Choose a Custom Package when a clearly listed combination of tasks does not fit a standard option. Write the required tasks, optional preferences and areas not to change, then confirm the complete price, including the applicable visiting charge. Omitting a task does not automatically create a discount.
Separate necessary work from preferences
List the practical problems first. “This hair collects food” is more useful than “Do whatever is needed.” Then add appearance preferences, such as keeping the body length or leaving the tail shape unchanged unless you discuss it first.
Keep the list short enough to review together at arrival. If an area is painful or difficult to handle, record that as information for assessment rather than a task that must be completed. A custom request cannot establish whether a medical concern is safe to groom.
| Part of your brief | What to record |
|---|---|
| Main need | The specific area or maintenance problem. |
| Optional preference | A detail you would like if suitable. |
| Boundary | An area or length not to change without discussion. |
| Information to share | Handling history, product reactions or veterinary instructions. |
| Commercial agreement | Selected work, applicable charges and how changes will be approved. |
Does a standard package already cover the list?
Check the package comparison once against your task list. If the only difference is skipping washing, consider the existing without-bath services. Use the custom brief for work that still needs an individual scope, rather than recreating the full service catalogue here.
Make the estimate understandable
Woofly's Custom Package description states that visiting charges are extra. Confirm the complete current total for your pet and address, including the selected services and applicable visiting charge, before agreeing to the booking.
Ask the team to distinguish confirmed work from anything that still depends on an in-person assessment. If the assessment reveals a different need, request a revised description and total before additional work starts. A previous customer's estimate is not a price agreement for your pet.
An illustrative request is: “Please assess these two areas while keeping the body length. Tell me whether a standard package covers the work, and confirm the complete cost before I approve anything extra.” Add your actual details; do not copy a task that your pet does not need.
Agree on a practical limit for the appointment
Explain what happened during previous grooming, including particular tools or positions your pet found difficult. Ask which task should take priority if only a limited amount of work is comfortable. The aim is a realistic plan rather than a longer list.
The AAHA guidance on minimizing fear addresses veterinary handling and the risks of forceful restraint. Applied to planning a grooming visit, it supports discussing distress and stopping conditions instead of treating completion as compulsory.
Do not offer to hold a struggling pet down so an extra task can be finished. Pause and ask whether the work should be deferred, the setup changed or veterinary advice obtained. Any medication decision belongs with a veterinarian.
Review every agreed item at handover
Use the same list to record completed work, deferred work and the reason for any change. Ask what you can maintain comfortably at home and what requires another assessment. Do not turn handover into an attempt to finish a task the pet could not tolerate.
Keep the booking reference and agreed estimate with that note. If there is a service or charge question, contact support through the actual booking and current policy rather than assuming an automatic adjustment. Our handover checklist helps preserve the details.
Sources and further reading
- Woofly services — Custom Package wording and visiting-charge disclosure.
- AAHA: minimizing fear — handling principles, written for veterinary care.
- Woofly pricing guide — approximate prices and booking totals.
