Pet business · Updated 2026-10-23

Dog grooming client forms: what every groomer needs (with a checklist)

Good paperwork in a grooming salon is less about admin and more about safety and trust. A short intake form tells you the dog's name, age and vet before the clippers come out. A health and behaviour form tells you about the sore hip or the dryer that sets them off. A signed matted coat consent means the owner already knows what a shave-down looks like before they see it.

This guide lists the forms a groomer should have, what each one is for and when to use it, with a checklist table you can copy and a few habits that make check-in calmer for you and the dog.

The dog grooming forms checklist

Not every salon needs every form on day one. A home-based groomer with twenty regulars needs less than a busy salon with several groomers. But these are the forms that come up again and again, grouped by when you use them.

1. New client forms

These four forms are filled in once, at the first visit, and checked again whenever something changes. Together they replace the five minutes of questions you would otherwise ask at the desk while the dog pulls at the lead.

New client intake

The basics: owner name, phone, email and address, how they prefer to be contacted, and whether it is OK to send reminders by text or email. For the dog: name, breed or mix, age, weight, colour, sex, whether they are spayed or neutered, and whether this is their first professional groom. Add an emergency contact who is not the owner, and the dog's vet clinic and phone number. One form per dog keeps things tidy when a household has two or three.

Two small questions pay off later. "The look you would like" gives you a starting point for the first conversation, and "How did you hear about us?" tells you which of your marketing actually brings people in.

Health questionnaire

A tick list is faster for owners than an open question. Ask about allergies, skin, ears and eyes, heart or breathing problems, seizures, diabetes, joints and back, hearing or vision loss, recent surgery, lumps, and whether the dog is pregnant or in season. Then ask for details of anything ticked, current medication, known reactions to shampoos or products, areas to avoid or handle gently, and the date of the last flea and tick treatment. Ask owners to tell you if anything changes before a visit, and finish with a short signed line that the answers are correct to the best of their knowledge.

Behaviour and handling

Ask directly whether the dog has ever bitten or snapped at a person or another dog, and whether they are used to a muzzle. Then give a list of common triggers (dryer and clipper noise, nail trims, paws, ears, face or rear being handled, being lifted, water, other dogs) and the ways the dog shows stress, from lip licking and shaking to growling. A line such as "There are no wrong answers" makes owners more likely to be honest. Ask whether you may give treats and which ones to avoid.

Vaccination record check

This one is for you, not the owner. List the vaccines your salon asks for, then record the date given, the date it is valid until and whether you actually saw proof: a vet record, a vaccination card, or a photo or email from the vet. Record what you have seen, not what you were told. Add an expiry reminder row so you can ask for updated proof before it runs out. Which vaccines you require is your decision, and requirements differ by country and region, so check what applies where you work and ask your vet if you are unsure.

2. Consent and policy forms

Consent forms set expectations in writing before a problem comes up. The best ones are short, plain and specific. A page of dense legal language is easy to sign without reading, which defeats the point. Ask the owner to initial each point instead of signing once at the bottom, so each one gets read.

Grooming consent and release

This is your general agreement. Useful points to cover:

• The owner has told you about any health, behaviour or coat concerns.
• You may pause or stop the groom if the dog becomes very stressed or unsafe to handle, and what an unfinished groom costs.
• Whether you may use a muzzle or other handling aids for safety (ask yes or no).
• Grooming can bring existing skin, coat or health issues to light, and you will tell the owner about anything you notice.
• What happens if the dog needs urgent vet care and the owner cannot be reached: which vet you call, and who pays.
• Pick-up time and any late pick-up fee.
• When payment is due and how they can pay.

Matted coat consent

Matting is one of the most common causes of disappointed owners, because the safest fix is often a much shorter coat than they expected. A matted coat form records the coat condition (light tangles, moderate matting, or severe matting and pelting), the areas affected, and the plan you agreed: brush out where it is safe, clip short under the mats, or call the owner before deciding. Note the extra time and charge on the same page. Have the owner initial that mats can hide skin problems that only show once removed, that clipping under mats leaves a shorter coat, and that you may stop if the dog becomes distressed.

Senior and special needs consent

Older dogs and dogs with health or mobility needs tire faster and may need a different approach. This form records what applies (reduced mobility, arthritis, hearing or vision loss, heart or breathing conditions, seizures, recovery from surgery, anxiety) and what helps: short sessions with breaks, a low table or floor grooming, quiet low-setting drying, the owner on call, or pick-up as soon as the groom is done. Get agreement that you may shorten the groom or split it over more than one visit, and ask whether the owner has talked to their vet about grooming.

Photo and social media release

Before-and-after photos are great marketing, so ask first and keep the answer on file. Give separate yes or no choices for social media, your website, printed flyers and before-and-after photos, whether you may use the dog's name, and whether you may tag the owner. Ask what they never want shown, such as their face, name, home or car, and explain how they can change their mind later.

Cancellation and no-show policy

Write down your notice period, late cancellation and no-show fees, deposit rules, what counts as a late arrival, and any late pick-up charge. Then have new clients sign it once. There is no single right number, so choose terms that fit your salon. The point is that the owner sees them before booking, not after a missed appointment.

3. Groom day forms

Daily check-in and check-out sheet

One line per dog: drop-off time, ready time, any changes since the last visit, belongings left with you (lead, harness, coat), payment, pick-up time and who collected the dog. That last column matters more than it seems when a dog walker or neighbour turns up instead of the owner.

Groom session notes

Session notes are what make the next groom easy. Record the services done, the blade, comb or length you used, products, style notes, skin and coat observations, a quick behaviour rating, time taken, price, and when the dog should come back. When the owner says "same as last time", you will know exactly what that means, even if another groomer did it.

Report cards for owners

A small report card in the bag at pick-up is a friendly touch that owners photograph and share. Tick what was done today, how the dog behaved, one thing you noticed ("tiny tangle behind the left ear, all brushed out"), and the next appointment. It also gives you a gentle way to mention a skin spot or a coat that needs more brushing at home.

Incident report

Hopefully rarely used, but have it ready. If there is a nick, a slip, a scuffle, a bite to staff or a dog that becomes unwell, write it down as soon as possible, while details are fresh. Stick to facts: date, time, where in the salon, staff involved, what happened, what you did, when and how the owner was informed, and whether a vet visit was needed. A calm, factual record helps you talk it through with the owner and spot anything you want to change.

4. Records and rebooking

A record card per dog keeps the visit history in one place. Add a daily appointment log and a weekly appointment book if you work on paper, and a monthly overview to see how busy you were. A client tracker spreadsheet is the easiest way to see who is due or overdue for their next groom, based on each dog's usual rebooking interval.

The simplest rebooking habit of all: book the next appointment before the dog leaves, and hand over a rebooking card with the date and time written on it. A dog on a six-week schedule who leaves without a date often turns into a dog that comes back at ten weeks, matted.

5. Tips for a smooth check-in

1. Send new client forms before the first visit. Owners fill them in better at home than at the desk with a dog on the lead. A fillable PDF works on most phones and laptops, and paper copies are there for anyone who prefers them.
2. Read the forms before you start. A health or behaviour note is only useful if someone reads it before the groom begins.
3. Ask one question at every drop-off: "Has anything changed since last time?" New medication, a recent injury or a new worry about the dryer all change your plan for the day.
4. Agree on the coat before you clip. If there is matting, look at it together, fill in the matted coat form and agree the price before the owner leaves.
5. Confirm pick-up time and the number to call. Write both on the check-in sheet.
6. Close the loop at pick-up. Report card, payment, next appointment and rebooking card, in that order.

Completed forms hold your clients' personal details and phone numbers, so store them safely, whether that is a locked drawer or a password-protected folder, and only collect what you actually use.

FAQ

This article is general information for dog groomers and grooming salons, not legal or veterinary advice. Check the rules that apply where you work and ask your vet about health questions.