The short answer
- Yes, in most cases. A starting price for each service, written as text on your website, answers the first thing owners ask and gives AI assistants something to quote.
- Use “from” prices and say what changes them: size, coat and condition for grooming; walk or visit length and number of pets for walking and sitting; nights and peak dates for boarding.
- Say what each service includes and what costs extra, and keep it the same on your booking app, Google Business Profile and marketplace profiles.
- In the UK, a “from” price is fine, but it must include any fee every customer has to pay, such as a booking fee.
Should you put your prices on your website?
Yes, for most pet businesses. Owners want a rough idea of cost before they message you, and an assistant asked “how much is a dog groom in Bristol?” can only mention prices it can read.
Without a price, an assistant has to leave you out of the answer or rely on whatever it finds elsewhere, such as an old listing or a review that mentions what someone paid two years ago. A clear starting price on your own site is better than either.
If you genuinely can't price without meeting the pet, say so, and publish what you can: the price of a consultation or assessment, or the range most clients pay.
Why do prices need to be text, not only inside a booking app?
Because assistants may not be able to see inside the app. Many booking tools load services and prices with JavaScript or behind a login, and a 2024 vendor study by Vercel found that none of the major AI crawlers it measured ran JavaScript (opens in a new tab).
A photo of your price board, a price list in an Instagram highlight or a price only given in direct messages has the same problem: there's no text to quote. Keep your booking app for booking, and write the services and starting prices on a normal web page that links to it.
How do you show prices that depend on the pet?
Give a starting price for each service and say plainly what moves it up. Owners understand that a matted doodle takes longer than a smooth-coated terrier; what they want is a fair starting point.
| Business | What usually changes the price | What to publish |
|---|---|---|
| Dog grooming | Size, breed, coat type, matting, how the dog copes | A “from” price per size band for each groom, what a full groom includes, and extras such as de-matting or a de-shedding treatment |
| Dog walking | Walk length, solo or group, number of dogs, weekends | A price per walk for each length, the extra for a second dog from the same home, and any weekend or holiday rate |
| Pet sitting and drop-in visits | Visit length, number of pets, overnight stays, travel | A price per visit or per night, what a visit covers (feeding, litter, play, a short walk) and any travel charge for outer areas |
| Boarding and day care | Number of nights or days, dog size, sharing a room, peak dates | A price per night or day, the rules for peak dates such as Christmas, and what's included, like walks or food |
| Dog training | Group class, one-to-one or home visit, number of sessions | A price per course or session, and how many sessions a course includes |
A sample layout for one service. Use your own sizes, inclusions, timings and prices, and only promise what you actually do.
Full groom (small dogs, up to about 10 kg) — from £[your price]
Includes: bath, blow-dry, brush-out, clip or scissor trim, nails, ears and hygiene trim.
Takes about [time]. Matted coats need extra time; we'll tell you before we start if the price will change.
Book online at [booking link] or call [phone number].What should each service description include?
Enough for an owner to know whether it's right for their pet and what it costs. Give each main service its own short section or page, so a search for “puppy groom near me” or “solo dog walks” has something specific to match.
- A name owners use. “Puppy's first groom” or “30-minute solo walk” beats an in-house package name like “The Royal Treatment”.
- Who it's for. Dog sizes, cats, puppies (and from what age, if you have a rule), dogs that are nervous or reactive, if you take them.
- What's included. The steps of a groom, the length of a walk, what a sitting visit covers.
- How long it takes. Owners plan their day around a groom or a drop-off.
- The starting price and what changes it.
- Any rules that apply. Vaccinations, a trial day, a temperament check, or what to bring, but only the ones you really ask for.
- How to book. A link straight to that service in your booking app, if it allows it.
How should you show extras, deposits and cancellation fees?
Next to the prices, before anyone books, so nobody meets a surprise at checkout or at collection time.
In the UK this is also the law. The Competition and Markets Authority says the total price should normally include any mandatory charges (opens in a new tab), that a “from” price is fine as long as it includes them, and that hiding extra fees until later in the booking is illegal. So a booking fee every client pays belongs inside your “from” price, while optional extras such as nail painting or a blueberry facial can be listed separately.
- Deposits: how much, when it's due and when it's refundable.
- Cancellations: how much notice you need and what you charge for late cancellations or no-shows.
- Peak dates: any different rules for school holidays, Christmas or bank holidays.
- Extras: each optional add-on with its price.
Do your prices need to match everywhere else?
Yes. If your website says one price and your booking app or marketplace profile says another, an assistant may quote the wrong one, and an owner will notice at checkout.
Your Google Business Profile can hold a price and description for each service (opens in a new tab) in some categories, so fill those in to match your website. When you change prices, update your website, booking app, Google Business Profile and any marketplace profile on the same day.
Should you add prices to your structured data?
You can, as long as the same prices are visible on the page. Google's rules say structured data must be a true representation of the page content (opens in a new tab), and must not mark up content readers can't see.
Google lists priceRange as a recommended property for local businesses and says it must be shorter than 100 characters (opens in a new tab). Individual services and starting prices can go in an offer catalogue; our guide to structured data for pet businesses shows how, and the schema generator writes it for you.
ServiceCited only uses prices you give it. It writes them onto your pages as text, keeps your business labels in step and never makes up a price.
Questions people also ask
Type to search these questions, or ask anything about getting found on Google and AI.
What if every dog is different?
Give a starting price for each size band or service and explain what moves it up, such as coat condition or extra time. A clear starting point helps owners decide to contact you, and you confirm the final price before you start.
Should I publish prices if I'm more expensive than others nearby?
Yes, and explain what's included and why. Owners comparing groomers, walkers or kennels are looking for the right fit, not only the lowest price. Smaller groups, longer walks or one-to-one handling are worth spelling out.
Do I need to show prices including VAT?
If you're VAT registered and sell to the public in the UK, show the price customers will actually pay. The Competition and Markets Authority's guidance says unavoidable taxes and charges shouldn't be hidden until later in the booking.
Can I just say “prices on request”?
You can, but you give owners and assistants nothing to compare. Even a typical range or a starting price for your most popular service is better than nothing.
Sources
- The rise of the AI crawler (vendor study)(opens in a new tab) · Vercel
- Providing clear and accurate information about prices: summary(opens in a new tab) · UK Competition and Markets Authority
- Manage your services on your Business Profile(opens in a new tab) · Google Business Profile Help
- General structured data guidelines(opens in a new tab) · Google Search Central
- Local business (LocalBusiness) structured data(opens in a new tab) · Google Search Central
Checked on . AI products change quickly; the operators' own pages are the final word.