Frequently Asked Questions & Policies

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The lifestyle store is open Tuesday - Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-4.30pm. From Monday 7th April, the grooming spa will be open Monday - Friday 10am-6pm.

We totally understand that you might need to cancel or re-arrange your dog's appointment[s]. If this is done with 48hrs+ notice from the appointment start time, there is no charge to do so. If you cancel or re-arrange your dog's appointment with less than 48hrs notice from the appointment start time, or do not for any reason attend your appointment on the day, we reserve the right to charge you 100% of all services booked, using the card details provided at point of booking. 

If you do cancel or amend your booking with less than 48hrs notice from the appointment start time, we do have a waiting list and will do everything we can to re-book your slot - if successful, there will be no charge to you.

Please also read the other FAQs below [in particular, those relating to fleas, our Matting Policy, your dog's health issues, illness and behavioural issues] for further instances where our Cancellations Policy would also be applied.

Please understand that this policy is in place as we cannot, as a small independent business, afford to cover the overhead costs still occurred in the event of amended or cancelled bookings with less than 48hrs notice, or bookings not attended on the day.

Our Groomers will do their best to groom your dog to your desired requirements and/or style. If, however, your dog’s coat is excessively matted, for your dog’s welfare, we have a duty of care to clip-off [shave] the matted coat. Your Groomer will assess your dog’s coat at point of check-in consultation; if they deem that your dog’s coat is severely matted, there may well be the need for the coat to be fully clipped off. If it does not become apparent until after the grooming spa treatment is underway that your dog requires a full clip-off, we will ring you to advise you of what we need to do. We reserve the right to charge a matting fee of £10 per clipper blade that is blunted in the matt removal process – this charge covers our costs to have the blade re-sharpened. 

Sadly, severely matted coats can significantly add to the treatment time needed. Our Groomer’s priority, to safeguard your dog’s welfare, will be to shave off their matted coat. Your Groomer will do their very best to then complete as much of the service[s] booked as possible in the time left available to them. If the groom is not fully completed, sadly we will still need to charge the full treatment cost. If a second appointment is required to finish off the grooming service, we will fit this into the diary for you as soon as we possibly can. Sadly, there will be a further charge for the second appointment, but this will be discussed with you at point of booking.

For breeds requiring regular grooming, we recommend that you book this regularly, every 6-8 weeks, for your dog's optimum welfare, and to prevent any matting from occurring. We also recommend regular brushing of your dog between grooms to maintain a healthy coat and prevent mats forming. Our Groomers are always happy to give you advice on products and techniques that can make home grooming easier for you; if you would like any further information, please do ask your Groomer.

In the interests of your dog’s welfare and/or the welfare of other dogs visiting the grooming spa, we are unable to groom any dog that has fleas. If at point of groom check-in your dog is found to have fleas, sadly we will need you to take your dog home immediately, however we will still need to charge the full treatment cost, in line with our Cancellations Policy. 

If it is not until your dog’s grooming spa treatment is underway, that they are found to have fleas, we will apply a specialist flea treatment shampoo to your dog – there will be an additional charge of £5 for this. We will then towel dry your dog and call you to request that you collect your dog at your earliest convenience please. In the interests of the welfare of all other dogs visiting the grooming spa, we will need to terminate your dog’s groom at this point and deep clean/flea-treat the grooming spa and surrounding areas. There will be an additional charge of £10 for the “flea bomb” that we will need to use as part of this procedure. Sadly, we will also still need to charge the full treatment cost. 

If you are aware that your dog has fleas, please book/amend your dog’s grooming spa treatment to avoid them coming in until after you are confident the fleas have been successfully treated and have fully disappeared. Sadly, failure to do so will result in the groom being refused, and the cancellation policy above being applied. 

Our Groomers will always do what they can to be ready for the start of your dog’s appointment time. Sometimes however things do not go to plan, and we find we are running slightly late. If we are running a little late, your dog will still be given the full duration of their service booked and the groom will still be completed. If, however, we find are running significantly behind schedule, we will give you a courtesy call at our earliest convenience, to update you of the later time slot, or offer you an alternative appointment on a different day. If we offer you an alternative appointment, there will obviously be no charge made to you. 

Please try to arrive a couple of minutes before the start time of your dog’s grooming spa treatment. We understand however that sometimes things just do not go to plan, and you find yourself running late for your dog’s appointment. If this happens, please ring the store to update us of your expected arrival time. Your Groomer will then do their very best to complete as much of the service[s] booked as possible in the time left available to them. As we do not want to rush and/or stress your dog during the grooming process, your Groomer might not be able to complete the full service you originally booked for your dog. In the event that the groom cannot be completed in the time left, we will sadly still need to make a full charge, for reasons the same as the cancellation policy above. 

Please also  try to arrive on time to collect your dog after their grooming spa treatment booking – the collection time will be confirmed to you at check-in. If again you find you are running late, please call the store with as much notice as possible to update us of your expected arrival time. Please note that we do not have any kennel facilities, so whilst we will obviously look after your dog as best as we can, we are sadly really limited in our ability to do this. As a result, at the discretion of the business owner, we reserve the right to add an additional £10 charge for every 30 minutes that you are late in collecting your dog.

If the Lifestyle Store is closed when you arrive to drop off or collect your dog from their groom, please ring the white doorbell to the right of the front door - this will ring in the grooming spa to alert our Groomers that you are outside. Please note, if a Groomer has a dog on the table when you ring the bell, please give them time to bring that dog down off the table and safely secure them before coming to the door - this has to be done for the safety and welfare of the dog on the table, which cannot be left unattended.

Please ensure your dog has had a small drink of water and the opportunity to go to the toilet prior to their groom, as this will ensure their comfort and maximum enjoyment of their groom. 

To ensure your dog is kept as comfortable as possible during their grooming service[s], we will offer them water and will take them for a toilet break if we believe this is something they need. The Grooming Spa is fitted with air conditioning, which also ensures the salon area is kept nice and warm during the winter months, and nice and cool during the summer months.

As a  rule, we do not require up-front payment or deposits for our grooming services. To secure your dog’s grooming spa treatment booking, we do however kindly ask you to provide valid credit or debit card details please. These details are encrypted and stored securely on our booking system, and only the business owner has access to take payment using these details, if required. Please see our Cancellations Policy FAQ above for more details. 

For certain longer services, especially those requiring two Groomer's, we may ask for an up-front deposit, however this will be discussed with you at point of booking.

If your female dog comes into season, we kindly request that you contact us to re-arrange their appointment, in line with our Cancellation/Amendment/No Show Policy above. 

We are still able to groom your female dog if you notice they have come into season on the day of their appointment however, if possible, we strongly recommend that the appointment is rearranged for 2 reasons: 1.] Your dog may well feel “out of sorts” and generally not quite herself during her season, she will also be a lot more sensitive in certain areas, so may find elements of the groom uncomfortable and unenjoyable. 2.] The hormones released when a female dog is in season can have an unsettling and disruptive effect on any other male dogs [particularly entire males] in the salon at the same time. 

If you notice your female dog has come into season on the day of her appointment, please make sure you tell your Groomer at point of check-in, so that they can manage the groom and the other dogs in the salon accordingly.

In the interests of your dog’s welfare and the welfare of other dogs visiting the grooming spa, if you notice that your dog is unwell or has an infection on the day of their groom, please contact us at your earliest convenience to inform us of the situation. In order to protect your dog and prevent cross-contamination, we may need to cancel and rearrange the appointment. Whilst the business owner reserves the right to enforce the Cancellation Policy above, each circumstance will be handled compassionately and will be individually assessed based on the nature of your dog's ill health.

Please inform us of any medical conditions and/or recent surgery your dog might have had at point of booking. We can then make a note on our system, plan for any adjustments needed and care for your dog appropriately. 

If your dog does have a serious health condition, or has recently undergone surgery, we may need to ask for a letter from your vet, prior to your dog’s grooming spa treatment, to confirm that they are safe and/or ready to be groomed.

Please note, we are unable to groom dogs who have been microchipped within 48 hours prior to their grooming spa treatment, as to do so could cause your dog unnecessary discomfort and/or increased risk of site infection. Please therefore book/amend your dog’s grooming spa treatment to avoid them coming in within this window. Sadly, failure to do so will result in the groom being refused, and the Cancellation Policy above being applied. 

We take the care of your dog incredibly seriously whilst they are in our grooming salon. All our staff have been Canine First Aid trained and will do what they can to protect and preserve your pet's health.

If your dog is taken unwell, we may need to terminate the groom in the interests of their health and wellbeing. We will contact you immediately and request you collect your dog at your earliest convenience. Sadly, we will still need to charge the full treatment cost.

If your dog is taken seriously unwell during their groom, we will call you as a matter of urgency to inform you and request you come to collect your dog at your earliest convenience. If we believe your dog requires emergency vet treatment, we will also contact our official veterinary partner, Ryder Davies [Woodbridge,] for advice, which we will then follow. If you would prefer us to contact a different veterinary practice, please notify us on your dog's groom check-in form. Please note, any fees incurred from emergency vet treatment will remain your responsibility as the dog's owner.

We do sometimes use food-based treats during the groom process to distract and reward your dog during and after "trickier" tasks - whilst this will be covered on the groom check-in form, if your dog has an allergy to certain foods, please ensure your Groomer is made aware of this at check-in.

All the shampoos, cleaners and sprays in the grooming spa are natural, cruelty-free, vegan and made in the UK. If your dog has a skin condition, or very sensitive skin, please notify us on your dog's groom check-in form; please also let your Groomer know and they will use the specialist derma-sensitive shampoo on your dog. Equally, if your dog has a medicated shampoo, please bring this along to your appointment, and we will happily use this on your dog instead.

We will always groom your dog without the use of a muzzle if at all possible. If, however, your dog displays aggression towards their Groomer, for the safety of the Groomer and your dog, as a last resort, your dog will need to wear a muzzle. Once your dog is wearing a muzzle, if it becomes obvious that your dog is still showing signs of heightened aggression and/or is excessively anxious or distressed, we will need to terminate the groom for the welfare of your dog, and the safety of our groomers. Sadly, we will still need to charge the full treatment cost. 

If you do not wish for a muzzle to be used on your dog at all, please inform us as at check-in, and our Groomers will carry out the groom as far as possible without the use of a muzzle. If, however, the groom cannot be completed on this basis, sadly we will still need to charge the full treatment cost.

We want to try and accommodate grooming for every breed of dog as far as possible - we are currently checking with our insurers on this and will update our website accordingly ASAP.

We totally understand that some dogs suffer with anxiety and other behavioural conditions, and we will always do what we can to work with anxious and easily distressed dogs. If you know that your dog is affected in this way, please advise us at point of booking, as there are a number of options up-front that we can discuss, to increase the likelihood of the success of any grooming spa treatment subsequently booked.

Where a dog suffers with anxiety and other behavioural issues, this can significantly add to the treatment time needed. Our Groomer’s priority, to cause as little stress to your dog as possible, will be to work at your dog’s pace in such situations. Please therefore make us aware at point of booking, so that we can ensure adequate time is allowed for your dog's groom if they do suffer with anxiety or any other behavioural issues.

If your dog displays these behaviours and we have not been made aware of them prior to the appointment [and so not factored in the extra time needed], our Groomer will do their very best to complete as much of the service[s] as possible, in the time provided by the appointment booked. If the groom is not fully completed for these reasons, sadly we will still need to charge the full treatment cost. If a second appointment is required to finish off the grooming service, we will fit this into the diary for you as soon as we possibly can. Sadly, there will be a further charge for the second appointment, but this will be discussed with you at point of booking.

There are certain instances where 2 Groomers are required to groom your dog safely. These instances include: the size/weight of your dog and/or the management of any more challenging behaviours that your dog might display. In the event of 2 Groomers being required, your dog’s grooming treatment cost will be doubled, to cover the costs of both members of staff, and we may request an up-front deposit payment. We will however discuss all of this with you prior to you making a booking, so you are fully aware in advance of the costs involved.

We totally understand that some dogs are reactive towards other dogs, and we will always do what we can to work with reactive dogs. If you know that your dog is affected in this way, please advise us at point of booking, as there are a number of options up-front that we can discuss, to increase the likelihood of the success of any grooming spa treatment subsequently booked.

We have a private groom room, so if your dog is reactive towards other dogs, the majority of their groom will be carried out in this room to limit their interaction with any other dogs that might also be in the salon. There are also early morning and late afternoon appointments available, where fewer dogs should  be in the salon, so this option can be arranged also.

If your dog is reactive towards other dogs and we have not been made aware of any issues prior to the appointment, your Groomer will do their very best to complete as much of the service[s] as possible, whilst ensuring their personal safety, the safety of your dog and the safety of the other dogs in the salon. If the groom is not fully completed for these reasons, sadly we will still need to charge the full treatment cost. If a second appointment is required to finish off the grooming service, we will fit this into the diary for you as soon as we possibly can. Sadly, there will be a further charge for the second appointment, but this will be discussed with you at point of booking.

We currently have a maximum of three grooming diaries open, and aim to deliver all grooms in a calm and quiet environment for your dog. We also request that dogs arrive, and are collected on time for their appointments, to further limit the number of dogs in the salon.

No... your dog might be safely clipped to a bed at the rear of the salon just before or after their groom, however we do not use crates or cages in our Grooming Spa.

We can book grooming spa treatments for puppies from two weeks after they have had their final vaccinations. This ensures that your puppy is fully protected before entering the grooming spa. We also recommend that you start puppy grooming as soon as possible from this date [especially with breeds that need frequent grooming], as it helps to desensitise your puppy early on and ensure that grooming becomes an enjoyable part of their regular routine. 

The  weight of your dog cannot exceed 100kg, as this is the maximum weight limit that our grooming equipment can support safely.

In the interests of your dog’s safety and the safety of our Groomer's, for dogs weighing over 50kg, two Groomers might be required. Where two Groomers are required, your dog’s grooming treatment cost will be doubled, to cover the costs of both members of staff; we might also request an up-front deposit payment. We will however discuss all of this with you prior to you making a booking so you are fully aware, in advance, of the costs involved.

We love to take photos and videos of your dog to showcase our services for marketing and social media purposes, please note however neither your dog’s, nor your name will be mentioned. If you would rather your dog is not featured on our social media accounts, please let us know and we will happily respect this.

All personal details are held securely and confidentially on our electronic customer database and are only accessible by senior members of staff as/when necessary. All paper-based forms are stored in a locked cabinet, which again is only accessible by senior staff members.

We take our GDPR requirements and responsibilities very seriously and handle all your data [both electronic and paper-based] as required by Data Protection Law.

We will never sell your data, and we will not share your data with anyone outside The Haus of Dog Limited without your prior written consent, unless required to by law enforcement agencies.

Our aim is for you to love the groom and grooming service we have carried out for your dog. Your Groomer will always ask if you are happy with your dog’s groom at point of check-out. If you are unhappy with your dog’s groom, for any reason, please do let the Groomer know, and they will do what they can there and then, time-permitting, to resolve this for you. If the issue cannot be resolved in the time available, the business owner will contact you in a timely manner, to discuss the matter further and do everything we can to come up with a mutually satisfactory resolution plan.

Our good reputation is incredibly important to us, and we always try to deliver and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction. We understand however that occasionally we might get something wrong. If you feel the need to make a complaint about any matter relating to The Haus of Dog Limited, please first put this in writing to: contact@hausofdog.co.uk, enclosing photos of what you are referring to, where possible. Please come directly to us in the first instance, to give us the opportunity to resolve the matter – please do not just leave negative comments on social media platforms.

Please make contact within 24hrs of the event your complaint relates to, to enable us to deal with the matter as quickly as possible for you. The business owner will then fully investigate your complaint and respond in a timely manner. We maintain that we want all our customers to be really happy with the service[s] received at The Haus of Dog Limited, and we will always aim to bring about a mutually satisfactory resolution.

All Groomers employed by The Haus of Dog Limited will be qualified at City & Guilds Level 2 in Dog Grooming, or higher.

All staff employed by The Haus of Dog Limited receive Canine First Aid Training, delivered by a professional, external organisation. 

Comprehensive Health & Safety and Fire policies have been written for The Haus of Dog Limited, further details can be made available by written request to the business owner.

Whilst an exceptionally high level of care is taken of every dog who uses our services, all dogs left with The Haus of Dog Limited are left entirely at the owner’s risk.

Whilst we will always look after your dog’s personal items to the best of our ability, The Haus of Dog Limited cannot be held responsible for any damage to such items whilst in our grooming spa.

The Haus of Dog Limited is fully insured by Direct Line for Business.

The Haus of Dog Limited reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions, policies and contents on this page at any time.