[embl218]

I was wondering what you pay, on average, to get a golden retriever groomed, meaning a full groom, also a maltese.
Thank You

[Durbkat]

Prices vary from place to place, you will have to call the groomer you'd like to take your dog to. For example, to get a golden fully groomed in ky could be $50, at another place in ky in the same city it could be $150.

[dane&cockermom]

yeah, it's definitly different place to place. where i work, a maltese i believe is $38, and a golden, depending on what you want to have done, ranges from $45 to $65

[Durbkat]

Another example, the place I take Snoopy to get groomed, he is a shih tzu, cost $32 for a full groom, my teacher takes her shih tzu to a groomer that is only a few miles away and its $45 to get the same thing done. If you go in a fancy area, where there are alot of expensive shops the groomers will be expensive to. If you go to a middle or lower class area of town it will be alot cheaper.

[Dieselsmama]

Here in Vt. the price range for a golden is anywhere from $45-$85, given he's not matted or very oversized. A maltese would range from $45-$65 with the same conditions

[TeddieXRuxpin]

It's going to depend a lot on the area you live in.

I go to a very good groomer and it cost me $30 for a full groom on my Shih Tzu. Now that is even to have him shaved down. He gets his nails trimmed, ears cleaned, face shaped, sanitary clip, wash, blow dry, and bandana.

You're just going to have to call around because the prices are going to be all different. You also may end up trying different groomers.

[Franny Glass]

I do most Goldens for $60-$75. Maltese are $40-$55.

The place I used to work, which is just a couple miles down the road, Goldens started at $100. Maltese started at $60.

[Graco22]

My prices are right in line with you Franny. Unfortunately, so many pet owners shop strictly by price alone. I VERY rarely have anyone ask me what my credentials are, how long I have been grooming, ask to see the bathing area, etc etc. Much less actually ask for a referral. Its amazing how so many people that love their pets will just drop off their dog at the cheapest place, never giving thought to anything else. Would you do that with your child and daycare? And groomers aren't liscenced...anyone can pick up the equipment, and hang a grooming sign on the door. Scary. Even most of those "certifications" are a joke..The box stores certify their own after they complete the required 6 weeks of less of "experience." Every school "certifies" their students, and I would never turn a newly graduated groomer loose on my clients. They just don't have the experience needed in 6, 8, even 12 weeks. JMO though.

[Dieselsmama]

Originally Posted by Graco22

My prices are right in line with you Franny. Unfortunately, so many pet owners shop strictly by price alone. I VERY rarely have anyone ask me what my credentials are, how long I have been grooming, ask to see the bathing area, etc etc. Much less actually ask for a referral. Its amazing how so many people that love their pets will just drop off their dog at the cheapest place, never giving thought to anything else. Would you do that with your child and daycare? And groomers aren't liscenced...anyone can pick up the equipment, and hang a grooming sign on the door. Scary. Even most of those "certifications" are a joke..The box stores certify their own after they complete the required 6 weeks of less of "experience." Every school "certifies" their students, and I would never turn a newly graduated groomer loose on my clients. They just don't have the experience needed in 6, 8, even 12 weeks. JMO though.

Excellent point!!! In over 16 yrs. grooming now, I've sure seen some hack jobs come in to be repaired. These are the clients that come back time and again from there on out regardless of the cost. They are also the ones who referr all their friends. I have never needed to advertise, all my work has come from referrals.

[dane&cockermom]

Originally Posted by Graco22

My prices are right in line with you Franny. Unfortunately, so many pet owners shop strictly by price alone. I VERY rarely have anyone ask me what my credentials are, how long I have been grooming, ask to see the bathing area, etc etc. Much less actually ask for a referral. Its amazing how so many people that love their pets will just drop off their dog at the cheapest place, never giving thought to anything else. Would you do that with your child and daycare? And groomers aren't liscenced...anyone can pick up the equipment, and hang a grooming sign on the door. Scary. Even most of those "certifications" are a joke..The box stores certify their own after they complete the required 6 weeks of less of "experience." Every school "certifies" their students, and I would never turn a newly graduated groomer loose on my clients. They just don't have the experience needed in 6, 8, even 12 weeks. JMO though.

ya know, i think that too, BUT, i just started grooming. this week i've been officially grooming for 4 weeks. (i did about 2 months of strictly grooming training, and did bathing for about a year and a half before that) but how am i suppose to get clients and work up my speed/get good, if no one will see me because i've only been doing it for a month. ya know? how am i suppose to get good if no one gives me the chance...

[Graco22]

Dane, in my humble opinion, you can't get good until you have more time under your belt. More time with an experienced, good, groomer going over your dogs and showing you where to improve on. Its very hard to get the "eye" for things when you don't have someone showing you. I remember well learning to groom..I would finish a dog, and think it was spectacular...then my mentor would come over and comb out SO many strays, crooked scissoring, lopsided faces, etc and I would go..."oh...oops.." LOL I just don't think you can get good without help. And time. With grooming, one NEVER can know it all, and there is ALWAYS room for improvement, no matter how long you have been grooming. My advice to you would be to work in a salon with other groomers,(even part time) have them help critique your dogs, show you different things, ways of doing things, looks, etc. And attend the grooming trade shows!!! Go to the seminars. They are WELL worth the money and tax deductible. Watch the grooming competitions. Heck, enter the competitions. I have learned more from competing than I ever did from any one day and its great fun too. Go to the local seminars too. Where are you located? There is so much to learn out there, and SO many ways to learn it. I think too many groomers just learn that little bit at school, and then work alone and they never improve. You can't improve if you don't see better grooming and have something to strive towards, and the help and direction to get there. 4 weeks of grooming is just not enough time to learn much of what is needed to know in order to safely and efficiently groom many breeds of dogs and coat types nicely in my opinion..I remember what my dogs looked like at 4 weeks grooming..It wasn't good compared to what I can do now..lol I know what you mean about getting the chance. I understand that too, but I don't think that its right for unknowing clients to assume that someone that has been grooming 4 weeks is going to be able to offer the same quality of service as someone that has been grooming for 3 years or longer. Ideally, you would still be apprenticing under a good groomer. Email me if you like. I can get you the info on where seminars are, good grooming boards like this one that is all groomers and where everyone is very helpful. Graco22@aol.com

[Love's_Sophie]

Prices at our shop for a Golden start at 45$...the price goes up according to matting or even temperment...if the dog takes a LONG time to groom, simply because he is fighting ya tooth and nail...well that is time spent NOT being able to groom your other dogs...so the price goes up accordingly. I charge 20$ an hour on top of it's 'base' starting price if the dog is really matted, nasty, or just a pain to groom.

Maltese here start at 40$...again, the prices go up according to matting, or difficulty.

Dane, I spent a good chunk of my first year ONLY doing simple shave offs, or bath and comb outs...It wasn't until I had been able to really watch and attend a few good grooming seminars that I started feeling more confident to be able to start trying to groom more 'difficult' cuts... Give yourself more time to really watch and learn...it's really not as simple as it looks, especially when you are talking about scissor cutting an entire dog! Also, you want to practice those cuts on friend's dogs, or even your coworkers dogs...NOT CLIENTELLE who may get really upset if you happen to mess up the dog because you were 'practising' on it! If you were in my shop, you would be gradually working your way to a point of scissoring, and doing more 'specialty' cuts...Not starting to do it, because you feel like you are ready...I want your other skills developed, and want to know that you really have an eye for what the dog should look like; when you can start pointing out to me that a scissored dog is uneven in one little spot, then I would feel you would be ready to start attempting it yourself, because you are developing that feel for how the dog should look under all that fluff, even if it is being scissored. I was able to practice my scissoring skills on my old boss' dogs, and she didn't let me groom client's dogs of that 'caliber' until hers were perfect!

[embl218]

Thank You all, I definatly will check around town and look at the quality of the places. I just wanted to get an average price and see what other people pay and/or charge. Thanks again.

[kenRC51]

Stitch does not go to the groomers. Melanie goes to the groomer. She is a cocker spaniel so some times it is nice to have her groomed. At a local groomer near my house charges $38 for complete cut, bath, expressing the anal gland, trimming nails, and cleaning the ears. I think this is a very good price. If you go to a place like Petco or Petsmart it might cost more. I have ask petco about Melanie and they quoted me about $75. If i were you i would take your dog to a smaller or a non chain pet groomer.