How to Price Dog Grooming Services by Breed, Size and Coat

Ask ten groomers how they set their prices and you will get ten different answers. Some copy the salon down the road, some use a number that felt right years ago, and some raise prices only when costs have already eaten into their margin. A clear pricing structure takes the guesswork out, and makes it easier to explain prices to clients.

Start with your cost per hour

Every price should come back to time. Add up what it costs to run your salon for a month: rent, wages including your own, products, power, water, insurance, software and equipment. Divide that by the number of hours you can actually groom in a month. That is your cost per grooming hour. Your prices need to cover it with room left over for profit, holidays and the slow weeks.

Once you know the cost per hour, a price list becomes much easier: each service is simply the expected time multiplied by your hourly rate, rounded to a sensible number.

Size, coat and condition

Most salons price on three things:

• Size. Bigger dogs take longer to wash, dry and handle. Group dogs into a few weight bands rather than pricing every breed separately.
• Coat type. A smooth coat is quick. A long, curly or double coat needs much more drying and brushing time.
• Condition. Matting, heavy shedding or a coat that hasn't been groomed in months adds time. Charge for it separately so the base price stays fair for well-kept dogs.

Breed as a shortcut

Breed is a useful shortcut because it tells you size and coat at once. A Toy Poodle, a Labrador and a Samoyed are three very different jobs. Many salons list popular breeds with a set price and use size and coat bands for everything else, including crosses.

Keep the details on the pet's profile

Prices are easier to apply consistently when every pet has its breed, weight, coat length and notes recorded. In PetConnect, those details sit on each pet's profile alongside its grooming history, so anyone at the front desk can see what the dog had last time and how long it took.

Add-ons and extras

Keep the main service simple and list extras separately: de-matting, de-shedding treatments, teeth cleaning, nail grinding, special shampoos, bows and bandanas. Clients like being able to choose, and it stops your full groom price from creeping up for everyone.

"From" prices and confirming on the day

Some dogs will always surprise you. Showing a "from" price online, and confirming the final price when you see the dog, is common and accepted. Explain it on your booking page so nobody is caught off guard, and tell the client before you start if the price will change.

Review your prices every year

Costs go up every year, so prices need to as well. A small yearly increase is easier for clients to accept than a big jump every few years. Tell regular clients a few weeks ahead, thank them for their loyalty, and keep the explanation short.

Don't forget card fees

Card payments come with a cost. Rather than adding a fee at the counter, most salons build it into their prices, so a client paying by card and one paying cash see the same price. With PetConnect, the card fee is about 2.2% and there is no monthly fee, which makes the sums simple.

Make your price list easy to read

A price list should help clients choose, not confuse them. Group services clearly, use plain names, show the "from" price and list extras underneath. Put the same list on your booking page, at the desk and in your social media bio link, so clients see consistent prices everywhere.

Mistakes to avoid

• Copying a competitor's prices. Their rent, wages and speed are different from yours. Use their prices as a sense check, not a starting point.
• Charging the same for every dog. A flat price means quick dogs pay too much and big, fluffy dogs pay too little, and you end up losing money on the dogs that take the longest.
• Forgetting the extra time. Phone calls, cleaning the table, drying, and chatting at pick-up all take time. Your prices need to cover the whole visit, not just the clipping.
• Discounting to fill the book. Constant discounts teach clients to wait for a deal. Fill gaps with reminders and a waitlist instead.

Time your grooms for a month

If you're not sure how long your services really take, keep a simple record for a month: the dog's size, coat type and the time from check-in to pick-up. Patterns appear quickly. You may find your medium double-coated dogs take far longer than you priced for, or that small dog grooms are quicker than you thought. Those real numbers are the best possible base for a price list, and they make it much easier to explain a price to a client who asks.

Setting up services and prices for online booking? Have a look at how grooming management works in PetConnect, or see our pricing.