VON PAWS

​​Communication:​​

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• Method of Communication: Texting is our method of communication. We do not accept phone calls. We will not sacrifice the safety of those on the road or the dogs in our care to answer the phone. Additionally, we have high volume schedules that do not permit time to be on the phone. If we had to stop and answer the phone every time someone called, we wouldn't have time to actually do our job. If you have questions, you can save yourself time by referencing our website. Many answers to common questions can be found here in the policies. Texts can only be received and returned during business hours.

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• Client Response Time Frame: When we reach out to you, you will have 5 business days to respond. Failure to respond past that time frame forfeits any reservation for an appointment.​

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Scheduling Appointments:

 

• Service Areas:  Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Centennial west of I-25,  Lakewood, Arvada, Wheatridge, Morrison, Golden, Indian Hills, Kittredge, Idaho Springs, Evergreen, Conifer, Pine Junction, and Bailey. ​

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• Latchkey Service: We happily provide latchkey service. Clients do NOT need to be home for appointments. We only need to be provided access to your dog. Please make sure your dog is contained somewhere we can easily and quickly access, such as a dog run, room, or kennel. We will need either a garage code, door code, or key. When we leave, we will return your dog where we found them and ensure to lock everything up. Utilizing the Latchkey service also frees you up from having to adjust your schedule to accommodate our appointments. The majority of our clients opt for Latchkey, and we'd be happy to provide references. ​​

 

• Holiday Booking: During the holiday months of November and December, we book up extremely quickly and have zero flexibility. Please plan ahead and book those holiday appointments a few months in advance. ​​​​​​​​​

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• Schedule Rotations:  All clients are required to be on rotations of either 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. ​

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• Wait Lists: A wait list is available if we are fully booked and you desire an appointment at or around a specific date.  Appointments are given on a first come, first serve basis for those on the wait list.

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• Running Late: We do our absolute best to maintain a punctual appointment schedule every day. However, factors beyond our control such as traffic, weather, equipment malfunctions, client distractions, or misbehaving dogs may sometimes cause us to run a little behind. We will always communicate with you if we are running late.

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• Weather Related Rescheduling: In the event of hazardous weather conditions such as icy roads, blizzards, high wind advisories, or temperatures below 20 degrees, we will need to reschedule your appointment. - We will not risk the integrity of our trailer (which is our livelihood), our personal safety, or your dog's safety when it comes to hazardous weather conditions. ​​​

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Cancelations, Rescheduling, and No-Shows:

 

• Cancelations and Rescheduling: If you need to cancel/reschedule an appointment (whether it's an entire appointment or singular dog from a group appointment), please contact us at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment date. If you need to reach us regarding a Monday appointment, please reach out *before* 5pm the Friday before as the phone line is off on weekends. ​​

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• Consequences: If you provide less than a 24 hour notice to cancel/reschedule or you/your dog was a no-show when we arrive to your appointment, you will be subject to either a $50 inconvenience fee or have to pay for the original full appointment price.

 

• Impact: Last minute cancelations/rescheduling and no-shows rob us of the time to make arrangements to fill your appointment slot with another client. - This is extremely unfair and inconsiderate to our other clients who have been patiently sitting on a waiting list. Additionally, please remember that your appointment slot is reserved exclusively for you. So when you cancel last minute/are a no show, we lose out on the income for that time and waste gas driving to your house - This drastically affects our financial ability to recover.  As a small business, we greatly rely on every appointment so we can provide for our families and cover business overhead costs. While certain emergencies can be waived, simply forgetting about the appointment or failing to manage your own personal schedule is not grounds for exemption. ​

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Pricing and Payment:

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• Accepted Forms of Payment: We only accept cash, check, Venmo, and credit cards. Additional processing fees apply to credit cards. Clients are welcome to keep credit cards on file and opt for automatic payments.

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• Payment Due By: Payment is due in full and on the day of service. If payment is not received on the day of service, there will be a $50 fee added to the bill for each day of missed payment. After 7 days of nonpayment, your bill along with the incurred late fees, will be transferred to collections and we will file charges for theft of services. 

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• Tips: Tips are not required, however are always appreciated. ​​

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• Pricing and Price Changes: Pricing depends on each dog's breed, behavior, health, age, weight, coat type, and initial coat condition. Prices are subject to change due to a variety of factors such as inflation, overhead costs, and any changes to your dog's schedule rotation, behavior, coat condition, and/or health. Annual price adjustments can vary between $5-$60. We will always notify owners of any price changes before their dog's appointment.

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• No Price Negotiations: Mobile grooming is a luxury convenience service. We have meticulously calculated our prices to be both competitive for our area and cover our overhead expenses. Our prices are firm and reflect the quality, experience, and talent of our service. We do not "price match" or negotiate. Clients who do not respect this, will be denied service. 

 

Client Punctuality: 

 

• Consequences: As stated above, we are a latchkey business. - You are not obligated to be home for appointments - as long as you provide us with a way to get your dog from the house. However, if you choose to be home/meet with us for appointments to let us in, you MUST be on time to the appointment.  If you are late, you may be subject to a $50 inconvenience fee or have to reschedule your appointment.  

 

Canine Handling:  

 

• Restraining: We will ONLY use a slip lead and grooming loop to walk, control, and secure your dog. We will NOT use your dog’s leash, collar, or harness as these tools are not always secure or appropriate in controlling a dog. This is state law.

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• Muzzles: Muzzles may be used if necessary as a safety precaution for both dog and groomer.

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Owner Interference and Distractions:

 

• No owners in trailer: For insurance, safety, and biosecurity reasons, owners are not permitted inside of the trailer.

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• Interference: In order for us to provide your dog with a *safe and enjoyable* experience, it is imperative that our work is not interfered with. There is no need for owners to be involved or assist in the grooming process. This is especially pertinent if your dog is anxious or being stubborn. In order for us to help your dog work through their fear and keep them safe, we need their full attention on us. Codling your dog, giving them treats, and baby talking to them when they are anxious will only reinforce and reward their negative or fearful behavior. It can also give them confusing mixed signals about what they are being asked to do. - It will only cause them to become frustrated and increasingly uncooperative.

 

• Distractions: If you choose to be home during appointments, we kindly ask that you remain inside of your house and out of your dog’s range of sight and hearing for the *entire* grooming process. This includes coming outside to talk to the groomer or to "check on" your dog. If a dog sees or hears their owner, they can become highly excitable, anxious, and uncooperative. A dog that is acting up in an environment with sharp tools can lead to them getting hurt, people getting hurt, and broken equipment. This makes the grooming process nearly impossible to continue in a safe and timely manner. Disturbing us/knocking on the door can also startle either us or your dog. And again, that can be dangerous if either of us jump when we have extremely sharp tools near your dog's skin. Or, it can cause us to have to take our attention off of your dog. And often, all it takes is a few seconds where an unattended dog could jump off the grooming table and seriously injure itself. If you would like real time updates on how your dog is doing in the trailer, we are happy to send photos and videos. ​

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• Consequences: If you insist on interrupting or creating distractions during your dog's appointment, we will stop the grooming process, even if we are not finished, and you will be charged for the full service.

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Matted Dogs: ​​​

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• Matted Dogs:  Many dog breeds were developed by mankind with unnatural and non-self-regulating coats. This means it is the owner’s sole responsibility to properly care for and maintain the coat. Your dog is completely reliant upon you to provide it with a quality of life. Brushing the coat TO THE SKIN will prevent matts. Hair type that is curly or is double coated will require more frequent assistance from you compared to a dog with a short or smooth coat. You should expect to consistently and thoroughly brush your dog 1-3 times a week. Matts start at the base of the hair shaft. Over time, they pull the skin up into the knots, twisting and pinching it. This  restricts blood flow and air from reaching the skin. This in turn causes your dog to be in pain, who may then express reactive or aggressive behavior. Heavy matting can also trap moisture and urine near the dog’s skin, allowing mold, fungus, or bacteria to grow, and/or revealing skin irritations that existed prior to the grooming process. Parasites such as fleas, ticks, maggots, and mites also thrive in mats. Mats can be extremely difficult or even impossible to remove with a brush. Attempting to simply brush out mats is not only futile, it would be immensely traumatic, time consuming, and harmful for your dog. It would completely destroy your dog’s flesh. In addition, de-matting can also cause dogs to develop aggression, anxiety, and stress towards being groomed. You wouldn’t be happy either if your skin was being torn apart. So, in order for your dog to avoid unneeded agony, shaving is the ONLY humane option. This is the last resort. Groomers do not enjoy shaving dogs. It is literally a back breaking process. Furthermore, the dirt, oil, and debris trapped in matts can damage expensive grooming equipment. With that in mind, please know that we do not want your dog shaved any more than you do. We would love to have your dog keep a long and fluffy coat. That would be significantly easier on us and make your dog much happier. However, that can’t happen if your dog is matted. When we shave your dog, it is not because we are “lazy” or “don’t care”. It’s the absolute opposite. We shave your dog because we are concerned more about your dog’s health and well-being, than its vanity. Think of maintaining your dog's coat like you would your own dental care. - Brushing your teeth on a regular basis is an important part of routine dental care. Otherwise, neglecting to brush your teeth will land you with cavities and gum disease, which can be costly, painful, and time consuming to correct. Likewise, brushing your dog on a regular basis is an important part of routine coat care. Otherwise, neglecting to brush your dog will land them with mats and skin infections, which can be costly, painful, and time consuming to correct.  We are always happy to educate owners and show them the tools and techniques for properly caring for their dog's coat. However, if you frequently choose to neglect your dog's coat care *after we have provided education*, we will decline future services. ​​​​​

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• After affects of mat removal: Despite it being the most humane option, and no matter how careful and experienced your groomer is, shaving out mats can pose inherent safety risks. Because dogs with mats are already in pain, they do not want to be touched. So they are rarely compliant in standing still. A dog that is thrashing around while sharp objects are being used around them can create a dangerous situation. It is rare, however accidents can happen. After-effects of mat removal can include cuts, itchiness, redness, self-inflicted irritations, abrasions, or failure of hair to regrow properly. Removing the mats can also expose bruises, infections, and wounds that were caused from the mats themselves. If the mats were cutting off circulation, especially in areas such as the ears, legs, and tail, then hematomas may also form if blood supply rushes back to those areas too quickly. In some cases, dogs may also exhibit brief behavioral changes after mats have been shaved out (they are feeling air against their skin for the first time in a long time, and it may make them temporarily act a bit "off" while they adjust to the new sensation).

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• Vet Care: Owners are responsible for any veterinary care caused from the mats themselves and/or from mat removal. 

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• Added fees for mat removal: We charge $2 a minute for mat removal.

 

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Poodle Mixes: 

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• Not Accepted: We no longer accept poodle mixes (aka doodles) - of any type. We are happy to refer doodle owners to other groomers. Thank you for your understanding.​​ 

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All-Over Haircuts

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• Not Accepted at This Time: All-Over/breed standard haircuts are temporarily not accepted at this time due to time constraints. Right now, we are only accepting dog breeds that do not require full body haircuts.

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Allergic Reactions:

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• Reaction Care: We take great care in selecting high quality products that are safe, gentle, pH balanced, and veterinary approved for your dog's skin and coat.  However, every dog's body and immune system is unique, so unpredictable reactions can occur. If your dog has a reaction to a grooming product, please make us aware of it within 24hrs of their appointment. All medical expenses for veterinary care due to the reaction will be covered by the dog’s owner.

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Parasite and Pathogen Protocols:

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• Vaccination Requirements: As required by state law, owners must provide us with a record of current rabies certificate for dogs over 16 weeks old and current Distemper, Parvo, and Bordetella vaccines for dogs over 8 weeks old. Dogs may be exempted from vaccine requirements if a licensed veterinarian signs a statement explaining that the vaccine(s) would endanger the dog's life. Titer tests are not considered an exemption. Dogs that are not up to date on the required vaccines will be denied service.

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Canine Behavior and Medical Disclaimers:

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• Dogs with Behavior Problems:  Please notify us *before* your dog's appointment if they have any behavior problems. Behavior problems can include and are not limited to; lack of basic obedience and socialization training, separation anxiety, irritability, protectiveness, possessiveness, hyperactivity, cognitive dysfunction, dog aggression, fear aggression, predatory aggression, play aggression, idiopathic aggression, or exaggerated fear responses towards stimuli (such as loud noises, water, being touched all over their body, having something around their neck, etc.).  It's important to understand that dogs need to be trained for grooming. They are not born automatically knowing what grooming is or how to react to it. Dogs with behavior problems especially, could find the tools, environment, and sensations difficult, frightening, overwhelming, or even threatening. Behavior problems are safety problems. If an unpredictable or out of control dog is placed in an environment with sharp tools, it can lead to them getting hurt, people getting hurt, and broken equipment.  Injuries that misbehaving dogs could inflict upon themselves during grooming include; cuts and scrapes from slamming into clippers or shears, quicked nails from thrashing around during nail clipping, blown out blood vessels in the eyes or tracheal injuries from straining against the grooming loop or slip lead, joint sprains from violently jumping around, or damage to their mouths from biting at brushes, clippers, or shears. Misbehaving dogs can also cause injuries to groomers including sprains, torn ligaments or muscles, broken bones, hemorrhages, or bite wounds to hands and arms that could be career ending.  We do not want any injuries to occur, to either us or your dog. So we will not force your dog to endure anything past their personal limitations. Otherwise, forcing dogs beyond what they can handle will make their behavior problems significantly worse and unsafe.  Sometimes this means that your dog cannot have a complete grooming service. However, that doesn't mean that they can't be trained and eventually capable of handling a full service appointment in the future. If this is the case and your dog cannot be calm, comfortable, and cooperative, we will devote the first few appointments to addressing their behavioral needs. We will work on teaching them to trust us, the techniques, tools, and stimuli of grooming. Teaching a dog to first control their reactions and learn that the world is not scary, needs to happen before they get thrown into a trigger stacking situation. This ensures that every grooming appointment going forward, for the rest of their life, can be safe and complete. The process of training can take some time (there are no quick miracle fixes. Rushing or cutting corners will only get us to the wrong place faster). It's better to have a few unfinished grooming appointments at first, than an injured and traumatized dog that will never able to be safely groomed. We are also happy to provide owners with resources and local trainer referrals to help them work with their dog's behavior at home. 

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• Dogs with Health Conditions:  Please notify us *before* your dog's appointment of any pre-existing health conditions. Such conditions can be and are not limited to; a history of seizures, allergies, respiratory conditions, heart conditions, blindness, deafness, difficulty standing or walking, cancer, active infections, arthritis, matted coat, diabetes, abscesses, incontinence, dietary restrictions, recent surgeries, open wounds, lumps and bumps, hypothyroidism, lupus, leukemia, lymphoma, dementia, bone deformities or diseases, or damaged muscles, ligaments, tendons, or nerves.  If your dog's medical condition is too advanced, limiting, or risky, we may have to decline service.

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• Withholding or Falsifying Information About Your Dog: If owners withhold or falsify information about their dog's known behavior and/or health, and something happens to either your dog or us as a result, the owner will be held liable and have to pay for any medical treatment and/or broken equipment. 

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• Emergency Vet Care: In the event of a medical emergency during grooming, we will immediately return the dog to the owner if they are home. If owners are not home, owners provide Von Paws full authorization to attempt resuscitation and/or seek medical treatment from nearest veterinarian. All medical expenses that may incur during and after grooming, including from the dog being matted, senior, having pre-existing conditions, or unforeseeable conditions will be the sole responsibility of the owner. 

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• Incomplete Service: In the event your dog becomes too stressed, dangerous, or unwell in the middle of their grooming appointment, we will cease service and you will only be charged for what was done up until that point. 

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Tranquilizers & Sedatives:

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• Medication Administration: We will not administer any tranquilizers or sedatives to your dog. Please let us know before grooming if you or your vet has administered any tranquilizers or sedatives. 

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Photography:

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• Photo Release: Clients release authorization to Von Paws to take photos of their dog(s) for client files, business website, and social media pages. All photos taken are the property of Von Paws. Client's personal information will not be shared or sold. 

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Owner Disclaimers:​​

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• Humanity Over Vanity: Your dog's safety and comfort will always be our first priority. Making owners happy is our second priority. This means that owners may not always get what they want in terms of their dog's appearance. We will never force a dog to endure a stressful, painful, or traumatic experience just to make their owner happy. If you are unwilling to accept this and care more about your dog's appearance than it's safety, we are not the groomer for you.

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• Owner Concerns: If you have a concern or special request, please communicate it to us (and please do so with composure and grace). We are always happy to answer questions, cater to special requests, and offer solutions to dilemmas (as long as they do not compromise safety, work efficiency, or the integrity of our equipment). If you have concerns about a recent grooming appointment, please bring it to our attention within 24 hours after your dog has been groomed. We cannot fix mistakes past the 24 hour time frame as we have no control over the environment your dog is exposed to once out of our care. We also cannot fix mistakes if concerns are never even communicated to us in the first place. So please, feel free to reach out if you ever need anything from us. 

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• Refusal of Service: We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, for any reason, and at any time. Not every dog or dog owner will be a good fit for us, especially if they compromise our safety, integrity, equipment, and/or work efficiency. We also have a strict zero tolerance policy for rudeness, entitlement, aggressive demands, blatant accusations, bullying, and belittling. We will immediately fire and block a client who feels the need to treat anyone employed with Von Paws with less than basic respect. 

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Referrals:

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• Giving Out Referrals: We love referrals! However, we kindly ask that clients do NOT share the business phone number to referrals. Instead, we ask that clients please direct referrals to our website. Because our work hours are focused on providing full attention to the dogs in our care and driving to appointments, we are not able to take phone calls. We also do not want referrals calling the business number at inappropriate hours or wasting time if they are not a good fit for us. By directing referrals to our website, they can read over our requirements and policies, find answers to their questions, and give us all of the necessary information we need by filling out the contact form. This helps save a tremendous amount of time, keep client information organized, and effectively weed out people who are not a good fit for us. 

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• Referral Discounts: To show our appreciation, current clients will receive a $10 discount for every referral that leads to a booked appointment. 

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Liabilities: 

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• Release: Clients understand and agree to release and hold harmless Von Paws, its owner, employees and affiliates from and against any and all liabilities, expenses, damages, and costs, including reasonable attorney fees, resulting from any service provided or injury including death to your pet(s) whether in our care or after our services have been completed.

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• Legal Ownership: Clients attest that they are the rightful and legal owners of the dogs for which services are being rendered​​​​​​.