Most grooming injuries come from dogs the salon already knew were difficult. The policy isn’t about being heartless — it’s about being honest with yourself, your groomers, and the client about what’s safe and what’s not.
A bite that breaks skin is a workers comp claim, a 2-week off-table absence for the groomer, possible legal exposure, and a hit to your insurance premium. Even a near-miss creates groomer anxiety that affects every other dog they handle that day. The cost of "just trying" with an aggressive dog is wildly higher than the revenue from the groom.
Standard muzzle fee: $15 added to the groom. Justifies the extra time and care. Add a separate "two-handler fee" of $25 for dogs that can’t be safely handled solo. Be transparent about both at booking. Clients who can’t accept transparent fees on a difficult dog are clients you do not want.
Some dogs require a second person to hold while the primary groomer works. This is non-negotiable for safety. Schedule these dogs at times when a second handler is available. Don’t try to solo a two-handler dog because the schedule got tight.
The injury that ended a groomer’s career on our floor came from a dog we’d been "managing" for six months. The signs were always there.
Script: "I appreciate you trusting us with [dog name]. After our assessment today, I don’t feel we can safely complete the groom without putting [dog name] or our team at risk. I’d like to refer you to [vet/sedation groomer] who can complete the work safely. We’d be happy to see [dog name] back when [specific condition is met]." Firm, kind, specific.
For any dog in the difficult tier, get a signed waiver acknowledging muzzle use, two-handler grooming, possible early termination, and the no-refund-for-refusal clause. Have your insurance broker review the waiver language. This is not the place to be DIY-legal.
Three strikes: (1) bite or attempted bite during the groom, (2) consistent escalation despite muzzle/handler protocols, (3) groomer reports they don’t feel safe. Any of those three = permanently declined, with a referral to a sedation groomer. Document every incident in writing.
Pair this with smart scheduling so high-difficulty dogs land on tier-3+ groomers and a clear vaccine policy so you have records on file in the worst case.
Animal Friends OS lets you tag dogs with difficulty tiers, auto-attach the waiver, and surface alerts at booking. See grooming software.
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