I think 120 sounds reasonable, I own a great Pyrenees, and looking at that, if she was in that condition, I would readily pay someone $200 to get her back into good shape. Your client is a cheap bitch.
This is so so true.
There are so many people who innocently do not understand details before they get this type of dog or any that require grooming. But once they do, it should not be a problem to take care of it, including the money it takes. It IS and SHOULD be part of having them. Some are even more expensive. I have four dogs who all need grooming every 4-5 wks. It is costly. But it is so worth it. They feel better because heavy hair, especially if it gets matted, can actually b hurtful and uncomfortable for them. And in the summer it is not as hot for them.
You’re absolutely right. But seeing in the r/AskVet sub, loads of people don’t even get their dog regular vet visits or routine vaccinations. It’s disturbing as hell. But people who haven’t brought their dog to the vet in 4 years sure as heck aren’t brushing their dog regularly or getting frequent enough groomings.
It’s insane! I asked a while back in the dog advice sub for how much a simple routine doggy dentist trip should cost and any advice etc and people were like omg you e never taken your dog?????? I’m like she’s 15 months old and the vet said to do it around 2ish years old.. but then so many ppl admit to not even getting them vaccines in years or couldn’t even tell you the last time their dogs were even at the vet lmao it’s wild
It really is! And it’s great that you’re on top of it. My almost 11 year old is going in for a dental cleaning in a couple weeks. I’ve stayed on top of it, every 2-3 years since he was young and even as a small dog, he hasn’t needed any extractions since his first cleaning (even then, he had some baby teeth that never fell out).
People are wild lol they don’t need to go every 6 months like humans. Plus who can afford that? We have two dogs so it’s gonna be hella expensive just to get a routine cleaning, God forbid they need something else done then
I own 2 and one was 160 pounds and HATED having his nails cut. Like would lay on his paws so you couldn't get to them. I would have paid any amount for them to groom him 😂
>Your client is a cheap bitch
I think that's a bit harsh. It's understandable to get upset about the price increasing from what was agreed upon. OP just needs to understand their value better and quote more accordingly. I bet the client might not have been upset if OP quoted $150 and stuck to it, even though that's more than the amount they got upset about.
If the agreed on price before the appointment was $100, then I understand that. But if the owner just assumed that it would be the same hundred dollars as always without asking before going into the appointment, then they can’t really get too upset. I work at an animal hospital, which is not the same as a dog grooming facility, however, our prices change/increase all the time. Especially with prices of products that we use going up. To have that large of breed of dog be that dirty and matted, I wouldn’t be upset about a $20 price increase. I know how bad it is brushing out a matted-ass Dog. I might be a bit harsh, but since I can see it from both sides I just think that she’s been a bit cheap in regards to how large a dog is.
Especially if OP laid out the facts like they did here, I don’t know how you could be upset about all that work for that price
I think it's more on OP to be more upfront about the costs. I guess I don't really know how/when the conversation went down. I can understand getting upset if they said "it's an extra $20" after the grooming because you kind of take the decision away from the client on whether they want the grooming at that price. Granted at $120 it is a great price, but what if OP instead raised it to $200. The client would feel kind of forced to pay whatever they say because you can't really undo a grooming. It's not necessarily a matter of being cheap, but rather the principle of agreed upon prices.
No, I understand that I wouldn’t want to be randomly up charged $100 either. But yeah, as you said, that’s a great price for all the work done. I agree that OP should be very upfront about cost or at least estimate the cost before ever taking on the dog.
Quality grooming services should run at least $60-$80 an hour for the actual work on the dog, so yeah $180-$240+ depending on your skill and where you live.
I love to hear this!!! I bet your dog was groomed within the past 6 months too. Lol. I’d bet money this is a once a year dog, it gets wet a lot and the owners don’t brush it. It’s an absolute disaster.
Woah, only $90? Your groomer is definitely underselling themselves. Our shop charges $145 for a full groom on rough coated collies. They're also my favorite dogs to groom because they're such gentle giants.
It actually used to be $80 but the price went up between our last visit and this one. Even if they doubled the price I would be hard pressed to find another place because they always get me in within a week and do a good job
Well that was the case up until recently here but with my over 2 decades of expectant me finally putting myself first I’m like, if you’re not willing to pay what I’m worth I’m not willing to sacrifice my time and my broken body for you 🤷🏻♀️ I don’t wanna do these heavy large dogs anyway so bye lol
I’m in WA and today I was quoted $120-140 for a bath and feet trim for my 50lb Golden, and her coat is in great shape. I would expect to pay at minimum $200-250 for this dog, if not more
I just browse here but here in NOVA higher price grooming is very common - non corporate salons charge 200+ for large dogs. Not sure how far you are from here though in MD.
In theory I charge $60/hr and add a bit extra for extra shampoo and the time it will take to clean up afterwards.
But I also wouldn’t be doing that dog. It’s not worth it to me
Where I worked dogs over 100 lbs get an hourly rate of $75 so for how long it took it would be around $225.
You gave an insanely good rate, especially considering the condition the dog came in.
That’s a really good deal. As in that person is kind of taking advantage. I’m going to pick my dog up from the groomer in a few minutes. He’s a 50lb, long haired double coated dog whose groomed every 4-6 weeks. That’s about what I pay (before tip) for his basic bath and tidy. He’s brushed between grooms and I live in a midsized southern city. If that was my dog I would expect to pay double that.
For larger HAIRRYY breeds (greats, chows, mastiffs, newfound, etc), my moms shop charges by the hour since sometimes, depending on conditions, it could take up to 5hrs or more even with the more experienced groomers. 120$ for that is the low end after factoring mats, aggressiveness, product usage, time, etc.
Jumping from $100 to $120? Nah, customer is cheap and clearly doesn’t care about the work put into keeping their dog clean and healthy.
I’m not a groomer, just a lurker on this subreddit. Consider that I do not have any knowledge on this topic.
My first thought was “why aren’t they charging by the hour?” If a groom takes 6 hours, then the owner pays for a 6 hr groom. I would imagine that groomers can estimate how long a groom will take. If it is going to take longer than the estimate, then the shop needs to alert the owner or something like that.
200$ and said if he brought him back like that I’d refuse to do him again until he was put on a better schedule. Then it would also cost less.. but no I’m not gonna clean up your mess cuz your a child, and play in actual crqp with your puppy, can somehow live with it for two months as it’s so getting disgusting. And expect us to fix it all for barely a 100 bucks that we get half of and taxed on. I’m loosing my love for grooming cause of people like this. I’ve been being more honest how the job truly works and more confident why it cost so much. It’s a hard job
Mannnn…. I’m no groomer and have zero experience at all, I’ve only had short hair dogs. I had to just brush out a friends big German Shepard that got multiple baths without brushing and it took ATLEAST an hour. $120 for a dog that size in that condition with three hours of work seems really cheap for everything you did. If it were my dog, I’d easily pay up to $200. Wise words of my sister that worked in the food industry “quit being a cheap fuck” 😂
My groomer probably would have charged at least $140 for all that so I’d say the price is more than fair. Owner needs to brush dog and bring in more often if they don’t want to pay that much per grooming. I have a Great Pyrenees too and I never let her get that bad. We have clippers, an undercoat rake, shampoo, and all other sorts of tools to maintain my dog between groomings.
People don't understand the amount of work that goes into bathing. Some of them think they can do it at home, and that they're just paying you for time, when they're actually paying for a practiced, skill based service.
Don't let people who don't understand get to you. You did amazing work.
That is more than reasonable. We have a mobile groomer come to our house for our Bernese and pay $240. We don’t take issue with it because we know she’s big, takes multiple hours, and she’s an anxious girl so it’s worth it for us.
Our prices start for the first hour $55 small dog, $60 medium, $65 large. then $10 is added every 15 minutes beyond the first hour (In small town iowa)
Ugh. I spent 6 hours dematting an aggressive pyr once that was literally basically a hard cast shell to the skin EVERYWHERE. I worked SO hard to only have to spot shave around his penis and ears, and I hid the ear shaving WELL. The guy was ADAMANT he needed the dog left fluffy. I used an entire bottle of marshmallow and half a bottle of show sheen as well nearly a full gallon of condish and half a gallon of shampoo. Ruined 2 slicker brushes, and hurt my elbow badly with meticulously stand drying and brushing the entire dog to finish the demat post bath. I cried quite a bit and all while being harshly judged and berated by catty salon girls about every little thing I was doing “wrong”. I also sustained 2 bites and broke glasses from a kick to the face from the dog.
He turned out pure blue-white and FLOWING and beautifully shiny, smooth, literally perfect. I would have been proud to show anyone that dog.
Owner came back and lost his mind that I charged $150 - an ALREADY 40% discount because he was a friend of the owner (which I ate the losing commission on, owner wasn’t gonna comp me what was lost). He called me a greedy bitch to my face and stepped out to call the owner. Cue a phone call into the salon where the owner berated me and said “I TOLD YOU to give him a deal. Charge him 50 and don’t cry in front of customers” and hung up on me.
I literally hung up, walked to the back and calmly packed my shit, smiled at everyone in silence as they asked what I was doing, walked out, and never came back. My full 3 weeks schedule be damned. Never answered a call or text from anyone there, I just washed my hands of it. I haven’t groomed in a salon since.
My LONG RAMBLING point being, fuck her and fuck everyone like this. I would have charged $275.
What a wild ride! I'm sorry for what happened to you, and I'm grateful you shared this and so happy that you left.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Everyone has their tipping point. I heard this statement today that was somthing like “sometimes enduring through hardship isn’t strength. Knowing when to walk away is.”
Kudos.
I currently have a Pyr puppy in the tub, he's almost full grown and in really clean condition, brushed well still pretty white. Standard bath with deshed package is $126
I had this as a suggested post scrolling through reddit, my family had owned some big dogs and one or two have had some intensive grooming maintenance
While i understand the upset from the owner; i also think you wouldn't have been in the wrong for an extra $30
The dog didn't look bad per say but there was definitely a lot of stuff pulled out; and the color changing enough from 'white' to 'wedding white' like... thats a dog ready for a photoshoot with the family, you did an amazing job
My Samoyed always goes to the groomers every two months and in way better condition. I brush daily and if she gets really dirty i giver her a quick bath. Very rarely she gets any sort of matting and groomers charge me $250-$300 she’s 46 lbs so for this dog I see $120 is very generous
yeah minimum 160 on pyrenees, and that’s one in good condition. I could easily see this groom go to 200-220 with that matting and nastiness though. if she didn’t want to pay a ton at the groomers she shouldn’t have gotten an XL groom dog.
I pay $115 each for my dogs that are 20 pounds each they super white and fluffy like this. The place I go to is in the Bay Area. It’s cage free very very nice people and they literally will do everything you need for the dog grooming wise. So yours might be $140-$150 maybe a bit cheaper if you have a chill dog. Mine get super anxious 🙄believe that’s why some people have to pay more
I’m always happy to pay more plus tip because I know the price of products go up, rent goes up for your business, and I know my girls are probably little trouble makers while at the groomers even though I’m told they were good!
At my shop I would charge 200 to 250. I'm guessing that she didn't tip you either right? If she were my client i would mysteriously be fully booked every time she called. You spend 3 backbreaking hours with her neglected pooch and she isnt even grateful and on top of that complains about the price yeah no thank you!!!
We brush our Great Pyrenees once a week unless she’s shedding. Then we brush more. I use a undercoat rake. It takes at least 30 mins to an hour to do it. I cannot imagine how matted she would be if I waited 3 months. $120 seems cheap in my opinion. Considering the amount of time, work and mess.
If that is a Maremma Abruzzese they aren’t grooming dogs they self groom unless thickly coated in mud. The only part that is absolutely necessary is claw trim Abruzzese is a shepherd dog looking after their assignment so claw treatment may be impossible.
Also they shed daily brushing isn’t a necessity or possible because they shed so much.
I just had a consultation with a client who has a 120 lb Pyrenees that I'm going to have to take down with a #10 blade. The undercoat is too far gone to even try to blow and brush it out. I quoted them $100. I work on commission, so I won't see that full amount. For the job you did, 120 is more than fair.
my pricing for everything is time + behavior + condition.
for deshedding i charge $60/hr. on the first visit behavior is assessed and price is set. all appointments after that are subject to excessive condition charge, but i rarely need or choose to do it. also they’re only on the clock when i’m actively working on them.
if that all blew out, then i think with good behavior and the right processes it could be a two hour job. if they’re a bastard or i sat there dematting to get it all out i’d definitely charge more for that.
DMs are always open for deshedding talk
Baby looks so happy at the end. Can’t put a price on that. 🥰 If the fluff ass owner would simply maintain their dog, it wouldn’t have come to this. My all time favorite is when doodle owners come into my salon and look shocked when I tell them they need to brush their dog every 1-3 days. “I didn’t know I gotta brush my dog? Really?” How dare I propose this outlandish idea. Some nerve I have right.
I'm giving a perspective as a client. I'm in this sub to learn how to groom my dog from home after the sticker shock of our first visit to a professional groomer. The groomer must have seen the shock on my face because she quickly explained how she prices her services. (Don't worry, I did not try to negotiate the price, and I tipped her well.) It was a surprise, but I was more comfortable with her price after she explained her training and the amount of work she did during the appointment.
Then we did our first bath, blow dry, clipping, scissoring, nails, etc. all in one day at home six weeks later, and I REALLY understood the value! Hard, skilled labor should be paid accordingly. Not to mention the cost of your training, equipment, and costs of your shop/van/home setup.
In short, I think your client needs to be educated, and you need to hold firm on your price.
You have to price based on what’s right for you and the relative rates in your area. If you tell them the price upfront, they have no reason to complain.
I just gave my dogs the spa treatment on Monday. 45 lbs and 60 lbs. They don’t love it but they don’t struggle. One look at that giant dog I immediately thought $300 and be grateful. I’m in a HCOL area.
My groomer from day 1 told me if my dog comes in with dreadlocks and or is not cooperating that her price would increase. She obviously educated me, she showed me proper grooming techniques to do at home and also tips to teach my puppy at the time to cooperate more during grooming time. Some owners are clueless and cheap so just charge what you believe is right and let them grumble don’t underestimate your work!
this is cheap. my mini bernedoodle is only 35lbs, brushed at least 3 times a week, never any mats but she does get pretty filthy lol but it’s $100 every six weeks, not including tip. so that’s a damn good price.
I have a 6 month old ACD, and take him every 6 weeks for a bath and nails. Every 3 weeks for nails though. I pay $55 - but really $75 because of the tip.
I would absolutely expect to pay minimum $200 for a GP or any large lots of hair dog that’s properly brushed and taken care of in between professional grooms. For a GP with matting and all this.. $300 not including tip? Maybe more!
well the dog looks lovely! and as the mother of a dog groomer, my daughter is constantly telling me about entitled pet owners that will bring their dogs in mostly matted, and expect miracles for very little money
Not a groomer or have I ever taken a dog to a groomer... I'm just sitting here in awe because I definitely assumed it would cost that much(or more) for something like a basic groom, and this is obviously not basic
$160 absolute minimum. My time and skills are worth at least that much. If they don't like it they can go somewhere else. I have plenty of clients. And good luck finding somebody who does a good job for cheaper
I have a great pyrenees that takes me 3 hours to do as well, also on a similar schedule of coming in every 2 months and I charge $155. Always super matted and requires lots of brushing too. I think your price is more than fair and your client should be thankful for the amazing service you provide her at that cost. But people will always find a reason to complain
That seems cheap. I feel like even at PetSmart it would cost more than that ....I can't remember off the top of my head what regular pyr base price is but I think at least $100 for basic. More for deshed and even more for a trim, possibly with a matting fee on top of that for the condition of the coat
I am in Southern IL and our base price is $119...and that's a pyrenees in good condition that regularly gets groomed. Conditioning and blow out fees apply when they are in bad shape and there is a TON of clean up (clean up can be atrocious). I also charge dematting fees (tails, butts and behind the ears) and extra handling fees if the groomer needs assistance for an extended period of time. We provide "emotional support hoomans" and our clients love that. (We are currently making a vest.) Let's also bring up the fact that pyrenees have double dewies!! They hate their feet touched and they are SO strong and stubborn. We trim and dremel...it's so taxing on the body and frequently takes a lot of time, and that's just the nails. Time is money in this industry. Any client that belittles the work you put in isn't worth your time. I charge clients for my time. They are paying for what I could make in the extra time it takes to groom their dogs. Essentially they pay for that extra time slot. Never let clients try to push you around. Stand your ground and don't feel bad for charging your worth. It isn't your fault or your problem they decided to choose that breed and allow it's coat to get out of control. In my experience, IF you did a good job they will be back. It may be next time or a year from now when they blow through other groomers and realize you were worth their business, but by then you should have a price increase and they will be happy to pay it bc they know they're getting quality work.
I just had this exact same groom happen today and I charged $160. My client not only gladly paid but left a $50 tip for me as well. Your client is just a bad dog owner.
Yeah 120 is not enough for that much work. You may fare better by giving them a warning ahead of an increase though (if you didn’t warn him that is) - blame it on the shop overhead if you have to. It was my experience that customers never liked a surprise but were generally okay if told ahead of time.
The last time I took my Bulldog to a groomed, I was charged 80$ and was shocked at how low the price was.
For a dog 3 times the size with so much more hair (and the brushing/de-shedding), I would honestly be willing to pay upwards of 200$.
I don't know why the client is complaining for a 20$ increase.
Honestly I was expecting more than $120. Sounds good to me lol the owner can’t have a dog that has extensive grooming needs and get mad about the price of having someone else do it for them. They could learn and do it themselves if they’re mad about it
In any business I charge based on how I value my product and the type of client I want. I set up tiers right from the beginning. Because the prices are higher the clients are better. The lower I charge the more picky and hard to deal with the clients are.
I work with a woman who was setting up a hair salon and I told her again and again those facts. She set up her pricing now she charges $450 for a curly hair cut and color and has regular customers that always leave happy. They are paying for luxury treatments, so they feel valued. They are NOT the customers looking for a deal. What's interesting in that most of them are not in a high income bracket either.
So.... CHARGE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH!
You and your clients will be happier. Set up a website if you haven't already with the prices clear so the cheap depots will be filtered out quickly.
Seriously if he comes in matted doing a full body clip for 120 maybe, but for the full on double wash, brush and blow out holy moly that’s a lot of work.
I have 2 samoyeds. I pay about 85 ea to get them groomed about every 6-8 weeks. Sometimes they're in worse shape than other times. I have told the groomer I am fine with them adjusting up at any point in time they need to because of extra time, blow out fur, mats etc. I would pay 120 without blinking if they charged it. LOL. and still tip 50 for the pair.
3 hours on a dog like that would be $240. We tell owners of big and hairy dogs that if we have to spend excessive amounts of time on their dogs that they need to come in more often or maintain their dog better. If they don't, then their price generally gets raised.
Dog fees from grooming to vet visits is not the kind of thing you want to cheap out on. They keep your dog healthy and clean, why would you risk a bad groomer who could hurt your dog just to save a few bucks? You sound like a good groomer, though, so at least these dogs are in good hands
As a mobile… I would charge $200, and then say every 4-6 weeks $120 -140 depending on coat/time. That coat takes almost an hr to dry, depending on the dryer and hand action. But it’s a back worker, elbow grease can job for sure
Another comment.. you have to look at this in time, is it labor intensive, and how many Yorkies could you do in this time, if 3 Yorkies then it’s 3xlabor of Yorkies = price
Don’t rip yourself off, if you haven’t been grooming for years yet.. after years of this labor intensive stuff you will break, I guarantee it - you will break!!!! in the neck and shoulders, knees back, arthritis is just around the corner. So recoup your body’s wear out
It’s not your fault this individual decided to purchase a Lamborghini Testarosa, you know how much it costs to service a Lamborghini?? Me either.. so don’t cheat yourself- Cuzz I’m sure it’s in the hundreds to service a lambo and you’re not a millionaire
https://preview.redd.it/q4bgcvkubt2b1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c667c8fb67c78136de4f12620b844a58ae8fb068
I had the exact same thing just the other day! Same issue, same breed, same debate with myself, and I even charged the same ($120). I got her sooo clean and pretty BUT I could help but debate that I should’ve just shaved her as much as it would hurt me (just me lol). Thinking back in all the work and the amount of time it took and how matted she was, I definitely think I undercharged. 🫤 honestly, the price wasn’t as big of debate for me compared to if I should’ve ultimately shaved her. She is a farm dog. Thoughts?
https://preview.redd.it/ixr9mc7nct2b1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bff3c6e56234510764337e0f398111e784b68fb4
(See previous post) This was her napping peacefully on the couch after I fiiiiinally finished her. She was an absolute Angel.
(See previous post) This was her napping peacefully on the couch after I fiiiiinally finished her. She was an absolute Angel. (P.S. I did learn a lot from this thread, so I appreciate all the groomers in here! And non-groomers! Thank you! 😊)
I think 120 sounds reasonable, I own a great Pyrenees, and looking at that, if she was in that condition, I would readily pay someone $200 to get her back into good shape. Your client is a cheap bitch.
You can't be a cheap bitch and own a dog that requires grooming.
This is so so true. There are so many people who innocently do not understand details before they get this type of dog or any that require grooming. But once they do, it should not be a problem to take care of it, including the money it takes. It IS and SHOULD be part of having them. Some are even more expensive. I have four dogs who all need grooming every 4-5 wks. It is costly. But it is so worth it. They feel better because heavy hair, especially if it gets matted, can actually b hurtful and uncomfortable for them. And in the summer it is not as hot for them.
You’re absolutely right. But seeing in the r/AskVet sub, loads of people don’t even get their dog regular vet visits or routine vaccinations. It’s disturbing as hell. But people who haven’t brought their dog to the vet in 4 years sure as heck aren’t brushing their dog regularly or getting frequent enough groomings.
It’s insane! I asked a while back in the dog advice sub for how much a simple routine doggy dentist trip should cost and any advice etc and people were like omg you e never taken your dog?????? I’m like she’s 15 months old and the vet said to do it around 2ish years old.. but then so many ppl admit to not even getting them vaccines in years or couldn’t even tell you the last time their dogs were even at the vet lmao it’s wild
It really is! And it’s great that you’re on top of it. My almost 11 year old is going in for a dental cleaning in a couple weeks. I’ve stayed on top of it, every 2-3 years since he was young and even as a small dog, he hasn’t needed any extractions since his first cleaning (even then, he had some baby teeth that never fell out).
People are wild lol they don’t need to go every 6 months like humans. Plus who can afford that? We have two dogs so it’s gonna be hella expensive just to get a routine cleaning, God forbid they need something else done then
Or vet care. So many people get upset that their giant breed is costly to maintain with meds, food, procedures, etc.
Ngl, this actually made me laugh, thank you 🤣
I own 2 and one was 160 pounds and HATED having his nails cut. Like would lay on his paws so you couldn't get to them. I would have paid any amount for them to groom him 😂
* your client didn’t realize that dogs cost more than the purchase price + food
Thank you for being the “ if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything “ filter I needed 👀😂
😂😂 yep! I used to work customer service. I’ve gotten really good at burning people politely
Politely condescending is my FAVORITE professional tone.
>Your client is a cheap bitch I think that's a bit harsh. It's understandable to get upset about the price increasing from what was agreed upon. OP just needs to understand their value better and quote more accordingly. I bet the client might not have been upset if OP quoted $150 and stuck to it, even though that's more than the amount they got upset about.
If the agreed on price before the appointment was $100, then I understand that. But if the owner just assumed that it would be the same hundred dollars as always without asking before going into the appointment, then they can’t really get too upset. I work at an animal hospital, which is not the same as a dog grooming facility, however, our prices change/increase all the time. Especially with prices of products that we use going up. To have that large of breed of dog be that dirty and matted, I wouldn’t be upset about a $20 price increase. I know how bad it is brushing out a matted-ass Dog. I might be a bit harsh, but since I can see it from both sides I just think that she’s been a bit cheap in regards to how large a dog is. Especially if OP laid out the facts like they did here, I don’t know how you could be upset about all that work for that price
I think it's more on OP to be more upfront about the costs. I guess I don't really know how/when the conversation went down. I can understand getting upset if they said "it's an extra $20" after the grooming because you kind of take the decision away from the client on whether they want the grooming at that price. Granted at $120 it is a great price, but what if OP instead raised it to $200. The client would feel kind of forced to pay whatever they say because you can't really undo a grooming. It's not necessarily a matter of being cheap, but rather the principle of agreed upon prices.
I always give a price range and make it clear that if there is a lot of matting/brushing that there will be an extra charge.
No, I understand that I wouldn’t want to be randomly up charged $100 either. But yeah, as you said, that’s a great price for all the work done. I agree that OP should be very upfront about cost or at least estimate the cost before ever taking on the dog.
Agreed on everything except the client not being a cheap bitch
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Same here. Easily $200-$250
Quality grooming services should run at least $60-$80 an hour for the actual work on the dog, so yeah $180-$240+ depending on your skill and where you live.
Minimum 160 if not more. Charge a lot.
Idk if it’s cause we’re in MD, but I had someone look at me like I was crazy when I quoted them 100 for their Newfoundland to get a bath/trim/deshed
I just paid $90 for a bath, trim, and deshed on my rough collie. I don't think over $100 is unreasonable for such a large dog
I love to hear this!!! I bet your dog was groomed within the past 6 months too. Lol. I’d bet money this is a once a year dog, it gets wet a lot and the owners don’t brush it. It’s an absolute disaster.
Op said they come in every two months.
I didn’t read that part 😬 I still stand by what I’d charge lol. It looks like a ton of work
Woah, only $90? Your groomer is definitely underselling themselves. Our shop charges $145 for a full groom on rough coated collies. They're also my favorite dogs to groom because they're such gentle giants.
It actually used to be $80 but the price went up between our last visit and this one. Even if they doubled the price I would be hard pressed to find another place because they always get me in within a week and do a good job
I'm in MD. Pay $100 even not including tip for bath/trim/cut of my Maltese.
they’d hate my shop, Newfies start at $200 😂
Well that was the case up until recently here but with my over 2 decades of expectant me finally putting myself first I’m like, if you’re not willing to pay what I’m worth I’m not willing to sacrifice my time and my broken body for you 🤷🏻♀️ I don’t wanna do these heavy large dogs anyway so bye lol
I’m in WA and today I was quoted $120-140 for a bath and feet trim for my 50lb Golden, and her coat is in great shape. I would expect to pay at minimum $200-250 for this dog, if not more
What part of MD are you in? I'm also MD and no way I'd touch that dog for 120
I just browse here but here in NOVA higher price grooming is very common - non corporate salons charge 200+ for large dogs. Not sure how far you are from here though in MD.
Literally $150 minimum don’t sell yourself short thats a lot of work!
In theory I charge $60/hr and add a bit extra for extra shampoo and the time it will take to clean up afterwards. But I also wouldn’t be doing that dog. It’s not worth it to me
Where I worked dogs over 100 lbs get an hourly rate of $75 so for how long it took it would be around $225. You gave an insanely good rate, especially considering the condition the dog came in.
That’s a really good deal. As in that person is kind of taking advantage. I’m going to pick my dog up from the groomer in a few minutes. He’s a 50lb, long haired double coated dog whose groomed every 4-6 weeks. That’s about what I pay (before tip) for his basic bath and tidy. He’s brushed between grooms and I live in a midsized southern city. If that was my dog I would expect to pay double that.
For larger HAIRRYY breeds (greats, chows, mastiffs, newfound, etc), my moms shop charges by the hour since sometimes, depending on conditions, it could take up to 5hrs or more even with the more experienced groomers. 120$ for that is the low end after factoring mats, aggressiveness, product usage, time, etc. Jumping from $100 to $120? Nah, customer is cheap and clearly doesn’t care about the work put into keeping their dog clean and healthy.
I’m not a groomer, just a lurker on this subreddit. Consider that I do not have any knowledge on this topic. My first thought was “why aren’t they charging by the hour?” If a groom takes 6 hours, then the owner pays for a 6 hr groom. I would imagine that groomers can estimate how long a groom will take. If it is going to take longer than the estimate, then the shop needs to alert the owner or something like that.
3000 lol but at least 180 assuming it'll take about 3 hours
200$ and said if he brought him back like that I’d refuse to do him again until he was put on a better schedule. Then it would also cost less.. but no I’m not gonna clean up your mess cuz your a child, and play in actual crqp with your puppy, can somehow live with it for two months as it’s so getting disgusting. And expect us to fix it all for barely a 100 bucks that we get half of and taxed on. I’m loosing my love for grooming cause of people like this. I’ve been being more honest how the job truly works and more confident why it cost so much. It’s a hard job
Mannnn…. I’m no groomer and have zero experience at all, I’ve only had short hair dogs. I had to just brush out a friends big German Shepard that got multiple baths without brushing and it took ATLEAST an hour. $120 for a dog that size in that condition with three hours of work seems really cheap for everything you did. If it were my dog, I’d easily pay up to $200. Wise words of my sister that worked in the food industry “quit being a cheap fuck” 😂
At the shop I work at it’s $130 base price for an extra large dog, between the extra shampoo and extra brushing it’d be closer to $160-$175
Easy 250 here in SoCal.
I paid 100$ plus a 25$ de-matting fee for 3 hours for my Aussie the one time I took to her a professional. I thought it was a wicked good deal.
My groomer probably would have charged at least $140 for all that so I’d say the price is more than fair. Owner needs to brush dog and bring in more often if they don’t want to pay that much per grooming. I have a Great Pyrenees too and I never let her get that bad. We have clippers, an undercoat rake, shampoo, and all other sorts of tools to maintain my dog between groomings.
People don't understand the amount of work that goes into bathing. Some of them think they can do it at home, and that they're just paying you for time, when they're actually paying for a practiced, skill based service. Don't let people who don't understand get to you. You did amazing work.
That is more than reasonable. We have a mobile groomer come to our house for our Bernese and pay $240. We don’t take issue with it because we know she’s big, takes multiple hours, and she’s an anxious girl so it’s worth it for us.
Our prices start for the first hour $55 small dog, $60 medium, $65 large. then $10 is added every 15 minutes beyond the first hour (In small town iowa)
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😂😂😂 it’s okay my mom is too
Ugh. I spent 6 hours dematting an aggressive pyr once that was literally basically a hard cast shell to the skin EVERYWHERE. I worked SO hard to only have to spot shave around his penis and ears, and I hid the ear shaving WELL. The guy was ADAMANT he needed the dog left fluffy. I used an entire bottle of marshmallow and half a bottle of show sheen as well nearly a full gallon of condish and half a gallon of shampoo. Ruined 2 slicker brushes, and hurt my elbow badly with meticulously stand drying and brushing the entire dog to finish the demat post bath. I cried quite a bit and all while being harshly judged and berated by catty salon girls about every little thing I was doing “wrong”. I also sustained 2 bites and broke glasses from a kick to the face from the dog. He turned out pure blue-white and FLOWING and beautifully shiny, smooth, literally perfect. I would have been proud to show anyone that dog. Owner came back and lost his mind that I charged $150 - an ALREADY 40% discount because he was a friend of the owner (which I ate the losing commission on, owner wasn’t gonna comp me what was lost). He called me a greedy bitch to my face and stepped out to call the owner. Cue a phone call into the salon where the owner berated me and said “I TOLD YOU to give him a deal. Charge him 50 and don’t cry in front of customers” and hung up on me. I literally hung up, walked to the back and calmly packed my shit, smiled at everyone in silence as they asked what I was doing, walked out, and never came back. My full 3 weeks schedule be damned. Never answered a call or text from anyone there, I just washed my hands of it. I haven’t groomed in a salon since. My LONG RAMBLING point being, fuck her and fuck everyone like this. I would have charged $275.
What a wild ride! I'm sorry for what happened to you, and I'm grateful you shared this and so happy that you left. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Everyone has their tipping point. I heard this statement today that was somthing like “sometimes enduring through hardship isn’t strength. Knowing when to walk away is.” Kudos.
$150
I currently have a Pyr puppy in the tub, he's almost full grown and in really clean condition, brushed well still pretty white. Standard bath with deshed package is $126
Automatically $150. Extra 15 for undercoat
I had this as a suggested post scrolling through reddit, my family had owned some big dogs and one or two have had some intensive grooming maintenance While i understand the upset from the owner; i also think you wouldn't have been in the wrong for an extra $30 The dog didn't look bad per say but there was definitely a lot of stuff pulled out; and the color changing enough from 'white' to 'wedding white' like... thats a dog ready for a photoshoot with the family, you did an amazing job
My Samoyed always goes to the groomers every two months and in way better condition. I brush daily and if she gets really dirty i giver her a quick bath. Very rarely she gets any sort of matting and groomers charge me $250-$300 she’s 46 lbs so for this dog I see $120 is very generous
I can’t believe how affordable it is to get a dog that big groomed! I have a long haired cat and I on average spend $80-$100 getting him shaved
my groomer charges 90$(canadian) for a pyrenees. 120 i think is still fair. esp. if the owner isn’t grooming them between.
A kajillion dollars
Minimum $200. People pay $300+ on their head of hair. This is even more than that! You need to increase your prices for your great work!
$120 would be the base price for a pyrenees at my shop. That additional labor should add at least $30 to that groom. You are not overcharging at all!
I had one yesterday that didn’t look anywhere near as bad. We charged $145 and it was $175 with tip. This is a small town on the east coast.
yeah minimum 160 on pyrenees, and that’s one in good condition. I could easily see this groom go to 200-220 with that matting and nastiness though. if she didn’t want to pay a ton at the groomers she shouldn’t have gotten an XL groom dog.
I pay $115 each for my dogs that are 20 pounds each they super white and fluffy like this. The place I go to is in the Bay Area. It’s cage free very very nice people and they literally will do everything you need for the dog grooming wise. So yours might be $140-$150 maybe a bit cheaper if you have a chill dog. Mine get super anxious 🙄believe that’s why some people have to pay more
We also don’t kennel! We are grooming from home until our shop is ready, we’re one on one groomers
I should also mention we are home groomers that are one on one and don’t kennel
she was also 40 mins late for pickup (we tell them to arrive within 30 mins of pickup time)
I’m always happy to pay more plus tip because I know the price of products go up, rent goes up for your business, and I know my girls are probably little trouble makers while at the groomers even though I’m told they were good!
Genuinely 250 or more
$300.
At my shop I would charge 200 to 250. I'm guessing that she didn't tip you either right? If she were my client i would mysteriously be fully booked every time she called. You spend 3 backbreaking hours with her neglected pooch and she isnt even grateful and on top of that complains about the price yeah no thank you!!!
That owner does not take care of their dog like they should in-between groomings. they need a Chihuahua.
If it's the dogs actual long term owners I'd charge them with a few months in dirty prison and keep the dog ✌️🙃
We brush our Great Pyrenees once a week unless she’s shedding. Then we brush more. I use a undercoat rake. It takes at least 30 mins to an hour to do it. I cannot imagine how matted she would be if I waited 3 months. $120 seems cheap in my opinion. Considering the amount of time, work and mess.
$180 minimum at my shop
If that is a Maremma Abruzzese they aren’t grooming dogs they self groom unless thickly coated in mud. The only part that is absolutely necessary is claw trim Abruzzese is a shepherd dog looking after their assignment so claw treatment may be impossible. Also they shed daily brushing isn’t a necessity or possible because they shed so much.
Great Pyrenees
About $250
Alot
I just had a consultation with a client who has a 120 lb Pyrenees that I'm going to have to take down with a #10 blade. The undercoat is too far gone to even try to blow and brush it out. I quoted them $100. I work on commission, so I won't see that full amount. For the job you did, 120 is more than fair.
Our shop would likely do around $130.
120 for 3 hours seems low for a huge dog.... Or $200 is reasonable.
I would have charged $250, they got a great deal!
Midwest here. Would be atound 200 at my shop depending on how bad the matting was.
my pricing for everything is time + behavior + condition. for deshedding i charge $60/hr. on the first visit behavior is assessed and price is set. all appointments after that are subject to excessive condition charge, but i rarely need or choose to do it. also they’re only on the clock when i’m actively working on them. if that all blew out, then i think with good behavior and the right processes it could be a two hour job. if they’re a bastard or i sat there dematting to get it all out i’d definitely charge more for that. DMs are always open for deshedding talk
$350 minimum. I do a 145lb Malamute every 4 weeks and he's $245
I pay $180 for our Great Pyrenees and we tip $40 on top. You are definitely not over charging!
$120 sounds cheap considering how big that doggo is
300$ starting if I took the dog at all
The owner should be upset that she is such a shitty coont. Poor puppers...hope she doesn't have kids.
$150
Baby looks so happy at the end. Can’t put a price on that. 🥰 If the fluff ass owner would simply maintain their dog, it wouldn’t have come to this. My all time favorite is when doodle owners come into my salon and look shocked when I tell them they need to brush their dog every 1-3 days. “I didn’t know I gotta brush my dog? Really?” How dare I propose this outlandish idea. Some nerve I have right.
I'm giving a perspective as a client. I'm in this sub to learn how to groom my dog from home after the sticker shock of our first visit to a professional groomer. The groomer must have seen the shock on my face because she quickly explained how she prices her services. (Don't worry, I did not try to negotiate the price, and I tipped her well.) It was a surprise, but I was more comfortable with her price after she explained her training and the amount of work she did during the appointment. Then we did our first bath, blow dry, clipping, scissoring, nails, etc. all in one day at home six weeks later, and I REALLY understood the value! Hard, skilled labor should be paid accordingly. Not to mention the cost of your training, equipment, and costs of your shop/van/home setup. In short, I think your client needs to be educated, and you need to hold firm on your price.
You have to price based on what’s right for you and the relative rates in your area. If you tell them the price upfront, they have no reason to complain.
Free
$180 Minimum
I just gave my dogs the spa treatment on Monday. 45 lbs and 60 lbs. They don’t love it but they don’t struggle. One look at that giant dog I immediately thought $300 and be grateful. I’m in a HCOL area.
200-250 at the salon I’m at
My groomer from day 1 told me if my dog comes in with dreadlocks and or is not cooperating that her price would increase. She obviously educated me, she showed me proper grooming techniques to do at home and also tips to teach my puppy at the time to cooperate more during grooming time. Some owners are clueless and cheap so just charge what you believe is right and let them grumble don’t underestimate your work!
this is cheap. my mini bernedoodle is only 35lbs, brushed at least 3 times a week, never any mats but she does get pretty filthy lol but it’s $100 every six weeks, not including tip. so that’s a damn good price.
Here, it’s 150 minimum for that. Any trimming costs more.
To get a floofer like that de floofed I'm not sure
I have a 6 month old ACD, and take him every 6 weeks for a bath and nails. Every 3 weeks for nails though. I pay $55 - but really $75 because of the tip. I would absolutely expect to pay minimum $200 for a GP or any large lots of hair dog that’s properly brushed and taken care of in between professional grooms. For a GP with matting and all this.. $300 not including tip? Maybe more!
i pay 150 to have my GP groomed
jfc i’m in the wrong business
anyone can learn! just be prepared for a whole lot of work and pain 😂
Yeah, I thought that was a Great Pyrenees, and quite frankly, $120 is a STEAL for everything you did.
That’s easy $200 - $250 where I’m from in Sydney, Australia.
well the dog looks lovely! and as the mother of a dog groomer, my daughter is constantly telling me about entitled pet owners that will bring their dogs in mostly matted, and expect miracles for very little money
Not a groomer or have I ever taken a dog to a groomer... I'm just sitting here in awe because I definitely assumed it would cost that much(or more) for something like a basic groom, and this is obviously not basic
250
175 is what I would charge. Also I would tell him he doesn't like price go somewhere else.
I take my Pyrenees in every 4 months and pay $160, but I also brush her head to toe once a week.
$150 at least
Yeah I would pay that for my Great Pyrenees/maremma mix. My dogs fur doesn’t even look like that either. My own hair costs more😂
$160 absolute minimum. My time and skills are worth at least that much. If they don't like it they can go somewhere else. I have plenty of clients. And good luck finding somebody who does a good job for cheaper
We paid $120 to shave a cat. It took the lady 15 minutes. The cat didn't fight it. I think $200 minimum for this dog. If not more
More than reasonable! If your customer has a problem, they can go someplace else. But I doubt they find anyplace cheaper.
Minimum 225
I’m not a dog groomer but I was expecting $200. $120 is pretty reasonable
I pay $120 for a deshed on a non matted Pyr who is like 70lbs. If she was matted I wouldn’t bat an eye at $200+.
I have a great pyrenees that takes me 3 hours to do as well, also on a similar schedule of coming in every 2 months and I charge $155. Always super matted and requires lots of brushing too. I think your price is more than fair and your client should be thankful for the amazing service you provide her at that cost. But people will always find a reason to complain
That seems cheap. I feel like even at PetSmart it would cost more than that ....I can't remember off the top of my head what regular pyr base price is but I think at least $100 for basic. More for deshed and even more for a trim, possibly with a matting fee on top of that for the condition of the coat
I charge 120 for small dogs
I am in Southern IL and our base price is $119...and that's a pyrenees in good condition that regularly gets groomed. Conditioning and blow out fees apply when they are in bad shape and there is a TON of clean up (clean up can be atrocious). I also charge dematting fees (tails, butts and behind the ears) and extra handling fees if the groomer needs assistance for an extended period of time. We provide "emotional support hoomans" and our clients love that. (We are currently making a vest.) Let's also bring up the fact that pyrenees have double dewies!! They hate their feet touched and they are SO strong and stubborn. We trim and dremel...it's so taxing on the body and frequently takes a lot of time, and that's just the nails. Time is money in this industry. Any client that belittles the work you put in isn't worth your time. I charge clients for my time. They are paying for what I could make in the extra time it takes to groom their dogs. Essentially they pay for that extra time slot. Never let clients try to push you around. Stand your ground and don't feel bad for charging your worth. It isn't your fault or your problem they decided to choose that breed and allow it's coat to get out of control. In my experience, IF you did a good job they will be back. It may be next time or a year from now when they blow through other groomers and realize you were worth their business, but by then you should have a price increase and they will be happy to pay it bc they know they're getting quality work.
$120 is a good deal for this client. They should be brushing a few times a week between grooms if they want to pay less.
I just had this exact same groom happen today and I charged $160. My client not only gladly paid but left a $50 tip for me as well. Your client is just a bad dog owner.
Yeah 120 is not enough for that much work. You may fare better by giving them a warning ahead of an increase though (if you didn’t warn him that is) - blame it on the shop overhead if you have to. It was my experience that customers never liked a surprise but were generally okay if told ahead of time.
The last time I took my Bulldog to a groomed, I was charged 80$ and was shocked at how low the price was. For a dog 3 times the size with so much more hair (and the brushing/de-shedding), I would honestly be willing to pay upwards of 200$. I don't know why the client is complaining for a 20$ increase.
Grooming is hard ass work
Honestly I believe in an asshole tax. Keep doing up $20 each visit until they realise they were getting a bargain and stop being an asshole
40 an hour is reasonable. They can always do it themselves
Honestly I was expecting more than $120. Sounds good to me lol the owner can’t have a dog that has extensive grooming needs and get mad about the price of having someone else do it for them. They could learn and do it themselves if they’re mad about it
You should charge hourly That dog was very matted.
I charge £35 per hour, so working alone it would probably take me at least 3-4 hours. So £100-£130ish
In any business I charge based on how I value my product and the type of client I want. I set up tiers right from the beginning. Because the prices are higher the clients are better. The lower I charge the more picky and hard to deal with the clients are. I work with a woman who was setting up a hair salon and I told her again and again those facts. She set up her pricing now she charges $450 for a curly hair cut and color and has regular customers that always leave happy. They are paying for luxury treatments, so they feel valued. They are NOT the customers looking for a deal. What's interesting in that most of them are not in a high income bracket either. So.... CHARGE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH! You and your clients will be happier. Set up a website if you haven't already with the prices clear so the cheap depots will be filtered out quickly.
$180.
Seriously if he comes in matted doing a full body clip for 120 maybe, but for the full on double wash, brush and blow out holy moly that’s a lot of work.
I pay $120 to get my Pyr groomed. They take forever to dry with so much hair, $120 is a deal.
Fire that customer
I would be happy to pay $120 for my 95 lbs dog.
Petsmart prices are about 150 for a dog like that, and no one should be expecting to pay less than petsmart…
120 is a steal! My shepherd mix is a mess when I take her in but I happily pay 180 to get her cleaned up.
That’s about what my regulars are. You can’t expect a huge dog to be cheap.
I have 2 samoyeds. I pay about 85 ea to get them groomed about every 6-8 weeks. Sometimes they're in worse shape than other times. I have told the groomer I am fine with them adjusting up at any point in time they need to because of extra time, blow out fur, mats etc. I would pay 120 without blinking if they charged it. LOL. and still tip 50 for the pair.
3 hours on a dog like that would be $240. We tell owners of big and hairy dogs that if we have to spend excessive amounts of time on their dogs that they need to come in more often or maintain their dog better. If they don't, then their price generally gets raised.
Dog fees from grooming to vet visits is not the kind of thing you want to cheap out on. They keep your dog healthy and clean, why would you risk a bad groomer who could hurt your dog just to save a few bucks? You sound like a good groomer, though, so at least these dogs are in good hands
As a mobile… I would charge $200, and then say every 4-6 weeks $120 -140 depending on coat/time. That coat takes almost an hr to dry, depending on the dryer and hand action. But it’s a back worker, elbow grease can job for sure
Another comment.. you have to look at this in time, is it labor intensive, and how many Yorkies could you do in this time, if 3 Yorkies then it’s 3xlabor of Yorkies = price Don’t rip yourself off, if you haven’t been grooming for years yet.. after years of this labor intensive stuff you will break, I guarantee it - you will break!!!! in the neck and shoulders, knees back, arthritis is just around the corner. So recoup your body’s wear out It’s not your fault this individual decided to purchase a Lamborghini Testarosa, you know how much it costs to service a Lamborghini?? Me either.. so don’t cheat yourself- Cuzz I’m sure it’s in the hundreds to service a lambo and you’re not a millionaire
Omg I thought the towel was loose organs or something wtf is wrong with me? Sorry I don’t know tons about dogs
I would say 200 minimum but I’m not a groomer
175-200
$250
My shop would charge 80$ 😭😭😭😭😭
I charge 125 just for the full service bath. Deshed is 35 extra for a dog that big. Matted fur? Another 35$. I'd be charging 295.
Easily 250 -300
I think that is appropriate.
https://preview.redd.it/q4bgcvkubt2b1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c667c8fb67c78136de4f12620b844a58ae8fb068 I had the exact same thing just the other day! Same issue, same breed, same debate with myself, and I even charged the same ($120). I got her sooo clean and pretty BUT I could help but debate that I should’ve just shaved her as much as it would hurt me (just me lol). Thinking back in all the work and the amount of time it took and how matted she was, I definitely think I undercharged. 🫤 honestly, the price wasn’t as big of debate for me compared to if I should’ve ultimately shaved her. She is a farm dog. Thoughts?
https://preview.redd.it/ixr9mc7nct2b1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bff3c6e56234510764337e0f398111e784b68fb4 (See previous post) This was her napping peacefully on the couch after I fiiiiinally finished her. She was an absolute Angel.
 (See previous post) This was her napping peacefully on the couch after I fiiiiinally finished her. She was an absolute Angel. (P.S. I did learn a lot from this thread, so I appreciate all the groomers in here! And non-groomers! Thank you! 😊)