Many people do not know these things! Pet groomers should not be angry with clients who do not know, yet it feels rude to "say anything". So let me help....
Here is a quick basic lesson in proper pet grooming etiquette:
Always tip your pet groomer, bather and nail trimmer!!!
As with anything else, tip according to your level of satisfaction and appreciation. If you get horrible service, do not tip.
Nail trims should receive at least $2 but there is no limit.
Baths with no hair cut should receive at least $5 but there is no limit.
Bath with hair cut should receive at least $5-$10 but there is no limit.
Pets (dogs & cats) that are in any way very large, difficult or require extra care should be tipped more!
Tips are NOT part of your bill!!! Tips are a show of gratitude and appreciation. If you tip, your groomer always goes the extra mile for you and your pet.
If your groomer is an idiot, don't tip.... As a matter of fact, find a new groomer!
Pay close attention to your groomer/bather. Do not blame them or hold them accountable for things they are not responsible for, such as - company policies, receptionists attitudes, salon owner attitudes, manager attitudes, busy days with not enough help or being short-staffed, pre-existing conditions your pet may have such as 'bad hair"....
Puppies are not easier to groom!!! Tip full price.
Old dogs are more difficult to groom! Tip extra.
If you expect extra care, tip!
Pay close attention to your groomer! If they are kind and patient with your pet, if they are kind and patient with you, if they listen and take good instructions from you, if the groom is done right and in the time frame they tell you.... Then do NOT withhold a tip! If there are problems with the establishment that are not your groomer's fault, do not punish the groomer by withholding a tip! The groomer, not the management, is the one taking care of your baby.
If you find a good groomer, request them by name each time you book an appointment. Tip them regularly. They will always make time for you, squeeze you in on busy days, take you last minute.... and you will never have to worry about your pet's care.
Also if you find a good groomer, spread the word about them! Mention them by name and the establishment they work for on every "review this" spot on the internet! Recommend them on fb, twitter and every other form of social media. Mention them on your web site, blog, or vlog.
Good pet groomers are hard to find!
Even tho corporate pet salons have horrible reputations (and rightly so), there are some exceptional groomers working in some of these salons! Ask around.
Also DO NOT be afraid to report bad groomers on the internet.... A bad groomer is NOT one that doesn't groom your dog perfectly the first time. A bad groomer is one that consistently gives you and your pet a bad experience. Hurting your pet more than once, not following your instructions, following your instructions but it still looks like a bad groom.... Don't go back...!
Hurting your pet more than once may seem like too many chances, but pet grooming is often very VERY difficult! Accidents happen! So don't judge by one fairly harmless accident. Judge by overall reputation and more than one experience with that groomer. If you just get bad vibes.... find a new groomer. And when you've found one - TIP GENEROUSLY!
Don't complain about prices. Just like having children, if you can't afford them, don't have them. Grooming is part of their regular care. It must be in your budget! And a tip is part of the service.
Thank you to all the generous tippers!!! You make difficult days worth while! ;)
Also see Basic Etiquette on Tipping Your Pet Groomer 3.0: Holiday Tips
And Basic Etiquette on Tipping Your Pet Groomer 2.0: Cats
And Tipping Etiquette
And Is Your Dog "Bad" For The Groomer
Also see Basic Etiquette on Tipping Your Pet Groomer 3.0: Holiday Tips
And Basic Etiquette on Tipping Your Pet Groomer 2.0: Cats
And Tipping Etiquette
And Is Your Dog "Bad" For The Groomer
THANK YOU!!!! (a "good" groomer)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this useful info!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. Some good things I didn’t know about.
ReplyDeleteWow, tip full price? So if it is $40 to groom, you expect me to tip $40 for an 11 month old dog?
ReplyDeleteNot at all. "Tip full price" does not imply to "match the groom price"! It means - don't tip LESS just because it's a puppy that many assume is easier to deal with because its small - It is NOT easier, so give a FULL TIP, not a "child discount" small tip. And 11 months old is basically grown! And if its an 11 month old, poorly mannered Weimaraner, or Huskey.... Then YES, a $40 tip may just be in order!
DeleteAssuming there is no tip-line on a credit card receipt, is it acceptable for the cashier to ASK the customer if they would like to add a tip before the credit card is run?
ReplyDeleteMy experience tells me "yes", it is acceptable for the cashier to ask. Many, many times groomers miss tips from clients who absolutely intend to tip them but they don't have cash or an appropriate denomination of bills and ASSUME they can just add it to the credit card. But when there is no "tip" line they forget! And it's an honest slip. And the client feels bad, and says I'll get you next time, and most often... they forget. Now this does NOT WORK for corporate salons. The cashier, if they're paying attention and realize a customer is paying for grooming, which most DO NOT, can "suggest" cash back for the tip, informing the customer that there is no place on the slip for tips. Again, this is informative, not soliciting. Of course anything can be manipulative.... But it is ALWAYS up to the client to know the vibe and feel comfortable with the establishment and people they are working with.
ReplyDeleteOn this note... I worked in one salon where the cashier was TOTALLY looking out for the groomers by just blatantly flying the "tip your groomer" flag whenever clients checked out! She was hilarious and very bold, and her intentions were golden, but if you were not a strong, confident person you WOULD be leaving a generous tip for the groomer whether you liked it or not! That was her way of "educating" the clientele as to appropriate tipping etiquette. There was no tip-line, so she made sure people learned the drill by, yes, asking the customer before the card was run.
You're right: good groomers are hard to find. It's even harder to find one that isn't really far away or that costs a fortune! Developing a relationship with your groomer can save you time and money in the long run. I'm glad you even covered the basics like tipping and such. Great article, thank you for sharing it with us! http://www.kenhaven.com/services.html#ae6ee5aa-2a80-11e2-908c-005056ad4735
ReplyDeleteHad no idea there was a etiquette for tipping a pet groomer. I'll have to remember that next time I take my little puppy into the groomers. Like you say I'll pay more attention to the groomer to see if they deserve a little bit more of a tip. Thank you for the heads up on the etiquette of tipping. http://www.muddypawsintheguild.ca/grooming.html
ReplyDeleteI just paid $75 for my dog to be bathed, haircut and nails trimmed. His fur was about an inch and a half long, he wasnt muddy or matted. He is about 40 lbs, friendly and well behaved.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of grooming places around us, they are all busy and all charge about the same. We are just outside of Toronto.
Most folks commenting on grooming tips on the internet posts that I've read are quoting $40 price. If I paid $40 I'd tip.
At $75 plus tax, I'm not tipping.
@ I just paid $75 - I can't say that I blame you, on the one hand. Seems like a "high priced area". Meaning you probably pay more for rent, gas and groceries in your area as well. One might argue, tho, that you don't have a case because THAT'S WHERE YOU LIVE. In other words, you can afford to live in the area, seems you would be able to afford to tip the groomer as well - remembering - that a tip is NOT payment, but a show of appreciation. Paying $75 for a groom on a 40lb dog in good condition seems ridiculous to me. I started my career in Woodland Hills California, just over the hill from Calabasas - a VERY wealthy area, filled with celebrities. My boss didn't even charge that much for a Standard Poodle! (Tru, this was ten years ago - But I know that she still doesn't charge people that much!)
DeleteAll I can say is I would consider finding a more reasonably priced groomer! If Your groomer is really really that good, and others you've tried or heard of are not so good, then I suggest finding a way to tip the groomer for just that reason, regardless of the salon's high prices.
My daughter has a client that was referred to her by one of her regulars. The guy came in saying that at the last place he went, the staff was rude to HIM, so he could only imagine how they would treat his dog. So after telling this story, he gave the grooming instructions, handed the dog over to my daughter and handed her a $20 and said, "Be good to my boy". When he came to pick up, he was so pleased... He handed her another $20!!! The price of the groom was $60,(there were extra charges to the regular $45 price for add ons such as special shampoo, conditioner, scarf.... whatnot....) so with a $40 tip, he shelled out $100 and this was for a Shih Tzu. And he reschedules about every two months! He saw how happy AND well groomed his dog was! And the dog was A HANDFUL!!! Not well behaved at all! Even trying to bite. But my daughter knows knows knows what she's doing and why dogs act like that. And she seems to be magic to a lot of people, and dogs! So yeah..... If you have a good groomer, find a way to tip...
Seriously... How some ppl doesn't understand the term of " tipping full price" ??? It's just like tipping at the restaurant. You tip the amount / percentage of the full price not the discount or coupon or promotion price ( just in case you have one).... !!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog! Thank you so much for sharing this one really well defined all peaceful info regarding dog grooming,I Really like it.dog grooming cobham
ReplyDeleteI pay $85 for my cat's lion cut every few months and usually tip anywhere from $15-20 usually depending on how hard of a time my Sassy gives our groomer Shayna!. And bonus is it's a mobile unit so I only have to go to my front door! I called around when we first started doing this cut and I have found a little bit cheaper but not enough to leave my house for :)
ReplyDelete$85 for a mobile cat groom is reasonable, as long as Sassy looks good to you and is not injured during the process. And if Sassy is at all challenging then I'm sure your generous tip is well appreciated.
DeleteWell done!
Mobile dog grooming tip?
ReplyDeletemobile pet grooming miami
It has been my experience that most - not all, but most - mobile clients are financially more fluid and tend to not only gladly pay more for things but tip bigger as well. To them it is indeed a luxury for which they should be very appreciative! On the other hand, since most mobile groomers charge more than salons do, more financially average clients may gladly pay for the convenience of an exceptionally good mobile groomer but don't have the money to tip any bigger, if at all. This is where a groomers commitment for doing good and compassionate work comes in. Personally, I understand people in tight financial situations. I also understand that for many, mobile grooming is not a luxury it is a necessity because of special needs pets. All in all, it goes back to square one - Tip according to your level of appreciation of the service, and according to your financial ability. To groomers I say: Know your clients and don't judge them so harshly. If you quiet your noisy mind and feel with your heart, you know people and where they're coming from and if you don't like their vibe, leave them to someone else. Mobile grooming is a two-edged sword - the affluent who should tip bigger for luxury, and the needy who because of the need can't tip bigger because it is a necessary task and not a luxury at all.
DeleteValuable information! Looking forward to seeing your notes posted.
ReplyDeleteDog grooming services
Great article!! Thank you on behalf of groomers all around!! Hopefully more readers will share this for more people to see!! Don’t forget to…
ReplyDelete**Please tip your groomers & their bathers, helpers, assistants (or whatever they choose to call them)!!
AND please make sure to have your pets spayed or neutered!! We have too many animals without homes already!! Thanks!!
Thank you for your comment! I will say that spaying and neutering pets is NOT the answer!!! It does not decrease shelter populations at all! Intentional breeding for MONEY is the problem and until the human heart has transcended GREED and fear of lack, there is no solution. Surgically altering animals depletes them of necessary hormones and causes a plethora of VERY EXPENSIVE and misunderstood/misdiagnosed health problems, which is very convenient for the Veterinary INDUSTRY. I do not support any of this...... But I realize your comment was coming from a place of concern.
DeleteThanks for the article. I just got my 15 year-old dog groomed for the first time - I let him get mats behind his ears and his nails were so long, they were curling sideways (BAD owner, I know. I am ashamed). Working full-time and in nursing school, I accidentally forgot my appointment and had to reschedule (again, shame)
ReplyDeleteI tipped about 25% to the groomer and gave $5 to the bather, and that's my question....I see a lot of articles about tipping the groomer, but what if they have a bather working for them? I hate to assume the groomer splits her tips and risk shorting the bather, so I treated it the same as a high-end salon that has separate shampooists and stylists and just gave a small appreciation tip to the bather. Is that proper?
On behalf of groomers and bathers everywhere I applaud you for being so conscious! Thank you!
DeleteNot all groomers are taught well, and not all groomers are even good people.... Meaning that they don't always take care of their bathers! I started in a salon where the owner did not allow the groomer to give the bather any more than two dollars, but preferred just one dollar, and that's if the groomer was tipped. The groomers would give extra on the down-low for challenging dogs just because it was a great salon with all great people. But if a client specified a tip or gift for the bather, the owner always made sure they got the whole thing. Most people are unaware of the bather or how a salon works. I feel you were spot on for tipping the bather separately! I'm sure you made their day! So to answer your question, Proper etiquette in the salon says the groomer should give a portion of her tips to her bather based on the tips she earned, OR based on the amount of extra work her bather put in to help her, or him, out. No, that doesn't always happen. So always follow your heart. To be acknowledged is a great feeling. Thank you!
Thanks for the quick reply!
DeleteI'm going everywhere like my head's on fire these days, so I forgot to look up how much to tip before I picked him up. I feel like I should have given more than 25% ($10) to the groomer...especially since I stood her up once...but, I'll be back regularly, and plan on being an every-time-tipper, so I hope to make it up to her.
It amazes me that there's always a commenter that does not think groomers deserve a tip. Lord knows, I understand money is tight. But, I see it like this: I tip a hair stylist and waiter, because they perform a skill I COULD do myself at home, but not with such professionalism. I tip the moving men and a valet (if I ever used one), because they return my property to me in good condition. I absolutely tip a groomer because they do both and so much more.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very educational and helpful information.
I am a Groomer in Elk Grove California, and i just started to tip out my bather. However, i do not know how much is fear. So how much or what % is fear base on my tips to tip her out?
Thanks again
I am not one for rules, I much prefer listening to your heart. So with that said, If I personally got a $20 tip, and I was happy with my bather's work, I would give my bather $5. That's not a rule, that's just what I would do. If I got $5, I'd give my bather $2. And of course I'd base each tipping decision on the amount of work my bather did and how happy I was with their work, just like the client does for the groomer. I love being generous. Some bathers only get a dollar a bath when working for a groomer, regardless of how much the tip is. So I say live from your heart. Be real with your bather. Just like a restaurant, you technically don't have to tip at all (unless its a fancy place! LOL). So you be the judge. Be honest, be reasonable, and treat your bather like you'd want to be treated. You know what fair is.
DeleteThanks
DeleteHaving just had a horrible experience at a corporate store. My groomer left the location and my dog needed a groom, it felt wrong and I shouldn't have left him, I did. The instructions took 10min as I wanted it to be clear, my Pomoranian has long hair, I want to keep it long. Please do not use a razor, trim his hair, comb out his bottom coat, trim nails and privates. I was HORRIFIED when I picked him up. All his was gone! I told mgmt. I would not pay and left. I called Corporate and demanded they find where the old groomer went, they found her and told me they would pay for another groom. I'm not sure his hair will even grow back. This dog is like my child and I cried like a child to see how she cut his beautiful hair off. She said I used scissors and not a razor, I lost my mind. I want to know what Corporate should pay for and for how long? I fully expect them to pay for a consult with a tip and if the hair grows back a full groom. Any advice on what my damages are and what Corporates responsibility and liability should be. Thank you for your advice.
ReplyDeleteOk we've got a lot going on here.
DeleteSo much depends....
1) Which corporation?
2) What did you sign?
3) What are your local laws?
I'm pretty sure that if you signed a paper from Petco or Petsmart, the only thing they can do for you is a free groom with their salon.
I've never heard of a corporation finding a former grooming employee for a customer! That is in direct conflict with their no-compete clause. If they have done this, they are "seriously kissing your ass" to be blunt! LOL
Again, you would have to have a copy of the paper you signed at check in to hold them to anything more than a free groom in their salon, and that is ONLY if they breached what was agreed to with your signature.
Another consideration is - While I completely appreciate your horror, (I really felt the pain as I read this), there are always two sides to every story. I have no idea what the check in person said or what they put in the notes that you signed. I also have no idea what condition your dog was in. I have no idea what rationale was used to justify shaving your dog.
And just to be clear - Groomers DO NOT use razors!!!! We use scissors and electric clippers.
"Shaving" an animal in a grooming salon is NOT the same as "shaving" a man's face at the barber! NOT THE SAME THING.
Another topic altogether.
So to answer your original concern, before anything legal can be pursued, you will need a copy of the check in sheet you signed when you dropped your baby off. And NO, they are not supposed to give you a copy of that sheet, so no one was wrong for not giving you a copy to take home.
You can ask them for a copy but chances are they won't give it to you. You may ask a lawyer if there is a way to subpoena them to produce the check in paper to prove that they went against your instructions. But consider this: Did you read the paper? Are you sure? Did you read the fine print? Are there witnesses?
In order for the corporation to be held accountable for the case of irreversible damages to your dog, you will have to prove gross negligence on their part.
Now as to your precious baby's coat, it indeed may never grow back, but depending on age and genetics, it probably will, but being a Pomeranian, it will NEVER be the same again.
So.... I feel you have a case DEPENDING on what you signed at check in.
If they gave you the location of your former groomer consider yourself lucky. They are NOT supposed to do that. EVER!
I wish you the best of luck!
Please write in to tell us all how it turns out. This could be a wonderful educational example for all.
Corporations do NOT train their employees correctly and I would love to see them held accountable for such a horrible mistake!
Thank you for commenting!