After talking to many groomers who are sole proprietors, I have found that one of the biggest struggles is knowing how to charge appropriately. Common questions include:
- Am I charging enough?
- How do I know what I should be charging?
- What is average?
As a fellow groomer, I can attest to the fact that most groomers do not get into grooming because they love numbers. We become groomers because we love dogs. We enjoy the creativity, the relationships with our clients, and the satisfaction of sending a dog home looking and feeling its best.
But if you own your own business, understanding your numbers is just as important as understanding coat types, proper prep work, and safe handling. The good news is that you do not need an accounting degree to determine whether your pricing is supporting your business goals. You also do not need to overthink it.
Start With Time
One of the biggest mistakes groomers make when pricing is focusing only on breeds.
A Shih Tzu that comes in every six weeks is very different from a Shih Tzu that has not been groomed in six months. The same is true for Doodles, short-coated bath dogs, and almost every other coat type.
Instead of asking, “What breed is this dog?” start by asking, “How long does this groom take me to complete?”
As a general guideline, a small dog on a regular grooming schedule should take about 45 to 55 minutes. Dogs with longer coats, more complicated trims, behavior challenges, or poor coat maintenance will require additional time.
Your time has value. Stop there and repeat this phrase out loud:
“My time has value!”
Understanding how much time each groom requires is one of the first steps in determining whether your pricing is working for your business and your income goals.
Know Your Cost of Doing Business
Next, take a look at your monthly expenses.
This includes everything it takes to operate your business:
- Rent
- Insurance
- Utilities
- Software
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Blade sharpening
- Equipment maintenance
- Bandanas, bows, and finishing products
- Continuing education
For this example, let’s assume your business expenses total $2,000 per month. That overhead is likely unrealistic in 2026, but for the sake of round numbers, we’ll use it here.
If you work five days per week, that is approximately 20 working days each month. When you divide $2,000 by 20 days, you find that it costs about $100 per day just to operate your business.
Before you pay yourself, before you buy groceries, and before you set aside money for savings or retirement, your business needs to generate enough revenue to cover that $100 each day.
Start With Your Income Goal
Now ask yourself another question: How much do I want to earn each year?
Let’s use $70,000 as an example.
A $70,000 annual income works out to roughly $5,800 per month.
When you add your $2,000 in monthly business expenses, your business needs to generate approximately $7,800 each month. Divide that by 20 working days and your daily revenue goal becomes about $390.
Many groomers have never worked through this exercise. Once they do, they begin to understand why their schedule may be full while their bank account feels empty.
What Does That Mean Per Dog?
Let’s say you groom five dogs each day.
- To generate $390 per day, your average ticket needs to be about $78.
- If you groom six dogs per day, your average ticket needs to be about $65.
- If you groom four dogs per day, your average ticket needs to be about $98.
When you break the numbers down this way, it becomes easier to evaluate whether your current pricing is helping you reach your goals.
Looking at Revenue Per Hour
Another useful exercise is calculating your hourly production. Many successful grooming businesses generate between $75 and $100 or more per grooming hour.
Notice that this is revenue, not take-home pay.
That revenue still has to cover products, equipment replacement, taxes, utilities, continuing education, and other business expenses.
For example, if your target is $80 per grooming hour:
- A groom that takes one hour should generate about $80.
- A groom that takes 90 minutes should generate about $120.
- A groom that takes two hours should generate about $160.
This is not a strict pricing formula. Rather, it is a way to evaluate whether the time you spend on a groom is producing enough revenue to support your business.
Pricing Has Changed Over Time
As a point of reference, a groomer I worked with in Western Pennsylvania charged approximately $32 for a small dog groom about 18 years ago.
Today, that same groom costs around $65 to $70.
At first glance, that may seem like a significant increase. However, rent, insurance, utilities, products, equipment, and the overall cost of living have all increased during that same period.
Grooming requires skill, experience, physical effort, and ongoing education. Your pricing should reflect the value you provide.
The Bottom Line
Instead of asking what everyone else is charging, ask yourself a few questions:
- How long does this groom take me?
- What does it cost me to operate my business?
- What income do I want to earn?
- Does my current pricing support those goals?
You do not need to love numbers. You simply need to understand enough of them to make informed decisions about your business. Your goal is not just to stay busy. Your goal is to build a business that supports you, your family, and the future you are working toward.
Happy Grooming,
Cara Evans
President, Paragon Pet School