Some recent changes in my life have led to me being self employed. I now rent space out of a salon called Fancy Paws in Nampa, Idaho. I’ve been grooming for a decade, I am a Certified Pet Groomer (CPG) through International Pet Groomers (IPG), and it was time to be my own boss.

I do as good of work as I’m able with every dog. I don’t believe in piecemeal grooming, so everything is always included in my grooming services. Bath (including conditioner), hand drying, nails ground, ears cleaned (not plucked), haircut, all included. I don’t include teeth because it’s a waste of money at a grooming salon (do it at home!), I don’t include glands because the inside of a dog’s body is not my responsibility (see a vet!), and ear plucking is most often the cause of an ear infection rather than the cure of one.

Matting and behavior problems are going to cost you more – because that’s neglect of your pet and is more wear and tear on me and my equipment.

My point is, I charge for my time (hands on the dog and also my time in my field), my education, my equipment, and my skills. The most common complaint I get is about the price.

Why does it cost so much?

Whether a groomer is employed or self employed, we all have bills to pay. We have a lot of wear and tear on our bodies and equipment that we pay for as well. We have to continue our education to excel in our field and be up on the most recent research, products, and practices in pet grooming. Bottom line, we charge what we have to charge to pay our bills and repay the time/money we spend learning a trade that deals with live animals that can easily badly injure us.

Grooming takes time. So for us, time is money. If it takes me 3 hours to groom your dog, you’ll be charged accordingly. Same with any amount of time it takes, you’ll be charged accordingly. That charge is based on everything I listed above and some things I might have forgotten.

Also – groomers, along with anybody else providing a service, don’t owe anyone an explanation for their prices. Prices also aren’t negotiable. Well, they are to the extent that if a price doesn’t work for a customer, they don’t go there and pick somewhere else to go. They can also do it themselves, if that suits them better.

Owning a dog is a privilege. Not a right. Not being able to pay for the privilege isn’t your groomer’s fault. When it comes to grooming, you mostly get what you pay for, so a good groomer doesn’t often come cheap. We aren’t a charity grooming out of the goodness of our hearts. We charge what we need to charge to make a living and be able to retire at a decent age.

If you’re someone who comes in on a regular schedule and pays your groomer what they charge without arguing, I love you.