How Much to Tip a Dog Groomer in 2026: Facts & Considerations

Dog groomers work hard to ensure our pups look their best. They make sure our pups are nice and clean, don’t have mats or tangles in their fur, and smell ten times better than when we dropped them off. So, when you want your dog groomer to know just how grateful you are for their work and what an excellent job they’ve done, giving them a tip is the way to go. But how do you know how much to tip a dog groomer? Dog groomers offer a service, just like hairstylists and waiters, so you should tip the same amount you would tip any other service industry worker. That means 15%–20% for a job well done. However, there are things to consider when tipping your dog groomer that could affect the amount of the tip you give them.

Why Should I Tip My Dog Groomer?

While tipping a dog groomer is technically optional, it is good etiquette to do so. After all, dog groomers do hard work and provide a service to you, so offering a tip gives them a token of your appreciation and thanks them for that hard work. Dog groomers deal with dogs who have all kinds of personalities and quirks. Think about your own pet—are they easy to groom? Do they stand still during a haircut, or do they wiggle about? Are they scared of nail clippers? Dog groomers also see a lot when it comes to the state of a canine. Some pups come in filthy from rolling around in mud. Others have severe matting that requires quite a bit of time to get cut out. But dog groomers manage to handle it all and make our pets look their best. Basically, your dog groomer is doing a demanding job and doing it well, so thank them for that with a tip!

How Much Should I Tip My Dog Groomer?

As mentioned, a 15%–20% tip is the norm for tipping for services. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, though, so you can tip what you can afford. But if you’d tip your hairstylist 15%, then tip your dog groomer the same amount. However, there are instances where a standard tip of this amount may not work. There are a lot of factors that go into deciding what exactly to tip a dog groomer. For example, if your dog is an extra-large breed, has super matted fur, or is overly anxious at the groomer, then you might want to up that tip to 25%–40% because the work your dog groomer will be doing will be more complicated. Then consider what you would tip if you weren’t happy with the job your dog groomer has done. If you had bad service at a restaurant, you’d likely only tip about 10%, right? So, you could do the same for your groomer to let them know you appreciate their work but didn’t love it. Finally, you may want to consider tipping more during the holidays. Just like you’d tip your trash collector or postal service worker during the holidays, giving your dog groomer a bit more at this time can be a great show of your appreciation for all the times they’ve groomed your pup throughout the year. Tipping 40% here wouldn’t be unheard of. However, the most important thing to remember is to tip what you can afford. Your dog’s groomer will appreciate whatever tips they earn.

Factors That Affect How Much to Tip a Dog Groomer

What exactly influences how much you should tip a dog groomer? We’ve mentioned a couple of considerations, but there is more you should consider when deciding what to tip.

• Where you live: Those living in more urban areas can expect to pay more at a dog groomer, leading to a larger tip for the groomer.
• Number of groomers: Sometimes, it isn’t a single person who is grooming your pup, but two or more. If that happens with your pet, you may want to spread that tip out between everyone instead of tipping just one person.
• Where your pup is being groomed: Sometimes you can’t get your dog to a brick-and-mortar salon, so you have a mobile dog groomer come to you instead. However, mobile groomer services can often be more expensive than, say, walking into your local PetSmart. So, you can expect to give a larger tip to a mobile service.
• Service quality: While how your dog looks is a significant factor in how much you’ll tip a dog groomer, so are other elements of service, like how well the groomer communicates with you and how clean the salon is.

Final Thoughts

It is good etiquette to tip your dog groomer when they do a good job with your pup. Between 15% to 20% is the standard tip for good service, but there may be times when you tip more or less. You might consider tipping more for really tough jobs (like a filthy pup); for a subpar haircut, you may consider tipping less. Use common sense and consider all the factors when deciding what to tip a dog groomer.

Featured Image Credit: LightField Studios, Shutterstock