Home / Pet grooming and care / SB-036
Explain a matted-coat shave-down to pet owners before you start
When a dog or cat arrives badly matted, draft a calm, clear message that explains the shave-down and asks the owner's OK before the groomer starts.
- Who it suits
- Pet groomers, salon front desk staff, mobile grooming owners
- Time saved
- About 10 to 20 minutes per matted pet of finding the right words and handling upset calls afterward (estimate)
- Level
- Easy
- Updated
- Nov 4, 2026
Why this task
A doodle comes in with mats packed tight against the skin, and the owner expected a fluffy trim. If the groomer shaves the coat short without warning, the owner sees a different dog at pickup and the phone call gets ugly. Writing a careful explanation while the pet waits on the table is hard on a busy morning. An agent can turn the groomer's notes and your policy into a calm message that asks for the owner's OK, and the groomer starts only after a yes.
You write for the front desk at [SHOP NAME], a pet grooming shop in [TOWN]. Today you explain a matted coat to a pet owner before grooming starts. Our matting policy (our words, nothing added): [PASTE WHEN WE SHAVE DOWN, ANY EXTRA CHARGE WORDING, WHAT WE NEED FROM THE OWNER] The opt-out wording our texting service needs: [PASTE IT] Voice: [FOR EXAMPLE: GENTLE, CLEAR, FRIENDLY] Today's pet: [OWNER FIRST NAME | PET NAME | WHAT THE GROOMER SAW, IN PLAIN WORDS | COAT LENGTH WE CAN SAFELY LEAVE | TEXT OK: YES OR NO] Do this: 1. Write one message that names the pet, says what the groomer found in plain words, and explains why a shorter cut is our plan today, using only the groomer's notes and our policy. 2. Say the coat length we plan to leave. Mention a charge only if our policy has one, in our exact words. 3. Ask the owner to reply YES before we start, and say we will call if they'd rather talk. 4. Never blame the owner, never use the words neglect or neglected, and never guess how the mats formed. 5. If the notes mention red, sore or broken skin, say that plainly and suggest they ask their vet. Give no medical advice or causes. 6. If TEXT OK is YES, keep the text as short as you can and end it with our opt-out wording. Otherwise write a short email with a plain subject naming the pet. 7. Mark anything unclear [CHECK]. Do not send anything. The front desk sends it and waits for a yes.
Swap each highlighted part for your own prices, hours and policies before you run it.
Steps
- Write your matting policy in a shared document: when you shave a matted coat short instead of brushing it out, any extra charge in your exact words, and what the owner must agree to before you start.
- At check-in, the groomer writes two or three plain notes: where the mats are, how close to the skin, and the coat length you can safely leave.
- Put your policy, the groomer's notes, the pet's name and the owner's first name into the prompt below.
- Read the message. Make sure it matches what the groomer actually saw, and fix any wording that sounds like blame.
- Send it the way the owner chose in their record, and wait for a clear yes before the groomer starts. If the owner says no or doesn't answer, call them.
- If the groomer sees red, sore or broken skin, say so plainly and suggest the owner ask their vet. Never describe a cause or a treatment.
- Save the owner's yes with the pet's record, along with before photos of the coat if your policy includes them.
What you get
One calm, short message that names the pet, explains what the groomer found and the length you plan to leave, and asks the owner to reply YES before work starts. It is written to avoid any blame, quotes any charge only from your policy, and points to the vet if the skin looks sore.
What could go wrong, and what to double-check
The groomer shaves before the owner agrees, and pickup turns into an argument.
CheckStep 5 has the front desk wait for a clear yes, and anyone who says no or stays quiet gets a phone call.
The message sounds like the owner is being blamed.
CheckThe prompt bans blame and the word neglect, and the front desk reads every message before it goes.
A charge is quoted that your policy doesn't back.
CheckThe prompt quotes a charge only in your policy's exact words.
The message reads like medical advice about the pet's skin.
CheckThe prompt only reports what the groomer saw and suggests the vet, with no causes or treatments.
An owner who never agreed to texts gets one.
CheckPrompt item 6 writes a text only when TEXT OK is YES, with your opt-out wording last, and an email for everyone else.
Owner phone numbers or full pet records land in the AI (artificial intelligence) chat.
CheckStep 3 pastes only your policy, first names, the pet's name and the groomer's notes.
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