Grooming & Wash Policies

Thanks for selecting That Dirty Dog for your pet’s grooming needs. To ensure we are able to make all of our guests (pets and pet owners) experience as positive and memorable as possible, we’d like to make you aware of our store policies and thank you in advance for your support of them:

Full-service grooming appointments: All appointments need to be made for full-service grooming services by calling (978) 248-8300.
Self-service dog wash: No appointment is required for the self-service dog wash – it is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Full-service appointment on-time arrivals: All clients receive appointment confirmation and reminders messages via email and/or text including the date and time of their pet’s appointment. Each day’s schedule is created based on a combination of dog breed, dog size and the amount of work required to groom each pet. Late arrivals are disruptive to the schedule, therefore on-time arrivals are expected for all appointments. Any arrival of more than 15 minutes past the scheduled appointment time, the appointment may need to be rescheduled to the next available date. The groomer will determine what is possible based on the day’s schedule and the time it takes to groom each pet. Repeat offenses may result in a $15 late fee and/or the denial of future services.
Full-service appointment cancellation/no notification: Reminders are sent via email and/or text 24 hours prior to each appointment. If you are not able to make your appointment at the set date/time, you must cancel it a minimum of 24 hours in advance, or once you receive the reminder. If the appointment is NOT cancelled 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment or NO prior notice is provided, 100% of the grooming services booked for that day will be charged and a credit card will be put on file for future appointments. Repeat offenses may result in the denial of future services.
Full-service appointment vaccinations: For the safety of all pets, our staff and any others visiting That Dirty Dog, we require all animals to be current on their rabies vaccination. Proof of vaccination is required if one of our groomers performs any services for your pet and needs to be sent prior to any pet’s grooming appointment. Vets can email us a copy of the records at [email protected] or they can be photo text to (978) 248-8300. If your dog’s shot has expired or if we are unable to get a hold of your veterinarian, we will be unable to groom your pet on that day due to safety reasons.
Full-service appointment de-matting: The removal of mats can be painful and distressing to a pet as most mats start at the skin therefore de-matting can pull at their skin causing their discomfort. If your pet has mats at the time of their appointment, the groomer will attempt to remove the mats if it can be done in a humane manner and the pet is tolerant of the de-matting process. However, if extensive de-matting is required and/or the pet will not tolerate the de-matting process, the groomer will remove the mats using clippers that is less painful for them and will likely result in a shorter length coat. All owners will be notified of this approach either when they drop off their pet or once the groomer is able to do a full evaluation. The owner’s consent to take this course of action will be requested (verbal or written.) If the owner’s does not provide their consent, the pet will not be de-matted and will go home as is. Additional situations when de-matting will not be attempted is with elderly pets, puppies or pets with pelted coats. In all of these situations, the pet will be fully shaved to remove all the matting so as not to stress out these higher risk pets. Please note: de-matting charges are in addition to regular grooming charges, as any de-matting or pre-clipping due to excessive matting or ‘pelting’ requires considerably more labor as well as product/equipment wear and tear.
Full-service appointment medication/special handling: Some pets may be on medication prescribed by a veterinarian or via holistic care and/or require special handling for a variety of reasons. All medications must be disclosed while booking your grooming appointment. If during the grooming process, the groomer feels the safety and health of the pet and/or their personal safety is at risk, the grooming process will be stopped no matter where they are in the grooming process and the owner will be contacted. If the pet is experiencing health related concerns and the owner/approved proxy is not able reachable within the time deemed or can’t arrange for an immediate pick up, the pet will be taken to the closest veterinarian for immediate medical attention. The owner will be notified of what veterinarian responsible for picking up the dog at that location and any fees charged by said veterinarian.
Full-service appointment and Self-service dog wash Illnesses: For the protection of all our pet guests, we reserve the right to deny any pets that are positive for contagious illnesses (e.g. giardia), internal parasites (e.g. tapeworms), and/or currently being treated for any such condition until they have a clean bill of health. If during their grooming/bathing appointment they show signs of this, we will immediately contact you to pick them up as soon as possible.
Full-service appointment and Self-service dog wash heat cycles: All female pets not yet spayed and are in a ‘heat’ cycle will be rescheduled for a future date when they have finished their cycle. On average a heat cycle can last up to 3 weeks and occurs every 6-8 months.
Full-service appointment and Self-service dog wash dog aggression: We work hard to provide a low stress setting for all our guests (2 and 4 legged), but if your pet becomes aggressive or very stressed out, we will stop the grooming and contact you to pick up your pet. You will be charged based on what has been completed by this time. If your dog becomes aggressive while using the self-service dog wash, you will be requested to remove your pet and would be charged the full price of the self-service bath.
Full-service appointment fleas and ticks: For full-service grooming appointments, we will treat and remove any fleas and ticks off your pet if we notice this while bathing or grooming and there will be an added cost. We need to have added safety of our other pet clients and their owners so this adds extra time and effort to the normal grooming and/or bathing process.
Full-service appointment pick up time: We are not equipped or licensed to be a pet boarder/kennel, so pick up is expected for your pet within 30 minutes of our contacting you once your pet is finished with its grooming appointment. There are situations when arrangements for a later pick up can be made when booking your appointment, but these need to be agreed upon at the time of booking. If your pet is not picked up prior to the store’s posted closing time or agreed upon time at the time of booking, you will be charged a non-negotiable $50 fee due to staff having to stay extended hours.