Tipping Etiquette Question

[misshollygolightly]

Do you tip the dog groomer at Petco/Petsmart type places? I've been taking my dog to one specific groomer at Petco for several years now (almost always schedule with this one particular groomer because we like her so well). It never occurred to me to tip her because we actually pay at the check out lanes up at the front of the store and there's no place to write in a tip on the receipt as you might at, say, a spa or restaurant. Plus, Petco is a big-box merch chain, so it's not like a small, private groomers.

My parents are in town visiting and helping us with the new baby and I sent my dad to pick the dog up from her grooming appointment yesterday. I had a coupon for a free grooming (buy 10 and you get 1 free) which I sent with him. When he got back home he asked if I usually tip the groomer (I said no)--he wasn't sure, so he gave her a $3 cash tip. I'm sure that's fine, but now I feel bad...was I supposed to be tipping her all along? If so, how much??? I love my groomer and want her to be happy and well paid, but at the same time, pet grooming is already kind of expensive! So should I be tipping all the time? Only when using a coupon for a free grooming? WDYD?

[TwinFoxes]

We've always tipped our groomer, but we go to smaller places (just because they're closer). Does the groomer bring the dog out to you? That's when we tip her.

[misshollygolightly]

Yeah, in a smaller place I definitely would. At our Petco, the groomer gives you the bill, you take it up to the cashier in the main part of the store and pay there, then bring the receipt with you back to the groomer in the little grooming salon and they hand the dog to you. I guess what throws me is that no money changes hands in the grooming salon, so I wouldn't even have a way to leave a tip unless I happened to have a couple of small bills on me already (and I rarely carry cash).

[mackmama]

We go to Petco for nail trims and have never tipped. I agree that paying in the main store and then returning to the grooming section makes tipping a little more difficult.

[amandabea]

Our dog gets a monthly bath at PetSmart and my DH always tips. I think he gives $3, but maybe $5. It never would have dawned on me to tip f he hadn't told me.

[MomToOne]

I tip everyone. Put it this way: if they have a job where you have to ask whether to tip or not then they could probably use it!