The Best Pet Grooming in Washington, DC
We graded 5 companies on seven things customers actually report: satisfaction, reliability, workmanship, value, momentum, track record and how owners handle complaints.
From 30,765 Google reviews of 136 top-rated pet grooming nationwide; 5 of them in Washington, DC. Updated November 3, 2026.
Find the right company for your job
Pick the job — we re-rank companies by how customers rated that exact job.
Best pet grooming in Washington for dog boarding
Clear ✕
Colby's Dogcare and SpaHow Job match is calculatedBuilt only from reviews Google tagged “Dog boarding”:Stars on this job 55%4.78★Number of such jobs 25%18Overall Experts Score 20%79Job match= 79Stars are pulled toward the category average (4.80★) when a company has few tagged jobs, so 3 perfect reviews don’t beat 80 great ones. 4.3★ scores 0, 5.0★ scores full. Volume is compared with the busiest company for this job.79Job match = this company’s ★ on reviews Google tagged “Dog boarding” (shrunk toward the category average when there are few), how many such jobs it has done, and its overall Experts Score.
What customers said about dog boarding
Colby's Dogcare and SpaBest dog daycare around! My dog has been going there since it opened. He is now elderly and needs more care and accommodations. The staff takes wonderful care of him - loving on him, walks, medicine, report cards! Shoutout to the best managers, Brandford and Jahmaal, for making sure Mikey gets everything he needs there!! We love Colby's!
Colby's Dogcare and SpaColby’s is great, our pup has stayed the night and goes regularly for grooming. We regularly also bring her in for daycare and she always has so much fun!
Colby's Dogcare and SpaMy one year old Shih Tzu, Rubble, loves his grooming sessions at Colby’s! The staff are professional, caring and experienced. I take Rubble to Colby’s for routine grooming, daycare and he’s even stayed oversight at the facility last Spring without incident. I trust the staff at Colby’s with my fur baby one hundred…
Colby's Dogcare and SpaI love love loveeeee Colby’s dog care. Every time I bring my dog they welcome him with hugs and scratches. I can tell he loves coming here because he is always eager when he walks in the door. They take really good care of my pup and I highly recommend them for boarding and day care. I love how they always have…
Colby's Dogcare and SpaKori is Team Colby! My 8 year old pup, Kori has attended Colby's for daycare, boarding and training since she was 5. She runs in the building because she loves the care she receives there and also runs to greet me whenever I pick her up to thank me for taking her there. Lol. The staff is kind and definitely…
Colby's Dogcare and SpaMy current puppy and previous dog have both adored Colby’s! Neither could walk past without trying to steer me there. :) Staff are unfailingly friendly and practical, and all clearly love pooches.
Overall ratings
Experts Score 0–100Experts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. and a letter grade per factor (A = top 20% of pet grooming).
| # | Company | ScoreExperts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. | FactorsFactor grades, in orderSatisfaction (54%): Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Reliability (24%): How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Craft & service (0%): Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Value (14%): Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Momentum (0%): Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Replies to reviews (7%): How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.One letter per factor score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = below 20. | ★Google star rating as shown on Google Maps. | Typical billMedian bill customers of this company reported in their reviews (needs 3+ priced reviews). |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  DC PetropolisWashington, DC | A 91How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%94+55.2Reliability 26%95+24.8Value 15%90+13.7Craft & service penalty99−0.1Momentum penalty74−2.6Experts Score= 91Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAB– | 4.98 | — |
| 2 | Colby's Dogcare and SpaWashington, DC | B 79How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%83+45.3Reliability 24%81+19.6Value 14%80+11.3Replies to reviews 7%36+2.5Experts Score= 79Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA–AAD | 4.82 | — |
| 3 |  Patrick's Pet CareWashington, DC | B 73How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%73+39.8Reliability 24%74+17.9Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%22+1.6Experts Score= 73Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | BBAAAD | 4.77 | — |
| 4 |  BarkSudsWashington, DC | B 68How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%65+35.5Reliability 24%48+11.6Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%100+7.1Momentum penalty99−0.1Experts Score= 68Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | BC–AAA | 4.67 | — |
| 5 | C 42How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%54+29.5Reliability 24%46+11.2Value 14%34+4.8Replies to reviews 7%37+2.6Craft & service penalty66−3.4Momentum penalty78−2.2Experts Score= 42Grade C: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | CCBDBD | 4.60 | — |
What jobs cost
What customers paid, from the price Google asks reviewers to report.
| Job | Low25th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid less than this. | TypicalMedian of the bill customers reported in their Google review (Google asks reviewers for a price range; we use the middle of each range). | High75th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid more than this. | FairOf customers who rated the price, the share who chose “Great price” or “Reasonable” rather than “Overpriced”. |
|---|
Pet Grooming in Washington, DC at a glance
How the 5 pet grooming we rated in Washington, DC compare, and what customers praise most.
Experts Score grades
A = score 80+, F = below 20.
- Grade A120%
- Grade B360%
- Grade C120%
- Grade D00%
- Grade F00%
Google ratings
Average stars per company.
- 4.90★ and up120%
- 4.80–4.89★120%
- 4.60–4.79★360%
- Below 4.60★00%
What customers praise
Share of Google review highlights.
- Quality1,62428%
- Professionalism1,60928%
- Responsiveness1,35523%
- Punctuality581%
- Value1,20421%
Was the price fair?
All price verdicts left with reviews.
- Great price1,88440%
- Reasonable2,54955%
- Overpriced1122%
- Not sure1193%
Price verdicts by year
Share calling it great / reasonable / overpriced.
How we grade
Satisfaction (54%) — Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.
Reliability (24%) — How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.
Craft & service (penalty, up to −10) — Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.
Value (14%) — Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.
Momentum (penalty, up to −10) — Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.
Replies to reviews (7%) — How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.