What's Included in a Full-Service Dog Groom?

First-time clients ask us this all the time: "What exactly do I get with a full groom?" It's a great question, and it deserves a straight answer. Grooming menus can be confusing. One salon calls something a "full groom," the next calls it a "spa package," and you're left guessing whether nails are included or whether that's an extra charge tacked on at pickup.

We like to keep it simple. After more than twenty years of grooming dogs here in Miami Lakes, we've boiled our menu down to three clear tiers, and we make sure the basics are always covered no matter which one you pick. This guide walks through what each tier means, then takes you step by step through a real full-service appointment so you know exactly what your dog goes through from drop-off to pickup.

Our three grooming tiers, explained simply

Before we walk through the full-service process, it helps to understand how our menu is built. We offer three tiers, and the difference between them comes down to how much work goes into the coat. The hygiene basics stay the same across all three.

1. Only Bath

This is our simplest service. Your dog gets a proper bath with shampoo matched to their coat and skin, a thorough rinse, and a blow-dry. There's no scissor work on the body with this option. It's a clean-up, not a haircut. Only Bath is a good fit for short-coated dogs who don't need styling, or for dogs that are between full grooms and just need to get fresh and clean again.

Even with the simplest service, your dog still gets the hygiene basics. Nails, ears, glands, and teeth are handled here just like they are in the bigger tiers.

2. Grooming (a scissor tidy, no body haircut)

This is the tier that confuses people most, so let's be clear. "Grooming" at Paws means a bath plus a scissor tidy. We clean up the face, trim around the eyes so your dog can see, neaten the feet, and tidy the sanitary areas. What it does not include is a full body haircut. The length of the coat on the body stays the same.

Think of it as a wash and a touch-up rather than a restyle. It's perfect for dogs whose coat length is already where you want it, but who need the messy bits cleaned up and the whole dog freshened. And yes, nails, ears, glands, and teeth are part of this tier too.

3. Full Service (everything plus a haircut)

This is the complete package, and it's what most people picture when they imagine "the groomer." Full Service includes everything in the Grooming tier, plus a full body haircut or style shaped to what you ask for. Whether that's a tidy puppy cut, a breed-style trim, or a specific length you like, this is the tier where your dog gets a real haircut from nose to tail.

What a full-service groom looks like, step by step

Now for the part you came for. Here's what actually happens when you book a full-service groom, in the order it happens. Knowing the flow takes the mystery out of it, and it helps you understand why a good groom takes the time it does.

Step 1: Intake and a health-and-coat check

Everything starts with a quick conversation and a hands-on check. When you drop your dog off, we talk about what you want, how your dog has been doing, and anything we should know. Are they sensitive about their paws? Any lumps, sore spots, or skin issues lately? Older dogs or nervous dogs get extra patience.

Then we run our hands over the whole dog. We're feeling for mats, checking the skin, looking at the eyes and ears, and getting a sense of the coat's condition. This is where we catch things owners often miss, like a tangle forming behind the ears or a warm spot under the belly. It also shapes the plan. A coat in great shape grooms one way. A coat that's drifted into matting needs a different approach, which we'll come back to later.

Step 2: Brush-out and de-shed

Before a single drop of water touches your dog, we brush. This step surprises people, but it matters enormously. Brushing out the coat while it's dry removes loose hair, breaks up small tangles, and pulls out the dead undercoat on shedding breeds. If you skip this and go straight to the bath, water turns loose tangles into tight knots, and the groom goes downhill fast.

For double-coated dogs, this is also the de-shedding step, where we work out the soft undercoat that would otherwise blanket your house and trap heat against the skin. In our Miami weather, that loose undercoat is a real problem, so we take this part seriously. A good brush-out is the foundation that makes every step after it work.

Step 3: The bath, with the right shampoo

Now the bath. This isn't a quick hose-down. We use warm water and a shampoo matched to your dog's coat and skin. A dog with itchy, sensitive skin gets a gentle, soothing formula. A dog with a heavy coat or a strong odor gets something that cuts through it. Dogs with allergies sometimes need a medicated wash, which we're happy to use if your vet has recommended one.

We work the shampoo down to the skin, not just over the top of the fur, then rinse thoroughly. Leftover soap is a common cause of itchy, irritated skin, so the rinse is just as important as the wash. Many dogs get a second shampoo if they came in especially dirty, plus a conditioner to keep the coat soft.

Step 4: High-velocity dry and fluff

After the bath comes the dryer, and this is a step home baths just can't match. We use a high-velocity dryer that pushes water out of the coat with moving air rather than baking it with heat. It does two jobs at once. It dries the coat fully, right down to the skin, and it blows out even more loose hair and undercoat that the brush-out missed.

Drying all the way to the skin matters more than people realize, especially in Florida. A coat that stays damp at the roots is exactly where hot spots and that musty "wet dog" smell come from. A proper fluff-dry leaves the coat clean, lifted, and ready to cut. You can't get a clean, even haircut on a damp or matted coat, which is why we never skip or rush this.

Step 5: The haircut or style

This is the step that makes it a full service. With the coat clean, dry, and fluffed, we give your dog the haircut you asked for. That might be a short, easy puppy cut, a longer teddy-bear look, a breed-specific trim, or a custom length you like to keep. We shape the body, legs, face, and tail into a balanced, even style.

This is also the most skilled part of the job, and it's where experience shows. A good groomer reads the dog's coat and body and works with it, keeping your dog calm and still while shaping a clean finish. It takes time, and it takes a patient hand, especially around the face and feet where the scissors get close to sensitive spots. We'd rather take an extra few minutes than rush a dog who needs a break.

Step 6: Nail trim (and why length really matters)

Every dog that comes through our door gets their nails done, and it's more important than most owners think. Long nails aren't just a cosmetic problem. When a nail gets too long, it changes the way a dog stands and walks, which puts strain on the joints over time. Long nails are also more likely to crack, catch on something, or tear, which hurts and can bleed.

We trim the nails back to a healthy length and smooth them out. On dogs whose nails have been left long for a while, the quick inside the nail grows out too, so we trim conservatively and bring the length back over a few visits rather than risking the quick in one go. Regular grooming keeps nails short and keeps that quick where it belongs.

Step 7: Ear cleaning

Ears are next. We check inside each ear and clean out wax and debris with a gentle cleaner. For breeds with hair that grows inside the ear canal, we tidy that up too, because trapped hair holds moisture and can lead to infections. In our humid climate, damp ears are a common trouble spot, so this quick step prevents bigger problems down the road.

We're also looking while we clean. If an ear looks red, smells off, or seems painful, we'll let you know so you can have your vet take a look. We don't treat infections, but we're often the first to spot one.

Step 8: Anal gland expression

Let's talk about the step nobody loves to mention but everybody should understand. Anal glands are two small scent sacs just inside a dog's rear. Normally they empty on their own when a dog goes to the bathroom. Sometimes they don't, and when they fill up, they get uncomfortable. That's the reason behind the classic "scooting" you see when a dog drags its bottom across the floor.

During a groom, we gently express these glands so they stay clear and your dog stays comfortable. It's quick, it's routine, and it's a normal part of every grooming tier we offer. If you've ever noticed scooting or a strong odor, this is often the fix. Nothing about it is dramatic, and it's one of those small things that keeps your dog feeling good.

Step 9: Teeth and hygiene tidy

We finish the care steps with a teeth and hygiene tidy. We freshen up the mouth and clean up the sanitary areas around the rear and belly. Clean hygiene areas keep your dog more comfortable and cut down on odor between visits. This isn't a replacement for a deep dental cleaning at the vet, but it keeps things fresh and gives us one more chance to spot anything that looks off.

Step 10: Finishing touches

The last step is the fun one. Once your dog is clean, trimmed, and tidy, we add the finishing touches. That usually means a bandana or a bow, and a light spritz of cologne if you'd like it. Some dogs leave with a bow that matches the season, some leave with a sharp little bandana, and some owners prefer to skip the extras entirely. Just tell us. It's your dog and your call.

This is also when we do a final once-over to make sure everything is even, the face is clean, and your dog looks and feels their best before they come back out to you.

How long does a full-service groom take?

A full-service groom usually takes two to four hours from drop-off to pickup. That can feel long if you're used to a quick human haircut, so it helps to know why.

Several things set the time. A big dog with a thick coat has a lot more surface to brush, bathe, dry, and trim than a small short-coated dog. A coat with tangles takes longer to work through gently. And every dog moves at its own pace on the table. A relaxed dog who's used to grooming breezes through. A nervous dog, a puppy on their first visit, or a senior who needs rest breaks gets the extra time they need, because we will never rush a dog to beat the clock.

We also groom several dogs in a day, so there can be a little wait built in. The honest takeaway: a good groom is not a fast assembly line. The time goes into doing each step properly and keeping your dog calm and comfortable the whole way through. If you ever want a sense of timing for your specific dog, just ask us when you book.

How to tell us the cut you want

The number one thing that makes an owner happy with a groom is clear communication up front. Groomers aren't mind readers, and words like "short" or "a little trim" mean very different things to different people. Here's how to get the cut you're picturing.

• Bring a photo. This is the single best thing you can do. A picture of a haircut you like removes all the guesswork. A photo of your own dog after a past groom you loved is even better.
• Talk in specifics, not vibes. Instead of "not too short," try "leave the legs fuller but take the body down so it's easy to brush." The more concrete you are, the closer we'll land.
• Tell us how it's going to be at home. If you can't brush often, say so. A shorter, easier cut will keep your dog comfortable and tangle-free without the daily upkeep.
• Mention the face separately. The face shapes how your dog looks more than anything else. Round and teddy-bear, or clean and short? Say which.
• When in doubt, ask us. We've groomed thousands of dogs and we're happy to recommend what suits your dog's coat and lifestyle. No upsell, just a straight opinion.

If you want help deciding how often to come in for that look, our guide on how often you should groom your dog breaks it down by coat type and the Florida weather.

When matting changes the plan

Here's an honest part of the job that we always want owners to understand ahead of time. Sometimes a dog comes in with a coat that's badly matted, and that changes what we can safely do.

A mat is a tight tangle of dead and living hair packed against the skin. Brushing a heavy mat out isn't a quick fix. Pulling hard on tight mats hurts the dog, can tear the skin, and is genuinely cruel when the matting is severe. So when a coat is too far gone, the kind and humane choice is a shave-down, taking the coat short underneath the mats so we can start fresh. That's not the cute haircut you may have pictured, but it's the choice that puts your dog's comfort first.

If we find serious matting at intake, we'll talk to you about it before we do anything, so you're never surprised at pickup. And the good news is that matting is completely preventable. Regular grooming on a steady schedule, plus a little brushing at home, keeps the coat healthy and keeps the shave-down conversation off the table. To go deeper on that, our pricing guide explains how coat condition can affect the work involved.

Making full-service grooming a habit

Once you've seen everything that goes into a full-service groom, it's easy to see why a regular rhythm beats waiting until your dog "looks bad." A dog who comes in on schedule has an easier, calmer, and often cheaper groom than one who only shows up when the coat has drifted into trouble.

That steady rhythm is exactly why we built the Paws Membership. For families who want their dog fresh year-round, membership starts at $140 a month, includes weekly visits with no appointment needed, adds 10% off boarding, and even includes mobile service. It spreads the cost into one simple monthly plan instead of a surprise bill, and it keeps your dog out of the matting cycle for good. If you want the full math on whether a plan fits your dog, see our breakdown on whether a grooming membership is worth it.

And if you'd rather just book a single full-service groom and see how it goes, that works too. Come in, tell us what you want, and we'll take it from there. You can reach us here or stop by the salon in Miami Lakes any day we're open.

Frequently asked questions

What's included in a full-service dog groom?

A full-service groom includes a health and coat check, a full brush-out and de-shed, a bath with the right shampoo, a high-velocity blow-dry, a haircut styled to your request, plus nails, ear cleaning, anal gland expression, and a teeth and hygiene tidy. We finish with a bandana or bow and cologne if you want it.

What's the difference between a bath, a grooming, and a full service at Paws?

Only Bath is a clean-up with no scissor work on the body. Grooming is a bath plus a scissor tidy to clean up the face, feet, and sanitary areas, but it does not include a full body haircut. Full Service adds the full haircut or style on top of that. All three tiers include nails, ears, glands, and teeth.

What is anal gland expression and why is it part of a groom?

Anal glands are two small scent sacs near a dog's rear that normally empty on their own. When they don't, they can get full and uncomfortable, which is why a dog scoots along the floor. During a groom we gently express them so they stay clear. It is quick, routine, and included in every grooming tier.

How long does a full-service dog groom take?

Most full-service grooms take two to four hours from drop-off to pickup. The time depends on your dog's size, coat type, how tangled the coat is, and how relaxed your dog is on the table. We never rush a dog, and a calm, comfortable groom is always worth the extra time.