Grooming and coat
How often should a dog get a professional groom?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Curly and wire coated breeds usually need a professional groom every four to six weeks to stay comfortable and mat free. Double and short coated breeds typically only need occasional professional grooming, every three to four months or on an as needed basis, since regular home brushing covers most of their needs.
Coat type drives the schedule more than breed size
A Poodle, Bichon, or Schnauzer's coat keeps growing and trapping dead hair, so without a trim every four to six weeks the coat becomes progressively harder to maintain and more prone to matting. A Labrador or Beagle's coat, by contrast, does not need cutting at all, so a professional visit is more about a deep deshed, nail trim, and bath than a haircut.
What a longer gap between grooms costs
Stretching a curly coated dog's grooming interval to eight or ten weeks instead of the recommended four to six often means the groomer has to work through more matting, which takes longer and can mean a shorter clip than intended if mats have to be shaved out rather than brushed through.
Building a schedule around home care
Consistent home brushing between visits, several times a week for a curly coat, stretches how comfortable a dog stays as the professional groom date approaches and can sometimes let the interval extend slightly without the coat becoming unmanageable. Booking the next appointment before leaving the current one is a simple way to keep the schedule from slipping.
Key takeaways
- Curly and wire coated breeds generally need a professional groom every four to six weeks.
- Double and short coated breeds need professional grooming far less often, closer to every three to four months.
- Consistent home brushing between appointments keeps the coat manageable and can prevent a rushed, shorter than planned trim.