I’ve been doing this for 24 years and some days I feel like a broken record, but that is the nature of the business. These are some common questions and how they can help you when inquiring about grooming.
How much does grooming cost?
Grooming prices are completely variable. I belong to several industry groups on Facebook and one of the most asked questions among groomers is “how much would you charge to groom this ? dog?”
The answer they get is anywhere from $30-130+. So many factors go into the cost of grooming.
One mistake many groomers make is basing their prices on other salons business models. They call around to other shops, ask what they charge and adjust their prices accordingly. This can be dangerous because the groomer who works part time from home, or the groomer in training may charge significantly less than a commercial salon or a groomer with significant training and experience. The formula above includes owner and employee payroll in the expenses. To me this is the best formula to use when determining prices in a service based industry.
Some groomers will use other price bases such as weight or breed. I personally don’t understand weight, but even with breed based pricing you have too many variables, especially when dealing with mixed breeds. I set my prices based on grooming time. This is the amount of time we’ve spent working on your pet, not the time spent in the salon.
When you call and ask for a price estimate, I’m giving an approximate guess on how long I think it will take me to groom your pet based on the information given. My price quotes are based on a regularly groomed dog. Regular grooming is 12 weeks or less.
Some tips for pet owners when inquiring about pricing:
1. Be specific. I get inquiries asking how much it costs to groom a dog. Offer up a little more information to give the groomer something to start with. Your pets breed or closest breed, weight, and hair type along with what you are wanting from the grooming.
2. Be honest. If your dog is difficult to groom, let us know. Geriatric dogs, playful puppies, aggressive dogs etc all take longer to groom and we need to reserve more time for this.
Note: A 3lb yorkie can take just as long as a 20lb yorkie. Also when comparing price quotes be sure to compare more than price, compare skill level, services provided etc.
What is included?
At Blessed Little Grooming Company we offer full service grooming packages that are all-inclusive. This means everything necessary to grooming health is included. All packages include wash and brushing to remove dander and as much loose coat as possible, tangles are brushed out, mats are clipped out. We clean ears, trim and file nails and any hair trimming you desire. Dental care is not included. We do also offer add ons such as nail polish and coat color.
Do I drop them off or wait?
Every grooming salon runs their schedule differently. Some salons have all the dogs dropped off in the am and pick up and end of day, some have you drop off in the am and pick up when done, some salons do one on one appointments and you can wait for your pet. These didn’t work for me, or most of my clients. We do what is called a staggered drop off. We schedule appointments every 15 -30 minutes from 9am-2/3pm. This gives us a good rotation of grooming clients and allows us to accommodate our clients needs.
When your pet comes in for grooming we put them in a kennel and put their name on the bathing list. They then go into the bath, where they have their nails done, ears cleaned and bathed and blown dry. Most pets are hand dried with a pet hair dryer (different from a human hair dryer ). Once the coat is prepped, they are ready for their haircut. We do not shave dogs with a dirty coat as it damages our equipment and puts pets at risk for skin irritation or even injury. Once they are completely groomed we do our best to get their photo and we call their ride home. We ask that you allow 3-4 hours for that process, longer if you have multiple pets. We like to take our time, so we can do a thorough grooming, keep things calm for your pet, enjoy our job and allow for potty accidents, casual conversation with our clients etc.
When can you get me in?
As stated above we try to accommodate as many clients as possible, but we do book up fast, especially on Saturdays. We can usually get you in in 2-3 business days. Since we don’t currently require prebooking for any day, it’s first come first serve but we recommend calling or booking online for an appointment.
What is your experience/training?
Not all groomers are equal. Grooming is unregulated and no state requires formal education or training. Many groomers learn by apprentice, others attend school while some are self-taught. Grooming is not only a trade skill and everyone’s style is just as different as artwork. It is up to you to interview your groomer to find out their experience, training and skill level to see which groomer best fits your needs.
I have been working in the grooming industry since 1995. I worked as an apprentice for several years. I learned to groom cats and dogs and even began to learn to groom small animals, and bird and reptile maintenance. I have worked for small salons, vet clinics and independently on my own. I have taken and continue to take continuing education both through seminars and online programs. This is my career, not just a job. I enjoy learning as much as I can and applying it. I want my grooms to look the best they can and I want the dogs to enjoy being groomed.
How often should I get my pet groomed?
Regular grooming is 12 weeks or less. Even if your dog doesn’t need hair trimming, a clean coat free of loose hair and trimmed nails is necessary for the health of your pet. How frequently your pets hair needs to be trimmed is based on many factors such as your pets hair growth rate, lifestyle and your personal preferences. Waiting 4,6,8 or more months can cause harmful matting that’s painful and dangerous to remove.
How old should my pet be before starting grooming?
Grooming should start at home as soon as you get your pet. Brushing and combing, getting your pet use to being handled. As soon as your veterinarian says your pet is allowed to be in areas with other pets, you should schedule an introductory grooming. That’s usually around 4 months old. This applies to every breed. There is no dog breed that should wait until 6 months or even a year to be groomed. This makes introducing grooming difficult and your pets coat may be matted.
Do you groom dogs with an injury, disability, chronic health condition or a geriatric disease?
I have many clients who have special needs or health conditions. In some cases I may ask that you provide a note from their veterinarian releasing them for grooming. Please always mention this prior to grooming.
Grooming is an important part of your pets life. My goal is to provide a gentle expert grooming experience that you and your pets will love. Call or Text 270-670-2367 or book online!
