Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Groom

By Kiznis Studio Editorial · May 2026

All breeds ranked by average grooming service cost — which dogs cost the most to maintain.

What This Ranking Tells Us

Grooming costs vary significantly by breed, driven primarily by dog size, coat type, and grooming complexity. Giant and large breeds with thick double coats or long hair consistently rank as the most expensive to groom. The cost reflects the time, skill, and supplies required — a full grooming session for a large breed can take 2-3 hours compared to 30-45 minutes for a small short-haired breed. Understanding breed-specific grooming costs is essential for realistic pet ownership budgeting.

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

Source: Industry pricing data from professional pet groomers and grooming chains.

How to Read This Ranking

This table ranks 140 entries in the PlainPetCare dataset by avg cost. The top entry, Bernese Mountain Dog, posts a avg cost of $102, while the bottom entry in this list, Chinese Crested, sits at $41. Rankings like this are most useful when you read them 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 to see the full service-by-service breakdown. Each breed page shows a complete pricing table by size and service type, which is where real budgeting decisions actually get made. Aggregated ranks are useful for scanning the market; itemised tables are where you plan spend. Source: Industry pricing data from professional pet groomers and grooming chains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do some breeds cost so much more to groom?

The three biggest factors are size (more dog = more time and product), coat complexity (double coats, long hair, and curly coats require specialized techniques), and grooming frequency needs. A Bernese Mountain Dog with a thick double coat takes 2-3x longer to bathe, dry, and brush out than a short-haired breed of similar size.

How often do expensive breeds need grooming?

Most high-maintenance breeds need professional grooming every 4-8 weeks, plus regular at-home brushing 2-4 times per week to prevent matting. Breeds like Poodles, Bichon Frises, and Shih Tzus need the most frequent professional grooming due to continuously growing coats that require regular trimming.

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Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from official state veterinary boards and AVMA accreditation registries. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial

Source: ASPCA / U.S. State Veterinary Boards Veterinary service pricing transparency by region · 2025 Accessed 2026-05-21