The Negative Keyword List Every Dog Groomer Needs (Copy & Paste)
Negative keywords are the fastest way to stop wasting money on Google Ads. Without them, you're paying for clicks from people searching for grooming jobs, DIY tutorials, cat groomers, and competitors — none of whom will ever book with you.
Here's our complete list, organized by category. Copy these into your Google Ads negative keyword lists today.
How to Add These
- Open Google Ads → Tools → Negative keyword lists
- Create a new list called "Grooming - Master Negatives"
- Copy-paste each section below
- Apply the list to all your grooming campaigns
Add as phrase match negatives unless noted otherwise. Phrase match blocks any search containing that exact phrase in that order.
Category 1: Other Animals
Unless you groom these animals, block them:
- cat grooming
- cat groomer
- feline grooming
- horse grooming
- equine grooming
- bird grooming
- rabbit grooming
- guinea pig grooming
- hamster grooming
- reptile
- fish
- livestock
Category 2: DIY / Self-Service
People who want to do it themselves — not your clients:
- how to groom
- groom at home
- groom myself
- groom my own
- self service dog wash
- self serve dog wash
- diy dog grooming
- home grooming
- grooming tips
- grooming tutorial
- grooming video
- grooming guide
Category 3: Products / Shopping
People looking to buy grooming tools, not hire a groomer:
- grooming tools
- grooming kit
- grooming supplies
- grooming table
- grooming clippers
- grooming brush
- grooming shears
- grooming scissors
- grooming blades
- grooming dryer
- grooming tub
- grooming arm
- grooming loop
- grooming vacuum
- buy
- amazon
- walmart
- chewy
Category 4: Jobs / Careers / Education
Industry professionals, students, and job seekers — not customers:
- grooming school
- grooming course
- grooming class
- grooming certification
- grooming license
- grooming apprentice
- grooming jobs
- grooming careers
- grooming salary
- grooming hiring
- become a groomer
- groomer salary
- groomer jobs
- groomer hiring
- groomer school
- groomer training
Category 5: Competitors
Block searches for specific competitors — their CPA is typically 3-5x higher than generic terms:
- petco
- petsmart
- petpeople
- pet supplies plus
- muddy paws
- aussie pet mobile
- dogtopia
Important: Also add your local competitors as you discover them in your Search Terms report. Check weekly and add any competitor name that appears.
Category 6: Free / Cheap Seekers
- free dog grooming
- free grooming
- cheap dog grooming
- cheapest grooming
- discount grooming
- low cost grooming
- affordable grooming
Note: "Affordable" is debatable — some salons position on value. Remove it from this list if your messaging uses "affordable" as a selling point.
Category 7: Mobile Grooming (if you DON'T offer it)
- mobile grooming
- mobile groomer
- mobile dog grooming
- come to my house
- in home grooming
- house call grooming
- grooming van
- grooming truck
If you DO offer mobile grooming, skip this entire category.
Category 8: Unrelated Services
- dog training
- dog boarding
- dog walking
- dog sitting
- pet sitting
- dog adoption
- dog rescue
- veterinarian
- vet near me
- dog food
- dog toys
The Golden Rule: Words You Must NEVER Negate
These core business terms must never appear inside any negative keyword phrase:
- grooming, groomer, groomers
- dog, pet, puppy, pup
- bath, brush, nails, haircut, trim
If you need to block a phrase containing one of these words (like "dog grooming Westlake" because Westlake is too far), add only the non-core word as the negative: "westlake" — not the full phrase.
Why this matters: A broad-match negative containing "dog grooming" would block ALL dog grooming searches. We've audited accounts where one bad negative keyword silently killed the entire campaign for weeks.
We maintain and expand negative keyword lists across dozens of grooming accounts daily. Our automated systems catch wasted spend before it adds up.
See What You're WastingOngoing Maintenance
This list is your starting point — not the finish line. Every week, pull your Search Terms report and look for:
- Any term with $15+ spend and zero conversions
- Clearly irrelevant searches that slipped through
- Competitor names you haven't blocked yet
- Geographic terms for cities too far from your salon
Over 3-6 months of weekly maintenance, your negative keyword list becomes a powerful filter that makes every dollar count. The salons we manage typically see a 30-40% reduction in wasted spend within the first 60 days of proper negative keyword management.