How Long Does Dog Grooming Take?

The short answer: 1-3+ hours for a full groom.

The real answer: it depends on your dog.

Typical Grooming Times by Size

Dog Size	Bath & Brush	Full Groom
Small (under 20 lbs)	45 min - 1 hr	1 - 1.5 hrs
Medium (20-50 lbs)	1 - 1.5 hrs	1.5 - 2 hrs
Large (50-80 lbs)	1.5 - 2 hrs	2 - 2.5 hrs
Extra Large (80+ lbs)	2+ hrs	2.5 - 3+ hrs

These are estimates. Your dog might be faster or slower depending on several factors.

What Affects Grooming Time?

Coat Type

A short-coated Lab takes far less time than a Goldendoodle with a thick, curly coat. Drying alone can take 45+ minutes on a dense coat.

• Short/smooth coats: Fastest
• Double coats: Longer (lots of undercoat to remove)
• Long/silky coats: Longer (careful brushing and drying)
• Curly/doodle coats: Longest (dense, takes forever to dry)

Coat Condition

A well-maintained coat that's brushed regularly? Quick work. A matted coat that hasn't been brushed in months? That's a project.

Severely matted dogs can take twice as long — or require a shave-down, which is faster but means starting over.

The Haircut Style

A simple all-over trim is faster than a detailed breed-standard cut with hand-scissoring. Teddy bear faces take longer than shaved faces. The more precision required, the more time needed.

Your Dog's Behavior

A calm dog who stands still is much faster to groom than one who wiggles, fusses, or needs frequent breaks.

Anxious dogs take longer because we go slower and take more breaks. That's not a problem — it's the right way to do it.

Health Factors

Senior dogs often need more breaks. Dogs with skin conditions need gentler handling. Dogs with mobility issues need help positioning.

Why Rushing Is Bad

Some groomers pride themselves on speed. "In and out in an hour!"

Here's the problem: speed comes at a cost.

• Incomplete drying — A coat that's not dried to the skin will mat and can develop skin issues
• Missed spots — Rushed brushing means tangles get left behind
• Sloppy cuts — Precision requires time
• Stressed dogs — Fast handling feels frantic to a dog. They get stressed when everything is rushed.
• Safety risks — Rushing with sharp scissors and clippers near a moving dog is how accidents happen

I'd rather take an extra 30 minutes and do it right than rush and send your dog home with a subpar groom — or worse, an injury.

Why We Don't Cage Dogs to "Speed Things Up"

High-volume grooming shops often kennel dogs before and after their groom. Your dog might be "at the groomer" for 4-6 hours even though the actual grooming takes 2.

We don't do that. Your dog is never kenneled here. When I'm working on your dog, that's all I'm doing. When we're done, you pick them up immediately.

The time you're quoted? That's actual grooming time, not sitting-in-a-cage time.

What If I'm in a Hurry?

I understand life gets busy. But grooming isn't something that can be meaningfully rushed without compromising quality or your dog's comfort.

If you have time constraints, let me know when booking and we can discuss options — maybe a maintenance trim instead of a full groom, or scheduling on a less busy day.

But please don't ask me to rush. Your dog deserves better than that.

How to Keep Groom Times Shorter

Want faster grooms? Here's how:

• Brush at home regularly — No mats = faster grooming
• Keep a regular schedule — Every 4-6 weeks prevents coat build-up
• Choose a simpler style — Shorter cuts are faster than long, sculpted looks
• Work on handling at home — Dogs who are comfortable being touched are easier to groom