Half the people who ask us this ask it by text, after the van has already pulled away, because it felt too awkward to say out loud in the driveway. So here it is in writing, along with the rest of the questions people apologize for asking.
Do you tip a mobile dog groomer?
Tips are welcome. They are never expected, and nobody keeps score. Cash in hand or added onto the card, both are normal. If you do not tip, your next appointment looks exactly the same and your dog gets exactly the same hour.
We are not going to print a percentage here. Ask five groomers and you will get five numbers, and most of them get made up on the spot. Tip what feels right for the work you just watched happen, or do not, and let that be the end of it.
Is the trip fee a tip?
No, and it is worth being clear because people mix the two up.
The trip fee is $5 to $50 depending on your zone. Across the home cluster around Farmers Branch and North Dallas it lands at $5 to $15. Farther out, it climbs, because farther out is farther to drive in a van that carries its own water and its own power. You see the exact number in your booking confirmation before anything gets scheduled, so it is never a surprise on the day.
What does the groom itself cost?
Written down, so you never have to call and ask.
A bath package starts at $75 for a small smooth coat and goes up to about $180 for an extra large double coat. A full groom, bath plus haircut, starts at $130 and runs up to about $210. Cats are about $150 for a bath and about $200 for a full groom.
Price moves on two things, weight and coat. Small is up to 29 lbs, medium up to 44, large up to 64, extra large is anything above 64. Coat types are smooth, standard, curly and double, and a double coat takes far longer to dry than a smooth one does. That is most of the spread right there, and it is laid out properly in What Mobile Dog Grooming Costs in Dallas.
The other half of the question is why any of it is more than the salon down the street. Roughly $20 to $40 more per visit is the gap, and we took that apart line by line in Why Mobile Dog Grooming Costs More Than a Salon.
Is there a cheaper way to do this?
Two discounts exist and that is the entire list. Rebook on the day of the groom and your next visit is $7 off. Go on a recurring schedule of every 2, 4 or 8 weeks and every visit is $15 off, permanently, for as long as you stay on it.
No coupons. No membership. No seasonal sale you missed by a week. If somebody tells you about a third discount, they are guessing.
Do I have to be home, and do I have to hover?
Once we have met you and know the dog, you do not have to be home. Plenty of people in Highland Park leave the side gate unlocked and go back to a work call. You also do not have to stand at the van window. A lot of owners watch the first ten minutes and then go inside, which is honestly the easiest version for everybody, the dog included.
Sound like your dog? We bring the van to your driveway. No cages, no car rides, same groomer every time.
BOOK A GROOMThe appointment runs about an hour and many are done inside 90 minutes. Your groomer will knock when the dog is ready.
What if I do not love the haircut?
Say so, same day if you can. Tell us what was off. Shorter on the legs, leave the tail alone, the face came out too round. Nobody is offended. A haircut is a conversation and the first one is always the rough draft.
Two other things people sit on for too long. Fleas, first. If you have seen one, tell us on the phone before we come out. Flea cases get handled one at a time and arranged by phone, and a heads up saves everybody an awkward driveway conversation. Second, temperament. If your dog is nervous, shy, or difficult about the dryer, tell us up front and the hour goes better for her. If your dog has bitten somebody, be straight with us about that too. We are not taking new aggressive dogs right now, and a vet clinic groomer is the safer place for a dog like that.
And the one people sit on longest, moving the appointment. Text us at (469) 652-7911 and a person reads it. The car is in the shop, the kid has a fever, something came up. We would much rather move you than have you cancel and feel bad about it.
None of these are rude questions. They are money and logistics, and money and logistics get easier the moment somebody writes the numbers down.