Best Dog Grooming Franchises 2026: Costs, Profits & Real FDD Data
Important note — please read before using this guide. The financial, fee, and outlet figures in this article are drawn from the most recent Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) available at the time of writing — primarily 2025 and 2026 registration-year filings. FDDs are re-filed by franchisors every year, so newer numbers may be available by the time you read this. This guide is editorial research and industry commentary — it is not financial, legal, tax, or investment advice and should not be treated as a recommendation to invest in any particular franchise. Always pull the current FDD for any brand you are seriously considering, and work with a qualified franchise attorney and an independent financial advisor before signing any franchise agreement.
Quick Summary: We reviewed the most recent Franchise Disclosure Documents for eight dog grooming franchises — three mobile (van-based) brands and five salon/storefront brands — covering fees, startup costs, royalties, financial performance, and three-year outlet growth.
FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document): The legal document every franchisor must give prospective buyers. It has 23 standardized sections (“Items”) covering fees, costs, litigation, and more.
Item 19 (Financial Performance Representation, or FPR): The only place a franchisor may publish actual or projected revenue/earnings figures. Brands are not required to include one — when they do, it is the best window into what franchisees actually earn.
Item 7 (Estimated Initial Investment): The franchisor's estimate of total startup cost, from the franchise fee through the first few months of operating capital.
Royalty fee: The ongoing percentage of gross revenue you pay the franchisor, usually monthly or weekly.
Initial franchise fee: The one-time, up-front fee paid when you sign the franchise agreement (a subset of the Item 7 total).
Gross revenue / gross sales: Total income before expenses — the base most royalties are calculated on.
Territory: The geographic area in which you have the right to operate; some brands sell large multi-van or multi-unit territories.
Most dog grooming franchise marketing leads with lifestyle photos and the size of the pet-care market. This guide does something different: it works from the numbers each franchisor is legally required to disclose in its FDD. Every fee, cost, and revenue figure below is tied to a specific brand and filing year, so you can compare brands on the same terms rather than on marketing copy.
We reviewed every page of each brand's most recent FDD — eight brands in all, spanning 2025 and 2026 filings. Dog grooming splits cleanly into two business models that are hard to compare head-to-head: mobile (you operate from a fitted-out van and drive to the customer) and salon/storefront (customers come to a fixed location). Because the startup costs and the way revenue is reported differ so much between them, we keep the two groups separate throughout.
A note on the financial data: franchisors present Item 19 in very different formats — some publish full quartile tables across dozens of locations, others show a two-outlet snapshot or a single affiliate salon's results. Where a brand's figures rest on a small sample or an unusual basis, we say so plainly rather than reduce it to a single headline number. The goal is an apples-to-apples read where one is possible, and an honest caveat where it isn't.
| Brand | Type | Initial Fee | Royalty | Total Investment | FPR? | Item 19 Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aussie Pet Mobile | Mobile (van) | $19,950 | 6% | $167K–$209K | Yes | Avg sales scale with fleet: $314,387 (1–3 vans) up to $1,230,386 (7–10 vans), 2025 |
| Zoomin Groomin | Mobile (van) | $45,000 | 8% | $65K–$205K | Yes | Median annual sales ~$171,729 per operator (varies by van count) |
| Woofie's | Mobile (multi-service) | $57,500 | 6.5% | $182K–$295K | Yes | Avg $246,167 gross revenue per territory across 74 territories (grooming + pet sitting + walking) |
| Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique | Salon + boutique | $60,000 | 8% | $297K–$453K | Yes | 2024 Total Income: avg $585K–$776K, median $519K–$866K (12 stores) |
| Salty Dawg Pet Salon | Salon + bakery | $49,500 | 8% | $195K–$470K | Yes | Avg gross revenue $548,932 — but only 2 outlets reporting* |
| Sparkle Grooming Co. | Salon (membership) | $39,000 | 7% | $236K–$473K | Yes | Grand-opening ramp + one affiliate salon (~$591K/yr); no franchisee-wide average* |
| Woof Gang Bakery | Salon + bakery/retail | $29,900–$49,900 | 7% | $191K–$560K | Yes | Avg gross revenue $620K (open 13+ mo) rising to $739K (open 49+ mo), 2025 |
| Scenthound | Salon (membership) | $49,900 | 6% | $323K–$551K | Yes | Avg gross revenue $507,331 (median $489,150) across 69 centers open 24+ months |
*Salty Dawg's and Sparkle's Item 19 figures come from very small samples (two outlets and a single affiliate-owned salon, respectively) and should be read as early indicators, not system-wide averages. See each brand's Item 19 for the full context.
All eight brands make a financial performance representation, which is a strong signal for the category — franchisors that are confident in unit economics tend to disclose them. But the quality and comparability of those disclosures vary widely, so we read each one in its own context.
Aussie Pet Mobile's 2025 FDD is the most detailed in the mobile group, and it makes one point unmistakable: in mobile grooming, revenue scales with the size of your van fleet, not with a single “typical” number. Operators running one to three vans averaged $314,387 in annual sales (median $295,828); four-to-six-van operators averaged $717,096; seven-to-ten-van operators averaged $1,230,386; and the handful running more than ten vans averaged $2,089,878. For a first-time owner budgeting a single van, the $314,387 entry tier is the realistic comparison point — the seven-figure averages belong to multi-van businesses.
Zoomin Groomin's 2026 FDD tells a similar single-operator story at a smaller scale, reporting average and median annual sales by van count with a system median around $171,729. Woofie's is the outlier of the group: its 2026 FDD reports an average gross revenue of $246,167 per territory across 74 territories (median $155,554, ranging from $42,416 to $3,391,260), but Woofie's territories bundle mobile grooming with pet sitting and dog walking — so that figure reflects a multi-service business, not grooming alone. Read the Woofie's Item 19 as a multi-service territory benchmark, not a like-for-like grooming-van comparison against Aussie or Zoomin.
Among the salons, Scenthound's 2026 FDD offers the most statistically useful disclosure: across 69 membership-model centers open at least 24 months, gross revenue averaged $507,331 (median $489,150), ranging from $153,190 to $991,061. Woof Gang Bakery's 2026 FDD is also robust and adds a tenure dimension — average total gross revenue rose from $620,375 for stores open over 13 months to $738,802 for those open over 49 months (medians $581,857 to $673,712), a clear illustration of how grooming-and-retail stores mature over time.
Splash and Dash's 2025 FDD goes deepest on profitability, publishing full 2024 income statements for 12 locations: total income averaged $585,432 across eight stores and $775,917 across four larger stores, with a system range from $147,548 to $1,615,469. Two salon brands disclose far thinner data and should be read with care. Salty Dawg's 2026 FDD reports an average gross revenue of $548,932 — but only two outlets met its reporting window, so the figure is an early indicator rather than a system average. Sparkle Grooming's 2025 FDD does not yet offer a franchisee-wide average at all; it presents three-month grand-opening sales ramps for two new salons plus one affiliate-owned salon whose 2024 monthly sales annualize to roughly $591,000. For both Salty Dawg and Sparkle, the right move is to ask the franchisor for current, broader figures and to validate them with existing operators.
Best for: owner-operators who want the lowest entry cost and are comfortable scaling by adding vans rather than square footage. Zoomin Groomin's total investment can start under $65,000, and Aussie Pet Mobile's data shows a credible path from a single $314,387-average van to a multi-van six-figure business. The main tradeoff is that growth means buying, staffing, and maintaining more vehicles.
Best for: buyers who want a fixed location, the option to layer in retail or membership revenue, and higher per-unit revenue ceilings. Scenthound and Woof Gang both show mature-store gross revenue comfortably above $500,000. The tradeoff is a meaningfully higher and slower startup — brick-and-mortar investments here run from roughly $191,000 to $560,000, plus the lease and buildout that come with a physical store.
Royalties in dog grooming are remarkably consistent: every brand we reviewed charges between 6% and 8% of gross revenue. Aussie Pet Mobile and Scenthound sit at the low end at 6%; Woof Gang Bakery and Sparkle charge 7%; and Zoomin Groomin, Salty Dawg, and Splash and Dash charge 8%. That narrow band means royalty rate alone is unlikely to be a deciding factor — the bigger cost differences show up in the brand fund and technology fees layered on top.
Most brands add a marketing or brand-fund contribution of about 2% (Scenthound's is 1.5%, and Aussie Pet Mobile reports no standing national fund), so a realistic ongoing fee burden across the group lands in the 7.5%–10% range once the brand fund is included. Technology fees are modest and vary — from $30 a month at Zoomin Groomin to $750 at Sparkle. When you compare two brands, add the royalty, the brand fund, and the tech fee together rather than anchoring on the headline royalty.
Using each brand's Item 7 estimated initial investment, the eight brands fall into clear tiers:
Zoomin Groomin ($64,974–$205,400) and Aussie Pet Mobile ($167,325–$208,650) anchor the low end, both mobile concepts. Woof Gang Bakery's range starts here too ($191,350–$560,300), though its upper end extends well into the higher tiers depending on store size and buildout.
Woofie's ($181,558–$294,936) and Salty Dawg Pet Salon ($194,750–$470,450, low end in this tier) live here. Woofie's higher figure reflects its multi-service territory model rather than a single grooming van.
Sparkle Grooming ($235,750–$472,750), Splash and Dash ($296,880–$453,420), and Scenthound ($322,999–$550,769) sit firmly in storefront territory, where leasehold improvements, equipment, and grand-opening costs drive the total. Woof Gang Bakery's upper range ($560,300) tops the group.
Outlet growth tells you whether a system is attracting and retaining franchisees. Using each brand's Item 20 systemwide outlet summary, all eight brands grew over the past three years — together expanding from 317 to 989 outlets, a net gain of 672 locations.
Zoomin Groomin posted the largest absolute expansion, growing from 15 to 257 outlets between 2023 and 2025 — a net gain of 242 and by far the fastest scaler in the group. Woof Gang Bakery, already the largest system, grew from 163 to 288 outlets (+125), and Scenthound expanded from 39 to 154 (+115), reflecting strong momentum behind the membership-salon model. Among the mobile brands, Aussie Pet Mobile grew from 75 to 167 outlets (+92) and Woofie's from 11 to 101 (+90).
The smaller salon brands are early in their growth curves: Splash and Dash moved from 14 to 19 outlets (+5), Salty Dawg from 0 to 2, and Sparkle from 0 to 1. That early stage is exactly why their Item 19 samples are thin — there simply aren't many mature units to report yet. A couple of caveats apply across the board: net outlet counts fold in transfers, terminations, and non-renewals, so a rising count reflects net momentum rather than pure openings, and rapid growth in a young system can outpace the data available on unit performance.
Two patterns stand out across the disclosures. First, tenure matters: Woof Gang Bakery's average gross revenue climbs steadily from $620,375 for stores open over 13 months to $738,802 for those open over 49 months, a reminder that grooming-and-retail locations ramp over several years rather than hitting full revenue in year one. Second, scale model matters more than brand: in mobile grooming, Aussie Pet Mobile's data shows revenue rising in lockstep with van count — from $314,387 (one to three vans) to over $1.2 million (seven to ten vans) — so your growth plan (more vans, or more services per territory as with Woofie's) shapes earnings as much as which logo is on the door.
On the salon side, the membership model is worth watching: both Scenthound and Sparkle build recurring revenue through membership plans, and Scenthound's 69-center average of $507,331 suggests the model can produce consistent, predictable per-center revenue once a base of members is established. As always, the brands with the thinnest disclosures (Salty Dawg, Sparkle) are the ones where you should lean hardest on conversations with current franchisees.
On the salon side, Scenthound reports the most statistically meaningful figures — average gross revenue of $507,331 across 69 centers open at least two years — while Woof Gang Bakery's mature stores (open 49+ months) average $738,802. In mobile grooming, Aussie Pet Mobile shows multi-van operators averaging over $1.2 million, though a single-van operator averages about $314,387. “Most profitable” depends heavily on your model and how many units or vans you run.
Total estimated initial investment ranges from about $64,974 for a single Zoomin Groomin mobile van to $560,300 for a full Woof Gang Bakery store. Mobile concepts generally start under $210,000; brick-and-mortar salons run roughly $191,000 to $560,000.
Neither is universally better — they suit different buyers. Mobile concepts (Aussie Pet Mobile, Zoomin Groomin) have the lowest entry cost and scale by adding vans. Salons (Scenthound, Woof Gang, Splash and Dash) cost more to open but offer higher per-unit revenue ceilings and the option to add retail or membership income.
Yes — all eight brands in this guide include an Item 19 financial performance representation. The depth varies, from Scenthound's 69-center quartile tables to Salty Dawg's two-outlet snapshot, so always read the full Item 19 for any brand you're considering.
By absolute outlet growth, Zoomin Groomin led, expanding from 15 to 257 locations between 2023 and 2025. Woof Gang Bakery (+125) and Scenthound (+115) also grew strongly over the same period.
Royalties are tightly clustered between 6% and 8% of gross revenue. Most brands add a marketing or brand-fund contribution of about 2%, so plan for a combined ongoing fee in the 7.5%–10% range before any technology fee.
Use the FDD data as a starting point, then press for specifics. Before signing with any dog grooming franchisor, ask:
Dog grooming is a category with healthy demand and, unusually, an FPR from every brand we reviewed — but the right choice comes down to model fit. If low entry cost and hands-on, scale-by-the-van growth appeal to you, the mobile brands deserve a close look. If you want a fixed location with higher revenue potential and the option to layer in retail or membership income, the salon brands are built for that. Across both groups, the brands with the deepest, most credible Item 19 data — Scenthound, Woof Gang Bakery, and Splash and Dash — give you the most to work with when you sit down with a franchise attorney and a financial advisor.
Whichever direction you lean, pull the current FDD, confirm the figures here against the latest filing, and talk to existing franchisees before you commit. The data in this guide is drawn from 2025 and 2026 filings — the official source filed with state regulators — and is a research starting point, not a substitute for that diligence.
Data source: figures in this guide are drawn from each brand's most recent Franchise Disclosure Document (2025 and 2026 registration-year filings) as filed with state franchise regulators.
Javier is an experienced franchise industry professional with a focus on development, operations, and performance. With almost a decade of experience in the industry, he has witnessed both the successes and failures of franchise owners. Javier strongly believes that buying a franchise is not just an investment, but a life-changing event that presents a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth. He enjoys helping aspiring franchise owners navigate the decision-making process and increase their chances of success.
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