What belongs in a groomer handover?

A groomer handover should cover what has changed since the last visit, the exact service you want, handling notes and emergency contacts, and it closes at pickup with what the groomer actually did. Before drop-off, gather anything that’s changed since the last visit: a new vet contact, an updated weight, a fresh note on skin sensitivity, or a change in medication schedule.

Bring the current information

Write your list down before you get to the counter. A few items worth having ready:

• Current vaccination records or a renewal date, if your groomer requests them
• Any new health conditions, allergies, or skin issues noticed since the last appointment
• Updated contact numbers for you and for the vet
• Notes on behavior changes, such as new sensitivity around paws or ears
• The name and dose of any topical or oral treatment applied recently

List current medication and recent topical products, with the last confirmed administration time and any instructions the vet has given for the appointment. Ask the veterinarian about dosing or treatment questions. Ask the groomer how that information changes the service they’re about to perform.

Skip vague descriptions like “a bit itchy lately.” Note where, since when, and whether it’s gotten worse. Specific, dated notes are easier for a groomer to act on than general impressions.

Update the list after every appointment so each handover picks up where the last one left off.

Confirm the service

Confirming the service means agreeing, in plain terms, on what will happen to your dog’s coat and skin before any tool touches them.

Start with the basics in writing or verbally at drop-off:

• Coat length and style (breed-standard trim, scissor-only, or a specific length in inches/clips)
• Bathing products, if you have a known sensitivity or preference
• Any proposed nail, ear or other additional work: ask what is included, why it is proposed, and whether veterinary advice is needed
• De-shedding or de-matting needs, and whether matting requires shaving instead of brushing out
• Any areas to avoid entirely, such as a healing scar or a sensitive joint

If you have noticed matting, point out its location and ask the groomer to explain the options before agreeing to a service. Do not assume the original length request can be carried out.

Ask what the groomer’s approach is if they find matting they didn’t expect, so there’s no surprise decision made without you.

If your dog has never been groomed, or hasn’t visited this groomer before, say so. New groomers benefit from knowing whether your dog has any history of stress during handling, even without going into behavioral diagnosis.

What headings should a groomer handover include?

A consistent set of headings turns a handover from a hurried conversation into a document you can reuse every visit. Use the same headings as prompts, then check what needs adding or removing for this visit.

A workable checklist template might include these headings:

• Dog identification: name, breed, weight, microchip number if relevant
• Health notes: current conditions, medications, recent vet visits
• Coat and skin: known sensitivities, mat locations, preferred products
• Service requested: length, style, specific inclusions or exclusions
• Handling notes: areas to avoid, known stress triggers, muzzle or leash preferences
• Emergency contact: your number, a backup number, vet clinic details

Keep each heading short enough to fill in quickly at drop-off, whether on paper or in a phone note. A template you reuse every time cuts down on repeating the same conversation from scratch at each visit.

Some owners keep this as a printed card in a carrier bag; others keep it as a note on their phone to show or read aloud. Either method works as long as the same headings appear every time, so the groomer sees the same categories of information regardless of who’s behind the counter that day.

Treat this structure as a flexible starting point. Adjust the headings to match what’s relevant for your dog specifically, adding or dropping categories as needed.

Close the loop at pickup

Closing the loop at pickup means asking what actually happened during the appointment, beyond checking the result. Follow up on every point you raised at drop-off before you consider the handover done.

Ask directly about anything you flagged earlier:

• Did matting require a shorter cut than planned?
• Were any skin issues, lumps, or sensitivities noticed during the groom?
• Which of the agreed additional tasks were completed or left undone?
• Was there any stress or handling difficulty worth knowing about for next time?

If the groomer mentions something new, like a skin spot or a nail that bled slightly, write it down before you leave. That note becomes part of the health notes section for the next handover, so the record stays current without relying on memory weeks later.

At pickup, ask what the groomer recommends for the next booking and why. Write down the answer as this groomer’s recommendation for this dog, not a fixed grooming interval to lock in.

Update the record while the appointment details are available. Keep what you requested separate from what the groomer reports doing, and mark anything you still need to clarify.

Treat pickup as the opening move of the next handover.