news

 
 
 
 
 
PRICE INCREASE - APRIL 2022
 
Today's the day we regrettably have to put our prices up, if only by a little. We are soaking up some of our additional costs and adding just £2 or £3 to the cost of most grooms. The exceptions are current clients in postcodes starting BB1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 where we will also be adding a small mileage surcharge to cover the ridiculous increase in the cost of diesel. We will try to book at least 2 dogs into these postcodes so the surcharge can be split between more than one client. Please note that we no longer cover Rossendale, Clitheroe or Skipton addresses and are not taking on any new dogs in the above-mentioned postcodes. We may revise this in the future if fuel prices stabilise.
 
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WELFARE GROOMS - IMPORTANT COVID -19 UPDATE February 2021

 

This is a gentle reminder that we are still limited to grooming only for welfare reasons. This is in line with government guidelines which state that grooming is permissible if it is for the health, welfare, and comfort of the dog, but not for aesthetic reasons. This means that we CAN groom dogs which need a clip or deshed to remove or prevent matts or an impacted coat. But we CANNOT groom dogs just so they look and smell nice.

We are only offering the welfare elements of grooming – i.e., clipping, ear cleaning and nail cutting – no baths, tidy ups, or trims. We will only bathe dogs if the vet has prescribed a shampoo for medical reasons, e.g., skin issues, and the owner is unable to bathe them. Please note that a welfare clip is a short clip, designed to last the dog until lockdown is over.

We have reduced the number of dogs we groom to reduce the risk for Ed - and for our clients - and are contacting all pre-booked clients by phone for a risk assessment. We may ask for photos of your dog to check their welfare needs. And we will also ask you to state in writing (usually by email) that your dog needs a groom for welfare reasons – we need proof that each case is for welfare or we risk invalidating our insurance. If we deem the groom to be necessary for welfare reasons, we will keep the appointment as arranged. If not, we will put the appointment back a few weeks, and then reassess. In the case of short-coated breeds we will ask you to wait until lockdown restrictions ease.

Welfare is a broad term, and we believe it also includes the things we pick up on the health check which is an integral part of every groom, from over-long nails to lumps and hotspots. If you have concerns about your dog's health and welfare, do please mention this when we call you.

Unfortunately, Ed has been out to a couple of bookings recently where the dog was overgrown but the coat was in reasonable condition and the groom could have waited a few more weeks – because of this, he left without grooming them. Such decisions have a financial impact on us as we do not qualify for any of the business grants, so if we do turn up to a groom to find the dog does not meet welfare criteria, we will have to make a charge for our time.

In the most part we are unable to take on new clients. The only exceptions are puppies which have not yet had their first groom and dogs which have recently moved into the area. This is because we do not want to take custom away from other groomers. We are all working to the same guidance and all going through the same tough times.

It is more important than ever that everyone follows our Covid-19 guidelines - a copy is attached below, and we send one to all new clients. If you are unwell, have tested positive for Covid-19 or just feel uncomfortable with the idea of us grooming your dog during the lockdown period, please tell us. We will be happy to move your appointment. Your safety – and your dog’s welfare and comfort – are our number one concern.

 

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COVID-19 update - Nov 1st 2020

Following yesterday's government announcement of a 4-week lockdown commencing Thu Nov 5th,  Eds & Tails Dog Wash will NOT be closing.

 

We feel we can continue to work sensibly and safely to provide our grooming services. Our grooming space is self-contained, we clean thoroughly between appointments and have no physical contact with clients. As long as we continue with the 'hands, face, space' approach, we are confident that we can work safely.

 

It is important that everyone follows our Covid-19 guidelines - a copy is attached below. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of us grooming your dog during the lockdown period, please just say and we will be happy to move your appointment.
 
Stay safe everyone!
 
Robbi & Ed
 
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Eds & Tails Dog Wash – Covid-19 Guidelines

We are continuing to groom, but at the same time we are very conscious of the need to minimise the risk of catching or passing on the Covid-19 virus. With this in mind, we have made changes to the way we operate – based on advice from the Pet Industry Federation and DEFRA – and kindly request that you follow our guidelines…

 

 

  • We are applying the 2-metre rule so cannot currently allow clients in our van.
  • We need to access your power supply without entering your house, so please have an outside socket or an extension cable ready for us to plug into – it is important that only Ed handles our power cable. If the only option is to run our cable through a window, please ensure you wash your hands after handling it.
  • We must maintain distance during handover. We have a long lead attached to the van and ask you to clip this to your dog’s collar/harness and then step away from the van. Please don’t hand your dog directly into Ed’s arms. It is vital that the dog is wearing a collar/harness that they cannot escape from. In some cases, we can collect a dog from a front garden or porch if they are happy to come to us but again, please ensure they cannot escape
  • Ideally, all dogs should go straight in the bath (collars as well) where lockdown restrictions allow this. Some dogs cannot tolerate a bath due to age or skin discomfort and we can continue to groom them – but we cannot currently offer dry de-shedding with our blaster and may not be able to groom dogs with badly impacted coats. Please brush your dog’s coat as thoroughly as possible before the groom to remove matts.
  • When the groom is completed, we will let you know your dog is ready for collection and either clip him to our long lead or release him into your garden/porch. Please leave our extension lead plugged in so we can clean down our van after the groom.
  • We are implementing a more targeted cleaning regime between dogs, and this may mean we run late on some appointments.
  • We would prefer hands-free payment by bank transfer – bank details are in the guidelines that we send to all clients. Please make payment as soon as the groom is completed. If you prefer to pay cash, please place money in a sealed envelope and write your name on the outside.
  • Finally – and most importantly - if you, or any household member, show any symptoms, or are self-isolating due to possibly having the virus or having contact with someone who does, or have tested positive, please advise us ASAP. We will be happy to reschedule your appointment. If you need to cancel for any other reason, normal cancellation procedure applies. And if we need to suspend services, we will inform you – and reschedule your appointment – as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call or text us on 01282 694717 or 07530 130882. Email us at ed@edsandtailsdogwash.com or message our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/edsandtailsdogwash

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Robbi & Ed

 

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COVID19 update - May 10th 2020 - response to PM's statement

 

Following tonight’s statement from PM Boris Johnson we are, quite honestly, frustrated by the lack of guidance as to whether we should be restarting our grooming business. On paper, we cannot work from home and don’t need to travel to clients on public transport, so in theory there is nothing to stop us grooming. But we have no idea of how we should ‘stay alert’ to an invisible enemy and we still don’t know if our business is deemed essential – or not.

There are many reasons why we don’t feel ready to reopen just yet…

  • The North West currently has the highest number of Covid19 cases of any region in the UK. We have overtaken London and the Midlands in that respect. The virus is still a very real threat in our corner of the country and needs to be taken seriously.
  • Other countries which have relaxed their lockdown rules too soon have seen a resurgence on Covid19 cases and there is nothing to say that will not happen here. We don’t want to rebook cancelled clients only to have to start cancelling again if lockdown is reimposed.
  • Many of our clients are elderly and/or vulnerable. Some have been self-isolating since March. We have a duty of care to them and that includes not putting them at risk. We have lost at least one client – a good friend – to this dreadful disease and nothing we do can bring her back. It’s personal for us.
  • We have some protective equipment on order but don’t yet have everything we feel we need to groom safely – for us or for our clients.

So we plan to wait another week and see what happens – both with government advice and virus statistics. Please bear with us. We know many of your dogs are desperate for a groom, just as we are desperate to start grooming again. We have taken a huge financial hit from this virus but more than that, we miss the sheer pleasure of working with your dogs.

Hopefully, in a week’s time we will have a better picture of what’s happening and can set a sensible date for resuming our business. When we do we will be booking you in in the original order you were booked in, although we will prioritise dogs who need clipping for health reasons, i.e. woolly-coated breeds, and may have to wait a little longer before risking a visit to clients who are shielding for health reasons.

But we will get to you eventually – and in the meantime, we really appreciate your patience and your support.

Stay safe!

Robbi & Ed

                 

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Eds & Tails Dog Wash is temporarily closed due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

 

We made this difficult decision on March 23rd 2020 when the UK government announced lockdown. It is a temporary measure and we do plan to reopen as soon as lockdown eases and/or we feel it is safe to groom. We are reviewing this weekly and planning for the best way to maintain social distancing and keep clients safe when we do return to work. This will mean some changes - and we will keep you informed through this website and our Facebook page as soon as we are ready to resume grooming.

 

We usually book up several weeks in advance and were booked up to mid May when lockdown was announced. So when we do get the van back on the road we will have a lot of clients to catch up with. We plan to book everybody in again in their original order - this seems the fairest way - and will be in touch as soon as we have the green light to groom.

 

Please note that we won't be able to take on any new clients until we have caught up with our regulars. Also, we are very aware that some groomers, especially those who are salon- or home-based, may find it harder to get back to work than van-based mobilers, and we will not take on other groomers' clients because they will need the business when they start up again. Loyalty and fair play is important to us.

 

If you have any questions, do please get in touch.

 

Stay safe, stay well.

 

Robbi & Ed

 

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