This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!
The most eternal and common question of new, or even veteran pet owners is: How often should I get my pet groomed? The really short answer is that it all depends! How long is your dog’s natural coat? How much do you feel comfortable doing at home? How much effort are you willing to put into maintaining your dog’s haircut?
Well, while there may not be one single answer, we can give you an answer based on how long your dog’s natural coat is (not their current haircut), and how much work you want to put into maintenance!
Short or Very Short coat
Example dog breeds: Very Short – boxer, beagle, coon hounds, Pitbulls
Short – Labrador retriever, Boston terrier, French Bull Dogs
How often should I get my dog Groomed?
Well, luckily for you, you have a naturally low maintenance kind of dog! If you don’t want to trim your dog’s nails by yourself, then we would recommend taking them into either a groomer or a vet for a nail trim about once per month, or once every two months. As for baths, if they stink you can bathe them (This is our favorite shampoo, it smells like peaches!), but you don’t NEED a groomer for that. If you would like to use a groomer you can, but these breeds don’t need baths very often (unless they are outside dogs).
For inside dogs, plan on bathing them every 1-3 months while getting those nails trimmed every month to every other month. If you don’t want to clean your whole bathroom after giving your dog a bath, you can take them to a groomer for a bath and nail trim (or a self-serve dog wash), but you don’t NEED a groomer.
Medium Coat
Example dog breeds: Corgi, Chesapeake Bay retriever, Portuguese water dog
How often should I get my dog Groomed?
Well this answer is going to depend on whether you want a high maintenance dog, or a low maintenance dog. Essentially, it all boils down to how much effort you are willing to put in at home.
Low maintenance
What I mean by low maintenance is low maintenance on your part. . . like at home. If you don’t want to have to brush your dog every day, or be picking gross stuff and stickers out of their fur then you will need a low maintenance haircut. This does NOT mean that you won’t need to take your dog to the groomer frequently. As far as taking your dog to the groomer you will actually need to do that often. A low maintenance haircut means getting your dog shaved! But that doesn’t mean your dog’s hair won’t grow back very quickly.
Contrary to popular belief you can actually shave ANY dog. It’s just a matter of how short. For a low maintenance routine at home, we suggest getting your dog shaved with either #5 or #7 blade every 3-4 months. Towards the end of that time period you WILL have to brush your dog at least twice a week, but that's better than every day! As with all dogs, you should take them in to have their nails trimmed about once a month or at the very least once every other month, but you can do that at home if you choose to (Need nail clippers or a nail grinder for at home nail trimming?).
Medium to High Maintenance
If you are one of those people who just does NOT want their dog shaved under ANY circumstances, or if you just happen to like a longer coat, then this answer is for you. You WILL have to brush your dog out almost daily (see our post on dog grooming tools to find out which ones you’ll need). And you will have to go to the groomer more frequently.
For longer cuts you will need to take your dog to the groomer every 2-3 months for an alternating trim/haircut cycle (one time they will trim up your dog’s facial hair and paws etc., and the next time they will touch up the whole haircut/ change the style). You will still need to get those nails trimmed about once a month as well.
Long Coat
Example dog breeds: Golden Retriever, Poodles, Doodles, Huskies, Malamutes
How often should I get my dog Groomed?
Well this answer is going to depend on whether you want a high maintenance dog, or a low maintenance dog.
Low maintenance
If you don’t want to have to brush your dog every day, or be picking gross stuff and stickers out of their fur then you will need a low maintenance haircut, which means getting your dog shaved. It’s just a matter of how short you get their coat cut.
For these longer hair breeds and for a low maintenance routine at home, we suggest getting your dog shaved with either a #7 blade or a 1/2 inch comb every 2-3 months. You will also need to take your dog every 2-4 weeks to get a “mini groom” which is trimming up the face, paws, and feet. You can do this yourself at home, but many pet owners feel uncomfortable cutting their own dogs’ hair, or using scissors that close to their pets’ face. (If you would like to do the trimming at home, here is a rounded tip scissor kit to get you started)
Towards the end of these recommended time periods you WILL have to brush your dog at two to three times per week. As with all dogs, you should take them in to have their nails trimmed about once a month, but you can do that at home if you choose to.
Medium to High Maintenance
If you are one of those people who just does NOT want their dog shaved under ANY circumstances, or if you just happen to like a longer coat, then this answer is for you. You WILL have to brush your dog out almost daily (see our post on dog grooming tools to find out which ones you’ll need). And you will have to go to the groomer more frequently. For longer cuts you will need to take your dog to the groomer every 1-2 months for a full haircut (3/4 - 1 inch comb or just trimming/neatening), and every 2-4 weeks for a face, paw, and butt trim.
Conclusion
A dog with any length of hair is going to be a lot of work. Smaller dogs will require less effort and time, as will dogs with shorter coats. For dogs with short hair, you are basically off the hook when it comes down to absolutely NEEDING a groomer; but keep in mind that utilizing a groomer every once in a while for nails and a bath can be very convenient if you don’t like cleaning your whole bathroom, or have a hard time lifting bigger dogs. For dogs with medium to long hair, make sure you make friends with your local groomer! You will be seeing them every 2-4 months for full haircuts, every 2-6 weeks for face trims, and seasonally for a good de-shedding.
How often do you bring your dog to the groomers? Do you feel comfortable trimming your dog’s facial hair at home? We’d love to hear from you! Comment below!