How Much Should I Tip The Dog Groomer?

One of the main reasons why you should tip your dog groomer is the fundamental reasoning to why people tip in the first place: because you like the outcome of their work. And if you’re wondering whether salons allow tipping, you should know that most of the time it is actually recommended that you tip their employees.

So if your groomer has done a splendid job grooming your dog, you could show your appreciation by tipping. Not only that, they basically do what you may not have the time or willingness to do, which is to groom your dog.

How Much Should I Tip The Dog Groomer?

Why A Tip Is Good

We all know how important grooming is lest dogs get tangled matted fur and long toenails that inconvenience them, apart from the fact that sometimes dogs make a fuss when being groomed. We can’t handle that ourselves, so it’s only fair that we tip those who can. Let’s face it, grooming can be quite a task, and it speaks a lot for ourselves that we don’t do it on our own and instead take our dogs to a professional groomer.

For one, it requires a certain amount of patience and dedication, and just from that you can surmise how much work a groomer puts into taking care of your pet’s needs. If your dog is a biter or a scratcher, maybe that should be reason enough to give your groomer a tip for doing a great job.

You may be asking why you should still tip after you’ve paid for their services, but you should realize that most groomers are on a commission based salary. This means that a huge percentage of their payment actually gets taken by the salon and not by the groomer who mostly did the work. Sometimes, salons do this because they assume that the clients will leave tips.

Another reason why you should consider tipping is because groomers are more likely to remember you and your dog when you do. Of course groomers pay attention to all of their customers, but they are more likely to remember you and your pet’s unique needs when you tip them. This ensures that your pet will be treated consistently every time they visit the groomer’s. This is especially notable if you’re a regular at this particular salon and with this particular groomer.

That aside, groomers put a lot of care into taking care of your dog’s every need, and they deserve all the appreciation they can get. And sometimes, it’s best to express this appreciation with a monetary tip. Of course, tipping is not mandatory but would be highly appreciated. At the very least, tip during the holidays.

How Much To Tip

Generally, you should tip based on your budget and how satisfied you are with the care that was given to your pet. A good standard would be 15-20% of the price, with 20% being the more common benchmark that most people use. However, you can always feel free to give more if you see fit and if you’re already a regular.

Another thing you could consider when deciding how much to tip is the amount and degree of difficulty of the job done. In a way, it’s evening out the amount of effort exerted by the groomer. If your groomer has taken extra effort in making your pet comfortable and has even provided some free services that are of stellar quality, tip them!

In these cases when special treatment has been provided, don’t be afraid to give a tip for up to 30% of the cost. Whether or not the special treatment is warranted by your dog, it’s still good to tip for it.

Requirements To Be Met

• First and foremost, you must be satisfied with the end product. Your groomer must have met the conditions that you agreed upon before you had your dog groomed, or better yet, exceeded them.
• Was your dog easy to handle? If you know from personal experience that your dog can be quite fussy when being groomed, tip that groomer for successfully grooming your dog! They must have been unimaginably patient to succeed in grooming your fussy furry friend.
• How much work was done? Was it just a basic package of a bath, toe nail clipping, ear cleaning and maybe some teeth brushing? Or was it more than that? Did your groomer do some free services that weren’t previously discussed because your pet has been given a special treatment? Tip.
• Did your groomer squeeze you in their schedule despite having no appointment? That deserves a tip.
• If the grooming was done in a reasonable amount of time, considering the amount of work that needed to be done.
• Basically, if your groomer does a wonderful job and you want to show your appreciation for a job well done, tip them.

Special Circumstances

• Your dog ended up biting the groomer. Some groomers charge extra for when this happens, but you should tip them when they don’t. It’s common courtesy after your dog posed some harm to them.
• If the grooming did not finish because your dog caused serious injury to the groomer or drew blood from biting or scratching. Most likely, the groomer would not charge for the incomplete groom, but once again, common courtesy when harm was posed.
• Your pet had fecal matter stuck to their fur or their behinds. You didn’t deal with it, and most likely your groomer didn’t consider that job as something they took joy in either.
• If your dog is infested with ticks and fleas. It’s no fun job to deal with that.
• Your dog is an extreme shedder. If you could make another dog out of the fur your dog sheds after being groomed, then imagine the amount of work your groomer needs to put in in order to get that cleaned up.
• If your dog went in with extreme cases of matted fur. Once again, think of the amount of work needed to get rid of that.
• Your dog ended up pooping and/or peeing out of submission during the grooming. Chances are this will not happen just once.
• If your dog is old or overweight and can’t stand for the grooming. Heed my word when I say that dog groomers would take longer with these dogs. They may even require the help of another groomer. Extreme skill and patience is needed in this difficult circumstance. Do consider this when tipping your groomer.