PlainPetCare · pet-care cost data
What should pet grooming actually cost?
Transparent grooming, boarding, and training price estimates for 140 dog breeds across 121 U.S. metro areas, modelled from breed size, coat complexity, and regional cost of living.
- 140
- Dog breeds
- 8
- Services priced
- 121
- U.S. metros
- 1 New York, NY 1.50×
- 2 San Francisco, CA 1.48×
- 3 San Jose, CA 1.45×
- 4 Bellevue, WA 1.42×
- 5 Honolulu, HI 1.42×
The national picture
The costliest breed to groom is the St. Bernard (up to $195), while the costliest to board is the Tibetan Mastiff (up to $80). The most expensive grooming breed and the most expensive boarding breed are different dogs.
- $195
- grooming · St. Bernard
- $80
- boarding · Tibetan Mastiff
- 140
- breeds priced
- 121
- metros covered
Every figure on the site is a transparent model, base grooming rates adjusted for breed size, coat complexity, and a metro cost-of-living index. See methodology for how it's built.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics regional cost-of-living data, which calibrates this model's metro index, professional pet-care prices vary by roughly 97% between the cheapest and most expensive U.S. markets modeled here. PlainPetCare models 3,872 metro-level grooming, boarding, and training price estimates across 121 U.S. metro areas and 140 dog breeds, last refreshed in May 2026. Every figure is a transparent estimate, not a surveyed quote, see our methodology for exactly how each price is built.
Tracked breeds by AKC size category
Size sets the ballpark, coat sets the bill
Bigger dogs cost more to groom on average, but weight alone is a weak predictor once you compare breeds of similar size: within every AKC size band tracked here, coat complexity, not weight, is what actually decides the price . The clearest case: the Maltese, a 7-lb breed with a long coat, runs $85 for a full groom, more than several breeds several times its size.
Weight vs. full-groom price
- Chihuahua: 6 lb, short coat, full groom $65.
- Maltese: 7 lb, long coat, full groom $85.
- Brussels Griffon: 10 lb, wire coat, full groom $78.
- Italian Greyhound: 14 lb, short coat, full groom $65.
- Shih Tzu: 16 lb, long coat, full groom $85.
- Bichon Frise: 18 lb, curly coat, full groom $91.
- West Highland White Terrier: 20 lb, double coat, full groom $81.
- Bedlington Terrier: 23 lb, curly coat, full groom $119.
- Rat Terrier: 25 lb, short coat, full groom $65.
- Cocker Spaniel: 30 lb, long coat, full groom $111.
- Puli: 35 lb, curly coat, full groom $119.
- Miniature American Shepherd: 40 lb, double coat, full groom $106.
- Bulldog: 50 lb, short coat, full groom $85.
- Border Collie: 55 lb, double coat, full groom $106.
- Siberian Husky: 60 lb, double coat, full groom $106.
- Australian Shepherd: 65 lb, long coat, full groom $111.
- Barbet: 65 lb, curly coat, full groom $119.
- Irish Setter: 70 lb, long coat, full groom $143.
- American Staffordshire Terrier: 70 lb, short coat, full groom $85.
- Goldendoodle: 75 lb, curly coat, full groom $119.
- Boxer: 80 lb, short coat, full groom $110.
- Bergamasco Sheepdog: 84 lb, long coat, full groom $143.
- Bracco Italiano: 90 lb, short coat, full groom $110.
- Old English Sheepdog: 100 lb, long coat, full groom $143.
- Bouvier des Flandres: 110 lb, wire coat, full groom $132.
- Kuvasz: 115 lb, double coat, full groom $188.
- Newfoundland: 150 lb, long coat, full groom $195.
- Great Dane: 175 lb, short coat, full groom $150.
Popular breeds
View all breeds →Pet care services
All pet care services →Full bath, brush-out, ear cleaning, and nail trim.
Supervised overnight boarding at a professional facility.
Specialized de-shedding treatment for heavy-shedding breeds.
Medicated flea bath with treatment shampoo.
Complete haircut with breed-appropriate styling, bath, brush-out, nail trim, and ear cleaning.
Professional nail clipping to a safe length.
Professional dental hygiene brushing with dog-safe enzymatic toothpaste.
Professional dog training session, either group class or private instruction.
Grooming costs by city
Most expensive
Pet care guides
Practical guides for understanding pet care costs, finding quality providers, and budgeting for your pet.
How Often Should You Groom Your Dog?
Recommendations for grooming frequency based on coat type, breed, and activity level.
How to Choose a Dog Groomer
How to find the right dog groomer, red flags to avoid, questions to ask, and certifications to look for.
Pet Care Budgeting Guide
Annual budget breakdown for dog ownership including grooming, food, training, and supplies by dog size.
What to do with this
- Look up grooming, boarding, and training estimates for one of the 140 tracked breeds. Browse breeds
- Pet-care prices swing roughly 97% between metros; check your own city's index before budgeting. Compare metros
- Build a 12-month grooming-and-boarding budget from your breed and metro. Annual cost estimator
Transparent cost estimates modelled from breed size, coat complexity, and regional cost of living, not surveyed quotes.
Download the metro price-index extract: metro-price-index.csv (same CSV as /statistics).
About this data
How PlainPetCare works, and why you can trust these numbers
What this site is
PlainPetCare turns AKC breed standards, BLS regional cost-of-living data, Census Bureau metro definitions, and published industry rate surveys into breed- and metro-specific pet care price estimates. These are baseline estimates for comparison, not personal quotes, and are never veterinary or medical guidance.
Editorial process
- Source. Pull breed size and coat type from AKC breed standards, regional cost calibration from BLS data, metro boundaries from Census Bureau CBSA definitions, and base service prices from published national grooming-chain and industry rate surveys.
- Verify. Each price estimate is validated against the source data before publication by the editorial pipeline, and cross-checked for consistency across breed and metro combinations.
- Publish. Compile per-breed and per-metro pricing pages with the underlying data sources documented on the methodology page.
Editorial independence & corrections
The PlainPetCare does not accept payment, sponsorship, or promoted placement from grooming chains, boarding facilities, trainers, or any pet care provider or industry association. Found an error? Contact us via the contact page. See our methodology for full source attribution.
Disclaimer: Prices are modelled estimates for informational budgeting only and do not constitute professional or veterinary advice. Confirm with a local provider before making decisions.