Essential Grooming
& Wellness · Santee, CA
(619) 334-1070 Book Online
A freshly groomed red poodle standing on the grooming table in the salon's window light, head tilted toward the camera.
Family-run in Santee since 2010

Where every paw is essential.

Family-run dog and cat grooming in Santee, with the nails, ears and glands included in every bath.

Book online (619) 334-1070

Monday–Saturday, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm · Grooming is by appointment

Santee Favorites
Winner, 2023

What we do

Pick what your pet needs today.

Dog grooming Baths from $40, full grooms from $75 Dog grooming →
Cat grooming Baths from $75, haircuts from $95 Cat grooming →
Self-serve wash $20, Mon–Sat 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Self-serve wash →
Walk-in nails & ears Nail trim $15, no appointment Walk-ins →
2010
Grooming Santee
since
100+ yrs
Combined experience
in the salon
Dogs & Cats
All breeds,
all coat types
Family
Owned and run,
never a franchise
A happy white dog sitting in the stainless steel wash tub at the salon.

Self-serve dog wash

Wash your own dog here. $20.

Skip the wet bathroom floor and the clogged drain. Bring your dog to the salon, give them a bath in our tub, and leave the hair, the water and the mess with us.

Price $20 per dog
Self-wash hours Monday–Saturday
8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Where In the salon
9225 Carlton Hills Blvd, Ste 22

Come by any time during self-wash hours, or call ahead if you want to be sure a tub is free.

Call (619) 334-1070 How it works

No add-on menu

The nails, ears and glands are already in the price.

Plenty of salons quote you a bath, then charge separately for the nails, then the ears, then the glands. Ours come together. The price you book is the price you pay.

Bath & blow-dry
Full brush out
Nail trim
Ear cleaning
Anal glands, if needed
Sanitary & paw-pad shave
Feet trim, if needed
Cologne, bandana or bows

At the salon

Grooming by appointment, six days a week.

Baths and haircuts are booked ahead, and nails, ears and glands are walk-in with no appointment at all. Whichever you need, you will get a straight answer on price before anything starts.

Salon hours Monday–Saturday
8:00 am – 5:30 pm
Walk-in hours Mon–Thu 8 am–5 pm
Fri & Sat 2–5 pm
Self-serve wash Mon–Sat 8 am–4:30 pm
$20, you wash, we clean up
Book online

Dog grooming

Prices, by size.

Grooming is by appointment. Every price is a starting price — the final cost depends on your dog’s breed and the condition of their coat.

Not sure which size to book? Give us a call and we will tell you which one fits your dog before you book anything.

Bath

No haircut. A full clean-up from nose to tail, with the extras already in the price.

What’s included
  • Bath and blow-dry
  • Full brush out
  • Nail trim
  • Sanitary and paw-pad shave
  • Feet trim, if needed
  • Ears wiped
  • Anal glands, if needed
  • Cologne and a bandana or bows
Smallfrom $40
Mediumfrom $55
Largefrom $65
Extra largefrom $95
Book a bath
Most booked

Bath & Haircut

The full groom. Everything in the Bath, plus a whole-body haircut finished by hand.

What’s included
  • Everything in the Bath
  • Whole-body haircut in your dog’s breed style, or the length you ask for
  • Finished by hand with scissors, not just clippers
  • Face, feet and tail shaped to match
  • Cologne and a bandana or bows
Smallfrom $75
Mediumfrom $85
Largefrom $130
Book a full groom

Wash & Go

One wash, towel dry, done. A quick freshen-up between full grooms.

What’s included
  • One wash with towel dry (your dog goes home damp)
  • Add a blow-dry for $10
  • No nails, ears or glands — add those as walk-in extras
  • Prefer to do it yourself? See the $20 self-serve wash
Small$20
Medium$25
Large$30
Extra large$35
Book a wash & go
Add-ons Added to any bath or groom
Premium spa bath upgrade teeth, conditioner, paw butter, blueberry facial$20
Teeth brushing no scaling$10
Furminator de-shed small$20
Furminator de-shed medium$25
Furminator de-shed large$35
Brush out small / medium / large$10 / $15 / $20
Whole face trim small / medium / large$10 / $15 / $20
Haunch trim$20
Flea shampoo not a dip$10
Skunk shampoo$10
Mud treatment$10
Blueberry facial · conditioner$5 each

We also sell Vectra, a 30-day flea and tick treatment, for $25 in the salon. We do not offer de-matting or hand-stripping.

Everything about dog grooming →

No appointment needed

Walk in for nails, ears and glands.

Quick jobs do not need a booking. Come by during walk-in hours and we will take care of it while you wait.

Walk-in hours
Monday–Thursday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday & Saturday, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Nail trim cut and dremel$15
Ear cleaning wiped, no flushing$10
Anal glands dogs only, external$10
Blow dry for wash & goes$10

Walk-in details →

Yes, we groom cats

Cats are welcome here, and we mean it.

Plenty of salons turn cats away or rush them through. We take our time, work at your cat’s pace, and handle long coats without a fight.

A fluffy white long-haired cat lying calmly on a grooming table.
Bath only no haircut · nails, ears wipedfrom $75
Haircut only no bath · nails, ears wipedfrom $95
Bath & haircut whole body · nails, ears wipedfrom $120
Furminator de-shed$25
Nail trim walk-in$15
Book your cat in Cat grooming details
A goldendoodle standing on the grooming table inside the salon, with a groomer at work behind.
Pat, who has groomed for 49 years, giving a fluffy chow a kiss on the nose at the grooming table.

Why people drive across town

We finish every cut with pride.

With more than a century of combined grooming experience behind us, our salon is built on generations of knowledge, skill and a genuine love for what we do. That experience shows in every groom, from the smallest detail to the finished look.

We are knowledgeable in all breed cuts. Our team is proficient in finishing every groom by hand. Because when it comes to your dog, the details matter.

And we are a family. Pat has been grooming for 49 years, her daughter Jessica grew up in her salon and runs it today, and every groomer here treats your dog the way they treat their own.

Recent grooms

The work speaks for itself.

Real dogs, groomed here, posted as they leave. Every one goes home brushed out, trimmed, smelling good and wearing a bandana or bows.

A white doodle freshly groomed on the table, wearing a bandana.
A small white dog with a neat face trim and a bow on its head.
A pomeranian brushed out into a full fluffy coat.
A white shepherd enjoying a bath in the stainless tub, tongue out.
A white shepherd sitting happily on the grooming table after a groom.
A small white dog freshly washed and blown out in the grooming tub.
See the latest on Instagram

Meet the team

The people who will be holding your dog.

Eight groomers, one family, and more than a century of experience between us.

Jessica Dombroski, owner. JessicaOwner Pat, groomer of 49 years. PatGroomer · 49 years Paula, groomer. PaulaGroomer · Since 2006 Jasmine, groomer. JasmineGroomer · 3 years Sarah, groomer. SarahGroomer · 10 years Victoria, grooming team. VictoriaGrooming team Kathleen, grooming team. KathleenSince May 2024 Nicole, groomer. NicoleGroomer
Meet the whole team

What Santee says

Voted a Santee Favorite.

Essential Grooming & Wellness won Santee Favorites in 2023, and word of mouth has done the rest.

Santee Favorites · Winner 2023
4.8 on Google 170+ reviews 4.5 on Yelp 150+ reviews
Read our Google reviews Read us on Yelp
A freshly groomed long-haired grey and white cat sitting upright in a lime green bandana, looking rather pleased with itself.

Before you book

The questions we get asked most.

How does booking online work?
It takes about a minute. You will start by entering your phone number — that is how the salon pulls up your pet’s file and grooming history, so we already know their coat, their cut and how they did last time. If you are new, it creates the file for you.
Do I need to bring vaccination records?
No. We do not require vaccination records to book or to be seen.
Which size should I book for my dog?
Size is based on your dog’s breed, weight and coat rather than a strict weight chart. If you are not sure, call us on (619) 334-1070 and we will tell you which one to book before you pay anything.
Is a deposit required?
No. We do not take deposits for grooming appointments or the self-serve wash.
What happens if I need to cancel?
Just let us know at least 24 hours ahead and there is no charge. Cancelling inside 24 hours carries a $25 fee, because that slot usually cannot be filled.
Can I walk in without an appointment?
For nail trims, ear cleaning and anal glands, yes — no appointment needed during walk-in hours, which are Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Full baths and haircuts are by appointment.
Can I wash my own dog there?
Yes. Our self-serve dog wash is $20 and runs Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. You do the washing in our tub, and the hair and mess stay with us.
My dog is matted. Can you help?
We do not offer de-matting or hand-stripping. We do offer a brush out, and for heavy shedding a Furminator treatment. Call us and describe the coat — we will tell you honestly what we can do before you book.
Do you groom cats?
Yes, and we would like to do more of it. Bath only starts at $75, a haircut without a bath at $95, and a full bath and haircut at $120. We work at the cat’s pace.
Can I text you?
Our main line takes calls only and does not receive texts. Call (619) 334-1070, email bark@essentialgroomingsalon.com, or message us on Instagram or Facebook.
How do I pay?
We accept all major payment methods except Venmo and Zelle.

Visit us

Carlton Oaks Plaza, Santee.

Same plaza as the Santee Library, Janet’s Cafe and Kaffee Meister. Easy parking right out front.

Get directions
Inside the salon: a groomed golden doodle standing on the grooming table with the shop behind.
Address
9225 Carlton Hills Blvd, Suite 22
Santee, CA 92071
Phone
(619) 334-1070
Calls only — this line does not receive texts
Email
bark@essentialgroomingsalon.com
Salon hours
Monday–Saturday, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm
Grooming by appointment
Walk-in hours
Mon–Thu, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri & Sat, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Nails, ears and glands only
Self-serve wash
Mon–Sat, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
$20 per dog
Cancellations
We ask for 24 hours’ notice. Cancelling inside 24 hours carries a $25 fee.
Deposits
Not required.
Vaccinations
No vaccination records required to book.
Payment
All major payment methods accepted, except Venmo and Zelle.
Service area
Storefront salon only — we do not offer mobile or in-home grooming.
Where every paw is essential.

Let’s get your dog on the books.

Book online in about a minute, or call and talk to someone in the shop. Either way you will get a straight answer on price before anything starts.

Book online Call (619) 334-1070
A long-haired ginger and white cat in a lime bandana, sitting and looking toward the page. A golden retriever in a sky-blue bandana, sitting and looking toward the page.
Call Book Now