The pros and cons of using a mobile dog grooming service

Dog grooming services are really popular these days, and even smaller towns tend to have at least two or three grooming salons or parlours to choose between when it’s time for your dog to have a bath, trim or tidy up.

For some dog breeds that have very high maintenance coats or that are usually clipped or trimmed into a certain coat style like the poodle, trips to the groomer tend to be a regular feature of ownership, with appointments made every few weeks on average. Even if you don’t use the services of a groomer regularly, most dog owners still book the occasional appointment for a professional bath and finish, and this can help you to keep a messy dog clean, or allow you to maintain your dog’s coat with a lot less hassle than doing it at home.

While most dog grooming parlours are located at static addresses that you take your dog along to and collect them from later, mobile grooming services are also becoming popular in the UK. These services are offered from a fully fitted out van within which the groomer can perform all or most of the same services that they would be able to offer from a static location.

Choosing a mobile dog groomer can be really handy for a lot of reasons, but there are also some limitations and drawbacks of mobile grooming when compared to taking your dog to a grooming parlour – and we will look at the pros and cons of choosing a mobile service within this article. Read on to learn more.

The cost

The cost of having any individual dog groomed can vary considerably, depending on the groomer you choose, what type of dog you have, the quality and condition of their coat, and what you want the groomer to do for you.

However, as a general rule, the cost of using a mobile grooming parlour is usually like for like more expensive than taking your dog to a fixed location, sometimes by a reasonable amount. This is partially due to the cost of purchasing and fitting out a specialist grooming van, the increased running costs (such as petrol) and the time lost travelling to appointments rather than having the dog brought to the salon by the owner.

Travel and stress

If your dog hates car journeys and gets really stressed out on the way to the groomers, they will be harder to work with and may find it all rather daunting. Choosing a mobile dog groomer will negate the need to transport your dog to a parlour – which may be really useful if you don’t drive, or if your dog hates going out in the car.

Access to facilities

Mobile grooming parlours are fully equipped with everything the groomer needs to do their job – generally including large tanks for water for bathing, and to hold the dirty water used for later disposal.

However, one thing your mobile groomer will need you to provide is access to an electrical hook up to power their tools, which you will need to ensure is available. All this means for you as the dog owner is being able to provide access to a safe mains electricity supply – the groomer will have the appropriate electrical leads and equipment to use it.

This also means the groomer must be able to park their van relatively close to your home, and on a flat surface – so a sloping drive won’t work.

Services offered

Generally, mobile groomers offer all or most of the same services as groomers working from a fixed location, but there may be some exceptions. If your dog requires a complicated or detailed coat clip or can be very challenging to groom and handle, not all mobile groomers will be able to accommodate for this in their vans. Some mobile groomers only offer basic services like baths and simple clips, so make sure you discuss exactly what you want and ensure that the groomer is happy to provide it before you book your appointment.

The size of the dog

Mobile grooming vans make the best possible use of their internal space, and are set up with care to allow the groomer to accommodate most types of dogs and be able to work on them effectively. Most mobile groomers can accommodate dogs of most sizes, including large breeds – but if your dog is very large or giant, they may be too big to groom in a van.

Again, check with the groomer that they will be able to accommodate your dog’s size if they are very large, particularly if your dog is very active or wriggly!

Access into and out of the van

Finally, if your dog is infirm or can’t jump or manage steps with ease, this is something else to discuss with the groomer when you contact them about an appointment. Most vans have a couple of steps or a short jump into them – and reluctant dogs can often be lifted into the van, depending on their size.

Some mobile grooming vans will even have a special lift to use to get dogs in and out, but these are things you should double-check first, just to be on the safe side.