A chatbot for groomers, boarding kennels and doggy daycare

Written by the Allinaa team · Updated October 15, 2026

"How much for a groom?" is the most common question a grooming salon gets, and the real answer is "it depends." Breed, size, coat condition and the time since the last groom all change the price. An Allinaa assistant asks those few questions first, quotes from the price ranges you publish, and passes a complete booking request to your team.

Why "how much for a groom?" needs three questions first

If your website gives one price, owners of a matted doodle feel misled at pick-up. If it says "call for a quote", many of them never call. The middle path is a short conversation that ends with a published price range and a request your groomer can confirm.

Clarifying questions: breed, size, coat condition, last groom

Allinaa's assistant asks up to three short clarifying questions, one at a time, and only the ones the owner has not answered yet. For a grooming business, the useful ones are:

Breed or mix, and roughly how much the dog weighs
Coat condition: brushed regularly, some tangles, or matted
Last professional groom: a few weeks ago, a few months, or never

To make this work, publish a price table by size and coat type on your services page and copy it into the knowledge, along with your dematting policy. If the owner says "matted", the assistant can explain your dematting fee or shave-down policy in your own words instead of guessing.

Vaccination and temperament requirements for daycare and boarding

Daycare and boarding have rules that owners often learn too late: required vaccines and how far in advance, whether you require spay or neuter after a certain age, temperament evaluations, and a trial day. Put each rule into the knowledge exactly as your policy states it. The assistant then answers "does my puppy need the bordetella shot before daycare?" with your rule. It does not give medical advice about vaccines; whether a vaccine is right for a dog is a question for the owner's vet.

Holiday boarding rush: capturing requests when you're full

Around Thanksgiving, the winter holidays and summer weekends, boarding fills weeks ahead and the phone does not stop. Allinaa cannot see your booking software, so it does not know which runs are free. What it can do is take a clean waitlist request: dates, number of dogs, sizes, and contact details with the owner's permission. Add a note to your knowledge during peak weeks ("We are fully booked December 20 to January 2; we can add you to the waitlist") and update it when that changes. See handling seasonal peaks.

Coat photos from owners (Premium uploads with malware checks)

On Premium, an owner can send a photo of their dog's coat in the chat. Every file is checked for malware and stored privately, so your groomer can look before the appointment and confirm the estimate. This works well for "is this level of matting something you can brush out?" The assistant itself does not judge the coat from the photo; your groomer does. Read more about file uploads.

Drop-off, pick-up and cancellation policy answers

Write down the small rules that cause friction at the counter:

Drop-off windows and the latest pick-up time, with any late fee
How you contact owners when a dog is ready
Cancellation and no-show policy, and deposits for holiday boarding
What to pack for boarding (food, medication, a bed or not)
Whether you groom cats, and on which days

Illustrative conversation

Owner: How much is a full groom?

Assistant: It depends on size and coat. What breed is your dog, and when was the last professional groom?

Owner: Goldendoodle, about 50 lbs. Last groom was maybe 4 months ago and she has some knots behind the ears.

Assistant: Thanks. A large doodle falls in the large-breed range on our price list, and knots can add a dematting charge depending on how much brushing is needed. Would you like to send a photo of the knots so the groomer can check, and request a time?

Illustrative example, not a real conversation.

Related: quote requests and veterinary clinics.

Questions owners ask

Can the chatbot give an exact grooming price?

It quotes the ranges you publish after asking about breed, size, coat and last groom. Your groomer confirms the final price.

Does it know which boarding dates are free?

No. Allinaa doesn't connect to booking software. It takes waitlist or booking requests, and you can add notes about fully booked dates to its knowledge.

Can it tell an owner whether their dog can join daycare?

It repeats your requirements, such as vaccinations, age and a temperament assessment, and collects a request. Your staff decide after the evaluation.

Will it answer vaccine questions?

It repeats your vaccine requirements for daycare and boarding. Whether a vaccine is right for a dog is a question for the owner's vet.