I publish my prices, which not every groomer does, and they all start with the word “from”. People reasonably ask what that means and why the number is not just a number. Here is the whole answer, including what the money actually pays for.
Four prices, and what “from” means
My four services are a Bath & Brush from £30, a Bath & Tidy from £40, a Full Groom from £45, and the Puppy Intro at £35. The prices are the same at both salons, Honey’s House in Hunstanton and CK9 Dog Grooming in King’s Lynn, and there is no travel charge because I do not do home visits.
“From” means that the price covers a real, ordinary groom at that figure, and some dogs cost more. A small, regularly groomed dog in good condition sits at the from-price. A large dog, a thick or curly coat, a coat that has not seen a brush for months, or a dog that needs a lot of breaks all take more time, and the price follows the time. It is not a bait figure; it is the starting point of a range.
The Puppy Intro is a fixed £35 because it is a fixed thing: a first visit with a bath, a dry and an introduction to the table and tools, and no haircut.
The four things that move the price
Grooming is priced on time, and four things decide how long a groom takes.
- Size. A Chihuahua and a Newfoundland are not the same afternoon. More dog is more coat to wash, more coat to dry, more coat to clip.
- Coat type. A smooth-coated Labrador is dry in ten minutes. A Cockapoo with a dense wool coat can take forty to dry properly, and the clip only comes out even if the coat is fully dry and brushed straight.
- Condition. Matting is the big one. A matted coat has to be clipped off underneath the felt in slow passes, which takes longer and blunts blades. That is why there is a separate matting charge of £5 to £10 for heavy cases. Fleas or ticks found during a groom also add £5 to £10 for the cleaning and sanitising of the salon and equipment afterwards.
- Temperament. A wriggly puppy or a nervous dog gets breaks, and a groom done in three short stages takes longer than one done in a single calm stretch. I would never rush a frightened dog to save ten minutes, so the time, and the price, is what it is. There is a post on how I groom nervous dogs.
What’s inside the price
It is fair to ask what you are paying for, so here is what a groom costs me to deliver.
Training and qualifications: I am an ICMG Certified Professional Groomer, which took time and money to earn and means I know what I am doing with a dog’s skin, coat and stress levels. Insurance: I am fully insured, which is not optional for a professional and not free. The salon: I work from two salons and that space, water, electricity and heating are paid for. Products and equipment: good shampoo and conditioner, clippers, blades that need sharpening and replacing, scissors that cost more than you would believe, dryers, tables, towels. And time: a Full Groom on a medium curly dog is the best part of two hours from the first wet paw to the last comb-through.
There is no tipping expected. The price is the price.
What’s not inside it
Three things sit outside the from-prices, and each has a reason.
- Matting, fleas and ticks, each £5 to £10 depending on severity, because of the extra time and the cleaning they involve.
- Late collection, £5 for every 15 minutes after I have told you your dog is ready, unless we have agreed a late pickup in advance. I work alone and the next dog is on the table; a dog waiting is a dog I am also looking after.
- Cancellations. I ask for at least 24 hours’ notice. Cancelling later than that may incur a fee of up to 50% of the service, and a missed appointment with no notice may be charged in full, with future bookings paid in advance. One dog cancelling at short notice is a slot nobody else can fill. The full terms are on the site.
None of these is there to catch anyone out. They are there so that the owners who turn up on time, with a brushed dog, are not paying for the ones who do not.
How to get an exact quote in one message
Send me a WhatsApp with four things: the breed (or your best guess), the dog’s age, when it was last groomed, and a photo of the coat as it is now, ideally with the coat parted so I can see the skin. From that I can tell you the service I would suggest and the price you should expect, before you book. If the coat turns out to be matted underneath when I see it, I will tell you before the clippers go anywhere near it.
The price list on the services page carries a “prices updated” date, so you will always know whether what you are reading is current.
Quick questions
Is it cheaper for two dogs?
Two dogs are two grooms, each priced on its own size, coat and condition. Book them together and I will do my best to fit them into the same session so you make one trip.
Do large breeds cost more, and how much?
Usually yes, because of the time, and by how much depends on the coat as much as the size. A big smooth-coated dog can be quicker than a small curly one. Send the photo and I will quote.
Why is the Puppy Intro a fixed price?
Because it is the same thing for every puppy: a gentle first visit, bath, dry, meet the tools, home. The variables that move the other prices, matting, length, a long clip, do not come into it. Read about preparing your puppy if you are thinking of booking one.