Dog Grooming Client Intake Form: What to Include + Free Template

You can be the best groomer in your city and still have a bad day because you didn't know about the dog's bad hip until you were already lifting it onto the table. Or because the owner never mentioned the dog had been bite-warned at the last salon. Or because you did exactly what you thought was requested, and the owner expected something completely different.

A good client intake form fixes all of that before it starts.

This guide covers what to include in a dog grooming intake form, the difference between a new client form and a grooming waiver, and how to set up a system that doesn't require you to dig through a folder of paper every time someone books.

Why Every Grooming Business Needs a Client Intake Form

An intake form is not just paperwork. It's your first conversation with a client — the one that happens before they walk through the door. It tells you about the dog, the owner's expectations, any safety concerns, and it creates a record that protects both sides if something goes wrong.

Here's what a proper intake form does:

Documents the dog's health history — aggression, anxiety, medical conditions, medications
Sets grooming expectations — cut style, length preferences, special requests
Establishes emergency contacts — who to call if you can't reach the owner
Creates a liability record — the client acknowledges the risks involved in grooming, especially for senior dogs or dogs with health conditions
Saves time at check-in — no scrambling for information when the next client is already waiting

For solo groomers managing 4–8 dogs a day, this kind of documentation is the difference between a smooth day and a chaotic one. If you're running a salon with multiple groomers, it's even more important — your staff needs the same information you would gather yourself.

New Client Form vs. Grooming Waiver: What's the Difference?

These two documents serve different purposes and you need both.

New Client Intake Form — captures basic information about the dog and owner, grooming preferences, health history, and emergency contacts. Completed once, updated as needed.

Grooming Waiver / Release Form — a legal document where the client acknowledges risks inherent to grooming, particularly for dogs with health conditions, senior dogs, or dogs with behavioral issues. This protects your business if a dog experiences a stress reaction, injury, or medical event during grooming.

Some groomers combine both into a single document. Others keep them separate so the waiver is clearly presented as a separate agreement. Either approach works — the important thing is that the client has read and signed the waiver, and you have that signature on file.

What to Include in Your Dog Grooming Intake Form

Section 1: Owner Information

Full name
Phone number (primary)
Alternate phone / emergency contact
Email address (for appointment reminders and receipts)
Home address (for mobile groomers especially)
How they found you (referral, Google, social media — useful for marketing)

Section 2: Dog Information

Dog's name
Breed (or best guess for mixes)
Age
Weight
Sex (spayed/neutered?)
Color and markings — helpful for identifying the dog on records
Vaccination status (rabies at minimum; some states require proof)

Section 3: Health & Behavioral History

This is the most important section and the one most intake forms shortchange.

Does the dog have any known health conditions? (heart disease, epilepsy, arthritis, skin conditions)
Is the dog on any medications?
Any recent surgeries, injuries, or procedures?
Does the dog have allergies — food, environmental, or topical (shampoos, conditioners)?
Is the dog comfortable with handling? Ears, paws, face?
Has the dog ever shown aggression or anxiety during grooming? Be specific: growling, snapping, biting, excessive trembling
Has the dog ever been bite-warned or refused service at another groomer?
Is the dog reactive to other dogs, strangers, or specific stimuli?
Any prior grooming experience? First-time groomed dogs often need extra patience

Section 4: Grooming Preferences

Desired haircut style / length (specific by body area if needed)
Any areas to avoid or handle gently
Specific products to use or avoid
Do they want nail trim? Ear cleaning? Teeth brushing? Anal glands?
Any add-on services requested (bandana, bow, cologne, blueberry facial)

Section 5: Veterinarian Information

Vet's name and practice
Vet's phone number

You hope you never need this. But if a dog has a medical emergency on your table, you need to be able to call their vet immediately. This is also a signal to clients that you take their dog's health seriously.

Section 6: Waiver / Release Language

This section should include a clear acknowledgment of the following:

Grooming involves handling, restraint, and the use of tools that carry inherent risk
Senior dogs, dogs with pre-existing conditions, or dogs with undisclosed health issues may experience adverse reactions
The groomer reserves the right to stop a groom if the dog shows signs of distress
The groomer reserves the right to add a handling fee or refuse service for aggressive dogs
The client authorizes emergency veterinary care if needed and accepts financial responsibility
The client certifies that all information provided is accurate

Signature line with date is required for this section to be enforceable.

Free Dog Grooming Intake Form Template

Here's a simple structure you can copy and adapt:

DOG GROOMING CLIENT INTAKE FORM

--- OWNER INFORMATION ---
Name: ________________
Phone: ________________
Emergency Contact: ________________
Email: ________________
Address: ________________

--- DOG INFORMATION ---
Dog's Name: ________________
Breed: ________________
Age: ___  Weight: ___  Sex: ___  Spayed/Neutered: Y / N
Vaccinations current? Y / N  Rabies tag #: ________________

--- HEALTH & BEHAVIOR ---
Health conditions or medications: ________________
Allergies: ________________
Previous grooming experience: Y / N
Any aggression, anxiety, or bite history? Y / N
If yes, please describe: ________________
Areas that require gentle handling: ________________

--- GROOMING PREFERENCES ---
Style / Length requested: ________________
Services: Nail trim Y/N  Ear cleaning Y/N  Teeth brushing Y/N
Special requests: ________________

--- VETERINARIAN ---
Vet name & practice: ________________
Vet phone: ________________

--- WAIVER ---
I certify that the information above is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that grooming involves inherent risks, and I authorize [Business Name] to proceed with grooming services. I authorize emergency veterinary care if needed and accept responsibility for those costs.

Signature: ________________  Date: ________________

Print it out and keep a paper copy on file, or better yet — switch to a digital system so client records are searchable, never lost, and automatically attached to every appointment.

Going Digital: Client Intake with Grooming Software

Paper forms work, but they create problems at scale. A form filed in the wrong folder means you're asking the same questions over and over. A record that can't be searched means a groomer on shift two doesn't know what groomer on shift one noted about the dog's reactive left ear.

Grooming management software solves this by storing client profiles digitally — so every appointment has the dog's full history attached, every groomer can see the notes, and nothing lives in a filing cabinet.

With GroomGrid, client intake is built into the booking flow. New clients fill out their dog's information when they book online. That profile lives on every future appointment. Notes from previous visits carry forward. If a dog's behavior changed or a new medical condition came up, you update the record once and it's there for every groomer.

For mobile groomers especially, this is game-changing — no clipboards, no paper blowing around in the van, no "I left the forms at home." Everything is in your phone.

You can also set up online booking so the intake form is part of the appointment confirmation flow. Clients complete it before they arrive. You show up to the appointment already knowing the dog.

When to Update Client Records

A one-time intake form isn't enough. Dogs change — they age, they develop health conditions, they have experiences that affect their behavior. Build a habit of reviewing and updating records:

Annually — send a short "confirm your information" request to all active clients
After any notable appointment — note matting, behavioral changes, any issues
When a client mentions changes — new medication, recent surgery, vet visit, new fear responses
After a long gap — a dog you haven't seen in 6+ months may be significantly different

The goal isn't to document everything forever. It's to walk into every appointment knowing what you're working with.

Protecting Your Business Starts at Booking

No-shows cost you money. Undisclosed bite history costs you more. A good intake process — form, waiver, digital record — is one of the lowest-effort ways to protect your business, give your clients confidence, and set every appointment up for success.

If you're still managing client info on paper, start there. Build the form, get it signed, keep the records organized. Then, when you're ready to go digital, GroomGrid handles the whole intake process — from the moment a client books to the day of the appointment and every visit after.

See how GroomGrid manages client records →