Chicago Dog Grooming
Sparky Steps grooming and spa
Fresh pups. Sharp cuts. No car ride. 🛁 ✂️ 🐾
You already trust us with your dog's daily care. Now let us take the hassle out of grooming. No wrestling a wet pup into the car, no waiting hours at a crowded salon, no scrubbing dog hair out of your tub at nine at night.
Choose your grooming package
Flexible evening appointments, in your home or as a full pick-up and drop-off service. Every price is a range because coat condition drives the cost more than size does. We confirm your exact price at a free consult before anything is booked.
In-home spa and grooming 🏠
We bring professional equipment straight to your bathroom, and we clean up after ourselves.
Light bath and brush
- Professional bath in your tub or sink
- High-velocity blow dry, no heated cage dryers
- Light trimming of the coat if needed
- Thorough brush-out and ear cleaning
- Fresh cologne spritz
Preimum home groom and trim
- Everything in the express bath and brush
- Face, paw, and sanitary trim, or a full body haircut and style
- Tailored brushing and mat prevention
- Finished and hand-dried, never left unattended
- 💯 Nail trim and paw pedicure
Off-site spa and grooming 🚗
Zero mess at home. We pick your pup up, groom at a dedicated facility, and bring them back fresh.
Off-site light bath and brush
- Round-trip transportation
- Off-site bath, blow dry, and ear cleaning
- Thorough brush-out and cologne spritz
- Home again the same evening
Off-site premium groom and trim
- Everything in the off-site express bath and brush
- Face, paw, and sanitary trim, or a full body haircut and style
- Tailored brushing and mat prevention
- Finished and hand-dried, never left unattended
- Nail trim and paw pedicure
Grooming add-ons ⚡
Customized care for your dog's specific coat and dental needs. Add any of these to a grooming package.
Deep de-shedding and extra brushing
+$15A specialized de-shedding shampoo and blowout, plus fifteen extra minutes of intensive undercoat brushing. Your vacuum will thank you.
Teeth brushing and breath refresh
+$10A gentle wipe down and brushing with dog-safe minty paste. Not a substitute for a veterinary dental cleaning, but a real improvement on the couch-breath situation.
How it works, in three steps 🛠️
Book your session
Schedule online or text us to reserve your evening slot and package. If it is your first groom with us, we will set up a quick free consult to look at the coat and confirm the price.
We do the dirty work
For in-home visits, all we need is access to running warm water. We bring the non-slip mats, hose attachments, high-velocity dryers, professional shears, towels, and products.
Come home to a fresh pup
Walk in the door to a beautifully brushed, trimmed, and fresh-smelling dog, and a bathroom we have wiped down and put back the way we found it.
Already have a groomer? We will drive. 🚗
Plenty of our clients already love their groomer and just cannot get their dog there on a workday. That is a real problem and it is an easy one for us to solve. You keep your groomer, your appointment, and your relationship with them. We handle the ride.
Your groomer, your appointment, our car
You book the groom with your salon directly, the way you always have. Then you book the ride with us. A familiar face from your care team collects your dog, drops them off, and brings them home when the salon is done, logged in DoTimely with photos just like a regular visit.
Not sure who to book with? Start with the Chicago groomers we trust.
Our grooming standards
Please read this part. It is the difference between a good day and a bad one, and we would rather be clear now than apologetic later.
Comfort comes before the haircut
If your dog is genuinely distressed, we stop. We do not sedate, we do not muzzle a panicking dog to push through, and we do not use restraint devices that hold a dog in place against their will. Sometimes that means an unfinished groom and a second appointment. We will always call you before we make that decision, and you will only be charged for the time we actually worked.
Matting: we shave before we hurt
Brushing out a severely matted coat is painful and can tear skin. When a coat is matted to the skin, the humane option is a short shave-down, not hours of pulling. We will tell you before we do it and show you what we found. De-matting, when it is safe to attempt, is quoted on the day and charged by time, because that is genuinely what it costs.
Grooming carries real risk, even done carefully
Clippers, shears, and nail trimmers are sharp, and dogs move. Nicks, clipper irritation, and a quicked nail happen occasionally to every honest groomer, including careful ones. Risk goes up on matted coats, senior dogs, and dogs with skin conditions or limited mobility. We take it seriously, we tell you immediately if anything happens, and we ask you to accept that it is a real possibility before we start.
What we need before your first appointment
A signed Sparky Steps grooming agreement, which is separate from your pet care contract. Current rabies vaccination. For any off-site appointment, current bordetella as well. If your dog is a senior, or has a heart condition, seizures, or a skin condition, we may ask for a quick note from your vet before we book.
Fleas, ticks, and skin issues
If we find fleas or ticks when we arrive, the appointment stops there. We are not able to treat an active infestation, and we are not willing to carry it into the next family's home. We will help you sort out next steps and rebook once it is handled. If we spot something on the skin that looks like it needs a vet, we will photograph it and tell you. We are groomers, not veterinarians, and we will not guess at a diagnosis.
Your home
We work on non-slip mats, we contain the water, and we wipe down and reset your bathroom before we leave. We are careful, and we are not a professional cleaning service. Grooming a wet dog in a home bathroom is a damp business, so if there is anything in there you would rather not have splashed, move it before we arrive and we will do the rest.
Who is doing the work
Grooming is performed by Sparky Steps groomers or by independent partner groomers working with us at their own salons. You will always be told which before you book, and you will always know the name of the person handling your dog. That is not going to change as we grow.
When we send you somewhere else
We are dog walkers and pet sitters first. Grooming exists here for the dogs who need a gentler setup than a salon can offer, not to replace the excellent shops already doing this in Chicago. If your dog would get a better result at a salon, or needs work beyond what we do well, we will say so and send you to someone we trust from our Chicago groomers guide. We would rather lose the booking than be the reason a dog got a worse haircut.
Contact us to see the full grooming agreement or reach out with a question.
Frequently asked questions ❓
Do I have to be an existing Sparky Steps client to book grooming?
Yes. Grooming is currently offered only to families already on a regular walking or sitting schedule with us. If you are not a client yet, start with a complimentary Meet and Greet for walking or sitting, and grooming opens up from there.
What do I need to provide for in-home grooming?
Just access to your bathtub or shower with warm water, and an outlet. We supply the non-slip mats, hose attachments, high-velocity dryers, professional shears, towels, and hypoallergenic products.
When are grooming appointments available?
Grooming sessions are currently scheduled in the evenings, after 5 PM, by appointment. The idea is that you come home from work to a clean, relaxed dog instead of spending your Saturday at a salon.
Will my bathroom be a mess afterward?
It should not be. We work on non-slip mats, we contain the water, and we wipe down and reset the room before we leave. We are careful about it, though we are a grooming service rather than a cleaning service, so move anything you would rather not have splashed and we will handle the rest.
Are nail trims included?
Nail care is included in the premium tiers of our services.
Is my dog a good fit for Sparky Steps grooming?
If your dog is healthy and easygoing, we are happy to help! If your dog needs a bit more experienced hands than us, we will tell you and happily offer to drive them there as well!
Are you competing with the groomers you recommend?
No, and we work hard not to. We are dog walkers and pet sitters. Our grooming exists for a small number of high-need dogs among our own clients, and for everything else we send people to the Chicago salons in our groomers guide and handle the driving. If a salon on that guide ever becomes a formal Sparky Steps partner, we say so on their listing.
Why is the price a range instead of a flat rate?
Because coat condition drives the cost more than size or breed does. Two dogs of identical weight can be a quick bath or a three-hour job depending on how matted the coat is. We look at your dog first, give you a firm number, and that number holds as long as we keep to a regular schedule.
What happens if my dog will not sit still for the groom?
We stop. We do not sedate dogs, we do not force a panicking dog through a groom, and we do not use restraint devices that hold a dog against their will. We will call you, explain where we got to, and book a second session. You are only charged for the time we actually worked.
My dog is badly matted. Will you brush it out?
Only if it is safe. Brushing out a coat that is matted down to the skin is painful and can tear skin, so the humane answer is usually a short shave-down. We will always tell you before we do it and show you what we found underneath. De-matting, where it is safe to attempt, is quoted on the day and charged by time.
Do you use heated cage dryers?
No. Every dog is hand-dried and attended the whole time. Nobody is left in a box with hot air blowing on them.
Who will actually be grooming my dog?
Either a Sparky Steps groomer or an independent partner groomer working with us. You will be told which one before you book, and you will always know the name of the person handling your dog.
Ready to book your dog's grooming night?
Grab an evening slot, or just text us to add a bath or a trim onto your regular schedule. We will take it from there.
Grooming is offered to ongoing Sparky Steps clients across our North Side service area, and kept for dogs who need a gentler setup than a salon can give. Every appointment requires a signed grooming agreement, which is separate from your pet care contract. For everything else, see the Chicago groomers we trust.
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