a brief history of dog grooming

a brief history of dog grooming

Many dog owners love to pamper their pets at dog salons, styling their fur and even accessorizing their furry friends with stylish bows, ties, or fashionable collars. Dog grooming has become a routine practice, more so than it was in the past despite humans having owned dogs for tens of thousands of years. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, dogs were the first domestic animals; although, it’s known if they were the first pet because they were often utilized for work like herding, hunting, and guarding. Still, these often muddy outdoor tasks required a dog’s coat to be maintained in specific ways. So, how were dogs groomed in the past? In this article, we’re going to delve into the history of dog grooming, starting with the earliest known instances of grooming through its evolution into a billion-dollar industry.

Dog Grooming in the 1600s

In the 1600s the first dogs known to be groomed were curly-coated retrievers with water-resistant tight-coiled coats, which also provided insulation. The curly-coated retrievers are descendants of water dogs and also presumed to be ancestors of the modern poodle. These retrievers were bred for hunting. Although the coils of their coats are compact, it was still too thick and impractical for swimming. Hunters began clipping their dogs coats, but still keeping their fur long enough for the dogs to not only float better in water, but also provide warmth. The fur on their heads was tied up by ribbon to better their vision, but this practice became somewhat unappealing to some over a decade later when dogs became pets and staples of fashion rather than purely for work.

The Posh Poodles of the 1700s

In the 1700s, when monarchs and aristocrats reigned creating rules for not only politics, but also society, owning a dog became less about productivity and more for aesthetic appeal. What better way to show off your wealth than to have shared said wealth with your pet through their style and appearance? In the 1700s, the fashionable French of King Louis XVI’s rule treated grooming as a status symbol. The French would style poodles with intricate haircuts and parade them along the Seine. Often, the poodles’ haircuts would match their wealthy owners, such as touting pompadours, and skipping briefly to the 1800s, coiled hair inspired by the wife of Napoleon III. The aristocrats would also embellish their dogs’ coats with powder or confetti. Soon, pet owners began grooming other breeds as well and taking their appearance one step further with clothing.

Dog Fashion in the 1800s


Dogs of the 1800s didn’t just match their owners’ hairstyles, but were often adorned in the latest fashions. These fashions included embroidered coats, silk jackets, and traveling cloaks. Princess Victoria of Britain even dressed her spaniel in a scarlet jacket and blue trousers. Dog clothing soon became a profitable industry. Although the curly-coated retriever’s hair was tied up for practicality, now such embellishments were used to flaunt wealth. Sportsmen were often frustrated with working breeds being styled. American naturalist and writer Ernest Baynes once said, “Some owners tie the hair atop of the Poodle’s head with a ribbon and send him out like a little girl going to a party.”

Grooming Products and Competitions of the 1900s

Grooming was forever changed in the 1940s with the invention of the electric hair dryer. Again, poodles were a popular choice for their stylistic appearance and often groomed with either shaved rear legs or wide cuffs covering most of their rear legs. The poodle’s popularity grew even more in the 1950s becoming the most popular of all breeds with 58,000 poodle registrations in 1959 alone. In the 60s, long hair wasn’t just for hippies, but for poodles as well. Poodles’ fur was kept long on the body and front legs, but with less on the neck and head. 

Ten years later, Robert Reynolds founded the National Dog Groomers Association of America. His hope was for grooming to unite and communicate. Dog groomers started calling themselves pet stylists. In 1973, Jerry Schinberg, also referred to as the Dogfather, started the first dog grooming convention, the All American Grooming Show, in Chicago. He helped the industry grow into a billion-dollar business. They sold everything from $15.99 blueberry facials to luxury scissors that started at $1,000.

The convention grew into the largest in the Midwest, as well as the longest-running grooming show in the world. They held seminars, like “42 Reasons Why Teeth Brushing is Healthy for the Pet and Profitable for You,” as well as a creative grooming contest where the groomers sculpted and dyed their dogs to resemble fantasy figures, mascots, and so on. The winners were assembled into the GroomTeam USA, where they would compete in international contests and launch their careers.

Present Day Dog Grooming

Grooming now incorporates a bit of everything from history with a more prominent focus on hygiene, like teethbrushing, nail trimming, and preventing fleas and ticks. Still, some dog owners dress their pets, others may dye their fur to resemble other animals or cartoon characters. There are an estimated 25,000 dog groomers in the United States alone. We are proud of our Santa Monica dog groomers here at Animal Kingdom SM. You can learn more about our grooming packages and pricing, or you can book an appointment with us.

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