What to ask before a first grooming appointment

Describe the animal and the request

Start with a clear picture of your dog or cat before you dial the phone. Note breed or mix, approximate age, coat type, and any known sensitivities around paws, ears, or handling.

Say plainly what you want from the visit. A bath and brush-out is a different job than a full haircut, and naming the style you have in mind (short all over, breed-standard trim, simple tidy-up) helps the groomer scope the appointment correctly.

Mention behavior traits that affect handling: whether your pet has been groomed before, how it reacts to nail trims, and any history of anxiety or aggression around strangers. This isn’t a clinical assessment, just useful context for planning.

Flag mats, skin issues, or recent vet visits so the groomer can plan around them rather than discovering them mid-service.

Ask about the appointment

Ask what the appointment actually includes before you book it. Grooming packages vary widely, so confirm whether the price covers bathing, brushing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and a haircut, or whether some of those are separate add-ons.

Ask how long the visit typically runs and whether you’re expected to wait on-site or drop off and return later. Drop-off appointments sometimes mean your pet spends extra time in a kennel between services, which is worth knowing in advance if that concerns you.

Find out who will handle your pet throughout the visit. Ask whether different staff will handle bathing, drying and cutting.

Ask what happens if your pet turns out to be more anxious or harder to handle than expected. Agree which changes require a call to you first.

Confirm what’s expected from you at pickup, including any notes on coat condition or follow-up care the groomer recommends.

Agree the handover

Settle the drop-off and pickup logistics before appointment day arrives. Confirm the exact time window for both, and ask whether the shop calls you when your pet is ready or expects you at a fixed time regardless.

Clarify who is authorized to pick up your pet if it won’t be you. Ask how to record that authorization.

Ask what the shop does if grooming runs long or a complication comes up mid-service. A plan for a quick phone call keeps you informed without turning a routine visit into guesswork.

Confirm payment timing, whether it’s due at drop-off, at pickup, or split, and how the shop handles cancellations or late arrivals. Keep those terms with the booking.

Keep the answer with the booking

Write down what was agreed and attach it to the booking itself, not just to memory. A short note with the date, the specific services confirmed, and the pickup arrangement gives you something concrete to check against when you arrive.

If the shop sends a confirmation text or email, save it alongside your own notes on your pet’s traits and the request you described. Should anything about the visit differ from what was discussed, having the original agreement on hand makes the conversation at pickup far more straightforward.