Checklist template

Grooming salon operations in pet stores

A ready-to-use checklist with 116 items in 6 sections, covering Check-in, Handling, Equipment, Kennels, Sanitation, Check-out. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 116 Items
  • 100 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 130 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Check-in 21 items

  1. Proof of a current rabies vaccination is seen before a pet is accepted, as company policy and local regulation require Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The vaccination expiry date is entered in the pet's profile Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The groomer runs hands over the coat, skin, ears and nails with the owner present Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Matting, lumps, sores, fleas and ear problems found are written on the check-in sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The owner initials the conditions noted on the check-in sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The owner is asked about the pet's age, medical conditions, medication and past reactions to grooming Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A senior or medical-condition release is signed where company policy requires one Yes / No 1 pt
  8. A matted-coat release is signed before a matted pet is shaved Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The service, style and clip length agreed with the owner are written on the ticket Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The price is quoted at check-in, including any dematting or special handling charge Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A phone number where the owner can be reached during the groom is on the ticket Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The owner signs the authorization for emergency veterinary care Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The pet is moved from the owner's leash to a salon slip lead before the owner leaves Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The owner's collar and leash are tagged with the pet's name and stored at the kennel or front desk Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Appointments are booked to the company time standard per groom Yes / No 1 pt
  16. No groomer has two pets booked for the same time slot today Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Short-nosed breeds (pugs, bulldogs, Persians) are flagged on the ticket for no cage drying Yes / No 1 pt
  18. A history of biting is flagged in the pet's profile and read by the groomer before handling Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Pets arriving with fleas or signs of contagious illness are refused or handled per company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Pets checked in so far today Number
  21. Check-in as observed Rating
    • Assessment done with the owner and ticket complete 5 pts
    • Ticket complete but no hands-on assessment 3 pts
    • Pets accepted without vaccination check or assessment 1 pt

2. Handling 18 items

  1. A pet on a table or in a tub always has a groomer within arm's reach Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Grooming loops are fitted to allow two fingers under the loop Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Grooming loops attach to the arm with a quick-release clip Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Tables are lowered for large dogs to step on, or two people lift Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Muzzles are used only as company policy allows, and their use is written on the ticket Yes / No 1 pt
  6. No pet is hit, shouted at, or lifted by the loop, leash or legs Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The groomer stops the groom and calls the owner when a pet pants heavily or keeps struggling Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Water temperature is tested on the groomer's forearm before the pet is wetted Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Dogs move between tub, table and kennel on a slip lead Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The gate or door between the salon and the sales floor is closed whenever a pet is out of its kennel Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Cats are groomed away from dogs or at separate times Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Styptic powder is within reach of each station where nails are trimmed Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Clipper blades are checked for heat against the groomer's skin and swapped when hot Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Each bather works on one pet at a time in the tub area Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Trainee groomers work under the supervision of a certified groomer Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Company grooming certification is on file for every groomer working today Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Pets held longer than the time set by company policy are offered a relief walk Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Handling of pets observed Rating
    • Every pet calm, secured and within reach of a groomer 5 pts
    • A loose loop or a groomer out of reach, corrected during the visit 3 pts
    • Rough handling or a pet left alone on a table or in a tub 1 pt

3. Equipment 21 items

  1. Clipper blades are sharp, with no broken teeth Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Shears are stored closed in a case or holder, not loose on tables Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Table lifts raise, lower and hold their height Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Table tops have an intact non-slip surface Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Grooming arms clamp tight and are not bent Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Tubs have non-slip mats Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Tub ramps or steps are stable under a large dog Yes / No 1 pt
  8. High-velocity dryer hoses and nozzles are intact Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Dryer filters were cleaned today Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Cage dryers have no heating element, or the heat is disabled as company policy requires Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Cage dryers run on a timer Yes / No 1 pt
  12. A pet under a cage dryer is checked at the interval set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Cords are free of fraying and are kept off wet floors Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Outlets near the tubs are ground-fault protected Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Shampoo bottles are labeled with the product and the dilution date Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Each groomer has spare blades so a dull or hot blade can be changed during a groom Yes / No 1 pt
  17. The salon's pet first aid kit holds styptic powder, gauze and saline Yes / No 1 pt
  18. The salon exhaust fan is running Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Water temperature at the tub sprayer (°F or °C) Number
  20. Date of the last blade sharpening service Date
  21. Condition of salon equipment Rating
    • All in working order 5 pts
    • Some items worn or awaiting repair 3 pts
    • Unsafe equipment in use 1 pt

4. Kennels 17 items

  1. Each pet is kenneled alone unless pets from one household share with the owner's consent Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Each pet can stand, turn around and lie down in its kennel Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Kennel latches hold when pushed from inside Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Each occupied kennel has a card with the pet's name, owner, service and alerts Yes / No 1 pt
  5. No pet in a kennel is wearing a slip lead, choke collar or muzzle Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Pets waiting longer than the time set by company policy have water in the kennel Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Kennel floors are dry Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Kennel grates have no gaps or broken bars that could trap a paw Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Wet pets are towel-dried before they go into a kennel Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Cats are kenneled out of sight of dogs Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Large dogs use floor-level kennels Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The time in is written on each kennel card Yes / No 1 pt
  13. No pet has been in the salon longer than the maximum stay set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The salon is never left without an employee while pets are kenneled Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Pets in kennels at the time of the visit Number
  16. Kennel area temperature (°F or °C) Number
  17. Kennel conditions Rating
    • Secure, dry and carded 5 pts
    • Cards or water missing on some kennels 3 pts
    • Insecure or soiled kennels in use 1 pt

5. Sanitation 18 items

  1. Tables are disinfected between pets with the disinfectant named in company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The disinfectant is left wet for the contact time on its label Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Tubs are rinsed of hair and disinfected between pets Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Kennels are disinfected between occupants Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Blades, combs, brushes and shears are cleared of hair and disinfected between pets Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Tools dropped on the floor are disinfected again before use Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Each pet gets clean towels Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Used towels go into a lidded hamper Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The lint filter of the towel dryer is emptied after each load Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Hair is swept or vacuumed between grooms Yes / No 1 pt
  11. No hair has built up along walls, under tables or behind kennels Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The closing checklist shows the floor was mopped with disinfectant at the end of each of the last 7 days Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Urine and feces are cleaned up at once with the kit kept in the salon Yes / No 1 pt
  14. After a pet with fleas, ticks or ringworm, the station is closed and cleaned per the company protocol before the next pet Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Spray bottles are labeled with their contents Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Groomers wash or sanitize their hands between pets Yes / No 1 pt
  17. The salon viewing window is free of smears and hair Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Sanitation of the salon Rating
    • Disinfected between every pet and visibly clean 5 pts
    • Clean but steps skipped between pets 3 pts
    • Dirty stations or tools 1 pt

6. Check-out 21 items

  1. The person collecting the pet is matched to the name on the ticket or to an authorized pickup on file Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The groomer checks the pet before release: dry to the skin, no shampoo residue, ears dry Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The groomer tells the owner about anything found during the groom, such as skin, ear or lump concerns Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A written report card is given to the owner Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Any nick, clipper burn or injury is disclosed to the owner at pickup Yes / No 1 pt
  6. An incident report is completed the same day for any injury Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The store manager is told the same day of any incident needing veterinary care Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The pet is back on the owner's collar and leash before it leaves the salon Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Charges on the ticket match the price quoted at check-in Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Add-on services on the ticket were approved by the owner before they were done Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The sale is rung at the register under the groomer's ID Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The next appointment is offered at pickup Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Clip lengths, products used and behavior notes are updated in the pet's profile after the groom Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Owners are called as soon as the pet is ready Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Complaints and redo grooms are logged with the action taken Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Grooms completed last week Number
  17. Incident reports in the last 30 days Number
  18. Customers who rebooked at pickup last week (%) Number
  19. Name of the salon manager Short text
  20. Overall operation of the grooming salon Rating
    • Standards met in every section 5 pts
    • Lapses in one or two sections 3 pts
    • Lapses in most sections 1 pt
  21. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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