Policies & Procedures
Your animal is especially important to us, Wag in Style LLC would like to assure you that every effort will be made to make your animal's grooming experience as safe and pleasant as possible. Safety comes first for everyone, people as well as the animals, during the grooming process.
Here at Wag in Style LLC we strive to have the highest standards for safety, comfort, and cleanliness. To ensure that all pets are our number one priority we have policies and procedures in place to help us achieve them together. We respectfully ask all of our clients and prospective clients to read through these to keep our facility running smoothly. As with anything else you see and read on our site, we appreciate questions, suggestions and concerns. Thank you in advance - we couldn't do this without your support.
Appointments
All services are by appointment only. Operational hours are based on appointments scheduled and not guaranteed. Please call for availability for any walk-in services.
Drop Off and Pick Up
Dogs must be collared and leashed at all times, both in the parking lot and indoors. Cats must be in closed carriers at all times. No Exceptions. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone refusing to follow this rule.
Due to our location being in a strip mall, there is no potty area for pets to relieve themselves on the premises. Please be respectful of our neighboring businesses and shoppers, and be sure to allow time for your pets to relieve themselves before leaving your home. If your pet relieves itself outside, either in the parking lot or on the sidewalk, it must be picked up and disposed of immediately. No Exceptions. We will happily dispose of any poop for you and have bags to clean it up with; just come inside or call, and we will be happy to help. If you do not clean up after your pet, there will be a $10 clean-up fee, in addition to the refusal of any future services at our discretion.
Due to multiple pets peeing on our chairs in the waiting area, pets will no longer be allowed on any furniture within our waiting area. Please pay close attention to your pets when entering and leaving the salon. They may not pee in your home, but strange places and strange people can cause strange reactions in pets who are not socialized with all environments. Repeat offenders of peeing on walls and furniture will be charged the $10 clean up fee. Floors do not count.
Vaccination Requirements
Proof of Rabies Vaccination is required for all services for any pet 5 months of age or older. Please bring an up-to-date certificate from your vet as proof. You are welcome to text a picture or it to 717-708-7946 if preferred. If you do not have the certificate, you can either call your vet and have them email me a copy or provide me with your vet's name and phone number; I will call and get confirmation over the phone. Bordetella vaccination is recommended but not required, as the dogs in our care do not interact with each other.
Cancellation and No-Show Policy
We understand that emergencies do happen, and sometimes life throws you a curveball. However, we ask that you please give us a call asap when those situations arise, and you cannot keep your appointment. We will happily assist you if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, but please call us within 24 business hours of your scheduled appointment time. For multiple dog households, please give an additional 24 hours' notice for each dog. We value all clients, and as we give respect, we ask for respect to be given in return. We are in high demand; when someone "no shows" to an appointment without prior notice, not only do we lose an appointment for that day, but we also feel that it is not fair to any new or existing clients that may miss out on an opportunity to fill that opening. That is why we have this policy in place. To help with that our scheduling system will text or email you an appointment reminder, both when you schedule and 24 hours before your scheduled appointment.
Appointment Arrival Times
In order to accommodate all of our scheduled clients, we ask that you respectfully arrive in a timely manner for your scheduled appointment. Each appointment is scheduled for a specific amount of time each day, late arrival for appointments throws off our schedule, this is why we book for a specific time. If you are going to be late for any reason, please call us as soon as possible. If you are 10 minutes late, we will call you to confirm you are on your way. If you do not answer we will try again after 15 minutes; if we are still unable to get ahold of you at this point, it will be assumed that you are not coming, and your appointment will be canceled and recorded as a "no show". If you notified us ahead of time and we are still able to accommodate you, a late fee may be applied for a pet arriving more than 15 minutes late. Late fees are $10 for small dogs and bath dogs and $15 for large dogs and cats, please note that your pet may also take longer to finish than usual as we can not allow our other appointments to be late to accommodate for late appointments. At the groomer's discretion, we reserve the right to refuse any appointment more than 15 minutes late.
Matted Coats
Pets with severely matted coats require extra attention. Wag in Style LLC will not cause serious or undue stress or pain to your pet by de-matting excessively matted coats and may require the pet to be shaved. Untreated mats in a pet’s coat will grow tight, and can ultimately damage, tear, or bruise the pet's skin. Severe matting can also trap moisture and urine on the pet's skin; this provides a breeding ground for bacteria, parasites, fungus, and mold infestations and infections, causing skin irritations. In some cases, pets may even develop rashes and burns from trapped urine. Skin irritations from severe matting will be hidden underneath the hair and only exposed as the matted hair is removed. Removing a heavily matted coat can cause nicks, cuts, or abrasions due to unseen skin growths trapped in the mats. After-effects of mat removal procedures may include itchiness, skin redness, self-inflicted irritations or abrasions, ear hematomas, and failure of the hair to regrow in certain hair types. In some cases, pets may also exhibit brief behavioral changes. If your pet needs to be shaved to remove matting, you acknowledge that you agree to this procedure and any risks presented. There will be an additional charge for this process: it is very time-consuming and causes extra wear on grooming equipment. In less severe cases where de-matting is possible you will be charged at $1 per minute for a maximum of 15 minutes. If we are unable to de-matt in 15 minutes or less, it will be determined at the groomer's discretion whether or not your pet may have to be shaved. If we must shave your dog, a Matted Shave Fee of $10-$40 may apply in addition to the cost of the groom, at the groomer's discretion. Cats requiring a shave to remove severe matting will incur a Matted Shave Fee of $20 or greater, as cats have extremely delicate skin, requiring extra care during the shaving process to safely remove severe matting. All fees incurred are determined by severity and at the groomer's discretion.
Fleas & Ticks
Flea/tick treatment is not required but highly recommended from April to December to enter our salon. If your pet has fleas, they will be given a flea bath at your expense of $20 in addition to the cost of the bath or groom. If you do not want them to receive one, you can reschedule your appointment after the fleas are resolved by you as long as they are noticed before check-in and before you leave your pet with us. This fee is to cover the cost of flea extermination inside of the salon and is non-negotiable.
Dangerous or Aggressive Animals - Refusal of Services
Wag in Style LLC has the right to refuse any services at any time. If your pet shows any signs of aggression during their appointment, we will muzzle your pet for the safety of the groomer and the pet. We do not like to use muzzles and will try everything possible to avoid muzzling your pet. In the event that your animal is too stressed or becomes dangerous to groom, Wag in Style LLC has the right to refuse services, stop grooming services, or cancel services at any time before, during, or after grooming and you will be charged a grooming fee for the services rendered until that point.
Puppies & Kittens
We service puppies and kittens of all ages in our salon. All puppies and kittens must be up to date on all age-appropriate vaccinations. Rabies vaccination is required in all pets 5 months of age or older. All of our equipment is thoroughly cleaned in between each appointment so you never have to worry about your young puppy or kitten's health. We do not allow puppies or kittens to roam around on the floor or interact with other pets until we have record that all age-appropriate vaccinations have been given. It is recommended that you introduce your pet to the grooming process between 8 and 10 weeks of age as this is the age where they are the most willing to learn and accept new things. Most pet owners don't realize how important it is to introduce grooming at such a young age. The life stage period between 8 and 10 weeks old is often referred to as the "fear period", puppies are especially impressionable at this age. Associations formed during this time leave permanent imprints on your pet. It is vital that the puppy have as many positive experiences with people, pets, and situations as possible during this time. While it is equally as important to avoid scary experiences until after 11 weeks of age, that is where we come in. With our experience and training in puppy handling, we are able to turn what would be a scary experience into a happy, playful, and positive experience that will leave a permanent positive imprint on your pet as they age. Many times pet owners don't understand this life stage and make the mistake of waiting too long or even introducing this experience in the wrong way or to the wrong people and it can have detrimental effects on the way your pet feels about grooming. Our goal is to ensure that your pet has a lifelong positive experience every time they go to the groomer. The grooming process is a bit different at this age as we like to introduce them slowly at their pace. For the first several grooming appointments we will introduce them by doing our bath only service. We start by giving them a bath with a gentle tear-free shampoo and conditioner. After the bath, we will slowly introduce them to the blow dryer on the lowest setting. This experience can be quite scary but with positive reinforcement and plenty of praise and treats your puppy will quickly realize that "maybe that noisy air machine isn't so scary after all". After your pet has been fully dried we will introduce them to being brushed, we start with a slicker brush to smooth out the topcoat and finish with a comb to ensure we are getting all the way down to the skin, making sure there are no tangles. Once your pet is completely brushed out we will slowly and positively introduce them to the clippers and scissors. We will trim around the feet, face, and sanitary as needed depending on breed and hair type. To finish out the grooming process we will give lots of praise and treats and have a bit of playtime while we wait for you to arrive. We recommend setting your puppy up on a four-week schedule for at least four appointments, this allows us to reinforce and continue that positive experience throughout the next several stages of your puppy's growth.
Extended Stay
Dogs that are left in our care for more than 30 minutes before their scheduled appointment and/or for more than one hour after we call you and/or leave a message that they are done will incur a charge of $10 per hour. Dogs that soil their crate resulting in the need for an extra bath during their extended stay will incur a charge equal to 50% of their regular bath price for this service. If your dog barks excessively while in a crate, extended stays will not be allowed.
Health/ Medical Problems
Occasionally grooming can expose a hidden medical problem or aggravate a current one. This can occur during or after grooming. All medical expenses for veterinary care will be covered by the animal's owner.
Accidents
Although accidents are very rare, there is still a risk when handling pets. We will always use extreme caution and care in all situations; however, grooming equipment is extremely sharp and possible accidents can occur, including (but not limited to): cuts, nicks, scratches, or quicking of the nails. In most cases, this can happen when a pet is wiggling or moving around or in severe matting situations. Your pet’s safety and comfort is our number one priority. In the event an accident does occur, you will be notified. If Wag in Style LLC feels it is an accident requiring veterinary attention and the pet owner is not on-site, Wag in Style will seek immediate veterinary care for your animal. Any injuries caused by the condition or behavior of the pet (i.e. matting or aggression) are not the responsibility of Wag in Style LLC and any vet charges incurred will be at the expense of the pet's owner.
Veterinarian Authorization - Medical Emergencies
In the event that an accident or other medical problem should happen that requires medical attention outside of basic first aid; we will always try to contact you and your vet first. If your preferred veternarian is local, we will always try to use your vet first unless it is an emergency and requires the closest vet available. The closest vet to our location is Annville-Cleona Veterinary Associates, Inc. located at 1259 E. Main St, Annville, PA 17003.
Please make sure that you are always able to be contacted in case of emergency while your pet is in our care. If you will be unavailable, please try to let us know when you drop off and make sure someone else is available.
All fees incurred as a result of accidents or medical problems that are a result of behavior or health conditions, will be at your (the pet's owner) expense and not the responsibility of Wag in Style LLC.
Payment
Payment is due at time of pick-up. We accept Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
Satisfaction
Your satisfaction is important to us. If you are unhappy for any reason, and would like something adjusted, we will be happy to make any adjustments when you pick-up your pet from his/her appointment. We also understand that your pet is excited to see you when you pick them up, making it hard to closely evaluate the haircut. If, once you get home, you decide that you would like something adjusted, please call us and we’ll make arrangements. You must call us and bring your pet in within 48 hours of picking them up from their appointment, otherwise a fee may apply.
Can I Leave a Tip?
Many pet owners are not sure if tipping is something that happens with dog grooming. Whether it's your first time with us or you've had a hard time finding a groomer of your standards - we love to feel appreciated and know that we are doing a good job. Gratuity is not required, but humbly accepted. It doesn't always have to be in the way of money. A card or note expressing your gratitude goes a long way. Small gifts or gift cards are also welcomed. We love to see how creative our clients are with their support so please show it to us in whatever way suits you. Thank you in advance.
Duration of Services
We strive to get pets in and out as quickly as possible. On average, you can expect them to be with us for 1-2 hours. Cats vary between 30 mins to 2 hours. All services and their duration depend upon the services chosen, coat condition, behavior, and age.
Some Things to keep in mind:
Some pets are more sensitive to certain parts of the grooming process, such as drying or nail clipping. In that case, we go at a pace your pet is comfortable with, which can significantly change the duration.
If your pet comes in matted, removing those mats is rather time consuming as we have to go slower to remove them carefully. If your pet must be shaved, we will always try to save as much hair as possible by starting at a longer length and working down until we find a length that fits under the mats. Severe cases will be shaved down short to start over on a clean slate, and give the pet release from the tight matting and give the skin its much-needed airflow. After that, we can discuss a good maintenance program so it does not happen again.
Another thing to keep in mind is styling. We recommend bringing in a photo for reference. However, please keep in mind that if it is a photo on the internet, we may not be able to match it exactly. Coat type, condition, and behavior are all factors when figuring out what style will work for you and your pet. Speaking with your groomer will help you achieve the style you want with the coat your dog has. Magic can happen, but magic takes time! Also, please keep in mind that breed specific hairstyles may take longer than others. We are very detail oriented and take our time to make sure you are getting the best quality.
Lastly, Puppies. Puppies of any age will vary in how long it may take. We go at a pace your puppy is comfortable with. This allows us to show your puppy that grooming is a positive experience that they will look forward to for the rest of their lives.
First Time Client Assessment
Every client is different and requires a different approach. In order to ensure that every client has an enjoyable experience with our services we put aside extra time at the beginning of each appointment to speak with you about what you are looking for from our services and how we can best assist you. Please allow atleast 10 minutes at the start of your appointment for this. We will go over your pets behavior, health, condition of coat, what style you are looking for and what services you would like done. After the initial assessment we will check that all of your information is correct in our system and have you sign our grooming service agreement. At that point you will be free to go on your way and we will call you for pick up when we are finished. We thank you for your patience and understanding of our process and look forward to doing business with you and your pet!