PlainPetCare rankings

Cheapest Dog Breeds to Groom

Breeds ranked by average low-end price across all eight modeled services (six grooming and care ones plus boarding and training), not Full Groom alone.

$24
#1 · Chinese Crested
140
breeds ranked
$63
#140 · St. Bernard

The verdict

According to PlainPetCare grooming-cost model, national base service rates adjusted for breed size and coat complexity (AKC breed standards), Chinese Crested leads the list at $24; the #140 cutoff to make this list is $63 (St. Bernard).

$24
#1 · Chinese Crested
$63
#140, the cutoff to make this list
140
entries ranked

Top 12 by avg cost (all services)

The 12 highest-ranked entries.

  1. 1
    Chinese Crested $24
  2. 2
    Basenji $27
  3. 3
    Boston Terrier $27
  4. 4
    Chihuahua $27
  5. 5
    Dachshund $27
  6. 6
    French Bulldog $27
  7. 7
    Italian Greyhound $27
  8. 8
    Jack Russell Terrier $27
  9. 9
    Lancashire Heeler $27
  10. 10
    Manchester Terrier $27
  11. 11
    Pug $27
  12. 12
    Rat Terrier $27

Source PlainPetCare grooming-cost model, national base service rates adjusted for breed size and coat complexity (AKC breed standards) · Apr 2026

Where the #12 cutoff sits

Avg Cost (all services) across all 140 ranked breeds, not just the 12 shown above

$27 12th of 140 higher than 1 of 140 breeds

all ranked breeds, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.005K-wide band; taller bars hold more breeds. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainPetCare grooming-cost model, national base service rates adjusted for breed size and coat complexity (AKC breed standards) · Apr 2026

The full ranking

# Name Avg Cost (all services)
1 Chinese Crested small $24
2 Basenji small $27
3 Boston Terrier small $27
4 Chihuahua small $27
5 Dachshund small $27
6 French Bulldog small $27
7 Italian Greyhound small $27
8 Jack Russell Terrier small $27
9 Lancashire Heeler small $27
10 Manchester Terrier small $27
11 Pug small $27
12 Rat Terrier small $27
13 Russian Toy small $27
14 Smooth Fox Terrier small $27
15 Xoloitzcuintli medium $29
16 Affenpinscher small $31
17 Brussels Griffon small $31
18 Cairn Terrier small $31
19 Miniature Schnauzer small $31
20 Scottish Terrier small $31
21 Welsh Terrier small $31
22 Wire Fox Terrier small $31
23 American Eskimo Dog small $32
24 Pomeranian small $32
25 Schipperke small $32
26 Shetland Sheepdog small $32
27 Shiba Inu small $32
28 Swedish Vallhund small $32
29 West Highland White Terrier small $32
30 Biewer Terrier small $32
31 Bolognese small $32
32 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel small $32
33 Coton de Tulear small $32
34 Havanese small $32
35 Japanese Chin small $32
36 Lhasa Apso small $32
37 Maltese small $32
38 Papillon small $32
39 Shih Tzu small $32
40 Silky Terrier small $32
41 Yorkshire Terrier small $32
42 American Staffordshire Terrier medium $34
43 Basset Hound medium $34
44 Beagle medium $34
45 Bulldog medium $34
46 Chinese Shar-Pei medium $34
47 Pharaoh Hound medium $34
48 Staffordshire Bull Terrier medium $34
49 Vizsla medium $34
50 Whippet medium $34
51 Bichon Frise small $34
52 Cockapoo small $34
53 Miniature Poodle small $34
54 Toy Poodle small $34
55 Brittany medium $36
56 English Springer Spaniel medium $36
57 Airedale Terrier medium $39
58 Berger Picard medium $39
59 Standard Schnauzer medium $39
60 Wirehaired Pointing Griffon medium $39
61 Australian Cattle Dog medium $40
62 Border Collie medium $40
63 Cardigan Welsh Corgi medium $40
64 Chow Chow medium $40
65 Finnish Spitz medium $40
66 Keeshond medium $40
67 Miniature American Shepherd medium $40
68 Norwegian Elkhound medium $40
69 Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever medium $40
70 Pembroke Welsh Corgi medium $40
71 Samoyed medium $40
72 Siberian Husky medium $40
73 Australian Shepherd medium $41
74 Bearded Collie medium $41
75 Cocker Spaniel medium $41
76 Black and Tan Coonhound large $42
77 Boxer large $42
78 Bracco Italiano large $42
79 Catahoula Leopard Dog large $42
80 Dalmatian large $42
81 Doberman Pinscher large $42
82 German Shorthaired Pointer large $42
83 Greyhound large $42
84 Rhodesian Ridgeback large $42
85 Rottweiler large $42
86 Treeing Walker Coonhound large $42
87 Barbet medium $43
88 Bedlington Terrier medium $43
89 Goldendoodle medium $43
90 Kerry Blue Terrier medium $43
91 Labradoodle medium $43
92 Lagotto Romagnolo medium $43
93 Mudi medium $43
94 Poodle medium $43
95 Portuguese Water Dog medium $43
96 Puli medium $43
97 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier medium $43
98 Clumber Spaniel large $45
99 Bouvier des Flandres large $48
100 Pudelpointer large $48
101 Alaskan Malamute large $49
102 Belgian Malinois large $49
103 Chesapeake Bay Retriever large $49
104 German Shepherd large $49
105 Labrador Retriever large $49
106 Afghan Hound large $51
107 Belgian Sheepdog large $51
108 Belgian Tervuren large $51
109 Bergamasco Sheepdog large $51
110 Borzoi large $51
111 Briard large $51
112 Collie large $51
113 English Setter large $51
114 Golden Retriever large $51
115 Gordon Setter large $51
116 Hovawart large $51
117 Irish Setter large $51
118 Old English Sheepdog large $51
119 Saluki large $51
120 Bloodhound giant $51
121 Boerboel giant $51
122 Bullmastiff giant $51
123 Cane Corso giant $51
124 Dogo Argentino giant $51
125 Dogue de Bordeaux giant $51
126 Great Dane giant $51
127 Mastiff giant $51
128 Neapolitan Mastiff giant $51
129 Irish Water Spaniel large $54
130 Giant Schnauzer giant $59
131 Irish Wolfhound giant $59
132 Akita giant $61
133 Anatolian Shepherd giant $61
134 Kuvasz giant $61
135 Tibetan Mastiff giant $61
136 Bernese Mountain Dog giant $63
137 Great Pyrenees giant $63
138 Leonberger giant $63
139 Newfoundland giant $63
140 St. Bernard giant $63

Source: PlainPetCare grooming-cost model, national base service rates adjusted for breed size and coat complexity (AKC breed standards).

How to read this ranking

This table ranks 140 entries in the PlainPetCare dataset by avg cost (all services). The gap between the top and bottom of this list spans $39, wide enough that a mid-list entry rarely tracks either pole closely. Rankings like this are most useful read alongside the underlying price ranges on each breed or metro page, the aggregate score hides detail that matters for individual budgeting.

To get the most out of this ranking, click through to any row for the full service-by-service breakdown. Each breed page shows a complete pricing table by size and service type, where real budgeting decisions actually get made. Aggregated ranks are useful for scanning the market; itemised tables are where you plan spend.

Frequently asked questions

Can I groom these breeds at home?

Many short-haired breeds are excellent candidates for at-home grooming. Basic supplies (quality dog shampoo, nail clippers, brush, ear cleaner) cost $30-50 and last months. Short-haired breeds need minimal brushing and can be bathed in a regular tub. However, nail trimming and ear cleaning are best learned from a professional first.

How much can I save with a low-maintenance breed?

Over a year, the grooming cost difference between a high-maintenance breed (monthly professional grooming at $80-100+) and a low-maintenance breed (quarterly grooming at $30-40) can be $700-1,000+. Over a dog's lifetime, that is $7,000-15,000 in grooming savings alone.

Explore more rankings

Most Expensive Metros Cheapest Metros Most Expensive Breeds Most Popular Breeds Most Grooming-Intensive

Related guides

How grooming prices work Regional pet-care pricing Annual pet care budget
Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Every figure on PlainPetCare is rendered directly from AKC breed data and industry pet-service pricing surveys, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on AKC breed data and industry pet-service pricing surveys, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Sources: PlainPetCare grooming-cost model, national base service rates adjusted for breed size and coat complexity (AKC breed standards); the regional index is calibrated to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics regional cost-of-living data (verify with BLS →). Read our methodology.

Disclaimer: Prices are modelled estimates for informational budgeting only and do not constitute professional advice. Confirm with a local provider before making decisions.