A good dog groomer does far more than make your dog look smart. A calm, skilled groom keeps a coat healthy and matt-free, spots lumps, sore ears and dodgy nails before they become a vet bill, and sends a nervous dog home happy rather than traumatised. Handing your dog to the wrong one, on the other hand, is a quick way to a stressed pet and a wary owner, which is why a groomer the neighbourhood trusts is worth its weight in treats.
So we rounded up the dog groomers across Portsmouth that carry a real body of customer reviews and ranked them on their Google scores and the weight of feedback behind each one. The same measure was used for all of them, with the reviews doing most of the talking, and we have noted what each salon is best at, because the owner of a placid Labrador and the owner of an anxious rescue are looking for rather different things.
On price, a full groom depends on the size and coat of the dog. A small or short-coated dog tends to land somewhere around thirty to forty pounds, a medium dog nearer forty to fifty-five, and a big or double-coated breed more again, with a simple bath and tidy costing less. Take the figures as a guide, the order as our view rather than the last word, and the list best first, with our favourite leading the way.
1. Oasis Dog Grooming
Oasis Dog Grooming takes top spot with a flawless 5.0 from more than eighty reviews, the best blend of score and weight of any salon in the city. From its base on Hellens Road in the Drayton area, it has built the kind of reputation that only comes from sending dog after dog home looking good and feeling calm.
The appeal reviewers return to is exactly that, a gentle, unhurried hand with the dogs that turns the groom from an ordeal into something they take in their stride. “My dog actually enjoys going now, which I never thought I’d say,” runs one typical review. The salon handles the full range of breeds and coats, from a simple tidy to a full clip, with the patient, caring approach that anxious dogs in particular need. Prices sit in the usual local range by size and coat, and the only real caveat is that a groomer this popular books up, so it pays to plan ahead.
What keeps owners coming back
- The best blend here, a 5.0 from more than 80 reviews;
- a gentle, calm hand with nervous dogs;
- the full range of breeds and coats;
- dogs that leave happy, not stressed.
Worth bearing in mind
- Very popular, so book well ahead;
- pricing by size and coat, as everywhere.
The standout on the evidence, and a safe first call for any dog, nervous ones included.
2. Dogs of Southsea
Dogs of Southsea, on Wimborne Road in the heart of Southsea, holds a superb 4.9 from close to a hundred reviews, which pairs a near-perfect score with one of the deeper books in the city. It is a genuinely local salon that the Southsea dog-walking crowd has taken firmly to its heart.
The draw is a stylish, friendly salon with a real feel for a good finish, popular with owners who want their dog to come back looking the part as well as feeling comfortable. Reviewers praise the warm welcome and the quality of the cut, the sort of place that builds a regular following of both dogs and owners. Charges follow the local pattern by size and coat. As a sought-after Southsea salon the diary fills quickly, so booking ahead is the only thing to plan for.
What keeps owners coming back
- A superb 4.9 from close to 100 reviews;
- a stylish, friendly Southsea salon;
- praised for a warm welcome and a great cut;
- a loyal local following.
Worth bearing in mind
- In demand, so the diary fills fast;
- central Southsea, so parking can be tight.
The pick for a stylish finish from a much-loved Southsea salon.
3. Smitten Pooches Dog Grooming
Smitten Pooches Dog Grooming carries a 4.9 from close to eighty reviews from its salon on Knox Road towards Copnor. The name sums up the pitch, a groomer that is clearly as fond of the dogs as the owners are, and the rating reflects it.
The strength is that evident affection for the animals, a salon where dogs are handled with patience and care rather than rushed through, which owners of fussier or younger dogs especially value. Reviewers highlight the gentle approach and the lovely results, a combination that turns first-timers into regulars. Pricing is in the usual range by size and coat. The book is a touch smaller than the top two, though still deep, so a look at the recent reviews is an easy sense-check.
What keeps owners coming back
- A 4.9 from close to 80 reviews;
- an obvious fondness for the dogs;
- patient with fussy or young dogs;
- gentle handling and lovely results.
Worth bearing in mind
- A slightly smaller book than the leaders;
- popular, so book in advance.
The choice for a patient, affectionate groom towards Copnor.
4. Dandini’s Dog Grooming
On Copnor Road, Dandini’s Dog Grooming carries a strong 4.8 from the deepest book here, close to two hundred reviews. A 4.8 held over that many grooms is a serious, hard-earned record, and it marks Dandini’s as one of the most experienced and established names in the city.
The appeal is that depth of experience, a busy, long-running salon that has groomed just about every breed and coat the city can throw at it and knows exactly what it is doing. Reviewers point to the consistency and the reliable, professional results visit after visit. Charges track the local norm by size and coat. The 4.8 sits a fraction below the perfect scorers, which is simply the natural spread of the biggest, busiest book here rather than any real failing, and for sheer experience it is hard to beat.
What keeps owners coming back
- The deepest book here, a 4.8 from nearly 200 reviews;
- a long-established, experienced salon;
- at home with every breed and coat;
- consistent, reliable results.
Worth bearing in mind
- A rating just below the perfect scorers;
- a busy salon, so book ahead.
The seasoned, high-volume choice for any breed on the Copnor side.
5. Lovely Chops
Lovely Chops, over on Locksway Road towards Milton, holds a 4.8 from more than a hundred and seventy reviews, another genuinely deep book that speaks to a steady, loyal following in the east of the city. The playful name belies a serious, well-regarded salon.
Its strength is that settled, neighbourhood feel, a salon the local dog owners return to again and again for a dependable, friendly groom. Reviewers rate the consistency and the easy, relaxed manner with the dogs. Pricing follows the usual local shape by size and coat. As with Dandini’s, the 4.8 across so many grooms is a sign of a busy, trusted salon rather than a concern, and for the Milton and Eastney side it is a handy, well-loved option.
What keeps owners coming back
- A 4.8 from more than 170 reviews;
- a settled, well-loved neighbourhood salon;
- a relaxed, friendly manner with the dogs;
- consistent grooms visit after visit.
Worth bearing in mind
- A rating just below the perfect scorers;
- a busy local book, so plan ahead.
The dependable, friendly pick for the Milton and Eastney side.
6. Grooming Galore Dog Salon
Rounding off the list, Grooming Galore Dog Salon holds a perfect 5.0 from around thirty-five reviews from its base on Havant Road in the Drayton direction. A flawless score on a solid, growing book marks a salon its customers are genuinely delighted with.
The strength is the care and the quality of the finish, a salon that takes real pride in turning out a smart, happy dog and clearly enjoys the work. Reviewers describe a friendly, professional service and results that keep them coming back. Pricing is in the usual local range by size and coat. The book is smaller than the most established names, so there is a little less history to lean on, which makes a read of the recent reviews worthwhile, but for a top-rated, up-and-coming salon it is a lovely choice.
What keeps owners coming back
- A perfect 5.0 from around 35 reviews;
- real pride in a smart, happy finish;
- a friendly, professional service;
- a growing, well-rated reputation.
Worth bearing in mind
- A smaller book than the established names;
- a growing salon, so read the recent reviews.
The up-and-coming, top-rated pick on the Drayton side.
The six groomers compared
| # | Groomer | Area | Google rating | Typical full groom | Score (out of 10) | % (out of 100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oasis Dog Grooming | Hellens Rd, Drayton | 5.0 (84) | By size, from ~£30 | 9.3 | 93% |
| 2 | Dogs of Southsea | Wimborne Rd, Southsea | 4.9 (95) | By size, from ~£30 | 9.1 | 91% |
| 3 | Smitten Pooches Dog Grooming | Knox Rd, Copnor | 4.9 (78) | By size, from ~£30 | 8.9 | 89% |
| 4 | Dandini’s Dog Grooming | Copnor Road | 4.8 (194) | By size, from ~£30 | 8.7 | 87% |
| 5 | Lovely Chops | Locksway Rd, Milton | 4.8 (174) | By size, from ~£30 | 8.5 | 85% |
| 6 | Grooming Galore Dog Salon | Havant Rd, Drayton | 5.0 (35) | By size, from ~£30 | 8.3 | 83% |
How the groomers score out of ten
What stands out
The clearest message is how spoilt for choice Portsmouth dog owners are. Every salon here holds a 4.8 or better, several on books of a hundred reviews or more, which in a trade built almost entirely on word of mouth is about as strong a signal of quality as you could ask for.
The second thing is that the field offers two kinds of reassurance. The perfect-scoring salons win on that unbroken run of delighted owners, while the big 4.8 books win on sheer experience and the weight of hundreds of grooms behind them. For a nervous dog the gentlest hand matters most, for a tricky coat the deepest experience, and happily the city has both in good supply.
How the list was built
Each salon was marked out of ten against the same handful of things. The owner reviews and a salon’s reputation counted for the most, as they should in a trade you choose on trust. The quality of the groom and the care shown to the dog came next, then the value and clarity of the pricing, the steadiness of the rating across the book, and how easy the salon is to reach and book.
The scores draw on the public Google ratings and review counts as they stood in late October 2026, set against one another rather than gathered from any appointment we booked. Because a groom is priced by the dog, we have given a broad guide rather than a single figure that would fit no one.
Ratings and prices both move, so treat this as a snapshot and check the current cost when you call, ideally with a chat about your dog’s coat and temperament first. A well-groomed dog deserves a good walk, so our guide to dog-friendly things to do in Portsmouth and our rated vets are both worth keeping to hand.
