These policies keep every dog safe and let us run a calm, kennel-free salon. Please read through before your first appointment.
If you need to cancel, please give at least 48 hours notice. We understand life happens, but any notice 48 hours or less will result in a cancellation fee.
Please only drop off at your appointment time unless we've asked otherwise. If your stylist can accommodate an earlier time but isn't ready for you yet, we may ask that you wait in your car or outside to avoid dog overlap.
If you are 15 minutes or more late to your appointment, we may need to reschedule. Please let us know if you're running behind so we can plan. After 15 minutes, this will be considered a no-show and will result in a 100% cancellation fee.
To stay one-on-one and kennel-free, we need pet parents to be punctual. We'll text you 15–20 minutes before we finish your dog (let us know if you need a longer heads up). We are not doggy daycare. There's a 15-minute grace period; after that, you'll be charged a late pick-up fee and we may need to crate your dog. Every additional 15 minutes is $10.
Per Colorado law, your pet must be current on their rabies vaccination before any service. If your pet's rabies vaccine is expired at the time of service, we'll reschedule once vaccinations are up to date. Your pet will not be exposed to any other animals (other than those from your home) — this limits the risk of contact illnesses.
Hawkeye's Dog Spa reserves the right to refuse to groom any pet your stylist feels is a health risk or in substandard condition — for the safety of both the pet and the stylist. Common concerns include (but aren't limited to): pregnancy, physical limitations, heart conditions and murmurs, history of seizures, and open wounds. Please call us if you're not sure your dog is healthy enough to be groomed.
We have a great deal of experience with difficult pets, but your stylist reserves the right to halt the grooming process if a pet becomes aggressive or anxious to the point of being a danger to the stylist or themselves. Full or partial grooming charges may apply. Please let us know about any behavioral challenges in advance so we can accommodate. Extra time and special handling will be reflected in the groom price.
Hawkeye's will not sedate pets, and you must inform us if you have given your pet any medication before your visit — this is necessary for everyone's safety. Mild supplements like CBD, valerian root, catnip, trazodone, and gabapentin are generally okay. That said, we don't love working with dogs on sedatives, even natural ones — they often don't fix anxiety, they just slow dogs down. We recommend a walk or an interactive toy before the groom instead. We'd love to show you ways to socialize and desensitize your dog at home. It's our job to groom your dog with positive energy and safe handling — and your job as an owner to train and desensitize your dog to grooming. Always consult your vet if you think supplements or medication will help your dog be more comfortable.
Pets that haven't been groomed until later in life are at higher risk for injury due to unfamiliarity and stress. You shouldn't expect a "show level" groom on an elderly pet — instead, we offer what we call a "comfort groom" (e.g. shaving instead of dematting, or a short single length so grooming can be less frequent). Elderly pets will be allowed to sit and lay down, which can make the groom harder and may cause uneven hair lengths. If an elderly pet becomes too stressed, we'll return them to the owner to reasonably avoid injury.
The earlier you start regular grooming, the more confident your pet will be. We like to see puppies for the first time at 8–16 weeks for a Puppy Intro. These appointments are about desensitization and making grooming a fun, safe, positive experience. We also spend extra time with pet parents to learn about your lifestyle, future grooming preferences, schedule, and budget — and to show you how to maintain your dog's hygiene at home between appointments.
We do not express anal glands at Hawkeye's. Groomers can only express glands externally, while a vet can do it internally. A healthy dog ideally shouldn't need their anal glands expressed. The three main causes of anal gland problems are trauma, location, and diet. Repeated manual expression causes the sacs to lose muscle tone and become dependent on it. If your dog needs their anal glands expressed, we recommend consulting your vet rather than a groomer.
If you suspect your pet has fleas, ticks, or lice, please let your groomer know before bringing them in. If we find any during the groom, your pet will be treated with a flea and tick shampoo (safe for dogs and cats) formulated to kill the parasites. Your pet will be sent home wet, since drying could spread the parasite. There will be an additional charge for this service. We do not use toxic pesticide dips or sprays. We strongly recommend a follow-up with your vet for next steps.
Working with live pets and sharp instruments can occasionally lead to an unexpected injury. Getting a pet proper veterinary care is our first concern. If you believe a pet has been injured during grooming, you must seek veterinary advice and contact us within 24 hours. We require a full written veterinary report stating the cause of injury was specific to the grooming process for us to accept any liability. If an injury was unavoidable due to a matted coat, we expect the owner to cover the additional costs as a risk of allowing the pet to become matted.
If, after the groom is complete, there's anything you'd like altered, please contact us as soon as possible. Your stylist is never offended by timely requests for minor changes — please ask. Within a 36-hour window from completion, if your appointment hasn't met your satisfaction, contact us about a re-groom or touch-up. After 36 hours, if you'd like a stylist to revisit, additional fees will apply.