Pet groomer website: what dog owners check before they book

A person visiting a groomer's website already has a dog. They want to know what it costs, whether you'll take their dog, what you require, and how to get on the calendar.

In October 2026 we opened 33 independent grooming websites in 12 states and looked at what people search for. Most had good photos. Few showed a price, said how to send vaccine records, or said what happens if a dog gets hurt.

This isn't legal advice. Grooming rules are set by your state, county and city, and most states don't license groomers. We read a few; they're under "Know the rules".

Make booking one tap

Twenty of the 33 booked through a tool they already pay for, mostly MoeGo. Thirteen took bookings only by phone, text or a request form.

If you have a booking tool:

1. Open Pages, choose your home page and click Add a section. Pick Booking.
2. Set Booking service to Other and paste your booking link. See Connect a booking calendar.
3. Click Menu and give the Header button the text "Book a groom".

If you book by phone or text, the Bookings add-on lets people pick a time on your site. Add each service under Lists › Appointments. Under Questions to ask, add the dog's name, breed and size, and when it was last groomed. Turn on I confirm each booking to look first. See Take bookings on your site. It can take a deposit, but it can't charge a card kept on file after a no-show, so use your booking tool for that.

Show your phone, a text number and your hours

Fifteen of the 33 showed a number people could tap on the first phone screen.

1. Click Business info and fill in Phone, like (541) 555-0142.
2. Set Regular hours, and use Note under hours for "By appointment" or "No dog grooming Thursdays". Seven of the 33 said by appointment.
3. Click Menu, and under Header button turn on Call bar on phones. Under Text button, pick Text message if you book by text. See Add a call bar on phones.

See Set your hours.

Put your prices on the site

Eleven of the 33 showed no price at all, and "dog grooming prices" is one of the biggest searches.

1. Add a Price list / menu section to a Services & prices page.
2. Make a Group for each kind of service, like "Full groom", "Bath and brush" and "Add-ons".
3. For each item, fill in Name, Price and Time it takes. Put sizes in the price, like "S $55 · M $65 · L $85", or "From $65".
4. In Fine print, say: "Final price depends on coat, matting, size and behavior. We tell you before adding anything."

Eleven sites showed a price for every size, and ten showed some. "Subject to change" with no starting price isn't much help. See Sections you can add.

Say what you require: vaccines

Fourteen of the 33 required vaccines, rabies on 13. Only four said how to send the records.

Write: which vaccines (dogs and cats), the age, and where to send the record (by email, in your booking tool, or at the first visit). Say what to do if a vet advises against one. Put it on your Policies page and in your FAQ.

Your records form can take a photo of a certificate: in a Form section, turn on Let people attach photos. See Forms and your inbox.

Say what matting costs

Twenty-two of the 33 mentioned matting. At least ten named a charge: a flat $20, $2 a minute, $15 for 15 minutes. Only three said what they do with a coat that's too far gone.

Put on your price page: what you charge to brush out mats, when you'd shave instead, and that you call the owner first. Add "send a photo of the coat for a quote" and a form that takes photos.

Say how you handle nervous, senior and big dogs

Twenty-seven of the 33 used words like "anxious" or "Fear Free". Few said what that means, or what happens if a dog can't be groomed safely.

Write what you do, in plain words: a slower pace, a quiet time of day, one dog at a time, whether owners may stay, whether you use muzzles. Say what an extra-hard dog costs and when you'd call the owner to pick it up. Say honestly if a dog waits in a crate or a cage dryer is ever used. Be exact and don't overpromise.

Say what happens if someone cancels or is late

Ten of the 33 stated a fee, usually with 24 hours' notice. Half the service or the full price was typical.

1. Click Pages, New page, start from the Basic page template and call it "Policies".
2. Say the notice you need, the fee, the grace period for late arrivals, the charge for late pick-up and how to cancel.
3. Link it from your footer (Menu, then Add footer link) and put a short version where clients book.

Tell people before they agree. A first missed visit that's free (The Local Floof does) reads as fair. See Set cancel rules, reminders and emails.

Say what you do if a dog gets hurt

Only four of the 33 said anything about injuries. Owners search for what a groomer does when something goes wrong.

On your Policies page or in your FAQ, say what you do right away, whom you call, which vet you use, and what you'll pay for. Only promise what you will really do, and ask your insurer or a lawyer to read it. Say "insured" only if you are. None of the 33 said it.

Show your training, not a license

Most states don't license groomers, so there's usually no number to show. Eight of the 33 named a certification, six said Fear Free and five CPR or first aid.

1. Click Lists, then Edit team on the Team card, and Add person.
2. Fill in Name, Role ("Groomer"), Photo, a Short bio and Credentials: "Certified Professional Groomer, 2019. Fear Free certified. Pet first aid."
3. Add a Team section to your home page or About page.

Say a certification only while it's current, with the year. Colorado and Connecticut license grooming facilities; if you have one, type it in License number under Location in Business info.

Mobile groomers: say where you go

Seven of the 33 had a van. Say the towns you serve, any travel fee and what you need (a driveway, power).

1. In Business info under Location, list towns in Service area.
2. Add a Service areas section to your home page. See Make pages for the towns you serve.
3. With the Bookings add-on, choose An arrival window and turn on Ask for their address. See Offer visits in arrival windows.

Cats, puppies and the self-wash

Sixteen of the 33 groomed cats, and one said it doesn't and sent people elsewhere, which is helpful. Say which animals, which days, and which vaccines. Name the age for a puppy's first groom. If you have a self-wash tub, add its price and hours to your price list ("$20 a half hour, no appointment").

Show real dogs, with permission

Thirteen of the 33 had a gallery. Add a Gallery section with finished dogs, and for before and after use two photos of the same dog at the same angle. Describe each photo: "Goldendoodle after a full groom." See Describe your photos.

Only one site asked for permission to post. Add a line to your booking or intake form: "We post photos of finished dogs. Tell us if you'd rather we didn't." The Signed forms and waivers add-on can hold a photo release. See Signed forms and waivers. Never post a child, a face or a license plate.

Show your reviews

Nineteen of the 33 showed some.

1. Add your best Google reviews to your Reviews list.
2. Add a Reviews section to your home page and your rating to Highlights.
3. Paste your Google review link into Leave-a-review link in Business info.

Asking everyone is fine. A free nail trim only for five stars isn't. See Reviews and Ask customers for a review.

Sell gift cards

"Dog grooming gift card" is a real search, and none of the 33 mentioned one. The Gift cards and coupons add-on sells a card for an amount and scans it at the door. See Sell gift cards. Federal rules say a gift card can't expire within five years, and some states are stricter.

Be careful what you say about health

Five of the 33 made claims a vet or an advertising regulator might question: "medicated baths for itchy, dry, hotspots", "kill fleas/ticks", "dogs with skin conditions", "hypoallergenic" and "teeth cleaning that removes plaque and tartar".

Say what you do: "teeth brushing and breath spray", "a flea shampoo", "we'll tell you what we notice and suggest your vet". In several states, scaling teeth is the practice of veterinary medicine. Skip "treat", "cure", "heal" and "kills fleas". The FTC expects evidence for health claims.

Know the rules

This isn't legal advice, and the rules vary, so ask your state's department of agriculture, your county and your city. In October 2026 we looked at these:

• Licenses. No state seems to license groomers as a profession. Colorado licenses grooming facilities and groomers who work as contractors (Colorado's Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act). Connecticut licenses grooming facilities. Montgomery County, Maryland, requires a kennel license for groomers who aren't mobile.
• Bills. New York's S6963 would register groomers and bar leaving a dog unattended on a table, in a bath or in a dryer. New Jersey has a licensing bill. Neither was law when we looked.
• Insurance. A Colorado story in 2023 found that a shop's policy didn't cover a contractor groomer.
• Reviews. The FTC's rule bars fake reviews and rewards that depend on a good one.
• Accessibility. Websites can fall under the ADA. See Make your site easy for everyone to use.

Answer the questions owners ask

Add an FAQ section. Good ones: How do I book? How much for my dog? Which vaccines? What if my dog is matted? Will you groom an anxious dog? Can I stay? What if I cancel? Do you groom cats? What if my dog is hurt? Suggest questions in Lists › FAQs drafts more. See Use suggested questions.

Tips

• Give your home page a search title with your town, like "Dog grooming in Bend, OR". See Set a page's search title and description.
• Match your Google Business Profile: the same name, phone and hours. Most groomers choose "Pet groomer" as the main category, and mobile groomers add a service area.
• Hiring? List openings under Lists › Job openings. See Job openings.
• Every site can have a Spanish version at no extra cost. See Show your site in Spanish.