What Are You Really Paying For When You Have Your Dog Groomed?

Before anyone rolls their eyes, don't worry. This isn't going to be another groomer's sob story about having to pick up poo and shave dogs' bumholes.

We know what we signed up for. Quite frankly, I'd rather shave a dog's backside than spend eight hours a day staring at spreadsheets. We love what we do, and we're certainly not asking anyone to feel sorry for us!

But if you've ever compared prices between dog grooming salons, you've probably noticed they can vary quite a bit. Sometimes the difference is only $10 or $20, while other times it can be considerably more.

So why is that, and what are you actually getting for your money?

At Urban Tails Grooming, we're quite happy to acknowledge that we're not the cheapest salon around. We've never set out to be, but we don't believe the most expensive groom is automatically the best either.

There are some fantastic groomers around Macarthur charging less than they probably could or should be. Many have spent years building loyal client bases and are booked out well in advance. If you've found one of those groomers, cherish them. You're probably onto a good thing!

On the other hand, if you're still looking for a groomer, we'd be cautious about assuming an unusually cheap, last-minute appointment will necessarily offer the same experience, knowledge or standard of care. Sometimes you'll find a genuine bargain, but more often the price reflects the experience behind the service or the amount of time being allowed for each dog.

Generally speaking, you do get what you pay for. The important thing is understanding what you're actually paying for.

It's Not "Just a Haircut"

When you collect your dog, the finished result is naturally what you notice first. A beautiful haircut, a clean coat and a dog that looks and smells fantastic. What you don't necessarily see is everything that happens before they reach that point.

Every groom at Urban Tails includes a warm bath or hydrobath, where your dog is washed twice using premium shampoos, followed by a no-tears face wash and skin and coat conditioning. From there, they're thoroughly dried and brushed before the finishing touches, including cologne. Nail trimming and external ear cleaning are also included where required.

For dogs having a haircut, proper coat preparation makes an enormous difference. Before the clippers or scissors come out, the coat needs to be brushed out, washed and completely dried. Certain coats also require extensive fluff drying to straighten and separate the hair for a smooth, even finish. Add in the cleaning and trimming of hygiene areas, and there's already been quite a bit of work before the haircut itself begins.

Rushing any of these stages can affect both the quality of the finished groom and the dog's comfort.

Of course, the amount of work involved varies enormously. A smooth-coated Staffy coming in for a bath has very different requirements from a heavily coated Husky needing a de-shed or a Poodle having a full haircut. Even two dogs of the same breed can need completely different amounts of time and attention.

And the work doesn't necessarily finish when the dog does. Anyone who's ever seen the aftermath of a proper Husky de-shed will know that the amount of hair left behind can be impressive! Baths, tables, drying equipment and surrounding areas all need to be cleaned before the next dog, and that takes time too.

It's all part of the job, but it's part of the job that needs to be accounted for when working out what a service should cost.

Why Time Matters So Much

One of the biggest decisions we've made at Urban Tails is to keep each groomer's daily workload manageable. We could book ten cheaper haircuts per groomer and expect everyone to work faster, but that's not the kind of salon we want to run.

Grooming doesn't always go according to plan. Dogs aren't machines, and neither are their groomers.

We're working with living animals, each with their own personality, comfort levels and boundaries. They deserve love, care and respect, not to be pushed through an appointment simply because we've decided they should be finished by a certain time.

Some dogs are comfortable with almost everything, while others need patience, breaks or a different approach altogether. If a dog needs four hours rather than one, but leaves comfortable and happy, we're perfectly happy with that outcome. We'll also know to allow more time for their next appointment.

Our appointments are staggered, with groomers and bathers working together throughout the day. Dogs are generally worked on in arrival order, although we'll adjust priorities when comfort or welfare requires it. It's also why we ask clients to avoid scheduling time-sensitive commitments around their dog's grooming appointment.

We want our groomers to have the time to get to know your dog, make sensible decisions and produce work they're proud of, without constantly watching the clock or worrying about an overloaded appointment book.

That flexibility is especially important when a dog needs something different from what we originally anticipated.

The Right Approach for the Dog in Front of Us

Having enough time is important, but it's just as important to have the knowledge and equipment to adapt the grooming process when needed.

Drying is a good example. Thorough drying is essential for a properly finished haircut, and moisture left trapped against the skin can contribute to hot spots, irritation and other skin problems. But the process isn't always straightforward, particularly with older dogs, puppies still learning about grooming or dogs that are sensitive to noise.

A powerful force dryer might be ideal for removing loose undercoat from a Husky, but completely unsuitable for a nervous puppy. Even a dog that's comfortable having its body force dried might need something much quieter around its face.

Our groomers have several drying methods available, including adjustable-speed force dryers, quieter handheld, neck-mounted and stand dryers, gentle warm- and cool-air kennel dryers, and temperature- and humidity-controlled drying cabins.

The point isn't to use as much equipment as possible on every dog. It's to have the right method available for the coat we're working on and, more importantly, the dog wearing it.

We consider each dog's age, breed, health, coat and tolerance when deciding how to dry them, while carefully managing airflow, temperature and supervision throughout the process. If a dog becomes uncomfortable or distressed, we can adjust our approach, give them a break or stop rather than pushing them through something they're struggling with.

That same consideration extends to the rest of the salon, with equipment to safely accommodate everything from tiny toy breeds to giant dogs. Fresh towels for every dog, properly cleaned and disinfected grooming equipment, and a hygienic environment are also part of our everyday routine.

These are things most clients will never need to think about, but having the right facilities and using them responsibly is an important part of providing good care.

So, Why Aren't We Cheaper?

There's no getting around the fact that running a professional grooming salon costs money, and those costs have increased considerably over the years.

Some of the products we use every day now cost almost twice what they did just a couple of years ago, while grooming prices across the industry have remained relatively unchanged for a long time. Staff wages, superannuation, utilities, insurance, cleaning supplies, equipment maintenance and replacement tools all need to be covered as well.

Our commercial rent at Urban Tails is also considerably higher than at our previous salon. That's not a complaint, just part of the cost of doing business and of operating from premises that are convenient for clients and suitable for the facilities we need.

Of course, different grooming businesses have different expenses. A home salon may have considerably lower overheads, while mobile groomers generally don't have commercial shop rent but do have vehicle, fuel and maintenance costs that a shopfront salon doesn't.

There's no single price that every groomer needs to charge to run a successful business. A lot depends on the way that business operates.

For us, that means making some deliberate choices about what we're prepared to do to keep our prices down.

We could potentially charge less by booking more dogs into each day or introduce daycare to generate additional revenue. But more dogs coming and going would mean more noise, movement and distractions, along with additional risks we'd rather avoid.

We want Urban Tails to be as calm and predictable as reasonably possible, not a salon that needs to be packed with dogs from morning until night to cover its expenses.

We're also not interested in saving money by using inferior products, cutting corners on hygiene or expecting staff to work themselves into the ground. Our groomers deserve fair pay, manageable workloads and a clean environment where they enjoy coming to work and have the time to do their jobs properly.

We believe that makes a difference to the people working here and to the dogs they're looking after.

Ultimately, we've worked out what it costs to run Urban Tails in a way we're comfortable putting our name to, and that's what our prices reflect.

More Than the Finished Haircut

We understand that grooming is an ongoing expense and everyone has a budget. While we have a variety of differently priced service options, we're not expecting every dog owner to choose Urban Tails, and that's perfectly okay.

What we do want is for clients and dog owner's in general to understand everything that goes into the price of an appointment.

There's the experience and judgement of people who genuinely love dogs, the products, equipment and facilities to accommodate different grooming requirements, and even the software that makes booking convenient while allowing us to keep detailed records of your dog's grooming history and individual needs.

Most importantly, there's the time to give your dog the attention they deserve without sacrificing quality, welfare or comfort just to fit more appointments into the day.

We're proud of the beautiful grooms our team produces, but we're even more proud of how the dogs are treated while they're here. A great haircut means very little to us if getting there has come at the expense of the dog wearing it.

Because to us, calm, caring grooming isn't an optional extra. It's what the whole salon is built around and what every dog deserves.

Urban Tails Grooming — Campbelltown, NSW

The benchmark for calm, caring dog grooming.