notice. Your pet’s safety and comfort is our number one priority. We require all clients to sign a waiver that allows us to transport your pet to a veterinarian in the event of an emergency, and agree that any resulting veterinary bills will be your sole responsibility.
Will I have to fill out any forms when I arrive?
If you are a new client, we may have you fill out basic client and pet information forms, or gather that from you, for our records. Please bring the required forms with you.
Do you allow walk-in or last minute appointments?
We may be able to accomodate walk-ins or last minute appointments depending on the bookings for the day. However, we cannot guarentee we can fit you in, so scheduling an appointment ahead of time is greatly encouraged. Walk-in sessions are done after scheduled appointments.
I tried to request an online appointment but there were no available times after 2 pm
We are open until 4 pm, but we try not to book any appointments after 2 pm. The final hours of the day are finishing our grooming appointments. If you need an appointment outside of this availability, please contact us directly and we will try to work with you as best we are able.
Why didn't I get the appointment time I requested?
When you request an appointment, we will work to fit you in at your request. However, if we do not have an appointment we will give you the next available slot. You will receive a text message (or email) with the new time.
WHAT IF I'M LATE PICKING UP MY PET?
Our hours are M-F from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sometimes it takes Janet longer than those hours to finish the day due to quantity of bookings and staffing, but if you are messaged that your dog is done and 4 pm comes around and no one has picked up the dog, you will be charged a late pickup fee.
MY DOG HAS A COUGH. SHOULD I BOOK AN APPOINtMENT?
If your dog has developed a cough, perhaps from being around other dogs, please let us know that before you come to the shop for the safety of all the other dogs. We may ask you to reschedule.
WHY WAS I CHARGED EXTRA?
You may be charged additional fees if there is excessive matting that we have to work through.
You may be charged a late fee if you arrive after we are closed to pick up your pet and we have to stay open to wait for you.
If you are extensively delayed or late picking up your dog when it is done, and it has a bathroom accident in the kennel that requires additional bathing, you will be charged for the extra bathing.
You may be charged a late fee if you arrive after we are closed to pick up your pet and we have to stay open to wait for you.
If you are extensively delayed or late picking up your dog when it is done, and it has a bathroom accident in the kennel that requires additional bathing, you will be charged for the extra bathing.
DO YOU HAVE A CANCELLATION LIST?
We do have a cancellation list, but we reserve that for clients who already have an appointment on the schedule. We do not put anyone on it unless they already have a future appointment already set up and would like the option to get in a bit earlier than their scheduled date.
On days when we have a no-show, we work our way through the cancellation list to see who is able to fill in the spot quickly.
On days when we have a no-show, we work our way through the cancellation list to see who is able to fill in the spot quickly.
Why does my dog still have ticks on it after the appointment?
If your dog arrives with ticks, it will leave with ticks. We do not remove embedded ticks, and the bathing and grooming process will not remove them, either. It is your responsibility to have your dog treated for ticks at least two days before bringing it into the shop. Your dog should have not any ticks on it when it comes into the shop for the safety of your dog, our bathers and groomers, and the other animals in the shop. If a grooming blade is damaged due to ticks in the coat, you will be charged for the replacement cost.
What are your invoice policies?
We do have the option of invoicing you for your grooming appointment for your convenience (i.e. someone else picks up your dog, you forgot your payment method at home, etc.). We will send the invoice link to you via a secure link to your phone. If you prefer email, we will need your email address. When you request an invoice:
We may have to send out invoices due to internet outages or system failures. When the reason is our fault, we do not charge the invoice fee.
- We expect it to be paid the same day you receive the invoice.
- You will be charged an invoice fee to cover the additional costs that come with invoicing.
- Failure to pay in a timely manner may remove the ability to receive the invoice convenience in the future.
We may have to send out invoices due to internet outages or system failures. When the reason is our fault, we do not charge the invoice fee.
WHAT IS YOUR NO-SHOW POLICY?
Clients who fail to show up for an appointment will be unable to book future appointments until the missed appointment is paid for. If a client has recurring appointments and fails to show up, we will contact the client and ask if they'd like to keep the future schedule. We will review the no-show policy with them.