.png)
Pricing is the decision that quietly determines whether your grooming business thrives or just survives. Charge too little, and you work yourself exhausted for a wage that doesn't reflect your skill. Charge thoughtfully, and the same hours produce a real income. Yet underpricing is the single most common mistake groomers make, usually out of fear of losing clients. This guide shows you how to price your dog grooming services with confidence: the pricing models that work, how to factor breed and time, which add-ons lift your ticket, and how to raise rates without losing your book.
Why Most Groomers Underprice
Groomers underprice for understandable reasons, they compare themselves to the cheapest shop in town, they fear scaring off clients, or they undervalue a skill that took years to build. But racing to the bottom attracts price-shoppers, not loyal clients, and it caps your income no matter how hard you work. Confident, fair pricing attracts clients who value quality and stay for years. The goal isn't to be the cheapest; it's to be worth it.
The Three Pricing Models
Most successful groomers use the hybrid model: a published base price by breed or size, plus add-ons and surcharges for coat condition, behavior, or extra time. It gives clients a clear starting number while protecting you when a "quick groom" turns into a two-hour de-matting job.
Step 1: Calculate Your Hourly Target
Start from the income you need, not from competitors' prices. Decide what you want to earn per hour after costs, say $60, then price each service so the time it takes hits that target. If a standard schnauzer groom takes 75 minutes, that service should be priced around $75 before add-ons. This anchors every price to your actual economics rather than guesswork.
Step 2: Factor in Breed, Size, and Coat
Not all dogs are equal work. A doodle's dense, fast-matting coat takes far longer than a short-haired beagle. Build tiers that reflect reality:
- Size tiers: small, medium, large, extra-large
- Coat complexity: short, double-coat/de-shed, curly/non-shedding (doodles, poodles)
- Condition surcharges: matting, fleas, excessive shedding
Doodles in particular deserve their own pricing conversation, their coats are deceptively labor-intensive, and many groomers lose money on them by pricing like a "medium dog."
Step 3: Add High-Margin Add-Ons
Add-ons are where you raise your average ticket with minimal extra time. Offer them on every booking:
- Nail grinding (beyond a basic trim)
- Teeth brushing
- De-shed treatments
- Specialty or medicated baths
- Paw and nose balm, cologne, bows
- De-matting (charged by time)
A $75 base groom that consistently adds $20–$30 in add-ons transforms your daily revenue without adding clients.
Step 4: Publish a Clear Price List
A published price list does two things: it sets expectations so clients aren't surprised, and it reduces haggling because the number isn't up for negotiation. Display starting prices by size and coat, note that final pricing depends on condition and behavior, and list add-ons. Our dog grooming price list template gives you a ready structure to adapt.
Step 5: Raise Prices Without Losing Clients
If you haven't raised prices in a year or two, you're almost certainly due, costs rise, and your skill grows. The keys to raising rates smoothly:
- Give notice. Tell clients a few weeks ahead, briefly and confidently.
- Raise modestly and regularly. Small annual increases beat rare large jumps.
- Don't over-explain or apologize. State it as routine.
- Expect to lose a few price-shoppers. That's fine, they're your least profitable clients.
Most groomers find they lose almost no good clients to a reasonable increase, and the bump flows straight to profit. To see how pricing affects your overall income, our breakdown of what groomers earn puts it in context.
How Software Supports Smart Pricing
Pricing isn't just the number on the menu, it's protecting the revenue you book and tracking what's profitable. A platform like Teddy helps by letting you build services and add-ons cleanly, sending reminders that cut the no-shows that erode your effective hourly rate, and storing client history so you can adjust pricing for difficult dogs. MoeGo and DaySmart offer similar tooling. The point is that confident pricing plus a system that keeps your calendar full and no-shows low is what actually grows your income.
If you want to set up clear services, add-ons, and reminders that protect your pricing, Teddy was built for groomers who want their business side as sharp as their scissor work. See it at tryteddy.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I price my dog grooming services?
Use a hybrid model: a published base price by breed or size, plus add-ons and surcharges for coat condition, behavior, and extra time. Anchor prices to an hourly income target so each service reflects the time and skill it requires rather than competitors' rates.
How much should I charge for dog grooming?
It depends on your market, costs, and the time each groom takes. Start from your desired hourly rate, say $60, and price services so the time they take hits that target. Many full grooms land between $60 and $120 before add-ons, with premiums for difficult coats like doodles.
How do I raise grooming prices without losing clients?
Give clients a few weeks' notice, raise modestly and regularly rather than rarely and steeply, and state the change confidently without over-explaining. Most good clients accept reasonable increases; the few price-shoppers you lose are typically your least profitable.
Should I charge extra for matted or difficult dogs?
Yes. Matting, fleas, excessive shedding, and behavioral challenges all add significant time and risk, so surcharges or time-based de-matting fees are standard and fair. A condition surcharge protects you when a routine groom turns into a long, difficult job.
Why is pricing doodles different?
Doodle coats are dense and fast-matting, making them far more labor-intensive than their size suggests. Pricing them like an average medium dog is a common way groomers lose money. Price doodles by coat complexity and time, not just size.
