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Why Every Grooming Business Needs an Intake Form
A good dog grooming intake form is the difference between a smooth appointment and an afternoon of surprises. It captures everything you need to know before your hands are on the dog: the owner's contact details, the pet's health history, behavioral warnings, and exactly what service they expect. Done right, it protects you legally, prevents miscommunication about the cut, flags a heart condition or a bite history before it becomes a problem, and makes the client feel like a professional is handling their pet. Done poorly — or skipped entirely — it leads to the "that's not the haircut I wanted" conversation and, worse, avoidable safety incidents. This guide gives you a complete intake form template and explains why each section earns its place.
The Core Sections of a Grooming Intake Form
A strong intake form is thorough without being exhausting. Here are the sections every grooming intake form should include.
Owner and Pet Details
Start with the basics: owner name, phone, email, and an emergency contact in case something goes wrong while the dog is in your care. For the pet, capture name, breed, approximate age, weight, and spay/neuter status. Breed and weight aren't just record-keeping — they set expectations for coat type, time, and pricing. Age matters because a senior dog needs a gentler approach and extra disclosures.
Health History
This section keeps dogs safe. Ask about existing medical conditions (heart issues, seizures, arthritis, skin conditions), allergies, current medications, and vaccination status — especially rabies, which many salons require. A dog with a heart condition or one that recently had surgery may not tolerate a long groom or a high-velocity dryer, and you need to know before you start. Many salons also ask when the dog last ate and whether it's had any recent illness. Documenting this protects both the pet and you.
Behavioral Notes
Ask directly about bite history, fear or anxiety, sensitive areas (many dogs hate having paws, ears, or tails handled), and whether the dog has been professionally groomed before. Owners sometimes downplay aggression, so frame the question neutrally: "Has your dog ever nipped or snapped during grooming, nail trims, or vet visits?" This information shapes how you handle the dog and whether you need muzzling, extra time, or a two-person approach. It's a safety issue first and a scheduling issue second.
Service Requested
Miscommunication about the cut is the most common non-safety complaint in grooming. Capture exactly what the client wants: the style, the length (in guard numbers or a clear description), which add-ons they want, and any special requests. Photos help enormously — invite clients to attach a picture of the look they're after. Being specific here prevents the "I wanted it shorter" or "why is it so short?" conversation at pickup.
Consent and Policy Acknowledgment
Your intake form should double as a light consent record. Include acknowledgments that severe matting may require shaving for the pet's welfare, that senior or health-compromised pets are groomed at the owner's risk, and that you'll contact them if anything unexpected comes up. For anything beyond a light acknowledgment, pair the intake with a full waiver and service agreement. Learn what belongs in each in our dog grooming waiver guide and service agreement template.
Paper vs. Digital Intake Forms
You can run intake on paper, but digital forms are faster, cleaner, and far more useful. A digital intake form can be sent to the client before their first visit, filled out on their phone, and stored automatically with the pet's profile — so next time, you already have Bella's bite history and preferred cut on file. No lost paperwork, no re-asking, no clipboard at the door.
Grooming platforms build this in. Teddy, for example, includes digital intake forms tied to each pet's profile in its client CRM, so the health notes and handling warnings travel with the dog appointment after appointment. MoeGo and DaySmart offer digital forms as well. The advantage is the same across all of them: the information you collect once stays useful forever, instead of living on a paper form in a drawer. For a new client, a form that auto-attaches to their record is one less thing to chase.
Putting It Into Practice
Send your intake form when a new client books, ideally before they arrive, and make completing it a condition of the first appointment. Review it before you start grooming, not after. Update it when things change — a new medication, a coat that's matting more, a cut the client wants to adjust. Treated as a living record rather than a one-time form, your intake process becomes a quiet competitive advantage that makes every groom safer and more tailored.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a dog grooming intake form include?
It should include owner and emergency contact details, pet details (breed, age, weight, spay/neuter), health history, vaccination status, behavioral and bite-history notes, the specific service requested, and a consent or policy acknowledgment.
Why do groomers need an intake form?
An intake form protects the pet's safety by flagging health and behavioral issues, prevents miscommunication about the cut, and provides a consent record that protects the groomer legally. It also makes each groom more tailored and professional.
Should a grooming intake form be digital or paper?
Digital is better. Digital forms can be completed on the client's phone before the visit and stored automatically with the pet's profile, so you don't lose paperwork or re-ask the same questions each time.
Can grooming software store intake forms?
Yes. Platforms like Teddy, MoeGo, and DaySmart offer digital intake forms that attach to each pet's profile, so health notes and handling warnings stay on file for every future appointment.
What vaccinations should a grooming intake form ask about?
Most salons ask about rabies at minimum, and many also record distemper and bordetella status. Requirements vary by location and salon policy, so set a standard and note it clearly on the form.
Digital intake forms that attach to each pet's profile save you from re-asking the same questions every visit. Teddy builds them in for independent groomers, with a free trial at tryteddy.com — and MoeGo and DaySmart offer digital forms too.
