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A good dog grooming intake form does three jobs at once: it captures the information you need to groom safely, it documents what the client told you, and it sets expectations before the dog's on the table. Done well, it prevents the "I didn't know he bites" surprises and the "that's not the cut I wanted" disputes. This template gives you every field a working groomer should collect, organized by section, plus best practices on what to ask and why. Adapt it to your shop, then collect it digitally so it lives on each pet's profile instead of a clipboard you can't find.
Why Intake Forms Matter
The intake form is where safety and service quality begin. It's how you learn that a senior dog has a heart murmur, that a Doodle's coat is matted to the skin, or that the owner wants a teddy-bear trim and not a shave. Skipping or rushing intake is how groomers get bitten, blindsided by skin issues, or stuck redoing a cut for free. A thorough form, signed before service, protects the pet, protects you, and makes every appointment smoother.
What to Include in a Grooming Intake Form
Organize your form into clear sections so nothing important gets skipped. Here's the structure most professional salons use.
The Template
Copy and adapt the fields below for your salon's intake form.
New Client & Pet Intake
Owner: Full name, phone, email, emergency contact and phone.
Pet: Name, breed, age, approximate weight, spayed/neutered (Y/N), and your regular vet's name and number.
Health: Any medical conditions, allergies, skin issues, or medications? Any areas that are sensitive to handle (ears, paws, hindquarters)? Vaccination status current? (Y/N)
Behavior: Has your pet ever bitten or snapped at a groomer? Any anxiety, reactivity, or handling concerns we should know? How does your pet react to dryers and clippers?
Service: What cut or style would you like? Preferred length? Any add-ons (nails, teeth, de-shed, sanitary)? When was the last groom?
Consent: I confirm the information above is accurate and agree to the salon's grooming agreement and liability terms. Photo consent: [Yes / No]. Signature and date.
Best Practices for Better Intake
A form is only as good as how you use it. Collect it digitally before the appointment so you can review it in advance and aren't scrambling at drop-off. Ask open-ended behavior questions — "how does he do with the dryer?" surfaces more than a yes/no. Photograph the coat condition at intake for matted or problem cases so there's a record. And keep the form on the pet's profile so returning clients don't refill it every visit; you just confirm what's changed.
Going Digital
Paper intake forms get lost, smudged, and re-entered by hand. Digital intake solves all of that: clients fill it out from a link before arriving, signatures are captured cleanly, and everything attaches to the pet's record. Teddy includes digital intake forms and service agreements tied to each client profile, alongside scheduling and unlimited texting — MoeGo and DaySmart offer similar digital intake. Pair your intake form with a clear grooming waiver so consent and health disclosures are captured together, and a structured price list so add-ons are quoted accurately.
Reading Between the Lines of an Intake Form
A great groomer treats the intake form as the start of a conversation, not just a checklist. A vague answer like "he's a little nervous" is an invitation to ask more — nervous how, and around what? An owner who can't say when the last groom was may be hiding a matted coat they're embarrassed about. A request for "as short as possible" might really mean the client is tired of brushing, which is a chance to talk maintenance schedules. The form surfaces the facts; your follow-up questions surface the truth. Building the habit of probing the soft answers prevents surprises on the table and shows clients you're genuinely paying attention to their pet.
Using Intake Data to Personalize Service
Stored intake data is a retention tool, not just a safety record. When a returning client's pet profile already holds the preferred cut, the sensitive spots, and the products that suit their dog's skin, every visit feels tailored and effortless. You can greet them by remembering the dog's quirks, skip re-asking what you already know, and proactively flag when it's time for the next groom. That personal touch is exactly what keeps clients from shopping around — people return to the groomer who clearly knows and cares about their specific dog. Treating the intake form as living client knowledge, refreshed each visit, turns a compliance document into a loyalty engine.
Common Intake Mistakes to Avoid
A few habits undermine even a well-designed form. Collecting it at drop-off instead of in advance creates a rushed, chaotic start and tempts you to skip the careful questions. Making the form so long that clients rush through it produces shallow answers you can't trust. Failing to update it when a pet ages or develops a condition leaves you working from stale information. And storing forms on paper that gets lost or smudged defeats the purpose entirely. Keep the form thorough but readable, collect it before arrival, store it digitally, and refresh it as things change — and it will protect you instead of merely existing.
Intake for Special Cases
Some appointments call for extra intake care. Senior dogs warrant a confirmation of any health conditions and a frank conversation about what grooming they can safely tolerate. Severely matted coats deserve a documented note and ideally a photo at intake, plus a clear discussion that a humane shave-down may be the only kind option. Reactive or anxious dogs need their triggers captured so you can plan handling and avoid surprises. New rescues with unknown histories should be flagged as such. Building these special-case prompts into your form — or asking them verbally and noting the answers on the profile — protects both the pet and you, and shows clients you take their dog's specific situation seriously. A one-size-fits-all form is fine for routine grooms, but the appointments most likely to go wrong are exactly the ones where thorough, case-specific intake pays off most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a dog grooming intake form include?
Owner and emergency contact, pet basics, health conditions and allergies, behavior and bite history, the specific service requested, and consent covering liability, matting, and photos. These cover safety and set clear expectations.
Why is a grooming intake form important?
It captures the information needed to groom safely, documents what the client disclosed, and prevents disputes over cuts or undisclosed health and behavior issues. It protects both the pet and the groomer.
Should grooming intake forms be digital?
Digital is far better. Clients complete it before arriving, signatures are captured cleanly, and the form attaches to the pet's profile so returning clients don't refill it each visit. Paper forms get lost and re-entered by hand.
Do returning clients need to fill out the form every time?
No. With digital intake stored on the pet's profile, returning clients simply confirm what's changed. You only need a fresh full form when key details — health, behavior, or contact info — change.
How does an intake form reduce grooming disputes?
By documenting the requested cut, coat condition, and disclosed health and behavior issues before service, the form creates a clear record. That heads off "that's not what I wanted" and "I didn't know he was matted" conflicts.
