What should you charge when the coat is worse than booked?
25 August 2026·2 min read
When the coat changes the work, the price may need to change too. The important moment is before that extra work begins.
Matting is a condition to respond to. It says nothing about whether an owner needs a lecture at the counter.
Inspect before the dog disappears out back
Compare the booking with the dog in front of you. Check the coat, likely safe finish, handling support and whether the changed job still fits the day. Show the owner what you found in neutral language.
For example, a dog booked for a $140 bath and tidy arrives with tight matting through the body. The booked finish is no longer realistic. Continuing silently and adding $80 at pickup gives the owner neither a choice nor a useful explanation.
Offer safe choices with complete prices
Give choices you can actually deliver. One script might be:
The matting is close to the skin through his body. Option A is a shorter comfort clip today, which will take about ___ and cost $. Option B is to stop after ___ and rebook for ___ at $. I can't safely keep the booked longer finish. Which option would you like?
State the result, timing and total or range together. If extra handling requires a second person, name the support and revised work rather than inventing a blame-based fee.
What if you find it after starting?
Pause when the safe finish, occupied time or price moves outside what was agreed. Contact the approved decision-maker and record the response.
No response isn't consent. Finish only what is already authorised and safe, or stop at the boundary established before the groom. If neither option fits the remaining day, rescheduling is more honest than making every later pickup promise somebody else's problem.
Fix the next booking while the evidence is fresh
Record:
- where and how severe the coat condition was
- the options explained and who approved one
- finish, extra time, support and final price
- the recommended return interval and home-care discussion
- duration and quote condition for the next booking
The extra charge should follow extra work or occupied capacity. When the reason is visible and the client had a real choice, the changed bill stays connected to the groom they received.
Seglo note: Visit notes keep the coat condition and agreed plan available for the next booking.