What to Tell Your Dog Groomer Before Your Appointment

The best grooms start before you arrive. When you book—or at drop-off—share anything that affects safety, comfort, or how you want your dog to look. Groomers are not mind readers; surprises about bites, sore joints, ear infections, or “just a trim” expectations cause stress on both sides.

Use this checklist so nothing important is missed.

Safety and behaviour

• Bite or nip history – Even one incident around paws, ears, or nail clipping helps staff plan handling and tools.
• Fear triggers – Dryer noise, being lifted, men vs women, other dogs in view.
• Muzzle tolerance – Some salons use basket muzzles briefly for safety; say if your dog has never worn one or panics.
• Recent aggression changes – Pain from arthritis or ear infection often shows as “sudden” snapping.

Health and skin

• Vet diagnoses – Allergies, hip issues, heart disease, seizures—anything that affects standing time or water temperature.
• Open wounds, lumps, or hot spots – Groomers may work around them or ask for vet clearance.
• Fleas or ticks – Salons may need to schedule differently or use a flea shampoo policy.
• Medications – Especially sedatives prescribed for grooming; never medicate without vet direction—see sedate dog for grooming for the vet-first approach.

Coat condition and timeline

• Matting – Honest photos save time; severe mats may require a short clip for welfare. Read dog matting for why groomers sometimes cannot “brush it out.”
• Last groom date – Helps them estimate time and blade choice.
• Shedding goals – If you want deshedding emphasis, say so; see what does deshed mean in dog grooming.

Style and length

• Reference photos – Bring 1–2 clear pictures of the trim you want (same breed or coat type helps).
• “Not too short” – Pair this with a measurable ask (e.g. “leave feathering on legs”) or accept that vague requests lead to different interpretations.
• Breed vs pet trim – A “puppy cut” or breed-standard trim are not the same; confirm terms. On Poodle and Oodle clip lengths, see Poodle and Oodle haircut lengths explained.

For what is normally bundled in a booking, see what is included in dog grooming. For vetting a business before you commit, read how to choose a dog groomer; for lead times and peak-season booking, see how far in advance to book a dog groomer.

Summary

Tell your groomer about bites and fears, medical and skin issues, realistic coat condition, and clear style goals. That combination prevents rushed decisions in the moment and usually produces a safer, closer-to-expectation groom.