Pet Grooming Prices: What to Charge [2026]

Pet Grooming Prices in 2026: What to Charge and How to Set Rates

Setting the right pet grooming prices is one of the most consequential decisions you will make as a grooming business owner. Charge too little and you burn out doing excellent work for poverty wages. Charge too much without the positioning to justify it and clients quietly disappear to the groomer down the road.

The good news: pricing is not a guessing game. There are real data points, formulas, and strategies that successful groomers use to land on rates that keep the books healthy and the appointment calendar full.

This guide is written for groomers and grooming business owners, not pet parents comparison-shopping. We will walk through average market rates, how to calculate your own numbers, regional adjustments, add-on pricing, and the psychology behind price increases.

Average Pet Grooming Prices by Service Type (2026)

Before you set your own rates, it helps to know where the market sits. These ranges reflect 2026 averages pulled from groomer communities, industry surveys, and job board data across the United States.

Bath and Brush

• Small (under 20 lbs): $30 - $50
• Medium (20 - 50 lbs): $40 - $65
• Large (50 - 80 lbs): $55 - $80
• Extra Large (80+ lbs): $70 - $100+

Bath and brush services typically include a shampoo, conditioner, blow-dry, brush-out, ear cleaning, nail trim, and a sanitary trim. This is your bread-and-butter service and the one most clients will book first.

Full Groom (Haircut Included)

• Small (under 20 lbs): $50 - $80
• Medium (20 - 50 lbs): $65 - $100
• Large (50 - 80 lbs): $80 - $120
• Extra Large (80+ lbs): $100 - $160+

Full grooms include everything in a bath and brush plus a breed-appropriate or owner-requested haircut. Doodle breeds, heavily matted dogs, and hand-scissored styles often land at the top of these ranges or above them.

Individual Add-On Services

• Nail trim (standalone): $15 - $25
• Nail grinding/Dremel: $18 - $30
• Teeth brushing: $8 - $15
• De-shedding treatment: $20 - $45
• Flea/tick bath: $15 - $30
• De-matting (per 15 min): $15 - $25
• Anal gland expression: $10 - $20
• Creative coloring: $30 - $75+
• Blueberry facial: $8 - $15
• Pawdicure (nail + paw balm): $20 - $30

Add-ons are where your per-dog revenue can climb significantly. Most groomers find that offering a clearly priced add-on menu increases average ticket value by 15 to 30 percent.

Cat Grooming

Cat grooming commands a premium due to the specialized handling required.

• Bath and brush: $60 - $90
• Lion cut: $75 - $120
• Full groom: $80 - $130
• Nail trim (standalone): $20 - $30

Many groomers avoid cats entirely, which means those who do cat grooming well can charge higher rates with less competition.

Regional Pricing Differences

Geography plays a major role in what the market will bear. A full groom on a medium dog might run $65 in a rural town in Mississippi and $120 in downtown Seattle.

High-cost metro areas (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle): Prices typically run 30 to 50 percent above national averages. Overhead is higher, but so is willingness to pay.

Suburban areas: Usually close to or slightly above national averages. This is where most independent groomers operate and where competition is stiffest.

Rural areas: Prices tend to fall 10 to 25 percent below national averages. Lower overhead can offset the lower rates, but volume may also be lower.

Cost of living matters more than state lines. A groomer in Austin, Texas may charge more than one in upstate New York because local cost of living drives both expenses and client expectations.

To research your specific area, check what nearby groomers charge by calling around, checking Google Business listings, and browsing local groomer Facebook groups. You do not need to match the lowest price, but you need to understand the range.

How to Calculate YOUR Grooming Rates

Knowing market averages is a starting point, not a finish line. Your rates need to cover your actual costs and pay you a livable wage. Here is a straightforward method to calculate what you need to charge.

Step 1: Determine Your Desired Annual Income

Start with what you want to take home after taxes. Be honest and specific. If you want to earn $60,000 per year after self-employment taxes, your pre-tax target is closer to $75,000 to $80,000.

Step 2: Calculate Your Annual Business Expenses

Add up every recurring cost:

• Rent or mobile van payment
• Utilities and insurance
• Supplies (shampoo, blades, towels, PPE)
• Equipment maintenance and replacement
• Software subscriptions (scheduling, POS, accounting)
• Marketing and advertising
• Continuing education
• Vehicle costs (if mobile)
• Licensing and permits

For a solo groomer in a rented suite, annual expenses commonly fall between $25,000 and $50,000. Mobile groomers may run $30,000 to $60,000 when factoring in vehicle costs and fuel.

Step 3: Add Income and Expenses Together

If you want to take home $75,000 and your expenses total $35,000, you need to gross $110,000 per year.

Step 4: Divide by Your Working Capacity

Assume you work 48 weeks per year (four weeks off for holidays, vacation, and sick time) and groom 6 dogs per day, 5 days per week.

• 48 weeks x 5 days = 240 working days
• 240 days x 6 dogs = 1,440 dogs per year
• $110,000 / 1,440 = roughly $76 per dog

That means your average service price needs to be around $76. If your average is currently $60, you are leaving $23,000 on the table annually.

Step 5: Adjust for Service Mix

Not every dog is a full groom. If 40 percent of your appointments are bath-and-brush at lower price points, your full grooms need to be priced higher to hit your average. Run the math with your actual service mix.

Pricing by Breed and Coat Type

Flat pricing by size alone leaves money on the table. A 45-pound Labrador Retriever and a 45-pound Goldendoodle are vastly different time commitments.

The most profitable groomers price by time and difficulty, which correlates with coat type:

Smooth/short coats (Beagles, Boxers, Bulldogs): Fastest to groom. These are your volume dogs and typically sit at the bottom of your price range for their size.

Double coats (Huskies, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds): Significant de-shedding time. Price 15 to 25 percent above smooth coats of the same size.

Curly/wool coats (Poodles, Bichons, Doodle mixes): Time-intensive, require skilled scissor or clipper work, and mat easily. Price 25 to 40 percent above smooth coats. Doodle owners in particular have come to expect premium pricing.

Wire coats (Schnauzers, Terriers): Hand-stripping commands top dollar if you offer it. Clipper cuts are still more involved than smooth coats.

Long/silky coats (Yorkies, Maltese, Shih Tzus): Tangling and matting risk. Price similarly to curly coats, with matting surcharges clearly communicated upfront.

Many groomers now publish a base price "starting at" and then quote the actual price at check-in based on coat condition. This protects you from the surprise matted dog that was described as "a little tangled" on the phone.

When and How to Raise Your Prices

If you have not raised prices in the past 12 months, you are almost certainly undercharging. Inflation, supply costs, and your own growing skill all justify regular adjustments.

How Often to Raise Prices

Most successful groomers raise prices annually, typically by 5 to 10 percent. Some prefer smaller increases twice a year. The key is consistency. If you wait three years and hit clients with a 25 percent jump, expect pushback.

How to Communicate a Price Increase

Give notice. Two to four weeks is standard. Post a sign in your shop, send a message to your client list, and update your booking system.

Be straightforward. You do not owe anyone a long explanation. A simple message works: "Effective April 1, our grooming prices will be updated to reflect increased supply costs and our continued investment in education and equipment. We appreciate your loyalty."

Do not apologize. You are running a business, not a charity. Confidence in your pricing signals confidence in your work.

Expect to lose a few clients. That is normal and often healthy. The clients who leave over a $10 increase were likely your most price-sensitive and highest-maintenance anyway. The clients who stay value your work.

Strategies for Raising Rates Gradually

• New clients first. Charge new clients your updated rate immediately while giving existing clients a grace period.
• Service-specific increases. Raise prices on your most in-demand services first.
• Add value. Introduce a new included service (like a teeth brushing or cologne spritz) when you raise prices so clients feel they are getting more.

Pricing Psychology That Works

How you present prices matters as much as the numbers themselves.

Anchor high, then show value. If your full groom is $95, list the "spa package" at $130 first. The standard groom feels reasonable by comparison.

Use specific numbers. $87 feels more calculated and deliberate than $85 or $90. It signals that you have actually done the math.

Bundle strategically. A "Puppy Package" (first groom + nail trim + bandana) at a slight discount gets new puppy owners in the door and builds lifetime value.

Display prices confidently. Whether on a wall menu, your website, or your booking software, prices should be easy to find. Hiding them signals that you are not confident in what you charge. Tools like Teddy let you attach service prices directly to your online booking flow so clients see exactly what they are paying before they request an appointment.

Offer tiers. A three-tier structure (Basic Bath, Full Groom, Spa Experience) lets clients self-select into the level they want. Most will pick the middle option, which is exactly where you want your most profitable service.

Common Pricing Mistakes to Avoid

Matching the cheapest competitor. There is always someone willing to work for less. Compete on quality, reliability, and experience instead.

Not charging for matting. De-matting is physically demanding and time-consuming. Charge by the 15-minute increment and communicate the policy before you start. Many groomers now include a matting surcharge policy on their intake forms and digital service agreements.

Undervaluing your time for "quick" services. A "quick nail trim" still requires setup, handling, and cleanup. Charge accordingly.

Discounting too frequently. Occasional promotions are fine. Constant discounts train clients to wait for sales and devalue your everyday pricing.

Forgetting to account for no-shows. No-shows cost you real money. Factor a small cushion into your pricing or implement a cancellation/no-show policy with a fee.

Tools to Help You Manage Pricing

Manually tracking prices across different services, sizes, and add-ons gets messy fast. Most groomers eventually move to software that handles pricing alongside scheduling.

Popular options include MoeGo, which offers robust service management and pricing tiers, and DaySmart (formerly 123Pet), which has been a staple in the industry for years. Newer platforms like Teddy combine scheduling, CRM, and automated client messaging with built-in service pricing, which is especially useful if you want clients to see your rates when they book online. Square Appointments is another option if you already use Square for payment processing and want a simple setup.

The right tool depends on your business size and what features matter most to you. The important thing is that your pricing is systematized somewhere, not scribbled on a whiteboard that never gets updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should a new groomer charge?

New groomers often start 10 to 20 percent below market average while building speed and confidence. That said, do not undersell yourself dramatically. If the going rate for a full groom in your area is $85, charging $50 does not attract good clients; it attracts bargain hunters. Starting at $70 to $75 is reasonable while you build your book.

Should I charge more for aggressive or difficult dogs?

Yes. Difficult handling adds time, risk, and stress. A surcharge of $10 to $30 for dogs that require extra handling is standard practice. Communicate this upfront and document it in your intake process.

How do I handle clients who say my prices are too high?

Stand firm. Explain what your service includes, the quality of products you use, and the training behind your skills. If a client is purely price-driven, they are not your ideal customer. Politely wish them well and focus on clients who value your work.

Should I offer package deals or memberships?

Recurring service packages (like a monthly groom at a 10 percent discount) can stabilize your income and improve client retention. Just make sure the discounted rate still hits your per-dog revenue target. Memberships work best when automated through your scheduling software so clients are rebooking consistently.

Is mobile grooming more expensive than salon grooming?

Yes, mobile grooming typically commands a 20 to 40 percent premium. You are providing the convenience of at-home service, which justifies the higher rate. Your overhead is also different (vehicle, fuel, insurance), so factor those costs into your pricing formula.

Last updated: March 2026