A useful dog grooming price list tells clients what is included, gives them a starting point, and leaves room for the work their own dog needs. It should also cover the time and costs involved in running your salon.
Start with your own appointments rather than copying another groomer's prices. Local prices can provide context, but another salon may have different costs, staffing, services, and clients.
Measure the work behind each appointment
For a week or two, record the time you spend on the services you perform most often. Include the coat assessment, owner conversation, bathing, drying, haircut, cleanup, and appointment notes. Keep collecting examples when a service varies widely.
Separate hands-on work from the total time a dog is in your care. A dog waiting for pickup is not necessarily using the same resources as a dog being groomed. If you work with more than one dog at a time, do not count the same working hour twice when estimating what your salon can earn.
Note what changed the timing: coat condition, size, styling, extra handling, or breaks the pet needed. Build reasonable room into your schedule based on your experience rather than adding the same arbitrary buffer to every service.
Turn your costs and time into a starting price
Your prices need to account for your compensation, staff costs if applicable, rent, utilities, insurance, supplies, equipment care, administration, and a margin for the business. Spread those costs across realistic paid working time, not every hour the salon is open.
Illustrative calculation, not a recommended market rate: suppose you choose a revenue target of $60 per productive hour and a service requires 90 minutes of that time. The calculation is 1.5 hours × $60 = $90. That is service revenue, not your take-home pay or profit.
If supplies and overhead are already included in your hourly target, do not add them again. If they are not, account for them consistently. Review your actual costs and completed appointments to see whether your starting prices work for your business.
Build a menu clients can understand
You do not need a long list of packages. Start with the services you actually offer and explain the difference between them.
Bath and brush: list the bathing, drying, and brushing included, plus any routine care that is part of your service.
Bath and tidy: explain which trimming is included and how it differs from a full haircut.
Full groom: describe the haircut and other care included in the starting price.
These are menu examples, not required packages. Use names and inclusions that match your salon. If nail care is already part of your full groom, do not list it as an extra charge for the same visit.
For each service, show the starting price, what is included, and what may change the quote. A simple note could say: “Prices start at the amount shown. Your dog's size, coat condition, requested style, and handling needs may affect the final quote. We will discuss any changes with you before proceeding.”
Price the individual pet and explain extras
Breed can help describe a service, but it does not tell you everything about the work. Two dogs of the same breed and size may need different amounts of coat care, drying, or styling.
Keep a record of what was performed and why the price changed. Examples might include additional coat preparation or extra hand scissoring. Only offer work that is appropriate for the pet and within your salon's services. Extra time is not a reason to continue a service that is unsafe or uncomfortable for the dog.
Explain additional charges before doing the extra work whenever possible. Record the client's agreement, and make clear whether an add-on is included in the quoted total or charged on top. Never charge for the same work twice.
If the dog needs a different service than originally requested, discuss a suitable option with the owner. A cheaper or smaller package is only an option when it still meets the dog's needs.
Check what a discount actually costs
Using the same hypothetical $90 service, a 20% discount reduces the charge to $72. If the work still takes 90 minutes, revenue falls from $60 to $48 per hour before expenses. The time and supplies have not disappeared.
An included extra also has a cost. Consider its time and materials before offering it, and do not describe it as free if you have increased the package price to cover it.
If you run a special, state who qualifies, what is included, and when it ends. Review whether it fills genuinely available appointments and still supports your costs. You do not need to offer discounts to have a clear, welcoming price list.
Keep the quote and the visit record together
Record the starting quote, any agreed adjustments, and the services actually performed. Looking back at previous visits can help you explain a price and prepare for the next appointment without relying on memory.
GroomTrack lets you organize services with prices and durations, keep appointment and pet notes, and review saved groom records. It does not calculate your business costs or decide what you should charge. Your price list and pricing decisions remain yours.
Start with three frequently booked services. Check their inclusions, compare the time they take with your costs, and write a short explanation of when the price may change. That gives clients a clearer menu and gives you a more consistent starting point for each quote.
Explore GroomTrack's features to see how service settings, appointments, and pet records fit together.