When booking your first visit to our grooming parlour, the easiest and most efficient way for us to get all the right information is to fill out the questionnaire on the website. This will also allow you to pay for and secure your booking. Upon the first visit, one of our groomers will spend a couple of minutes with you to find out what your ideal style is for your dog, and how we go about the grooming process.

The information completed on the website is required to make sure we know everything necessary about your pet to ensure a stress free groom. A photograph pre and post grooming may be taken for comparison of ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures, and may be used on our Facebook page or website.

A general health check takes place prior to any groom by our groomers, however if during bathing or grooming we find anything that we are concerned about we will inform you before we start the groom as long as we are able to get a hold of you or your emergency contact. If we deem the health of the pet is in a state where urgent attention is needed, we will give you a call right away, and may take the pet directly to your preferred / the closest vet.

If your pet has fleas we will immediately isolate the pet and treat it with Capstar. There is an additional charge for this of R250 as it is then necessary for us to not only kill the fleas on your dog but also to de-fog and treat the whole area where your pet has been to prevent any of the fleas getting on our other customers’ pets. 

All pets must be up-to-date with vaccinations, worm and flea treatments prior to grooming, and if requested, vaccination reports must be produced showing up-to-date vaccinations.

Please understand that the price given on the website or over the phone is the basic price for the size, hair length and style. It is possible when you bring your pet in and after the pre-grooming assessment the price might change. We do ask for information on the condition of their coat and if they are difficult to handle during the grooming process but if this information is not added on booking, there will be an additional charge. We reserve the right to alter the price given these circumstances.
 
When your pet comes in for grooming the basic price includes a bath using the best quality earth and pet friendly shampoo and deep conditioning treatment. Short haired pets will be towel dried and medium to long haired pets will be blow dried and then they will be styled to your requirements. They will have their nails cut if necessary, ears and teeth cleaned.

Our groomers have been trained to perform anal gland expressions upon request, or if we notice an expression is needed. There is a surcharge for this service. Our groomers will do their best to express as much as possible, but cannot guarantee that the glands will be completely cleared. The bum area might also be a little red or swollen after the expression, as it is an invasive procedure.

Ear plucking is an extremely painful procedure for dogs, and is not recommended unless absolutely needed. There is a surcharge for this. Ear plucking can further irritate an ear canal already prone to irritation and lead to ear problems that may not have occurred otherwise. Plucking the hair from a dog’s ear canal leaves microscopic openings – essentially, tiny wounds – in the skin where bacteria can settle more easily. Additionally, because dogs generally don’t like the feeling of hair being plucked out of their ears and plucking can leave the skin irritated, a dog may be more likely to scratch at their ears and shake their heads, which will only make any ear problem worse. 
 
When performing ear plucking we do our absolute best to make the procedure as painless for the dog as possible. We use a local anesthetic powder on the ear to lessen the pain, and only our most senior groomers perform this procedure. Despite this, we cannot guarantee a pain free experience, or a lack of other problems post plucking.

It is the owner’s duty to care for their pet and to maintain their pet's coat frequently – either by grooming the pet themselves or committing to professional grooming.
 
Although, we afford all care and attention during this process, some minor irritation, marking or shaving rash may occur – which does not require veterinary treatment and which usually settles within a day or so. Application of Aloe Vera Gel or Germolene a few times per day should relieve any discomfort until the skin settles.
 
Clipping may also reveal embedded grass seeds, which may have grown into your pet’s skin or paw pads. This could cause abscesses and must be treated by a vet. You will be advised on collection of what the state of the skin has been found to be.
 
Shaved pets are also prone to sunburn and should either have sunscreen applied daily or should be kept out of the sun until the hair grows sufficiently to protect the skin.
 
In some cases pets may also exhibit brief behavioural changes. This is because the skin feels strange to the animal post shave as you have removed their sense of comfort and protection. This behaviour is usually temporary and can be relieved easily by putting on a ComfiCoat / ThunderShirt, or their winter coasies for a couple of days.
 
Please keep in mind that your pet may not sit still for the duration of the shave, and we can only do our best. It may be necessary  to stop the groom at any point if your pet is distressed, and for you to return in a couple of days to finish when your pet is more relaxed so we can finish the groom.
You agree that when you hand over your pet to us for grooming that the groomer will not be held liable or responsible for irritation, abrasion, shaving rash, patchiness or other hair loss as a result of the process of grooming, de-matting, thinning, stripping, or shaving or any mishap caused by your non-disclosure of your pets medical condition or behaviour.

At Animal Think Tank our primary focus is on the welfare and happiness of your pet. That being said, a matted pet has to be carefully inspected to check for the following:

• Will it be possible to remove knots and matting without causing pain to the animal.
• If not, we are able to cut out matts that are not too close to the skin, however, this may leave the pet slightly patchy, and a follow-up groom may be required to even out the fur once it has grown out enough, and any irritation on the skin from the dematting procedure has subsided.
• If the matts are so severe and close to the skin that none of the above is possible, it will be in the best interest of your pet to be shaven. We will get in touch with you before doing this, however, we will stress the urgency and importance of the shave to prevent further pain or discomfort to your pet.

As we are a registered member of the British Dog Groomers Association, we vow to comply with the UK Animal Welfare Act of 2006 when deciding on the best action to take in the case of severe matting.

 
If shaving is carried out in your pets best interests and you have agreed this course of action then you understand these risks may occur and we are not liable for any of the above problems experienced by shaving.
 
Removal of the matting may also reveal skin irritations caused by moisture trapped near the pet’s skin which is commonly referred to as hot spots. The after effects of mat removal procedures can include itchiness, skin redness, self-inflicted irritations or abrasions and failure of the hair to re-grow.

Health and safety is our highest priority for both groomer and pets during the grooming process. It is your duty to inform us prior to grooming if your pet has previously bitten someone, is reactive, has been muzzled previously during grooming or any other behavioural traits that might be of concern. 
 
We might stop the grooming process if we feel your pet’s behaviour is compromising their safety or the safety of our groomers, and you will be requested to collect your pet unfinished. The full charge of the groom could apply. We can suggest a salon exclusive groom where you are present to assist the groomers with the behavioural traits.

If any veterinary assistance is required during the grooming process and we are not able to contact you, Animal Think Tank will take your pet directly to the closest vet - if your preferred vet is not within 5 km of our premises - for treatment. This will be for your expense.

Elderly, obese and distressed pets often need a break in the grooming process to toilet or just to have a stretch. This could mean your pet is with us for a longer period of time and you might have to wait a while if you collect before receiving our call to let you know they are finished.

You are responsible for letting us know in advance if your pet is ill. We will not allow sick animals on the property and thus will not groom any sick pets. If your pet is chronically ill, we may be able to do a home groom, however, this is at our discretion.

There is plenty of car parking space at the front of the salon. Please stop at reception to announce your arrival and then drive up to the grooming salon area. If your pet is reactive in any way, please leave them in the car and walk up to the grooming parlour gate to ask for assistance, as we have dogs roaming free on our property. Please wait for the groomers to confirm that you may enter through the gates, as there may be pets that are roaming free in the grooming parlour, and could get out. Please make sure that you are on time to collect your pet. We will do our best to let you know as soon as your pet’s grooming has been completed. Should you choose to leave your pet for longer, or fail to collect in a timely manner, a charge will be incurred for daycare.

As we can only take a certain number of appointments every day, a minimum of 12 hours notice is required when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment. If this is not done then 60% of the grooming fee will be charged. Please send us a message or an email cancelling your appointment. Cancellations by phone call will not be accepted, and if you want to reschedule please make a booking at https://attgroup.co.za.

Upon collection of your pet from grooming please perform a thorough inspection of the pet to determine if you are satisfied with the groom. If you are unhappy with the groom please let us know before you leave the property so we can resolve the issue before you leave, and to shorten the time needed to correct the groom. You will not be charged additionally should one of our managers deem that the fault of the groom was as a result of negligence from a groomer. Should the issue not be resolved you are required to send us a photo within 2 (two) hours of the groom so we can take up the issue with our groomers. All complaints must be made in writing within 4 hours and addressed to on@attgroup.co.za. Please allow us the opportunity to address and fix the problem with you directly before posting it on social media or giving us a bad review. Sometimes accidents happen, and we would much rather assist you directly to get the problem resolved.
 
We have been involved over the years in many aspects of the animal care world and are proud members of the Pet Industries Federation, the British Dog Groomers Association, The Pet Professional Guild and the South African Pet Groomers Association.
 
Please see our membership numbers for the various associations:
Pet Industries Federation (PIF): 
The British Dog Groomers Association: 
The Pet Professional Guild: 
The South African Pet Groomers Association: