Is It Time to Add Grooming Services to Your Kennel Business?

You’ve thought about it during check-ins. Your staff has asked about it. Pet parents keep bringing it up. Still, grooming hasn’t made it into your pet kennel business plan. Sound familiar?

You’re not alone. Many kennel owners know there’s potential in offering grooming—but don’t know how to assess if it’s the right move. This guide is here to help you decide, not just if you should offer grooming but how to do it in a way that enhances—not overwhelms—your existing operations.

Let’s walk through what to consider so you can expand with confidence!

Start with Why: What Benefits Would Grooming Add?

Before you buy a single pair of shears, pause and ask: What role would grooming play in your overall business strategy?

Would it:

• Increase average revenue per visit?
• Attract new customers?
• Improve client retention?
• Keep existing staff more engaged or offer career growth?

Understanding your “why” gives the rest of your planning a strong foundation. It's one thing to add a service because it aligns with your goals. What you don't want to do is add services just because others are doing it.

Assess Demand: Are Customers Already Asking for It?

If you’re hearing things like, “Do you groom here too?” or “Can I get my dog bathed before pickup?”—then demand is already knocking at your door. Pay attention to patterns in client requests, especially during peak times like holidays and weekends. Notice whether dogs arrive with untrimmed nails, or if your front desk staff frequently fields grooming-related questions. These are strong signals that grooming might be a pawfect addition.

If you’re unsure, consider surveying your clients or simply starting small with a pop-up grooming day or limited weekend offerings to test the waters before making a full commitment.

Will Adding Grooming Services Pay Off?

Grooming isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it service. It comes with upfront costs like:

• Equipment (tubs, tables, dryers, clippers)
• Licensing and insurance
• Hiring or training staff
• Dedicated space and plumbing

But it can also significantly boost your bottom line. Many Gingr customers report an average increase of $15–$25 per reservation with grooming add-ons. As you debate the ROI of grooming for your own business, consider things like your break-even point and the number of grooming appointments needed per week to be profitable.

Grooming can also be seen as an enhancement to your existing services. For example, you could offer bundled services (boarding + bath) or memberships to increase your average ticket size and recurring revenue streams. Use a simple ROI calculator to test different scenarios or lean on Gingr’s financial reporting tools to run the numbers.

Do You Have the Space and Staff to Support Grooming?

Even the most profitable add-on service won’t succeed if your facility and team aren’t ready for it. Grooming requires dedicated space that’s functional, safe, and calming for both pets and staff.  Even a small grooming setup requires:

• Access to water and drainage
• Ventilation
• Noise management
• A safe, calm space for pets

Before moving forward, evaluate whether you can repurpose an existing room or if a renovation is in order—and think through how pets will move between boarding, daycare, and grooming without chaos.

Just as critical is staffing. Grooming takes skill, patience, and time. Do you already have someone on your team interested in cross-training? Are you prepared to hire a professional groomer and manage commission-based pay? If your staff is already stretched thin, adding grooming without a solid staffing plan could backfire. But with the right hire or training strategy, grooming can become a seamless extension of your services and a major boost to your client satisfaction.

Choosing Tools for Booking, Pricing, and Upselling

Without the right systems, grooming can quickly become a scheduling nightmare. A few items to look for when you're choosing dog grooming software include:

• A way for pet parents to book online 24/7
• Staff visibility into grooming and boarding appointments
• Easy add-on setup and upselling (nail trim, de-shedding, teeth cleaning)
• Customizable pricing for different breeds or coat types

The easiest way to do this is by choosing a tool that can support all the aspects of your business, whether you just do grooming or are a full-service facility with boarding and daycare. Gingr makes this easy. Our pet business software comes with built-in options for online booking, appointment scheduling, deposit collection, and personalized marketing tools. That means fewer no-shows, higher add-on revenue, and more satisfied customers!

Expand your pet business with confidence. Get a demo of Gingr today!