# Tipping the groomer



## Smitty (Mar 21, 2012)

How much is fair? What if the groomer is the owner?
And, why all the pop ups now. It's hard to follow a thread anymore.


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## pandification (Apr 15, 2014)

Personally, I do all my own grooming at home. 

But, as far as tipping goes, think of it like tipping your waitress or your tattoo artist.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

I had my giant schnauzer groomed ONCE, he gave me tips on what shaver to buy and how to do it.... I gave him a twenty.... (never looked back, have done all her grooming myself since then)...he was great though so gentle and expert!


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## BostonDan (Dec 29, 2014)

For me, it wouldn't matter if the groomer owned the business, I tip 20%.


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## MelTruffles (Jan 27, 2015)

It depends on the effort they put in. For Truffles, he's small and doesn't give a care in the world what you're doing to him. Bath? Let's DO IT! Brush? SURE? Nails grind?! OK! GIVE ME MORE! He doesn't wiggle around or bark or anything... Just sits there patiently. He will even hand his paws to the groomer (he knows how to shake hands). If I'm in a for a nail grind, I tip a couple of dollars. For the whole works, I give a $5.

Sherman, on the other hand, is very shy. He's great with baths and brushing, etc. However, he's the devil when getting his nails ground. I go to this one lady to groom his nails cause she was the only one who was successful after 5 different people (and I've only had him for a week). She didn't muzzle him cause Sherman never tries to bite her just jerks and barks and sounds like you're killing him slow and painfully. I tipped her $10 for a nail grind and the nail grind was $10. It took her like 15 minutes to do all paws and she was really sweet and patient with him. Loved her. The others gave up after 2 nails and told me he would have to be sedated. 

It wasn't a great experience with Sherman, but I definitely don't want to sedate him to get his nails ground. I would be crazy scared something would happen to him.


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## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

I don't know about groomers, but we usually tip our daycare 10-15%.



> But, as far as tipping goes, think of it like tipping your waitress or your tattoo artist.


 Wait. You're supposed to tip your tattoo artist?


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## Caro (Sep 10, 2012)

Even if the owner grooms your dog, she more than likely has bathers working with her (unless it is a tiny operation). Even small grooming operations that I have used (single groomer) usually have one to two bathers working at a given time washing & drying dogs & cleaning up so the groomer can concentrate on grooming & see more dogs. I would think that they would get some of the tips. So, I would tip no matter who groomed the dog.

You tip the person who cuts your hair & you sit still for them & don't ask for a pedicure or to deal with your anal glands. So, it makes sense to tip the groomer. I think the tip should be bigger if you have a difficult dog or any extraordinary requests (you need your dog done in 45 minutes when it normally takes 2 hours).


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## WesS (May 12, 2015)

You don't tip your lawyer, doctor or plumber.
Those who use grooming services use them weekly/monthly etc. (Or at least should be)

'My tip' is going to regular appointments and not letting my dog get out of control. 'My tip' is to brush my dog and keep him in order and manageable. I even buy my dog food from my groomer. I buy some other items they have stocked too. I will give donations to charities for fundraisers they organise for dogs.

Should you tip? if you don't use services regularly so that your dog is in 'working grooming condition' maybe. I.e if you take a dirty furball instead of a dog. But fact of the matter is they should probably charge you much more anyways.

Grooming is something you should use regularly and come to an agreement of a good price. If they want to employ other people they should pay them, and get good people to work there. One person can manage a dog and groom them.

The owner grooms my dogs and I trust her. An employee can be just as good. But I'm not keen on the whoever is available thing. I make an appointment with somebody I trust. It's the only time my dogs are ever in somebody else's care. So that is vital. 

If your conscienscous and regularly groom your dog, you don't need to tip. You need to negotiate a fair price. Be loyal, build a relationship with groomer and the groomer with your dog.

I recommend small scale operations where you can build these relationships. Don't go with the big company who send you just anyone. Really one of worst things to do with a dog is trust him to a random stranger. If you go the big company route, which I advise against, you prob should tip, just to maintain relationship with groomer you like and make sure they always deal with your dogs. Again randoms grooming my dogs is a huge no no.


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## NicoleIsStoked (Aug 31, 2012)

Jen2010 said:


> Wait. You're supposed to tip your tattoo artist?


Yes lol. 10-15% is customary.


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## MollyM (May 19, 2015)

Smitty said:


> How much is fair? What if the groomer is the owner?
> And, why all the pop ups now. It's hard to follow a thread anymore.


Use Adblock. No ads, no pop-ups. It's free and secure.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

I tip my groomer 15-20%

And yes you're supposed to tip your tattoo artist/body piercer!!


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