vaccination policy

RABIES AND DISTEMPER VACCINATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL SERVICES

BORDETELLA VACCINATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR BOARDING SERVICES

(we also highly recommend Bordetella vaccinations for grooming services - if your dog displays any signs of kennel cough he/she will need to go home immediately)

Ontario law requires your pet to be vaccinated against rabies. As such, proof of vaccination will be required for all pets that receive services. Failure to provide proof of vaccination will result in refusal of services. 

The only exceptions to this is: 

- puppy owners do not need to provide proof of vaccination prior to the age of 16 weeks 

- we will accept titer tests completed by a licensed veterinarian within the last 12 months demonstrating adequate antibody levels against the virus 

Additional notes; 

- due to vaccination limitations with wolf hybrids, these pets will not be accepted for any services

- a rabies tag on a pet's collar is not acceptable proof of vaccination

- self administed vaccinations will not be accepted 

- all rabies vaccinations and titer tests must be administered by a licensed veterinarian 

Dogs that are too large to be carried safely must be healthy and confident enough to be able to go up and down a flight of stairs for the scheduled grooming appointment. I release Love at First Bark, it’s owner operator, and any employees from any and all liability for damage, loss or injury that might be revealed, aggravated, caused, or worsened by navigating the stairs and entering the salon space. 

One of the benefits of getting your dog groomed at Love at First Bark is that we aim to complete your dog as efficiently as possible with few to no dogs sitting and waiting for their service. Drop off times are set at specific times to keep the flow of dogs moving and the number of dogs in our care to a minimum. 

*Please be ready to drop off your dog at your appointment time and be on call for pick up. We can provide an estimate for your pick up time at the appointment booking and another estimate at drop off. Dogs are unpredictable and things change day to day and hour to hour so pick up times are always an estimate. We will always put the dog's needs first and scheduling second. If you have any restrictions for pick up, please let us know at the time of booking your appointment or as soon as possible prior to your appointment. We will always do what we can if it does not affect other appointments.

General times to expect: 

- small haircut dogs: 1.5 to 2 hours

- medium haircut dogs: 1.5 to 2.5 hours

- large haircut dogs: 2 to 3 hours 

- short hair dogs: 1 to 1.5 hours 

- thick double coated dogs: 1.5 to 3 hours

- overdue dogs: almost always result in extra time 

While your groomer will always use care and caution during the grooming process, there are some risks  associated with shaving a pet’s coat especially if it is in poor condition. Your dog’s comfort is always our top priority and mats will not be brushed out unless it can be done without causing stress to your dog. Additional charges will be applied appropriately for matted pets.  

Shaving risk examples:  

• Without the protection of the coat, dogs can loose their ability to regulate their body  temperature as well as may get sunburned easily  

• Dramatic differences in your dog’s coat length can also cause dogs to feel and behave out of  the ordinary  

• Shaving may reveal pre-existing skin conditions (eg. red, irritated, swollen, or cracked skin)  

• Underlying medical conditions may cause issues with hair re-growth 

• If the presence of fleas or other pests are revealed during the groom additional costs will be  applied  

• A matted coat can conceal the presence of moles, scabs or other conditions on the skin that  can be cut or nicked accidentally 

• The process necessary to remove a matted coat may aggravate your pet’s skin or cause  reactions such as hot spots, irritated/sensitive skin, odd behaviour, self-inflicted  irritations/abrasions or hematomas.  

Care needed after grooming a matted dog:  

• For dogs that shed the coat will have less ability to shed naturally so weekly brushing will help  support the regrowth 

• Regular bathing is important to help keep the skin and hair follicles clean while the coat grows  back 

• Sunscreen or avoidance of direct sunlight may be necessary to avoid sunburns  

• In cold weather, a coat and boots may be necessary to maintain body temperature 

At Love at First Bark we schedule all appointments at specific times in order to manage the flow of our furry clients coming and going. We understand that sometimes appointments need to be rescheduled. If this is needed please give us a minimum of 24 hours notice so that we may replace your spot with someone on our waitlist. 

Arriving to your appointment late also has a dramatic impact on the flow of dogs coming and going so we can only accommodate dogs that arrive on time. If you arrive late we may have to reschedule your appointment. Please call or text ahead if this is the case so we can do our best to accommodate. 

Rescheduling or cancelling with less then 48 hours notice will result in a fee of 50% of your booked appointment. A second occurrence will result in a fee of 100%. 

Not showing up for your scheduled time will result in a charge of the full price of your appointment to be paid prior to rescheduling. 

ONE TIME FREE PASS:

We do understand that life happens and to show our appreciation for our clients we have a one time pass for rescheduling and late arrivals. This however, does not apply to not showing up for an appointment. 

We also understand the risk associated with driving in poor weather. If it is unsafe to drive to or from your appointment there is no fee to reschedule if we are contacted at least 15 minutes before your appointment.  

Examples of conditions that may make driving dangerous include snow, fog, ice, or heavy rain. Every effort will be made to reschedule your groom as soon as possible.