Effective Date: 13 July 2026
Welcome
Thank you for choosing The Big Paws Little Paws Co.
We pride ourselves on providing a calm, professional and holistic grooming experience where the welfare of every dog is placed above all else. Every groom is carried out using compassionate handling techniques and tailored to meet your dog’s individual physical, emotional and behavioural needs.
Our salon is designed to provide a safe, low-stress environment, allowing each dog to receive the highest standard of care. Whilst we always strive to complete every groom to the highest possible standard, there may be occasions where your dog’s health, behaviour or welfare means that adapting or discontinuing the groom is in their best interests.
These Terms & Conditions have been created to ensure complete transparency between ourselves and our clients. They explain what you can expect from us and what we ask of you to help us provide the safest possible environment for every dog in our care.
By booking an appointment with The Big Paws Little Paws Co., you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to these Terms & Conditions.
1. Our Welfare Commitment
At The Big Paws Little Paws Co., your dog’s welfare will always take priority over completing a groom.
Every decision we make is based on what is safest and most appropriate for your dog.
We reserve the right to alter, shorten, postpone or discontinue any grooming appointment where we believe continuing would compromise a dog’s physical or emotional wellbeing.
This includes, but is not limited to:
• Illness or injury
• Excessive stress or anxiety
• Aggressive or dangerous behaviour
• Signs of pain or discomfort
• Extreme matting
• Parasite infestations
• Veterinary concerns
• Unsafe weather conditions
No cosmetic finish is ever more important than your dog’s welfare.
2. Client Responsibilities
By booking an appointment you agree that:
• You are at least 18 years of age and are legally authorised to make decisions regarding your dog’s care.
• All information you provide is accurate, complete and up to date.
• You will notify us immediately of any changes to your contact details, emergency contact details or veterinary practice.
• You will disclose any known medical conditions, behavioural concerns, allergies, injuries, medication, recent surgeries or previous grooming incidents before each appointment.
• You understand that withholding important information may place your dog at risk and could affect our ability to safely complete the groom.
• Your dog will arrive wearing a correctly fitted collar or harness with a legally compliant identification tag in accordance with the Control of Dogs Order 1992.
• Your dog will be toileted before arrival and, where possible, not fed immediately before their appointment to reduce the likelihood of sickness or discomfort during grooming.
3. Bookings & Deposits
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required when booking your first appointment.
Appointments are not confirmed until the required deposit has been received.
All bookings must include:
• Full Guardians name
• Current address
• Mobile telephone number
• Email address (where applicable)
• Emergency contact
• Registered veterinary practice
• Accurate information about your dog’s health and behaviour
The remaining balance is payable on collection in accordance with our Payment Policy.
Repeat appointments may be booked without a deposit at our discretion. However, we reserve the right to request deposits from any client who has previously cancelled appointments at short notice, failed to attend appointments, or has an outstanding balance.
4. Payment Policy
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. is a cash-only business for all salon appointments.
The remaining balance of your grooming appointment is due immediately upon collection of your dog.
Deposits are payable by bank transfer unless otherwise agreed.
Failure to make payment may result in:
• Refusal of future appointments
• Cancellation of any existing bookings
• Recovery of outstanding monies through appropriate legal channels where necessary
Any charges incurred whilst recovering outstanding debts may also be added where legally permissible.
5. Cancellation, Rescheduling & Missed Appointments
We understand that plans sometimes change.
If you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment, we kindly ask for a minimum of 48 hours’ notice.
The following charges apply:
• More than 48 hours’ notice: no additional charge.
• Less than 48 hours’ notice: 50% of the appointment fee.
• Less than 12 hours’ notice: 100% of the appointment fee.
Clients who fail to attend their appointment without notice will be charged the full appointment fee.
Future appointments may require payment in full at the time of booking.
Repeated late cancellations or missed appointments may result in future bookings being refused.
“Because every dog deserves our full attention, every appointment time is reserved exclusively for them. Late cancellations and missed appointments prevent us from offering that time to another family in need of our services.”
6. Arrival, Drop-Off & Collection
To ensure the safety of all dogs, staff and visitors, The Big Paws Little Paws Co. operates strictly by appointment only.
Our salon door remains locked during the working day and entry is by appointment or invitation from a member of staff.
Arrival
Please arrive no more than 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
This helps us maintain a calm environment for the dogs already in our care and allows us to focus our full attention on each appointment.
If you anticipate being late, please contact us as soon as possible.
A 15-minute grace period is allowed where our schedule permits.
After this time, we reserve the right to cancel your appointment, and the full appointment fee may still be payable.
Repeated late arrivals may result in future appointments being declined.
During Your Dog’s Appointment
Once your dog has been handed over to a member of staff, they remain under our care until collection.
For the safety and welfare of all dogs:
Collection
When your dog’s groom is complete, you will receive a telephone call or text message asking you to collect them.
Dogs should be collected within 30 minutes of notification.
Late collections may incur a charge of £7.00 per 15 minutes or part thereof.
Where repeated late collections occur, we reserve the right to review future bookings.
Before leaving the salon, it is the guardian’s responsibility to ensure that:
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. cannot accept responsibility for dogs once they have been returned to their Guardian.
7. Hot Weather Policy
The safety and wellbeing of your dog is our highest priority.
During periods of hot weather, dogs are at an increased risk of developing heat stress or heat stroke. Grooming, bathing and drying can further increase body temperature, particularly in elderly dogs, puppies, brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, overweight dogs and those with underlying medical conditions.
Although our salon is fully air-conditioned and temperature controlled, we will always place your dog’s welfare above completing a groom.
When temperatures reach 25°C or above, we may:
Our professional judgement regarding your dog’s welfare is final.
Signs of Heat Stress
If your dog arrives displaying signs of heat stress or heat stroke, grooming will not proceed.
Symptoms may include:
Heat stroke is a veterinary emergency.
If we suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke, we will administer appropriate first aid where safe to do so and advise immediate veterinary treatment.
Guardians are encouraged to remember the guidance:
“Wet before Vet.”
Begin cooling your dog immediately using cool (not ice-cold) water while seeking urgent veterinary advice.
Guardians Responsibilities During Hot Weather
Guardians are asked to:
By attending an appointment during periods of hot weather, you acknowledge that weather conditions can change rapidly and that grooming appointments may be altered or cancelled if required for your dog’s welfare.
8. Cold Weather Policy
Cold weather presents its own welfare considerations, particularly for puppies, elderly dogs, dogs with medical conditions and dogs clipped into shorter styles.
When outside temperatures fall below 5°C, we will take additional precautions to keep every dog warm and comfortable.
These include:
We also recommend that owners bring an appropriate coat or blanket for dogs that have been clipped short.
9. Health, Hygiene & Parasite Policy
To protect every dog visiting our salon and our team, guardians must ensure that their dog is free from contagious illnesses and parasite infestations.
Appointments must not be attended if your dog is known or suspected to have:
If parasites or evidence of infestation are discovered during the groom, treatment will stop immediately.
The appointment fee remains payable, together with a £35 sanitation and fumigation charge to cover additional cleaning and disinfection of equipment and the salon.
Where an infectious disease is suspected, we reserve the right to refuse treatment and request veterinary clearance before accepting future appointments.
Owners must inform us immediately if their dog develops a contagious illness shortly after visiting the salon so that appropriate cleaning procedures can be implemented where necessary.
10. Bitches in Season, Pregnancy & Nursing
For the safety and comfort of all dogs:
These measures help reduce unnecessary stress and protect both mother and puppies.
11. Behaviour, Handling & Bite Risk Policy
At The Big Paws Little Paws Co., we understand that every dog is an individual. Some dogs may be nervous, anxious, fearful or have had previous negative experiences with grooming. Our aim is always to work patiently, compassionately and at your dog’s pace.
However, the safety of your dog, our team and other dogs within the salon must always come first.
Disclosure of Behaviour
Guardians must disclose any known behavioural concerns before every appointment, including but not limited to:
Failure to disclose known behavioural issues may result in the appointment being terminated and future appointments being refused.
During the Groom
We use calm, force-free handling methods wherever possible.
We will never continue a groom if we believe doing so would cause unnecessary physical or emotional distress.
Where a dog becomes overly stressed, fearful or aggressive, we may:
The full appointment fee remains payable where work has commenced.
Bite Risk
Dogs presenting a known bite risk must be declared before booking.
Additional handling charges may apply depending upon the time, staffing and equipment required to safely complete the groom.
Where appropriate, guardians may be asked to provide a correctly fitted muzzle that the dog is already comfortable wearing.
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. reserves the right to refuse any dog whose behaviour presents an unacceptable risk to staff or other dogs.
Behavioural Support Sessions
We strongly believe that many dogs can learn to enjoy grooming through patience and positive experiences.
For dogs requiring additional confidence building, we offer dedicated desensitisation appointments.
These sessions may include:
Behavioural support sessions are charged at £25 per 15 minutes.
For the best chance of success, we recommend committing to regular sessions over a minimum period of six weeks.
Failure to maintain consistency may limit progress, and we reserve the right to discontinue behavioural programmes where appropriate.
12. Puppies, Senior Dogs & Dogs with Specific Needs
Every dog deserves an experience tailored to their individual needs.
Some dogs require additional care due to age, medical conditions or physical limitations.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Guardians must notify us of any changes in their dog’s health before every appointment.
Puppy Grooms
A puppy’s first grooming experience can influence how they feel about grooming for the rest of their life.
Our Puppy Introduction appointments are designed to create positive experiences through gentle handling and gradual introductions to grooming equipment.
Where a puppy becomes tired or overwhelmed, the appointment may be shortened.
Our priority is building confidence rather than achieving a perfect finish.
Senior Dogs
Older dogs often require additional breaks due to reduced mobility, arthritis or fatigue.
Appointments may therefore:
Where we believe standing for prolonged periods may compromise welfare, we reserve the right to stop grooming.
Medical Conditions
Guardians remain responsible for informing us of:
Failure to disclose relevant medical information may place your dog at unnecessary risk.
13. De-matting Policy
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. operates a strict Welfare Before Vanity approach to coat care.
Severely matted coats are painful and can significantly affect a dog’s health and quality of life.
Matting can cause:
In severe cases, matting can conceal tumours, cysts, wounds and other medical conditions that may only become visible once the coat has been removed.
Removal of Matted Coats
The kindest and safest solution for a severely matted coat is often clipping beneath the matting.
Guardians should understand that clipping a matted coat may reveal:
These conditions are usually pre-existing and are not caused by the clipping process.
Coat Damage
Once a coat has become matted, permanent coat damage may occur.
Following clipping, coats may:
No guarantee can be given regarding coat regrowth following severe matting.
Additional Charges
Removing matting requires significantly more time, specialist handling and increased risk.
Additional charges therefore apply:
Extremely neglected coats requiring extensive clipping may incur charges from £100, depending upon size, severity and time required.
Refusal of De-matting
We do not carry out prolonged brushing or combing of severely matted coats where doing so would cause unnecessary pain or distress.
If clipping is declined by the owner and we believe de-matting would compromise welfare, we reserve the right to refuse the groom.
Repeated presentation of severely matted dogs without evidence of ongoing home maintenance or regular professional grooming may result in future appointments being declined.
Home Coat Maintenance
Professional grooming appointments alone cannot prevent matting.
Guardians remain responsible for maintaining their dog’s coat between appointments through appropriate brushing, combing and regular grooming schedules.
We are always happy to demonstrate suitable home maintenance techniques and recommend products appropriate for your dog’s coat type.
14. Veterinary Emergency Procedure
Whilst every reasonable care is taken during your dog’s visit, grooming involves the use of sharp equipment, water, electrical equipment and handling. As with any animal care service, there is a small element of unavoidable risk.
Our team are trained in Canine First Aid and will always act quickly should an emergency arise.
In the Event of an Emergency
If your dog becomes ill, is injured or requires urgent veterinary attention whilst in our care, we will:
By signing these Terms & Conditions, you authorise The Big Paws Little Paws Co. to seek emergency veterinary treatment on your behalf should it become necessary.
Any veterinary costs incurred remain the responsibility of the owner.
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. cannot be held responsible for medical emergencies arising from pre-existing medical conditions, undisclosed health conditions, age-related illness, behavioural incidents or unforeseeable medical episodes.
15. Medication & Veterinary Advice
Guardians must inform us before every appointment if their dog:
We reserve the right to request written veterinary consent before grooming dogs with certain medical conditions where this is considered necessary for their safety.
Medication supplied by owners will only be administered where previously agreed and where appropriate written instructions have been provided.
16. Data Protection & Privacy (UK GDPR)
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly.
We process all personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The information we collect is used solely for the safe operation of our business and the care of your dog.
Information We May Collect
This may include:
We only collect information that is necessary to provide our services safely and effectively.
Shake Your Tail Booking Software
We use Shake Your Tail as our secure client management and appointment booking system.
This software stores information including:
This information is securely stored and accessed only by authorised members of The Big Paws Little Paws Co.
How Your Information Is Used
Your information is used to:
We do not sell, rent or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.
Information may only be shared where legally required or where necessary to protect the welfare of your dog, such as with your veterinary practice during an emergency.
Your Rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
Requests should be made in writing and we will respond within the timescales required by law.
17. Photography, CCTV & Marketing
We love celebrating the wonderful dogs who visit our salon.
With your permission, photographs and videos of your dog may be used for:
No personal owner information will ever be published alongside photographs without your explicit consent.
If you prefer that your dog is not photographed or featured in marketing material, simply let us know. We will update your client record accordingly.
For the safety and security of our staff, clients and dogs, CCTV may operate within and around the premises.
CCTV footage may be retained where necessary for security, insurance or legal purposes.
18. Customer Conduct Policy
We are committed to providing a welcoming, respectful and professional environment for every client, visitor and member of staff.
In return, we expect everyone interacting with The Big Paws Little Paws Co. to treat our team with courtesy and respect.
The following behaviour will not be tolerated:
Where unacceptable behaviour occurs, we reserve the right to:
Our team deserve to work in a safe environment free from abuse.
19. Customer Complaints Procedure
We strive to provide every client and every dog with the highest standard of care.
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to let us know as soon as possible so that we have the opportunity to investigate and resolve the matter.
Complaints should be raised within 48 hours of your appointment wherever possible.
We will:
Where appropriate, we may offer:
We kindly ask that concerns are raised directly with us before being discussed publicly on social media, allowing us the opportunity to resolve the issue professionally.
We are committed to learning from feedback and continually improving our service.
20. Force Majeure
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. shall not be held liable for cancellations, delays or interruptions caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Where possible, appointments will be rearranged at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity.
21. Dangerous Dogs & Legal Compliance
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. complies fully with all current UK legislation relating to the ownership and handling of dogs.
Where legislation permits the grooming of a dog subject to legal restrictions, owners must provide, where applicable:
Dogs that are legally required to wear a muzzle must arrive wearing a secure, correctly fitted muzzle and remain under the owner’s control until safely handed to a member of staff.
We reserve the right to refuse admission if the appropriate documentation cannot be produced or if we believe it is unsafe to proceed.
22. Pet Taxi & Additional Services
Where clients choose to use our Pet Taxi or other transport services, separate Terms & Conditions apply.
The most up-to-date versions are available on our website or upon request.
23. Right to Refuse or Terminate Services
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. reserves the right to refuse, postpone or terminate any appointment where, in our professional opinion, continuing would place the dog, our staff, other animals or members of the public at risk.
Reasons may include, but are not limited to:
Where work has already commenced, charges may still apply.
24. Limitation of Liability
Whilst every reasonable care and precaution is taken, grooming is undertaken entirely at the owner’s risk.
Dogs may occasionally experience minor incidents during grooming, including but not limited to:
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. accepts responsibility for loss or damage only where caused by our negligence or where required by law.
Nothing within these Terms & Conditions excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any liability that cannot legally be excluded under the laws of England and Wales.
25. Changes to These Terms & Conditions
The Big Paws Little Paws Co. reserves the right to amend these Terms & Conditions at any time.
The latest version will always be available on our website and may also be requested in writing.
Clients with existing appointments will be deemed to have accepted the updated Terms & Conditions when attending future appointments unless otherwise notified.
26. Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
Any disputes arising from the provision of our services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
Client Declaration
The Big Paws Little Paws Co.
“Providing compassionate, holistic grooming where every decision is made with your dog’s welfare at its heart.”
Copyright © 2026 The Big Paws Little Paws Co - All Rights Reserved.