At Chaar we specialize in providing safe, high quality grooming services. Our stores in Allentown, Bethlehem, & Easton, PA groom over 6,000 dogs and cats per year. In this article we’ll break down the factors that contribute to the price you pay for a groom.

Overall Price Range for Dog Grooming

Dog grooming can cost anywhere from $25 or $30, to over $150. Usually, the cost you will pay for a groom depends on the characteristics of your dog. For example, a small short haired dog, such as a Pug or a Jack Russell requires fewer resources, time, and effort to groom than a large dog with a thick coat like a Saint Bernard.

Most grooming salons will have predetermined prices or price ranges for each breed of dog. When it comes to mixed breed dogs, salons typically base the price on the closest comparable breed according to the size of the dog and type of coat. So, if your Lab-Pug mix has a coat and size that is similar to an Australian Cattle Dog, you’ll probably pay close to what someone pays for an Australian Cattle dog, even though your dog isn’t technically crossed with that breed.

Some pure-bred dogs may still fall outside of the standard pricing for a breed. This is most common when there is a significant difference in size between your dog and the breed standard. Usually if your dog is 20 pounds larger or smaller than the breed standard it can result in a difference in price either higher or lower. For example, a typical Yorkie weighs 5-7 lbs. So if you have a super small teacup Yorkie that weighs only 3 or 4 lbs – or an extra-large Yorkie that weighs 12-15 lbs, you should expect to pay about the same price. Conversely, the average Labrador retriever weights between 55 and 79 lbs. So, if you have a lab that is closer to 30 lbs, you will likely pay less and if you have a lab that is pushing 100 lbs you will probably pay more.

Additional Services that Affect Grooming Prices

Most grooming salons are able to provide additional services, beyond standard grooming. There are different types of services. Some provide tangible value and others are based more on emotional value. Depending on your own preferences, some types of additional services may be more valuable than others.

Tangible value services are things like a de-shed treatment, skin-enriching mud baths, and nail filing. These types of services provide long term benefits such as significant reductions in shedding, softer and more enriched coat, and smooth scratch-free nails. Adding nail filing is extremely popular and usually only costs about $5-10 more at most salons. De-shed services are very popular with shedding breeds like Labs & German Shepherds. These can cost a bit more due to the additional work and supplies involved and usually add somewhere between $24 and $42 at most salons depending on the size and coat type of the dog.

Emotional value services are things like specially scented shampoos and colognes, any kind of “facial,” putting a bow or bandanna on your dog, etc. The cost for emotional value services can vary widely from salon to salon and the value of it is highly dependent on personal preferences. In some cases salons will offer certain emotional value services at no extra charge from time to time as a courtesy to the customer.

What Can Make a Groom Cost More than Expected?

Grooming price estimates are based on the “typical” grooming process for a certain breed. Most dogs visit the salon on a regular schedule of 6 to 8 weeks, their coats are in good condition, and they do not require additional time, supplies, and effort to groom compared to the breed standard. But from time to time, other factors can play a role in the price you pay for a groom. Things like skin and coat condition, presence of fleas or ticks, and behavior/difficulty with handling all play a role.

For example, if your dog has a matted coat, more work is required of the groomer to address that coat condition, which will result in a higher total price. Matted coats, depending on the severity and extent of the matting can add an extra 10-20% to the cost of the groom. In some extreme cases the added cost can be even more if the entire coat is matted. That’s because removing the matts requires more time and effort from the groomer and also places additional wear on their tools and equipment.

The presence of fleas and ticks will also usually increase the cost of a groom. This is because when parasites are present, additional bathing and sanitizing procedures must be taken both on your dog and within the salon. Usually, the presence of fleas can add $12-25 to the cost of a groom. Ticks will usually only cause an increase in cost if more than one or two are found.

Finally, the behavior of your dog can play a role in the cost of the groom. If your dog is resistant to certain aspects of grooming it can result in the groomer spending extra time and effort to complete the groom which also can drive up the cost. Usually small inconveniences, such as fidgeting do not result in extra cost, but if the behaviors result in significant challenges you should expect to see a charge commensurate with the issue. This can range from $5 to $20 in most cases.

How are grooming prices calculated?

Grooming prices are calculated based on a number of factors. Some of those factors are within the control of the grooming salon and some are outside of the salon’s control. The single biggest cost of grooming is the groomer him/herself – and they are worth it! Most salons pay some kind of incentive-based pay that rewards the groomers for the hard work they invest in grooming dogs in a safe and professional manner. Typically, salary, benefits, and taxes paid either directly to, or on behalf of, the groomer work out to about 60-65% of the cost of the groom. So where does the other 35-40% of the cost go? 10-15% goes toward consumables like shampoo, conditioner, cleaning products, and the like. Another 15% covers the overhead costs of operating the salon, such as rent, scheduling systems, IT, equipment maintenance, utilities, etc. The remaining 5-10% is the profit for the business, some of which must be saved to reinvest in major equipment and update salons as needed.

How much does my dog cost to groom?

Although an article such as this can’t tell you exactly what your dog will cost to groom, we can give you a good approximation. Keep in mind that there are lots of factors that go into setting grooming prices. Often times, prices at the lower end are set that way because they cut costs by either shortening the amount of time it takes to groom a dog (e.g. they will be less detailed in their work) or by selling emotional value packages to enough customers that boost revenue without adding much extra time, supplies, or effort. On the other end of the spectrum, more expensive prices may be the result of more detailed work by the groomers and/or more things included in the price of the groom, such as the option to use a hypoallergenic shampoo at no extra cost.

Here is a table that breaks down the price range you can expect to pay for some of the most common breeds that come to a grooming salon in 2022:

Bichon Frise $50-75

Boston Terrier $25-39

Boxer $39-52

Cocker Spaniel $52-79

Golden Doodle (under 50lbs) $49-72

Golden Doodle (50-75 lbs) $70-95

Golden Doodle (75+ lbs) $85-125

German Shepherd $47-78

Golden Retriever $60-100

Labrador Retriever $38-65

Labraoodle (under 50lbs) $49-72

Labraoodle (50-75 lbs) $70-95

Labraoodle (75+ lbs) $85-125

Miniature Poodle $48-72

Shih-Tzu $50-75

Yorkshire Terrier $48-72

How Does Chaar Determine its Grooming Prices?

Grooming is hard work and can be hectic at times. Many groomers invest years into mastering skills and thousands of dollars into maintaining and upgrading their tools. At Chaar, the main factor in setting prices is to ensure our groomers can make a good wage for the effort and dedication they put into their craft.