What is the pet grooming intake form template?
Most grooming disagreements start at the counter. The owner expected a light trim, the coat was matted to the skin, and nobody wrote down that the dog bites when its paws are touched. A good intake form heads off all three.
This template asks owners for their contact details and a backup contact, then the pet's name, type, breed, age, weight and sex. They describe the coat as it is right now, upload a vaccination certificate, tick how their pet behaves during grooming, and list health conditions and their vet. The second page covers the service, extras, the preferred date and drop-off time, and how they'd like to collect.
Ticking matted under coat condition brings up a short explanation of why mats are usually clipped rather than brushed out, and a required shave-down consent. Choosing a full groom asks how the owner would like the coat and lets them upload a photo of a style they like. Each intake is saved as a PDF in FileIt, with the certificate and photos attached.
- Best for
- Grooming salons, mobile groomers, home groomers and grooming services at kennels
- Filled in by
- The pet's owner
- Time to complete
- About 5 minutes
- Includes
- Pet and coat details, shave-down consent logic, vaccination upload, behaviour checklist, service and extras, style photos, agreement and signature
Who uses a pet grooming intake form?
- New clients booking their first groom at a salon
- Mobile groomers who need details before arriving at the van
- Rescue dogs arriving with neglected, matted coats
- Nervous or elderly pets that need a calmer, shorter session
- Puppy introduction grooms for first-time owners
- Updating records for returning clients once a year
Questions on this pet grooming intake form
29 questions over 2 pages · includes signature, file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 You & your pet
- Your name*
- Mobile phone*
- Another contact, in case we can't reach you
- Pet's name*
- Type of pet* Dog · Cat · Rabbit · Other
- Breed or mix*
- Age
- Approximate weight
- Sex Male, neutered · Male · Female, spayed · Female
- Coat condition right now* Brushed and in good condition · A few tangles · Matted · Shedding heavily · Itchy, sore or flaky skin · Fleas or ticks seen recently
- Shave-down consent* asked only when it applies
- Rabies vaccination date
- Are other vaccinations up to date?*
- Vaccination certificate
- Behaviour during grooming Relaxed · Nervous or shaky · Hates nail trims · Scared of dryers · Doesn't like paws or face touched · May nip or bite · Needs a muzzle · Reactive to other animals
- Health conditions, allergies or recent surgery
- Vet practice and phone
2 The groom
- Service* Full groom (bath, haircut, nails, ears) · Bath and brush · Face, feet and tail tidy · Puppy or first-groom introduction · De-shedding treatment · Hand stripping · Nail trim only
- Extras Teeth brushing · Anal gland expression · Flea bath · Bandana or bow · Paw balm
- How would you like the coat? asked only when it applies
- Photo of a style you like asked only when it applies
- Preferred date*
- Drop-off time
- Collection Call or text me when ready · I'll come at a set time
- Collection time asked only when it applies
- May we share photos of your pet on our social media?
- Grooming agreement*
- Signature*
The pet grooming intake form, page by page
1 You & your pet
The owner's name and mobile phone are required, with email and another contact optional. Pet's name, type of pet and breed or mix are required; age, approximate weight and sex are optional.
Coat condition right now asks for at least one tick from brushed and in good condition, a few tangles, matted, shedding heavily, itchy or sore skin, or recent fleas or ticks. Matted reveals a note and the required shave-down consent. The owner gives a rabies vaccination date if one applies, answers Are other vaccinations up to date?, and can upload a certificate. Behaviour during grooming covers nerves, nail trims, dryers, handling, nipping, muzzles and reactions to other animals, followed by health conditions and the vet practice.
2 The groom
Service is required and offers a full groom, a bath and brush, a face, feet and tail tidy, a puppy introduction, de-shedding, hand stripping or a nail trim only. Extras include teeth brushing, a flea bath and a bandana. A full groom reveals How would you like the coat? and an upload for a style photo. The owner picks a preferred date, a drop-off time and whether to be called when ready or collect at a set time. They say whether photos may be shared on social media, agree to the grooming agreement and sign.
Make the template yours
- Replace the service list with your own menu and add prices to each option
- Edit the vaccination questions to reflect what your salon requires
- Add a question about breed-specific styles, such as a teddy bear or lion cut
- Remove the rabbit option or add others for the animals you groom
- Add your address, parking and late-collection policy to the cover
- Change the confirmation message to remind owners to walk their dog before drop-off
Tips for a better pet grooming intake form
- Read the behaviour answers before the pet arrives, so you can plan handling
- Don't skip the shave-down conversation; the signed consent backs it up
- Ask for a recent style photo; it settles what 'short' means
- Check vaccination dates on the certificate rather than relying on memory
- Keep a returning client's latest intake on file and ask for updates each year
- Note anything you find during the groom and tell the owner at collection
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
Each intake is filed as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with the vaccination certificate and style photos attached to the vault document. You're emailed when a new booking arrives, and the owner can receive a copy.
Responses can be searched by owner or pet name and exported to CSV, so you can see at a glance which pets need a muzzle or have matted coats.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Pet grooming intake form: frequently asked questions
Is this pet grooming intake template free?
Yes. It's one of the starter templates in FileIt's Forms app, included on every account, including the free plan.
Do owners need an account to book?
No. They fill it in from your link or a request you email them. Only your business needs a FileIt account.
When does the shave-down consent appear?
Only when the owner ticks matted as part of the coat condition. It's then required before they can submit.
Can owners upload vaccination records?
Yes. Up to two files, as a PDF or photo, are attached to the intake.
Does this form book the appointment in a calendar?
No. It collects a preferred date and time. You confirm the booking with the owner yourself.
Can I use it for cats?
Yes. Cat is one of the pet types, and you can edit the services and behaviour questions for cat grooming.