# Dog Grooming Business



## JR Toby

I lost my job recently and was looking to start up a dog grooming business from home using my garage, I have a small amount of money put aside to buy equipment and I'm meeting a business adviser next week to see what being self employed is all about, apart from grooming my own dog I don't have much experience but have put my name down for a 10 week dog grooming course at a local agricultural college.

Any tips, suggestions or advice from people who have done similar would be gratefully received.


----------



## Westy

My advice would be to not waste your time at the local agricultural college but to go to a grooming school if you want to learn to be a competant groomer and able to earn a living. I've yet to meet a college trained groomer who doesn't clip everything off.

There is lots to learn about how to handle nervous and nasty dogs, as well as veterinary conditions that should be seen by a Vet and zoonoses (those that can be passed on to humans) apart from the styles and equipment to use.

Also go to an all breed Championship show and look at the most popular breeds eg Yorkies, Westies, Cockers, Shih Tzu/Lhasa Apso to see what they should look like.


----------



## Supasilvfoxy

It all depends on what market you are hoping to attract in the long run. If you are only hoping to attract the pet market to begin with it wouldnt do any harm to do both courses, you will probably get something different from each, the college course will give you a lot of theory and the grooming course would be more hands on I would think. Unless you want to groom show dogs (most show people cut and trim their own dogs anyway) then knowing what a show Yorkie, Westie or any other show cut/trims looks like probably wont help with the pet market, though it would be a good starting point. Visiting dog shows would also give you an insight into encountering different breeds that you are going to be meeting in your business, be brave and chat to various breeders/handlers - most usually like to chat about their own breeds - and tell them what you are hoping to do, you can gain a great deal of knowledge that way.

Good luck on your new career!


----------



## JR Toby

Thank you for the replies. 

Westy, the course at the college is a grooming course specific to dogs, it's mixture of theory & practical and they have a waiting list of dogs to be groomed, it's 10 full days over a period of 10 weeks with a BTEC qualification at the end, as a novice I would be looking at the pet market rather than show dogs.

Supasilvfoxy, I'll take on board yours and Westy tip about visiting dog shows and familiarize myself with the breeds and style of cutting, there's a guy that grooms my dog and is snowed under with work, he's getting on in years and is finding it hard to cope, was going to ask him if I could lend a hand for a few afternoons a week just to get some experience, I was thinking I would offer my services for free in exchange, how does everyone think he will perceive this offer ?


----------



## Westy

Hi JR. 
There is no reason why pet dogs shouldn't look like their breed and not skinned sausages with a leg on each corner, which is what the average groomer produces.  They don't need to be in full coat, just a shorter version of a show dog and if you teach the owners how to groom and you see them regularly, then they can have a dog that looks good all year round.

I agree it depends on the market that you want. If you're happy to do once a year matted clip offs, then that's what you'll get more of, and you'll not know how many dogs and therefore how much income you will have each week. The average groomer just does what the owner wants rather than what's best for the dog and owner in the long run. If you want to work with matted dogs and lazy owners who don't want to groom their dogs, then that's the route to take. 

If you do a good trim that's different to the others in your area, then people will pay good money and travel miles, regularly, to have their dog looking like the breed should look. That way your appointment book will always be full and you'll have a steady income throughout the year. The quality of your work will be your advertising. But of course that takes more skill than just clipping everything off!

I used to work at a grooming school and that was what was taught there and every pupil who stuck to the plan, had successful business for many years.

10 days training over 10 weeks won't be anything like enough to start grooming on your own. When I started training I had already been a veterinary nurse, run a boarding kennel, shown and bred dogs. Because of my experience I honestly thought that my first 2 week grooming course was going to be almost a bit of fun, just a matter of learning about the equipment and the trim styles. In fact I was sitting up until 2am every morning going over and over what I'd learned during the day. And even after that I was nowhere ready to start on my own.

But of course the choice is yours. 

If your groomer doesn't just clip everything off then he would be a good place for experience.


----------



## Supasilvfoxy

JR Toby said:


> Thank you for the replies.
> 
> Westy, the course at the college is a grooming course specific to dogs, it's mixture of theory & practical and they have a waiting list of dogs to be groomed, it's 10 full days over a period of 10 weeks with a BTEC qualification at the end, as a novice I would be looking at the pet market rather than show dogs.
> 
> Supasilvfoxy, I'll take on board yours and Westy tip about visiting dog shows and familiarize myself with the breeds and style of cutting, there's a guy that grooms my dog and is snowed under with work, he's getting on in years and is finding it hard to cope, was going to ask him if I could lend a hand for a few afternoons a week just to get some experience, I was thinking I would offer my services for free in exchange, how does everyone think he will perceive this offer ?


I think he'll snatch your hand off tbh, especially if he's struggling to keep up with demand. If he's good at his job - experience counts for a lot as he will have handled many breeds of dogs over the years - you will learn a lot. But always keep in your own mind what you want to do and use what knowledge you get at your courses.

Good luck!


----------



## JR Toby

Great advice so thank you very much, I will take on board what has been said and report back to this thread, thanks again I'm so pleased I joined today


----------



## Hardwick Hounds

I started out at college and have four college qualifications and I don't clip everything off - unless that's what the customer wants of course. I do all breeds and have quite a few regulars who like their dogs to look as they should breed wise.

I worked in the Groom Room at Pets at Home for over two years after my college course and gained LOTS of experience. It was hard work and I hated it at times but the experience I gained was invaluable. I only groom one dog at a time now and do a max of 5 dogs per day, less if they're big grooms.

There are lots of ways to get experience and knowledge. There are lots of seminars and grooming competitions throughout the year too. I would recommend subscribing to Pro Groomer magazine because it's a great magazine and you will find the competitions etc advertised in here. Redcape attend lots of them too and you will find some events on their website too.

There are a couple of grooming groups on FB too with a lot of experienced groomers from all around the world. Lots of advice about things like different scissors, blade care, chat about customers and typical grooming days etc.

Invest in 'Notes from the Grooming Table' and Theory of 5 too, both great books. They are American though so be aware that a couple of breeds are different - like the Airedale has different legs in there if I can remember the book right.

Be aware that there are as many bad groomers as there are good ones, which I think is what Westy is trying to convey. I agree with Westy that a college course won't provide you with the experience you need to set up your own business but it will give you excellent theory, which will give you a good grounding and should enable you to spot the good uns and the bad uns  In my experience, safety is the biggest issue in the grooming industry, with regard to things like poor equipment care like not maintaining blades correctly, things like crate drying with a stand dryer, lifting legs too high, using equipment incorrectly, just to name a few things.

It's a big responsibility grooming someone's dog and you need to protect yourself and the dog.

Good luck with your venture


----------



## JR Toby

Thanks for taking the time to reply Hardwick Hounds

You make some good points and I will look at those publication you mentioned, I now get the feeling taking on board what everyone has said that the course alone will be insufficient and I need to get some practical experience working in a grooming parlour, I'm going to ring my groomer up and see what he thinks of my suggestion, my worst nightmare is starting up and not having a clue how to groom a particular breed.

Just one more question, has anyone started off their business just washing and drying dogs and progressed onto the cutting & clipping once they've trained and competent? The reason I ask is that the fella who does my dog has a fair few customers who just want their dogs washed.


----------



## Westy

I suppose that's OK for labradors but for me the trip to the groomer is so much more than a groom and bath - it includes cutting nails, descaling teeth and emptying anal glands if the dog has a problem and checking the dog over for things that the owner might not have spotted or know about - a full MOT!

Even the bathing and drying that I used to do for my own dogs wasn't anything like I was taught at the grooming school.

I have to say I didn't start on my own for many months. I went on a 2 week grooming course, went back to work (running a large quarantine/boarding kennel) and hated it so much having seen the way a kennel should be run that I walked out! I rang my tutor to tell her what I'd done and she offered me a job at the grooming school! I then worked there for 9 months before starting on my own.


----------



## Westy

_ I don't clip everything off - unless that's what the customer wants of course._

That's interesting because at the grooming school one of the first things that I was taught is that this is one profession where the customer doesn't always know best!

If I had an enquiry to clip off a breed that shouldnt be clipped then I would explain why that wasn't in the dog's best interest (a well groomed coat will insulate against the heat as well as the cold etc) and removal of the dead coat is the most important thing but if they insisted, then I'd give them the phone number of a local groomer who would do that - it wasn't my type of work or the work/client that I wanted.

My business was based on clients who wanted their dogs trimmed regularly thoughout the year and for them to look like the breed that they'd bought. That way I was busy throughout the year, trimming up to 9 dogs each day if they were small, one at a time, and I also had a waiting list when I had a free appointment due to natural events. 

I also needed to feel happy with the work that I'd done and I wouldn't be happy seeing a shaved Lhasa walking out of my parlour!


----------



## JR Toby

Westy said:


> I suppose that's OK for labradors but for me the trip to the groomer is so much more than a groom and bath - it includes cutting nails, descaling teeth and emptying anal glands if the dog has a problem and checking the dog over for things that the owner might not have spotted or know about - a full MOT!
> 
> Even the bathing and drying that I used to do for my own dogs wasn't anything like I was taught at the grooming school.
> 
> I have to say I didn't start on my own for many months. I went on a 2 week grooming course, went back to work (running a large quarantine/boarding kennel) and hated it so much having seen the way a kennel should be run that I walked out! I rang my tutor to tell her what I'd done and she offered me a job at the grooming school! I then worked there for 9 months before starting on my own.


That's my goal to provide all what you've said with the exception of the anal glands, a few groomers I've been to won't do this service and I had to my dog to a vet to get them done, I was in the room at the time and can see why they don't squeeze them at some groomers

Thanks again for the useful info Westy, any recommendations on firms to deal with regarding equipment such as a bath, grooming table, driers.


----------



## Westy

Simpsons have always been very good to groomers, especially when setting up. 

Anal glands should never be done as a matter of routine - only if the dogs has had problems (another part of the learning :wink5 but in the bath is the perfect place to do them and much better than on the Vet's table because the muck can be flushed away and the dog's rear end shampooed to freshen up! lol Most groomer won't do it because of lack of knowledge and training but it's actually a very simple rocedure when you know how.

And if you're going to groom from home, a parlour can be designed and built - bath and work stations, one for big and one for small dogs - without a lot of expense. It's clippers, blades and a good dryer that will cost the money.


----------



## Hardwick Hounds

Ii always ask new customers lots of questions about their dog and what they want from the groom, how they want to dog to look etc. I will always advise what the dog 'should' look like and the best way to maintain coats - especially when it comes to spaniels and terriers that should be hand stripped etc. I'm one of very few groomers who hand strips breeds other than border terriers near me. But if they customer wants their dog clipping off - for whatever reason - that's their choice and I am providing them with the service they require. I provide them with the advice and knowledge they need to make an informed decision.

I agree with Westy that anal glands should only be done if the dog already has problems with them, and the bath is definitely the best place to do it. I do't charge any extra for it cos it takes seconds, but will only do it upon the customers request.

I don't think groomers should carry out any teeth cleaning at all - this is probably a topic for another thread. For descaling teeth, equipment should be sterile and I don't think it is hygienic and safe for a groomer to do it. If a vet descales teeth, the dog is put under anesthetic, which is why it's an expensive service. Teeth brushing is fine if the dog will allow it but I personally don't think it achieves much. All you need to keep a dogs teeth clean is a raw bone from the butcher once a month. Most butchers give them out for free if you buy your meat from them.

Westy is right about the equipment, the expensive part is all the blades, scissors etc and large items that you will need. And I agree with Westy that there is more to bathing and drying than a quick scrub. I think you might find the responsibility of running a salon even just for bathing, too much without any experience because there is no support when you are on your own - you are on your own.


----------



## Westy

_But if they customer wants their dog clipping off - for whatever reason - that's their choice and I am providing them with the service they require._

I come from the opposite direction - I provided the service that I want to provide and that was of a trained groomer.

_I don't think groomers should carry out any teeth cleaning at all - this is probably a topic for another thread. For descaling teeth, equipment should be sterile and I don't think it is hygienic and safe for a groomer to do it. If a vet descales teeth, the dog is put under anesthetic, which is why it's an expensive service. _

ALL of my equipment, not just dental equipment, was sterilised in an electric steriliser between each dog so that there was never any cross contamination - another thing taught on the course. As was teeth descaling, in a very gentle way, just another skill to be learned, doing just a little each time that the dog came in for its regular appointment. Over a period of time the dog would have clean teeth, saving the dog an unnecessary general anesthetic and the owner a Vet's bill. Obviously that couldn't apply with a dog coming in for an annual clip off.

I think that perhaps the differences of a grooming school training and a college course are becoming more apparent JRToby? There is a place for all sorts of groomers. The choice is yours.


----------



## JR Toby

Learning so much since I joined this forum, hope you all know I really do appreciate your help & advice

I'll take a look at the Simpsons website, I did have an idea that the costs are in the blades and scissors, when and if I decide to do the anal glands I'd better have a good mask to wear, how do you stand the smell, do you all wear masks or is it a smell that you get use to over a period of time? when my dog got done all I could think of and smell for days on end was that awful fishy smell


----------



## Westy

It's done so quickly and you just cover the rear end in already diluted shampoo and shower it away - simples! 

No I never wore a mask and didn't feel the need. 

Don't go buying anything yet. If you want to PM me later about bathing facilities and work benches, feel free. There are far more important things (like a steriliser and the right training?) to spend your money on.


----------



## Hardwick Hounds

Westy said:


> _I think that perhaps the differences of a grooming school training and a college course are becoming more apparent JRToby? _


_

Training is always good, however you come by it. What's important is that you continue to learn and improve. I started out with a college course but have gained so much more knowledge and skill since then but I don't regret paying £750 for my college course. Whilst I was a Salon Manager at Pets at Home, we went to regular 'grooming get togethers' which were training days that the company organised in house where we were given lots of different training in grooming by Julie Harris, as well as training in other areas. A grooming school is a great place to start but I don't think your 'I know right' attitude is justified. Before I was a groomer, I had a career in customer service and have had specialised training by a company called Virada too. I think this sets me apart from the average groomer._


----------



## Hardwick Hounds

You can buy sterilizers at Groomers JRToby. I use Technogroom as well as Groomers but I always shop around. If you can afford to buy everything in one go to set up, some suppliers offer packages at a reduced rate and it's always worth asking for a discount on a large order.


----------



## Westy

_I don't think your 'I know right' attitude is justified._

I didn't say that I know right - I said that there were differences and that there's a place for all.

"I think that perhaps the differences of a grooming school training and a college course are becoming more apparent JRToby? There is a place for all sorts of groomers."

So if you're going to quote me, then please quote correctly. I'm sorry if I've touched a sensitive place - as long as you're happy with what you're doing then that's fine. I was trying to be helpful not stand on anyone's toes.


----------



## Hardwick Hounds

I'm not offended or anything, no need to apologise - I wouldn't come on a forum if I wasn't keen to discuss other people's opinions/experience. I think we have answered the OPs question between us anyhow!


----------



## JR Toby

Thanks again for the replies, had a look at the suggested sites for equipment so getting a better idea of the costs involved with starting up.


----------



## SpotOn

JR Toby where abouts in the UK are you? (Sure I just read your in the south?)

Have you looked up any grooming schools who offer tuition in or around your area? There are several well known groomers throughout the UK (Julie Harris, Colin Taylor, Shaun L, Amy English, Jitka K to name very few...) who teach/show/compete alongside their grooming business, and it would be worth contacting them. Many offer a basic start up kit also within their price.

I don't do anal glands or teeth. As groomers we have to be very careful about some of the procedures we carry out etc, we are not allowed to treat or diagnosed (potential) problems- that is the job of the vet.

If you want to get equipment it is always worth checking out Facebook pages for people selling items. Recommend going to seminars/events as a way to learn, and to meet and talk with other groomers.


----------



## JR Toby

In Cumbria, not on Facebook but if it helps I will think about joining, thanks for all the suggestions SpotOn


----------

