Bath, Bath Plus+ or Full Groom: Which One Does Your Dog Need?

Our menu has three appointment types, and the question we hear most is which one to book. The honest answer is that it depends on the coat. A lab and a doodle can both be muddy, and they still need completely different things from a groomer.

Full-Service Bath: best for short coats

The Full-Service Bath is best for short-haired breeds. Think labs, boxers, bulldogs, pugs, beagles and similar dogs whose coats don't need a haircut. Here's what's included:

• Bubble bath and hand dry
• Spray conditioner
• Light brushing
• Nail trim and file
• Ear cleaning
• Paw pad trimming

Starting prices are $44.00+ for a small dog (1-20 lbs), $64.00+ for a medium dog (21-45 lbs) and $85.00+ for a large dog (46-70 lbs). It's the quick reset for a dog who stays naturally tidy but needs to be clean, trimmed at the nails, and ready for the car ride home.

Alyson Schoppert, who brings her black lab, Blue, wrote on Google: "They’re usually able to get my black lab, Blue, in that day or within a day." Short-coated dogs are often the easiest to fit in.

Bath Plus+: double coats and in-between visits

Bath Plus+ is for big or small hairy double-coated dogs, or as a touch-up between grooms. Double-coated breeds like huskies, Great Pyrenees, goldens and shepherds have a soft undercoat under a longer outer coat. They usually don't get a haircut, so what they need is a long, thorough brush-out. Here's what's included:

• Bubble bath and hand dry
• Spray conditioner
• 10-15 minutes of brushing
• Nail trim and file
• Ear cleaning
• Trimming of natural paws and the outside of the feet (curly-coated dogs)
• Pad hair trim
• Sanitary areas
• Face and natural ear trim

Starting prices are $85.00+ for a small dog, $106.00+ for a medium dog and $149.00+ for a large dog. Feather trimming on double-coated dogs may cost extra, and matting or extra brushing is charged separately. We also recommend adding a Shed Control Treatment for double-coated breeds, and you can read more about that in our shedding season guide.

Full Groom: curly coats and anything that needs a cut

If your dog's coat grows continuously, it needs a haircut. That means poodles, doodles, schnauzers, shih tzus, Bichons, Yorkies and plenty of mixes. The Full Groom is the one that does the shaping. Here's what's included:

• Bubble bath and hand dry
• Spray conditioner
• 10-15 minutes of brushing
• All-over body haircut in the length of your choice
• Nail trim and file
• Ear cleaning

Starting prices are $106.00+ for a small dog, $127.50+ for a medium dog and $191.00+ for a large dog. Curly coats are the ones that mat, so they're also the ones where the 4-8 week schedule matters most. For larger and giant dogs, and dogs over 110 lbs, call for an estimate. Dogs over 110 lbs are charged by the hour.

A quick way to choose

• Short, smooth coat that stays tidy by itself: Full-Service Bath.
• Thick double coat that sheds, with no haircut wanted: Bath Plus+.
• Curly, wavy or fast-growing coat that you want cut to a length: Full Groom.
• Curly-coated dog that's two or three weeks away from a full groom: Bath Plus+ as a touch-up.
• Not sure: call us and we'll point you to the right one.

Things people often ask

Can I book a Bath for my doodle to save money? You can, but the coat won't be cut and the dog is likely to go home with a coat that mats faster. A bath can also tighten curls and make tangles harder to see. If the coat is long, a Full Groom or a Bath Plus+ is usually the better call.

Do I pick the haircut? On a Full Groom, yes. You choose the length, and our groomers will tell you honestly what the coat can and can't hold. Bringing a photo of a cut you like makes the conversation easy.

What about add-ons? Extras like Shed Control, the Healthy Skin & Coat Treatment and THERA-CLEAN can be added to a Full-Service Bath, a Bath Plus+ or a Full Groom, but they can't be booked on their own. Ear plucking, a finishing spray and a bow or feather accessory carry no charge.

All prices on our menu are starting estimates and are subject to change. They go up with size, coat condition and extra time.

Browse the three options at /services/bath, /services/bath-plus and /services/full-groom, or call us at 303-776-0332 and we'll help you choose.