Last Updated on March 24, 2024 by Dogster Team
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Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.
Animals are increasingly becoming family members, rather than pets. Owners are spending more money on their dogs, cats, and other pets, and since the pandemic, people around the world own more pets and spend more time with them. In line with these changes, pet expenditure has also increased.
Globally, pet owners spend an estimated $300 billion a year on their animals—a figure that includes everything from the purchase of the pet to regular pet insurance installments. The figure also includes pet grooming services. Pet grooming is typically considered part of the pet care and pet services umbrella, which means it can be difficult to put exact figures on how much is spent on this type of service, but because professional grooming is becoming more popular, more data is becoming available.
Below, we have curated cat and dog grooming industry statistics, including information on how much owners spend on these services, the types of services being used, and some data on the earnings and revenue of grooming services.
(GM Insights)
Pet owners around the world spent a cumulative $300 billion a year on their pets. This figure includes all expenditures so incorporates the cost of buying the pets, as well as the cost to feed, house, entertain, and pay for healthcare. It also includes the cost of grooming, whether that is the purchase of scissors and clippers to groom animals at home or the cost of visiting a professional groomer.
(Gitnux)
Grooming typically consists of a pet being bathed, brushed, and dried. It may also include trimming hair, cutting nails, and wiping out ears. Dogs are the animals that most often see a professional groomer, but cats can also benefit from regular grooming while rabbits and guinea pigs, especially those that are shown professionally, may also visit a groomer. It is estimated that owners spend $1.3 billion a year on pet grooming.
(GM Insights)
Mobile grooming is growing in popularity, but it is still not as common to use a mobile groomer as to take a dog or cat to a grooming parlor. However, for owners that can’t get their pet to a groomer or for pets that don’t like visiting a grooming parlor, perhaps because they are anxious around other animals, mobile grooming is a very good alternative. The mobile grooming market is worth approximately $500 million a year.
(Globe News Wire)
The pet grooming industry is booming. More people bought pets, either their first or subsequent pets, during lockdowns. And while pet owners had plenty of time to pamper and groom their dogs and cats while working from home during the pandemic, most industries are now shifting back to the workplace, leaving less free time for owners. Over the next 10 years, the grooming industry is expected to see 8% growth per annum and will grow to a total value of $2.5 billion by 2032.
(GM Insights)
Unsurprisingly, the biggest driver behind the forecasted pet grooming market growth is an increase in pet ownership rates. Millions more cats and dogs were purchased during Covid, and it remains to be seen whether the increase is likely to hold now that lockdowns have ended, however.
(Globe News Wire)
Although pet grooming is common in a lot of countries, the US is by far the single biggest market. It holds 56% of the global market share. Europe also has high grooming rates, with Germany having one of the highest figures on the continent.
(Frontiers In)
Pet grooming doesn’t have to be administered by a professional. With time, patience, basic equipment, and plenty of YouTube tutorials, most owners can perform some level of grooming at home. The cost of scissors, clippers, and shampoo are likely not included in pet grooming expenditure, however, and are more likely to be considered part of petcare retail figures. More than 4 in 10 owners groom their dogs at home, although some of these are likely to also take their dogs for professional grooming.
(Frontiers In)
There are various options when it comes to grooming. As well as grooming at home, there are professional grooming services that operate from grooming parlors. Nearly a third of dog owners take their dogs to salons. A further 9% use mobile grooming services. There are also self-service grooming stations, typically found in large pet stores but also in some grooming salons, where equipment and space are provided and the owner can groom the animal themselves.
(Global Pet Industry)
In one survey, 84% of pet owners said that they had groomed their dog at least once in the 12 months before the survey. It is unclear what the owners consider grooming, and this may include a quick brush to get rid of shedding hairs.
(Frontiers In)
Grooming costs vary according to the type and level of service used, as well as the size and breed of the dog, and how much hair it has. There may be additional charges for dogs with matted hair and for potentially aggressive breeds. But it can cost as much as $80 or more for a single grooming session, and it is this cost that is considered the single biggest obstacle to those owners that do not use professional grooming. 56% of respondents gave cost as the main obstacle. 29% also said that they couldn’t afford grooming products to do the work themselves. 45% said that they were scared of hurting their pet.
(Global Pet Industry)
Some pets need grooming more often than others, and some pet owners supplement their own grooming efforts with an occasional visit to professional groomers. On average, pet owners that do take their pet to be professionally groomed, do so five times a year.
(PR News Wire)
There are a lot of benefits to regular grooming. From the owner’s point of view, the pet looks neater and tidier, and regular grooming can also help reduce the amount of hair on furniture and around the house. It can also get rid of that doggy smell. For the dog or cat being groomed, it leaves them feeling more comfortable, prevents skin and coat irritation, and it can help control fleas and mites. Two-thirds of pet owners, in one survey, said that they know regular grooming contributes to the better overall health of the animal.
(Home Guide)
Grooming costs really do vary from one pet and owner to another. Cats typically cost less than dogs, while smaller breeds and breeds with short coats do not attract the same high costs as long-haired and large breeds. Typical costs range from $30 to $90 with a small breed costing an average of $40 and a large breed costing $75.
(Gitnux)
Pet grooming is becoming increasingly popular, and this has led to an increase in the number of groomers. There are now more than 300,000 pet groomers across the US including independent groomers and those that are employed by companies and grooming parlors.
(Indeed)
The average salary of a dog groomer is $50,000 per annum, but there is a broad salary range according to experience and also whether the groomer specializes in exhibition or show grooming. Some of the best show groomers can earn $100,000 per annum or more.
(Gitnux)
Grooming is a predominantly female business with 86% of all groomers in the US being female.
Grooming services vary, and owners can choose the level of grooming required. But, grooming can include bathing, brushing, and drying, as well as the trimming of hair, cutting of nails, and even wiping out of ears.
Typically, it takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to groom an animal. Small animals with short hair, that are in for a regular grooming session, will take a lot less time than a large dog with long, matted hair that hasn’t been groomed for years.
It is a good idea to start regular grooming when a dog is young. It gets the dog used to the process, which can involve scissors and vibrating cutters. However, it is generally recommended that puppies do not have their first groom until they are about 6 months old, and some owners, especially of large dogs that mature more slowly wait until 8 or 9 months old.
There are different elements to grooming, some of which owners might undertake at home and others that are left for professional groomers. Most animals benefit from being brushed at least once or twice a week with some dogs and long-haired cats needing daily brushing. Bathing should only be necessary every 2 or 3 months, and nails need to be trimmed on roughly the same timescale, although dogs that only walk on soft ground may need their nails trimmed more frequently.
If you have an aggressive dog or one that can become aggressive when stressed and anxious, the key is to be open with the groomer. Most groomers will be experienced in dealing with potentially aggressive dogs. They will have muzzles and harnesses, and they will know how to work with the dog to minimize risks and ensure grooming is finished. Some groomers may refuse certain breeds, but you should be able to find a professional groomer willing to work with your dog if you do your research first and be honest with them when booking.
Pet grooming services are becoming increasingly popular, driven primarily by a rise in the number of dogs and cats that have been bought since the pandemic. Costs vary, and so too do the level of services offered, but a grooming session costs, on average, $50. The global grooming market is worth an estimated $1.3 billion a year with more than 50% of the market being located in the US and the figures are set to approximately double within the next 10 years.
Nicole has loved animals of all sizes her whole life so it’s no wonder she has dedicated her career to helping them through what she loves best: learning, writing, and sharing knowledge with others. She’s the proud mom of two dogs, a cat, and a human. With a degree in Education and 15+ years of writing experience, Nicole wants to help pet parents and pets around the planet to live happy, safe, and healthy lives.
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