What Is the Cost of Dog Grooming in Australia? 2024 Update

Dog grooming can range from a quick trim and brush to full nail clipping, detangling, and a show-worthy hairstyle for your dog. A professional groomer can offer these and other services from their own premises or, in some cases, from a mobile grooming van. Using a professional groomer not only provides better results, in most cases, but it means that you don’t have to worry about trimming hair and cutting nails every 4–6 weeks.

Depending on where you’re located, the size of your dog, and condition of their coat, you can expect to pay anywhere from $40 to nearly $200 depending on the level of service you need. Grooming can be an occasional treat for your pup or a regular service that you have every 4–6 weeks, according to your and your dog’s requirements.

The Importance of Dog Grooming

Grooming prevents your dog’s hair from getting matted and knotted. Brushing also encourages the distribution of natural oils that help keep the coat and skin healthy. Cutting hair not only leaves the coat looking neat and tidy but it can prevent overgrown hair from getting in your dog’s eyes or causing other problems. A professional groomer can get rid of tear stains and other unsightly and unwanted staining on a dog’s coat, too.

Some dogs can get very nervous or anxious around water or when confronted with scissors or hair trimmers. Dog groomers are experienced at dealing with anxious dogs and they have the equipment and setup to make the process as quick and stress-free as possible.

Claws also need regular trimming. Long claws can cause discomfort and may cause injury to your dog, as well as to you and other people. But a lot of owners are uncomfortable trimming claws in case they cut too far and cause injury. Professional groomers trim claws regularly and they know how far down to cut.

Regular grooming has another benefit, too. While grooming, any lumps or injuries are easier to spot, which means that illnesses and conditions can be spotted sooner than waiting for visible symptoms.

As is true with humans, dog hair and claws grow continuously. This means that a quick cut every few years may not be enough for your dog, although this does depend on whether you groom your dog yourself in between visits, as well as the breed of dog.

How Much Does Dog Grooming Cost?

Dog grooming costs depend on the size of your dog, its condition, and whether it has any specific or exceptional needs, as well as the type of grooming you want. Even your location will have an effect on the price you need to pay for grooming services, with areas like Victoria and New South Wales being more expensive than Queensland. The experience and cost of the individual groomer also matter. Generally, the biggest factors that determine price are the size of the dog, length of their coat, and the grooming service required.

A bath and trim for a small, short-haired dog will cost around $50, while a full grooming service for an extra-large breed can cost upwards of $150 with additional charges for flea-infested coats or the use of a medicated shampoo.

Additional Costs to Anticipate

Dog groomers provide much more than just bathing and trimming hair, and some of the services they offer do come at an additional cost. While a basic bath and trim usually include nail trimming, as well, the following services tend to attract extra costs.

How Often Should I Get My Dog Groomed?

How often you get your dog groomed depends on how quickly its coat grows and the typical condition of the coat. If your dog regularly swims in dirty water and rolls around outdoors, it will likely need more frequent bathing than one that spends its time indoors and on its paws. Dogs that shed regularly or that have fast-growing coats benefit from more regular grooming. Beagles, Boxers, and Greyhounds may only need grooming every few months, whereas Old English Sheepdogs, Huskies, and Poodles would benefit from being groomed every 6 weeks, or even every month.

How often your dog is groomed also depends on the reason for professional grooming. If you show your dog, you will need to make sure that the coat is cut and trimmed, with routine grooming every month to 6 weeks and a full cut before shows.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Dog Grooming?

Pet insurance is meant to protect owners against the financial liability of unexpected illnesses or accidental injuries to their dogs. Grooming is an ongoing care or wellness routine and, therefore, is not covered by pet insurance policies in most cases.

Some insurance policies do allow for the addition of a wellness or care plan. Owners do have to pay extra to add this element to insurance, and some wellness policies only really cover flea and worming treatments. Others provide a regular stipend or allowance that can be used for treatments from flea treatment to grooming and bathing.

Wellness policies can also be purchased independently of an insurance policy, effectively enabling you to spread the cost of services like grooming rather than paying for them in one go.

What to Do for Your Dog In Between Grooming Sessions

There are certain things you can do between grooming sessions that will help keep your dog in the best possible shape and that might also help reduce the cost of your next grooming visit.

Brushing your dog offers several benefits. It helps to encourage natural oils that keep the coat and skin healthy and spreads those oils around the whole coat. It prevents knots and matting from occurring, both of which can be problematic for your dog. And it also enables you to check for fleas, injuries, and other signs that your dog might be ill or in poor condition.

Depending on how often you have your dog groomed, you may also need to clip their claws occasionally. If your dog walks on abrasive, hard surfaces like concrete, this will help naturally file the nails down. Otherwise, you may need to clip every 6 weeks to 2 months.

Dogs need to have their teeth brushed at least three times a week, and ideally daily. There are several ways to brush a dog’s teeth. You can use a toothbrush and special dog toothpaste, or there are finger brushes that are easier for nervous dogs. Teeth-cleaning wipes can be used but these are not as effective at removing or preventing plaque and tartar build-up.

Diet and nutrition go a long way to ensuring that your dog’s coat, skin, teeth, and claws remain healthy. This can help prevent matting and prevent your dog from feeling uncomfortable. Especially check that your dog is getting enough omega fatty acids and a good range of essential vitamins and minerals.

If your dog gets messy, for example by rolling in fox poop when you’re out on a walk, you will need to bathe them, rather than wait for your next grooming session.

Final Thoughts

Dog grooming can be used as a one-off or a regular service. Grooming varies in price from $40 for a simple clean and trim for a small dog with an easy coat, to $200 for a very large dog with a matted coat that requires special shampoo. It is worth shopping around to get the best deal, and you can also maintain your dog’s coat, teeth, and claw health in between visits, which will help your dog’s health and may also keep grooming costs down.

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Featured Image Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych, Shutterstock