Pet Services Booking Forms: Grooming, Sitting & Dog Walking
A pet owner messages you: "Do you have availability next week?" You ask what service they need. They say grooming. You ask what kind of pet. A dog. What breed? A doodle. How big? About 50 pounds. Matted coat? Maybe a little. And suddenly you're 10 messages deep and still don't have enough info to quote.
Pet services are personal. People are trusting you with their family member. But the back-and-forth messaging to gather basic info wastes your time and theirs. A good booking form collects everything you need upfront, shows pricing clearly, and lets them book without the endless questions.
Here's how to build forms for the three most common pet services: grooming, pet sitting, and dog walking.
Dog Grooming: The Details Matter
Grooming pricing depends on size, coat type, coat condition, and services requested. A 10-pound Yorkie with a maintained coat is a different job than a 70-pound Goldendoodle who hasn't been brushed in three months.
Pet Information
Start with the basics: pet name, breed, and weight. Weight matters for pricing and for knowing what table/equipment you'll need. Breed helps you anticipate coat type and temperament, but don't rely on it alone - ask about the coat directly.
For coat condition, use clear options: well-maintained (brushed regularly), some tangles, moderately matted, severely matted. Each level affects time and pricing. Be honest about this in your form - if you charge extra for dematting, say so upfront. Surprises at pickup make clients angry.
Pro tip
Ask when the pet was last groomed and where. If they say "6 months ago at PetSmart" you know what you're working with. If they say "last month with you" check your records and skip the detailed questions.
Services Requested
List your service packages clearly: bath only, bath and brush, full groom (bath, haircut, nails), the works (add teeth, ears, glands). Let them select a base package, then offer add-ons: nail grinding instead of clipping, de-shedding treatment, flea bath, special shampoo for sensitive skin.
For haircut styles, keep it simple unless you specialize. Most pet owners don't know grooming terminology. "Short all over" "puppy cut" "breed standard" and "just a trim" cover 90% of requests. Add a text field for specific instructions - "leave the tail fluffy" or "she hates her face touched."
Behavior and Health
This section protects you and the pet. Ask about: bite history, anxiety around grooming, sensitive areas, any injuries or health conditions you should know about. A dog with a recent surgery needs gentle handling. A dog who snaps during nail trims needs muzzle prep.
Also ask about vaccination status - most groomers require proof of rabies at minimum. You can request they upload documents or bring them to the appointment.
See how grooming pricing works with our dog grooming calculator.
Pet Sitting: Trust is Everything
Pet sitting clients are handing you their house keys and their pet. The form needs to build trust while collecting practical info. They want to know their pet will be safe and loved. You need to know what you're walking into.
Service Type
Pet sitting comes in flavors: drop-in visits (30 min or 1 hour), overnight stays at their home, or boarding at your place. Each has different questions. Use conditional logic - if they select drop-ins, ask how many per day. If they select overnight, ask about sleeping arrangements and house rules.
For the schedule, you need: start date, end date, and for drop-ins, preferred visit times. Morning and evening? Midday only? Three times a day? This determines pricing and whether you can fit them into your schedule.
Pro tip
Ask how they'll provide access. Key lockbox code? Hidden key? Will they leave a spare? Meeting you beforehand to hand off keys? Sorting this out before the booking prevents last-minute scrambles.
Pet Care Requirements
Different from grooming, sitting needs daily routine info: feeding schedule and amounts, medication (what, when, how), exercise needs, bathroom schedule for puppies or seniors. Ask about where the pet sleeps, whether they're allowed on furniture, any rooms that are off-limits.
Behavior questions for sitters focus on separation anxiety, reactions to strangers, escape artist tendencies, and how they do with other animals (relevant if you're bringing them to your home or have your own pets).
Emergency Information
Always collect: vet name and phone number, emergency contact besides the owner, any known allergies or health conditions, and authorization for emergency vet care up to a certain amount. This protects everyone.
See pet sitting pricing options in our calculator.
Dog Walking: Simple But Specific
Dog walking forms are the simplest of the three, but you still need the right info to price correctly and keep everyone safe.
Walk Details
The essentials: walk duration (15, 30, 45, 60 minutes), frequency (daily, certain days, on-call), and preferred time window. Some walkers offer solo walks vs. group walks at different prices - if that's you, make it a clear choice with pricing shown.
Ask about walking equipment: do they provide leash and harness, or do you need to bring yours? Any special equipment like a gentle leader or no-pull harness? Where's the leash kept?
Dog Behavior on Walks
This matters more than people think. Ask about: leash manners (pulls hard, walks nicely, reactive), behavior with other dogs on walks, behavior with strangers, any triggers (skateboards, bikes, other dogs). A reactive dog needs a different approach than a social butterfly.
Also ask about recall - if the leash slips, will the dog come back? Can they be let off-leash in appropriate areas? These questions help you decide if this dog is a good fit for your walking style.
Pro tip
Ask where they want you to walk the dog. Some clients have specific routes they prefer. Others have areas to avoid - maybe a neighbor's dog is aggressive, or there's construction on a usual route.
Access and Keys
Same as pet sitting: how do you get in? Where's the dog when you arrive - crated, free in the house, in the yard? Where do you put them when you leave? Any alarm codes? These details prevent the panicked "I can't get in" text.
See dog walking pricing in action.
Conditional Logic: One Form, Multiple Services
If you offer multiple pet services, you don't need separate forms. Build one smart form that adapts based on what they select.
Start with service selection: grooming, pet sitting, dog walking, training. Based on that choice, show only the relevant sections. A grooming client doesn't need to answer questions about walk duration. A walking client doesn't need to specify coat condition.
You can also branch within services. Pet sitting selected? Show a follow-up: drop-in visits, overnight at your home, or boarding at ours? Each choice reveals different questions. Drop-ins ask about visit frequency. Overnight asks about sleeping arrangements. Boarding asks about their pet's comfort with other animals.
Multi-Pet Households
Many clients have multiple pets. Your form should handle this gracefully. Start by asking how many pets need service, then repeat the pet info section for each one. Keep the service details (dates, times) shared - they're probably booking the same service for all pets.
For pricing, decide your approach: per-pet pricing, discounts for additional pets, or package rates for multi-pet households. Whatever you choose, show the math clearly so there are no surprises.
Pro tip
Ask if the pets can be together. Two dogs from the same household usually walk together - that's one walk, not two. But some pets don't get along even in the same family. Knowing this affects scheduling and pricing.
Showing Prices Upfront
Pet owners shop around. If your form collects info but doesn't show prices, they'll fill it out and wait... and while waiting, they'll book with someone else who gave them a number immediately.
Build pricing into your form. As they select options - large dog, full groom, add nail grinding - update a running total. They see exactly what they're paying for. No surprises, no "I'll get back to you with a quote" delays.
For services with variable pricing (heavily matted coats, dogs that need extra handling time), show a base price with a note: "Final price may vary based on coat condition. We'll confirm before starting." This sets expectations without giving you a fixed price you can't adjust.
Building With FormTs
FormTs handles pet service forms well because of how it handles conditional logic and pricing.
Service-based branching. Select "grooming" and see grooming questions. Select "pet sitting" and see sitting questions. No code required - just set visibility conditions in the builder.
Pet info repeater. "How many pets?" and the form generates that many pet detail sections. Works for 1 pet or 5.
Live price calculation. Define your pricing rules once. The form calculates totals as clients fill it out. They see the price before they submit.
Mobile-friendly. Pet owners book on their phones, often while at the dog park or on their lunch break. Forms need to work perfectly on small screens.
See our pet services landing page with booking form examples.
Common Mistakes
Asking for Photos Upfront
Requiring a pet photo before they can submit is friction that kills conversions. Photos are nice for putting a face to the name, but make them optional. You'll meet the pet anyway.
Too Many Required Fields
Every required field is a chance for someone to abandon the form. Ask yourself: do I truly need this before the first appointment, or can I get it during the meet-and-greet? Emergency vet info is essential. Favorite treat brand can wait.
Ignoring Cats and Other Pets
If you serve cats, birds, or exotic pets, make sure your form doesn't assume "dog" everywhere. Nothing says "you're not our customer" like a form that only mentions dogs when someone's trying to book cat sitting.
No Meet-and-Greet Option
Many pet owners won't book without meeting you first. Offer a free or low-cost meet-and-greet as a booking option. It's a chance to see the pet's behavior firsthand and answer owner questions. The conversion rate on meet-and-greets is high - they rarely say no after meeting you.
Common Questions
Should I require vaccination records before booking?
Require proof before the appointment, not before the form submission. Let them book first, then send a reminder to bring or upload records. Requiring uploads in the form adds friction and many people don't have records handy when browsing.
How do I handle new clients vs. returning clients?
Add a 'Have you used our services before?' question at the start. For returning clients, skip the detailed pet info section and just ask what service they need. You already have their pet's details on file.
What about last-minute bookings?
If you accept same-day or next-day bookings, make that clear. Show available slots in real-time if possible, or at minimum let them indicate 'ASAP' as a preferred time. Urgent bookings often pay premium rates.
Should I ask about budget upfront?
Not directly. Instead, show your prices clearly so budget-conscious clients can self-select. If someone's looking for the cheapest option, they'll see your prices and decide. Asking 'what's your budget' feels awkward for a $50 dog walk.