How much should mobile dog groomers charge?
Mobile groomers price per dog per visit, not by the hour, but your effective hourly rate needs to cover drive time and a fully-equipped van, not just time at the table.
Estimate your rate
A starting point for mobile dog grooming — adjust to your own numbers.
~$86.88 / visit
Based on a 75-minute visit at an effective rate of ~$69.50/hour. Formula: (target income + expenses) ÷ (billable hours/week × 50 working weeks), converted to a per-visit price. This is a starting estimate, not a guarantee — adjust for local market rates.
What moves the rate
- Dog size and coat type (a full-coat double-coated breed takes much longer than a short-haired dog)
- Service level: bath-and-brush vs. full groom with haircut, de-shedding, or de-matting
- Temperament and handling difficulty (anxious or aggressive dogs slow the whole appointment)
- Drive time and distance between appointments, since a mobile unit only fits a handful of dogs per day
- Local cost of living and salon-grooming rates in your area (mobile typically runs 20-30% above salon)
- Van/trailer payment, water, power, and product costs baked into your day rate
Work out your target hourly rate first, including the time spent driving and setting up between stops, then convert to a per-dog price using a realistic appointment length (60-90 minutes is typical for one dog). The $9,500/yr expense default is dominated by the grooming van or trailer itself — financing or leasing a fitted-out unit typically runs $400-600/month ($4,800-7,200/yr) — plus fuel, generator/water refills, grooming products, and groomer's liability + care/custody/control insurance (higher-premium than a non-mobile profession). This is by far the highest expense figure in the site's calculators because a dedicated vehicle is the core cost of the business, not an optional add-on.