How to Run a Dog Grooming Business Across Multiple Locations
Many dog groomers don’t work from just one location.
You might:
- Rent a table in two different salons
- Split time between a home salon and a grooming studio
- Work certain days at a garden centre or pet shop
- Offer mobile grooming alongside a fixed salon
While this can be great for growing your business, it also introduces a new problem: managing bookings across multiple locations without creating chaos.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to run a dog grooming business across multiple locations while keeping your schedule organised and your clients happy.
The Most Common Multi-Location Problem
Most groomers running two locations experience the same issue:
Clients don’t know where you’ll be working.
This leads to:
- Constant back-and-forth messages
- Clients turning up to the wrong salon
- Double bookings
- Extra admin checking availability
For example:
You might work:
- Tuesday & Wednesday → Garden Centre
- Thursday & Friday → High Street Salon
But if clients can’t clearly see that when booking, things quickly get confusing.
Step 1: Set Clear Working Days Per Location
The simplest way to manage multiple locations is to assign specific working days to each salon.
For example:
High Street Salon - Thursday, Friday
Garden Centre Grooming Room - Tuesday, Wednesday
When this is clearly defined in your booking system:
- Clients automatically see the correct location
- Only available days appear
- You avoid scheduling mistakes
Step 2: Let Clients Choose the Location When Booking
If you offer online booking, the process should include location selection early in the flow.
A typical booking process might look like:
- Client logs in
- Selects location
- Chooses their pet
- Selects service
- Picks date & time
- Confirms booking
Once a location is selected, the system should only show availability for that location.
This removes confusion and ensures the correct address is attached to every booking.
Step 3: Keep Services and Pricing Consistent (If Possible)
Many groomers use the same services and pricing across locations, which simplifies everything.
For example:
- Full Groom
- Bath & Tidy
- Nail Trim
- Puppy Introduction
Keeping services consistent means:
- Less setup
- Easier booking experience
- Simpler client communication
If pricing does vary by location, make sure your booking system supports that clearly.
Step 4: Use Service Durations to Protect Your Schedule
Another challenge when working across locations is fitting grooms into the day efficiently.
Different services take different amounts of time.
For example:
Full Groom - 2 hours
Bath & Tidy - 1.5 hours
Nail Trim - 15 minutes
Your booking system should automatically block the correct amount of time when someone books.
This prevents issues like:
- Overlapping appointments
- Running late all day
- Gaps you can’t fill
Step 5: Control When Bookings Can Start
Many groomers like to structure their day around specific start times, such as:
- 9:30
- 11:00
- 12:30
Instead of allowing bookings every 15 minutes, a good system lets you control the booking start interval.
This helps you:
- Run a consistent routine
- Avoid awkward time gaps
- Manage multiple groom lengths more easily
For example:
A 2-hour full groom might take up two slots, while a 1.5-hour bath and tidy takes slightly less time but still fits into the schedule.
Step 6: Make Sure Clients Always See the Correct Address
One simple but important detail: every booking confirmation should include the correct salon address.
This should appear in:
- Confirmation emails
- Reminder texts
- Calendar entries
This dramatically reduces the chance of clients arriving at the wrong place.
Step 7: Automate As Much As Possible
Running multiple locations becomes much easier when admin is automated.
Helpful automations include:
- Booking confirmations
- WhatsApp/SMS reminders
- Deposit collection
- Client accounts with pet details
- Online booking availability
Instead of managing everything through messages, the system handles most of the process for you.
Final Thoughts
Working across multiple locations is very common for dog groomers — especially solo groomers building their business.
With the right setup, it doesn’t need to create extra admin or confusion.
The key is making sure:
- Clients can choose the correct location
- Your working days are clearly defined
- Your booking system automatically handles scheduling rules
When everything is set up properly, you can focus on what actually matters: grooming dogs and growing your business