The best pet groomers in Hunterdon County
10 checked
- The Confident Canine (Flemington), Flemington, named a 2024 Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite. The 4.6 score across 42 reviews is aggregated from a training-review platform and Nextdoor rather than a single grooming-specific source, so treat it as directional. Runs daycare and training alongside grooming, and offers nail trims on their own for $25.
- The Sudzy Pup Salon (Lebanon), Lebanon, describes itself as a certified master groomer salon, though years in business aren't published anywhere we found. 4.7 across 31 aggregated Nextdoor and local-directory reviews. Specializes in hand-scissored breed styling and hydro-massage baths rather than a quick wash-and-go.
- Pet-Tastic Grooming LLC (Lambertville), Lambertville, in business since March 2013 per its BBB profile. 4.6 across 49 Birdeye reviews plus 15 more on Yelp. BBB lists it as Not Rated rather than graded. At least one visible review cites an uneven haircut and a curt response from the owner. Worth raising before booking a first cut.
- April's Shower Mobile Grooming (Glen Gardner), Glen Gardner, groomer April Schlack has over two decades of professional experience and trained at the North Jersey School of Dog Grooming. Comes to the house rather than a storefront visit, and covers both Hunterdon and Warren counties. 4.3 across 16 aggregated local reviews.
- Aladdin Kennels (Hampton), Hampton, in business since 1978, with a veterinary-certified boarding facility (individual heated runs) alongside its grooming service. BBB shows an A+ file rating, though that reflects complaint history, not accreditation. No independent grooming review count surfaced in this pass. Reputation data here is thinner than the dedicated grooming salons on this list. One correction from the check: BBB's file lists the business as started May 1974, even earlier than the 1978 our first pass had.
Every pet groomer we checked
Hunterdon has a real, if thin, bench of independent groomers, mostly one- or two-person shops clustered around Flemington and Lebanon, plus a handful of true mobile/in-home operators (Klean Kut Mutt, April's Shower, Canine Studio, Groomit) that cover the rural western towns where no storefront exists. It is not infested with lead-gen shells the way some trades are, but marketplace booking sites (Groomit) surface every town-name page whether or not a groomer actually lives there, so treat "Groomit serves [town]" as a booking platform listing, not proof of local presence. Chain options (PetSmart in Flemington) exist but were deprioritized here in favor of independent local operators.| Company & services | Based in | Credential | Registry status | BBB | Reviews (as reported) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Confident Canine Full-service dog grooming (shampoo/conditioning, blow-out, brush-out) · Nail trimming ($25 standalone) · Tooth brushing · Ear cleaning · Dog daycare · Dog training | Flemington In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | 4.6 · 42 reviews (Aggregated (Nextdoor/PTrainy)) |
| The Sudzy Pup Salon Hand-scissored breed styling · Odor control treatments · De-shedding · Skin care · Deep-cleaning hydro-massage baths · Dog and puppy daycare | Lebanon In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | 4.7 · 31 reviews (Aggregated (Nextdoor/local directories)) |
| Pet-Tastic Grooming LLC Full-service dog and cat grooming · Simple shaves · Detailed scissor cuts · All sizes and temperaments | Lambertville In county | , | … Pending check | Not Rated | 4.6 · 49 reviews (Birdeye); 15 reviews (Yelp) |
| Klean Kut Mutt Mobile dog grooming (dogs up to 100 lbs) · By appointment only · Experienced with older dogs and rescue dogs with behavioral challenges | Lebanon In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | |
| April's Shower Mobile Grooming Mobile grooming (comes to the home) · Dog and cat grooming · Natural/organic shampoo products · Serves Hunterdon and Warren counties | Glen Gardner In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | 4.3 · 16 reviews (Aggregated local reviews) |
| Maui Dog Resort Spa-quality grooming (Iv San Bernard shampoo/conditioner lines) · Bath & full-body haircut · Complimentary nail trim/grind with grooming packages · Dog daycare and overnight boarding add-on | Flemington In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | |
| Aladdin Kennels Boarding kennel with individual heated runs · Dog and cat grooming · Veterinary-certified facility | Hampton In county | , | … Pending check | A+ (file rating, not accreditation) | |
| It's A Miracle Dog Spa Hand-scissored, breed-specific cuts · Bathing, nail trimming, ear cleaning · De-shedding, teeth cleaning, flea/tick treatment · Combines grooming with behavioral-training background | Lebanon In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | 16 reviews (Yelp) |
| Pristine Pups All-breed dog grooming · Flexible hours · Natural/organic grooming products | Hampton In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked | |
| Canine Studio Mobile Dog Grooming & Barkery Mobile grooming at the client's home/driveway · Serves Flemington, Whitehouse Station, Readington, Three Bridges, and Somerset-side towns | serves Hunterdon & Somerset Counties (mobile) In county | , | … Pending check | Not checked |
Registry status comes straight from the state's verification system on the date shown, and you can rerun any number there yourself in about two minutes. Review scores are what the named platforms report and we have not audited them. BBB grades as of July 2026. "Based in" is the registered address city, which sometimes differs from where a company says it operates. An active registration is the floor, not an endorsement; the picks we'd call first are above.
How this page gets made
New Jersey does not license pet groomers. Read that twice, then read how to choose one anyway. We checked what's checkable on every pet groomer we could find serving the county. Every fact on this page names its source and the date we checked.
We pull credentials from the official registries ourselves and print the date next to every status, pet grooming is NOT a licensed occupation in New Jersey. There is no state registry, no exam, and no mandatory credential, the "Pet Groomers Licensing Act" (Bijou's Law), which would create a New Jersey State Board of Pet Groomers, has been repeatedly introduced but never enacted as of this writing. Insurance and any formal training/certification (e.g., National Dog Groomers Association of America certification) are entirely voluntary on the groomer's part. Because there's no registry to check, verification here relies on BBB complaint history, review-platform track record, and years-in-business claims rather than a license lookup. (Track pending legislation at pub.njleg.state.nj.us if you want to confirm current status before publishing.). Picks are editorial judgment on the checkable record: years in the trade, complaint patterns, review consistency, real presence in the county. When a pick has a weak spot, we print it. Here are the full rules.
What it costs
Full-service grooms nationally run about $55–$95 for small/medium dogs up to $150–$200+ for extra-large or heavily matted dogs (Homeguide, 2026 Dog Grooming Prices guide). Locally, Maui Dog Resort's published pricing ($120 small dogs to $210 for 100lb+ dogs) sits at the premium end of that range and is a useful high-water mark for the county; the smaller independent shops (Sudzy Pup, Pet-Tastic, Confident Canine) did not publish flat rate cards, so get a by-weight quote directly.
Before you hire
- NJ does not license or certify pet groomers, anyone can hang a sign and call themselves a groomer, so ask directly how long the specific person handling your dog (not just the shop) has been grooming, and whether they've completed any formal program (e.g., a named grooming school) versus learned entirely on the job.
- Ask what happens if your dog has a medical event (nicked skin, anxiety-related injury, heatstroke in a dryer cage) mid-groom, get the answer in writing or texted, not verbal reassurance. Groomers carry no state-mandated insurance, so confirm they carry their own liability coverage voluntarily.
- For a first visit, ask to tour the actual grooming area (not just the lobby) and see where dogs wait in crates/cages between steps, unattended-dryer and cage-safety incidents are the most common serious complaint nationally in this unlicensed trade.
- Get the cut described in plain terms before drop-off (blade length or 'leave 1 inch,' not just breed-standard names) and confirm in writing, 'bad haircut' disputes are the single most common complaint against groomers, and vague verbal instructions are usually the root cause.
- For mobile/in-home groomers, confirm exactly what's in the van (water heater, generator noise level, restraint setup) before booking, since your dog will be handled and restrained inside a trailer or van out of your direct sight for the full appointment.
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Questions neighbors actually ask
Do dog groomers in New Jersey need a license?
No. New Jersey has no state license or certification requirement for pet groomers. A bill to create one (nicknamed 'Bijou's Law,' which would set up a State Board of Pet Groomers) has been introduced in the legislature multiple times but has not passed. Anyone can open a grooming business today with zero mandated training, testing, or inspection.
How do I check if a groomer has any complaints against them, if there's no license to look up?
Check the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) for a complaint history, most Hunterdon groomers we found are not BBB-accredited, but the complaint file itself is still public and free to search. Beyond that, cross-check Google, Yelp, and Nextdoor together rather than trusting one site, since a groomer can have a strong Yelp page and a thin or one-sided Google page.
What does a full groom typically cost in this area?
Nationally, full-service grooms run roughly $55–$95 for small-to-large dogs and can exceed $150–$200+ for extra-large or heavy-coated breeds, with size, coat condition, and matting driving most of the variation (Homeguide 2026 pricing guide). Locally, prices span that same range, Maui Dog Resort in Flemington, a premium spa-style option, lists $120 (small dogs) to $210 (100lb+ dogs) for a bath and full haircut, above the typical county range, so get a quote by weight and coat condition before booking anywhere.
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