Starting dog grooming

SHELDON88

Hi, everyone
I've done a level 5 animal care course & i'd love to get dog grooming myself.
I live in Mayo. Just looking for any advice really...... I'm not in any position to setup a business now its just an idea

antix80

SHELDON88 wrote: »

Hi, everyone
I've done a level 5 animal care course & i'd love to get dog grooming myself.
I live in Mayo. Just looking for any advice really...... I'm not in any position to setup a business now its just an idea

What's stopping you?

Start small. Do it from home. Buy equipment and products to groom the dog, and more products to flog to customers to take home with them. Set up a facebook page advertising the service.

As long as your sales are under a certain amount you don't have to worry about vat (assuming you start small) . You will need to put some of your profits aside for income tax. Keep all your receipts as they're tax deductible, as is your motor expense associated with the business.
If you're on welfare, thread carefully as you may lose your benefits.
You'll likely need insurance, and if you carry animals or products in your vehicle make sure your insurance covers use for the business.

looksee

Did your animal care course include grooming? You really need to get in a good bit of practise with the dogs of uncritical/forgiving friends before you start on professional projects! As word goes round that you are able to groom then people will start coming to you. Good luck with it.

dhaughton99

Best of luck with it. Where I live, a number of dog grooming places opened up. Turns out a local college ran a part time grooming course and the welfare handed out starting up money. The only one still running is a grooming/pet supplies money laundering operation run by local dealers.

Snotty

Not sure on Mayo, but in donegal there is a severe lack of good groomers, my sister travels 50 minutes to her groomer and she lives in the largest town.
Problem with grooming is its a luxury service, if money is tight, its the first expense that gets dropped.
A good groomers knows all the specialist breed cuts and many lasted the last recession fine, especially those who work out of the house or converted garage, those who pay rent disappeared first.

SHELDON88

I live with my parents so not really suitable at the moment. Yes grooming was part of the course

SHELDON88

If i got a table, i have clippers, combs etc...wonder if i could offer basic grooming in clients OWN home......

antix80

dhaughton99 wrote: »

and the welfare handed out starting up money.

Good point. Op worth looking into this option before starting your business.

looksee

SHELDON88 wrote: »

If i got a table, i have clippers, combs etc...wonder if i could offer basic grooming in clients OWN home......

That's what my niece does (in UK). She has a place - a special room with deep sinks, driers etc now, but she started out by going round in her car and doing the grooming at clients' houses. The work is a little bit seasonal - as soon as the weather turns warm in the summer she is inundated with calls, but still she has a regular number of clients, enough that she can be fussy who she accepts.

yellowlabrador

our local pet shop has a small room where a groomer comes in a few days a week.

DBB

Would you think about volunteering with a good, established groomer for a while? It'd get you a good insight into the industry, plus get you invaluable experience with handling different dogs, including the troublesome ones, and knowledge of the different breed clips. Most importantly, it'll help you understand what standards clients will expect from you.
It's a tough game op... people tend to think it's a quick and easy way to make a few quid, but it's hard work, and it's expensive to get set up.
The gear you'll need is damn pricey. A cheap Wahl clippers from Argos won't survive long, and you won't get professional results without good gear. Don't forget too that you'd be seriously well advised to get appropriate insurance.
Speaking of professional... most of the better groomers I know have done proper, accredited grooming courses that are expensive to do. We're talking thousands. The people who do them are, if you excuse the pun, a cut above.
Personally, I would want anyone I'm entrusting my dogs to, to have some form of recognised professional certification. So, unless a groomer is at the minimum a member of the IPDGA (Irish Professional Dog Groomers Association), I wouldn't avail of their services. I know a lot of people probably don't care, but it is important to many.

SHELDON88

It's a good idea, I could ask at some groomers. I'm hoping to start very small...maybe offer basic grooming in clients home. I have good clippers etc & dryer, need table.
I definitely wouldn't charge much, just unsure if I could get clients

tk123

SHELDON88 wrote: »

It's a good idea, I could ask at some groomers. I'm hoping to start very small...maybe offer basic grooming in clients home. I have good clippers etc & dryer, need table.
I definitely wouldn't charge much, just unsure if I could get clients

The fact that you keep mentioning clippers would not get my business(!) Too many people set themselves up as a groomer when they just shave every dog they see. I have retrievers - the only time clippers are used is when they need something done at the vets.

Sheepdish1

Hi op,

First and foremost you need to get plenty of hands on experience in a professional and accredited groomers. It would be good to get it under some who has done the IPDGA as you will know they have been taught to a high standard.

You'll also need to understand Canine first aid and understand what to do in a situation if a dog gets injured in your care. You'll need to get an understanding of injuries that can occur for example serious injury can be caused to eyes if the high pressure dryers are used incorrectly. Also skin can be mistaken for matting particularly at ears and nails can bleed quite heavily if not cut correctly. This is where your hands on experience with a professional would be beneficial.

You'll also need to organise business pet insurance which should be ok for you to do.

Best of luck!

Knine

The overuse of Clippers worries me. Do you know how to hand strip? Many groomers do not. I also see loads of pictures on grooming Facebook pages of double coated dogs shaved to an inch of their lives.

My own dogs have headed off to many grooming exams & seminars where students are tested on their hand stripping.

Proper certified Grooming Training is very expensive & a decent groomer will always be open to engaging in further training.

SillyMangoX

Hi OP. I’ve recently (3 years ago) set up my own grooming business. I studied veterinary nursing first and have my degree in that, but after that I went on to work with a groomer in her salon for a year before I went off on my own. I did this voluntarily, as in wasn’t paid, so while I didn’t pay to do a course it probably ended up costing me more in the long run but the hands on experience of working in a busy salon is single handed the best way to learn. You can do online courses, you can do modules in college, but until you actually have your hands on the dogs doing the work, it’s surprising how little you actually know! So much of it is customer relations, handling dogs, knowing first aid, and cleaning. Of course knowing how to groom is important too but there’s much more to it than that.
It’s quite stressful running your own business, though I would never change it for the world. But say if you get sick, or if something awful happens and you can’t work for a while. You’re on your own with no money coming in. Both of these have happened to me within the last year, and it was the one time I really wished I was working for someone else so I could have still had a wage coming in. It’s also really important to make sure you have a good accountant.
The actual setting up of the place probably took a good 6 months and cost a lot of money. Not only buying the best of equipment available, but things like sorting out plumbing in the area to make sure it can cope with the extra water going through the system. We had to have our whole garden dug up to lay pipes and electricity lines, and then again to re do our septic tank system as it couldn’t cope with the water load going through it. (All sorted now thankfully )
Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing job. I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world. But you really have to be determined to make a proper go of it. So many people open up for a couple of months, realise how physical the job is, that not every dog stands there all nice to be pampered, how much pain your own body is in after (I have a standing appointment with my physio every 6 weeks to straighten my back out), and how much you actually have to charge to make it a viable business, and end up closing up shop within a year. Especially those who start introduction offers like any breed full groom for €20. They’ll be inundated for their first month with every dog imaginable and then the minute the prices go up, they won’t come back. From day one I’ve found it very important to charge my worth, but be good enough to charge that price, and thankfully have had steady business for the past three years to the point that I’ve had to close books and stop taking on new customers for a while.
Basically my take away point is actually go out there and work in a grooming parlour for a while and experience what the real job is like, even on a voluntary basis. That will be the most valuable asset to you before you jump in and do it yourself.
If you want to know any more feel free to pm me

Gosh_idiots

SHELDON88 wrote: »

Hi, everyone
I've done a level 5 animal care course & i'd love to get dog grooming myself.
I live in Mayo. Just looking for any advice really...... I'm not in any position to setup a business now its just an idea

My friend used to work as a dog groomer in the big pet shop by the eye cinema in galway. If youve done it in your course maybe have a look in there. Otherwise I'd see if there was a groomers around that you could volunteer with until you get the hang of it