used to joke that the hardest part of house-call grooming was backing down strange driveways. And while there may be some merit to that, maintaining professional boundaries and enforcing policies truly was much harder.

Making our policies and boundaries clear is challenging enough in a shop, but it can be even more difficult for house-call groomers when you are right there in the client’s home. So, what boundaries are important for us as house-call groomers? And how do we even tell the difference between boundaries and policies and procedures (P&P)?

First let’s address boundaries. One can fall down a rabbit hole trying to strictly differentiate between boundaries and P&P. But for small business owners (which most house-call groomers are), our written P&P are our way of setting firm boundaries and expectations in writing.

This goes for shops as well. Do you have firm closing times or require pickup ASAP because you work one on one? Put that in your P&P along with what happens if they are not adhered to. Do no-shows get under your skin more than anything? Put those no-show fees in there. Enforcing these policies may not feel easy, but nothing feels quite as good as standing up for yourself while still being the professional that you are.

Now that you’ve got your boundaries down in writing, how do we communicate them to our customers? If you are dealing with a new client, it’s fairly straightforward. You can either direct them to your website where they can download the form, e-sign and send back, or send them a copy via email or text to sign and send back to you before the first appointment.

For existing clients who slipped through the cracks, or if you’re just getting around to setting those P&P, you have two options. The first one is to print out two copies of the service agreement, get them to sign one at the next appointment and leave the blank one with them to refer back to if an issue arises. Option two (the “oops”) is for when you realize that a client has not signed your service agreement and are now either habitually late or has canceled last minute and wants to reschedule as you are driving to their home. Send them a copy of the form to sign and return before the new appointment is confirmed. Once you have a signed copy on file, if they continue to be repeat offenders, collect a non-refundable deposit before the appointment. That reduces your worry about trying to collect it afterward.

But what if they won’t pay? Enforcing this in house-call is actually easier because you don’t have a shop for them to just show up at demanding a groom; you control whether or not you go to their house. If they never pay? Fantastic—you can replace them with a client who actually values you and your time. Just a calm statement of the facts and wishing them well is all that is needed if it looks like you are parting ways—no long drawn-out arguments.

Yes, there is such a thing as no-shows in house-call grooming. As annoying as no-shows can be in the salon setting, there is almost nothing more annoying than driving to a client’s house, unloading all your equipment and standing outside for 10 minutes while you realize no one is home. It’s even worse if you have a garage code and unload, set up and spend half an hour searching an empty house for a dog that’s at the shore with its family because they forgot their standing appointment.

Most of the actual boundary setting can be done in text or email communications, removing the need for perceived conflicts on the client’s “home turf.” If you ever feel pressured by a client in their home to do something you’re not comfortable with regarding either policy or grooming, you need to reevaluate whether that client is a good fit for you.

There are absolutely times when you don’t enforce your policies. Has there been a death or hospitalization? Is someone in the home sick and you really don’t want them to share? You are the only one who gets to decide when your rules get bent; you decide who is a good fit for your business. If you don’t feel comfortable with the client or in their home, no amount of policy enforcement can fix that.

The bottom line is that your boundaries and your P&P enable you to stay in business and run your business effectively. Not having a storefront or mobile unit does not make you somehow less of a professional or business owner.