How Much Does Dog Grooming Cost in 2026?

A full-service dog grooming session in the U.S. costs $85 on average in 2026, with most owners paying between $50 and $150 per visit depending on their dog’s size and coat. A quick bath-and-brush for a small dog can run as little as $30–$40, while a giant breed or heavy-coated doodle at a mobile groomer can top $200–$260. Pet grooming covers the professional bath, haircut, nail trim, and ear cleaning that keep your animal healthy — not just handsome. See more pet cost guides to budget the full price of pet ownership.

Pet Grooming Cost at a Glance

Pet Grooming Cost
National average (full groom, dog)	$85
Typical range	$50–$150
Low-end (bath-only, small dog)	$30–$40
High-end (giant breed, mobile)	$200–$260+

Session prices include bath, cut, nails, and ears unless noted. Cats, add-ons, and regional swings are broken out below.

Dog Grooming Cost by Size

Size is the single strongest price driver in grooming — bigger dogs mean more time, more shampoo, and more physical labor. National cost databases and groomer pricing surveys agree on the same four bands, though individual salons draw the weight lines slightly differently.

Dog Size	Bath & Brush Only	Full Groom (Bath + Cut)
Small (under 25 lbs)	$35–$55	$50–$85
Medium (25–50 lbs)	$50–$75	$75–$110
Large (50–90 lbs)	$65–$95	$95–$150
Giant (90+ lbs)	$85–$130	$130–$200+

Average cost, salon visit, labor included. Doodles and heavy-coated breeds price at the top of — or above — their size band.

Small dogs (under 25 lbs): $50–$85 for a full groom

Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Shih Tzus, and Toy Poodles are the cheapest to groom simply because there’s less dog to wash. The national average for this band sits near $62 — though fine-coated breeds like Yorkies often quote near the top of the band for the extra skill their tangle-prone hair demands.

Medium dogs (25–50 lbs): $75–$110 for a full groom

Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, and Border Collies land here, averaging about $77 nationally. This is the band where coat type starts mattering more than weight — a 35-pound Cocker Spaniel with feathered ears and skirt costs notably more than a smooth-coated 40-pound Beagle. If you’re budgeting for a new dog, medium coated breeds are the sweet spot of manageable grooming bills.

Large dogs (50–90 lbs): $95–$150 for a full groom

Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and Standard Poodles average around $95. Double-coated breeds (Goldens, Huskies, Shepherds) need thorough de-shedding — an undercoat blowout alone can add $20–$40. This is also the size where salon table space and dryer time become real constraints, which is why the per-pound price stops falling and the absolute price climbs.

Giant breeds (90+ lbs): $130–$200+ for a full groom

Newfoundlands, Great Pyrenees, and Bernedoodles are the most expensive grooms in the industry, averaging $120 nationally with matted or doodle coats pushing past $200. Some salons charge giant breeds by the hour ($60–$90/hour) rather than flat-rate, and a few simply decline giant doodles — call ahead if your dog tops 100 pounds.

Pet Grooming Cost by Service

Not every visit needs the full works. Understanding the menu lets you buy only what your pet actually needs — and spot when a “package deal” isn’t one.

Service	Average Cost (Labor Included)
Bath & brush only (no haircut)	$30–$75
Full groom (bath + haircut + nails + ears)	$50–$150
Nail trim	$10–$15
Nail trim + grind/buffing	$15–$20
Teeth brushing	$10–$15
Ear cleaning	$10–$15
De-matting (per session)	$15–$50+
De-shedding treatment	$20–$40
Flea & tick treatment	$15–$25
Gland expression	$10–$15

Add-on prices assume they’re booked with a bath or groom; walk-in nail trims sometimes carry a small surcharge.

Full groom: $50–$150

The standard package — bath with breed-appropriate shampoo, blow-dry, breed-standard or requested haircut, nail trim, ear cleaning, and often a finishing spritz. This is the $85 national average service, and it’s what most price guides mean by “grooming cost.” Anything substantially cheaper is usually a bath-only service in disguise; check the item list before comparing quotes.

Bath & brush only: $30–$75

For short-coated dogs that don’t need haircuts (Labs, Beagles, Boxers), this is the whole grooming program. It includes the bath, blow-dry, brush-out, nails, and ears — everything except scissoring. Many owners of smooth-coated breeds never buy anything else, which cuts their annual grooming spend roughly in half versus coated breeds.

A la carte add-ons: $10–$50+ each

Nail trims ($10–$15) are the most common standalone service — dogs that walk on pavement may never need them, while indoor small breeds need them monthly. De-matting ($15–$50+) is the add-on that surprises owners most; it’s priced for the groomer’s time and patience, not the product used. Teeth brushing ($10–$15) is cosmetic, not a dental cleaning — it freshens breath but doesn’t replace veterinary dental care.

Salon vs. Mobile vs. DIY Grooming

Where the grooming happens changes the price as much as what gets done. Each channel has a clear cost profile.

Grooming Channel	Full Groom Cost	Best For
Salon / pet store	$50–$150	Lowest price, most availability
Mobile groomer (at your home)	$90–$260+	Anxious dogs, busy owners, multi-pet homes
Self-service dog wash	$12–$23	Baths only, big savings on basics
Full DIY at home	$0 per session*	Maintenance between pro visits

*After a one-time $75–$150 kit investment (clippers, shampoo, nail tools).

Salon grooming: $50–$150

The neighborhood salon or pet-store grooming department remains the price leader, and all the national averages in this guide are salon prices. Chains and independents price within a few dollars of each other in most markets; independents tend to be more flexible on matted or difficult dogs. Book 1–2 weeks out — good salons in metro areas run waitlists.

Mobile grooming: $90–$260+

A van comes to your driveway and grooms one dog at a time — no cages, no other barking dogs, no drop-off logistics. The premium is $10 to $20 over salon rates for small dogs and widens with size: expect $90–$140 for small/medium full grooms, $150–$210 for large, and $190–$260+ for giant or doodle coats.

DIY and self-service: $12–$23 per bath

Self-service dog washes (found at pet stores and standalone shops) rent you a raised tub, dryer, and pro shampoo for $12–$23 — the cheapest way to outsource the mess without paying for labor. Full DIY at home costs essentially $0 per session after the initial $75–$150 equipment buy, and it pays for itself within two skipped appointments. Most cost-conscious owners split the difference — home maintenance plus a professional cut every 8–12 weeks.

Cat Grooming Costs

Cats are groomed less often than dogs, but when they need it, the per-session math is friendlier. The national average for a basic professional cat groom sits between $50 and $70.

Cat Grooming Service	Average Cost (Labor Included)
Bath, brush-out & nail trim	$40–$70
Full groom with haircut	$70–$110
Lion cut / full shave-down	$75–$150
Sanitary / hygiene trim	$25–$45
Nail trim only	$10–$15

Long-haired breeds (Persians, Ragdolls, Maine Coons) are the cats that actually need grooming — expect the top half of every range, plus de-matting fees of $20–$60 for neglected coats. Short-haired cats rarely need professional grooming at all; a $15 nail trim every couple of months covers most of them. Note that many salons add a $5–$10 temperament surcharge for cats that scratch or bite — and unlike dogs, genuinely aggressive cats may simply be turned away, since cat bites send groomers to urgent care.

Pet Grooming Cost Factors

Coat type and condition

The coat matters more than the scale. Curly, continuously growing coats (Poodles, Doodles, Bichons) demand 30–60% more time than smooth coats of the same weight, and groomers price accordingly. Matting is the single biggest cost multiplier — a matted doodle can take twice as long as a brushed one, adding $15–$50+ or pushing the session past $150.

Location

Metro-area salons charge 30–50% more than small-town shops for identical services — a $85 average groom in the suburbs is easily $110–$130 in New York, San Francisco, or Boston. This is pure labor-market arithmetic: commercial rent and groomer wages set the floor.

Groomer experience and demand

Master groomers and breed specialists command $20–$40 premiums over junior staff, and the best ones book out weeks ahead. For straightforward grooms the premium buys little; for show cuts, Asian-fusion styling, or difficult temperaments, it buys a meaningfully better outcome.

Frequency and maintenance

Dogs groomed every 4–6 weeks cost less per visit than the same dog arriving matted after four months — many salons quietly discount regulars and surcharge neglect. At $85 a session, moving from every 8 weeks to every 6 costs an extra $280 a year but usually eliminates de-matting fees entirely.

Add-on stacking

The base groom is rarely the final bill. Nails ($10–$15), teeth ($10–$15), de-shedding ($20–$40), and specialty shampoo ($5–$10) compound fast — a $95 large-dog groom with three add-ons clears $140. Decide which add-ons your pet genuinely needs before the appointment, not during the upsell at drop-off.

Pet temperament

Difficult, fearful, or aggressive pets cost more — typically $10–$25 extra — because they require two handlers, take longer, and carry bite risk. Some salons won’t take aggressive dogs at any price. If your pet is a handful, say so when booking: surprise aggression at drop-off can mean a refused appointment and a wasted trip.

Additional Grooming Costs

Extra Cost Item	Average Cost
De-matting / shave-down (severe)	$50–$120+
Flea treatment (if fleas found)	$15–$25
Specialty / medicated shampoo	$5–$15
Creative styling / dye	$25–$75+
Holiday / peak-season surcharge	$10–$20
Late pickup / boarding fee	$15–$30

If the groomer finds fleas, most salons treat immediately and bill you $15–$25 — one flea-ridden dog can infest the whole shop, so there’s no opting out.

How to Save Money on Pet Grooming

• Brush at home weekly. Ten minutes with a slicker brush prevents the $15–$50+ de-matting surcharge — the highest-ROI habit in pet care.
• Stretch the interval on smooth coats. Short-haired dogs groomed every 10–12 weeks instead of 6 saves $280–$425 a year with zero downside.
• Do nails and baths yourself. A $30 nail trimmer and your bathtub eliminate the two most frequent paid services; save the pro for haircuts.
• Book standing appointments. Regulars often get 10–15% off and skip the “neglected coat” surcharge that one-off visits attract.
• Try a self-service wash. At $12–$23, it’s 70% cheaper than a salon bath and you skip the wet-dog car ride home.
• Compare mobile quotes for multi-pet homes. Two dogs at $110 each mobile can beat two salon visits once you count drive time and the second trip.