Dog grooming as a profession

alroley

I have been grooming my own dog and friends dogs for over 10 years now. I had wanted to become a dog groomer and did a course when I left school when I was 17. I ultimately decided it wasn't for me as at the time I couldn't handle grooming very dirty and smelly dogs :o
This was over a decade ago and I wouldn't have the same thoughts now.

I ended up doing a business degree and later a masters in business education. I have always kept up the massive interest in dogs and dog grooming. I have found myself wanting to further this by completing better qualifications and getting some experience in a salon with the aim of starting up my own business when experienced.

It seems to be a good market (I contacted two groomers in my area and neither are taking any new clients as they are fully booked with regular customers), but does anyone have any advice? Is this a bad idea? What are the best qualifications/routes?

MissShihTzu

FETAC would be the way to go. You can also do City & Guilds, which is a better qualification, but that's very expensive, and I am not sure this is offered in Ireland. As part of the course, you can do placements at a salon. Have you asked either of the groomers if they're prepared to let you do one with them?

Where are you planning to run your business from? Is it from home, or would you be getting premises? Perhaps even a mobile groomer (Van complete with baths and dryers)?

I personally think that it would be a great idea to do a course in Animal First Aid as well, maybe Animal Welfare. I did all three (FETAC not C & G) and found it to be really good, although I do not work as a groomer.

Hope this helps!

SillyMangoX

alroley wrote: »

I have been grooming my own dog and friends dogs for over 10 years now. I had wanted to become a dog groomer and did a course when I left school when I was 17. I ultimately decided it wasn't for me as at the time I couldn't handle grooming very dirty and smelly dogs :o
This was over a decade ago and I wouldn't have the same thoughts now.

I ended up doing a business degree and later a masters in business education. I have always kept up the massive interest in dogs and dog grooming. I have found myself wanting to further this by completing better qualifications and getting some experience in a salon with the aim of starting up my own business when experienced.

It seems to be a good market (I contacted two groomers in my area and neither are taking any new clients as they are fully booked with regular customers), but does anyone have any advice? Is this a bad idea? What are the best qualifications/routes?

Hi there!
I opened up my own dog grooming business in 2017 and there definitely is a good market in it, there are groomers popping up all over the place which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good thing that lots of animal lovers are finding a job they love and getting to work with animals, bad thing because it’s an unregulated industry so any Tom Dick and Harry could set up shop with a cheap clippers and kitchen scissors, charge €10 a pop and call themselves a groomer.
There are qualifications you can get, but as I said, it’s not a regulated industry so you don’t have to have a specific qualification. I had already studied veterinary nursing in college, had years of hands on experience with dogs, and still learned so much while I was training. What I ended up doing was contacting a groomer who was a friend of a friend and she took me on as an apprentice. Started out bathing and drying and worked my way up to being trained to do proper styling. I loved what I did because it was learning at my own pace with no major pressure, one on one. I know I was blessed to get trained like that and those opportunities don’t come up often!
There are several hands on practical trainers/courses that would be well worth looking into but they can be pricey - but worth it!
My advice starting up would be not to undervalue yourself. I have seen so many people start up taking on too many dogs in a day, charging too little to make a viable business, having no insurance etc and closing again in under a year because they’ve burned out. What works best for me is charging a little more than some while taking less dogs in a day and my customers really appreciate the one on one attention their dog is given!
It’s hard work, backbreaking, smelly, hairy, sometimes heartbreaking, but it’s the best thing I have ever done. Now I just have to wait for this pandemic to end so I can get back to work
If you have any questions or anything feel free to pop me a DM and I’ll help in any way I can

alroley

Thanks so much to both of you for the advice! I really appreciate it!

MissShihTzu

I have to say, I groom and clip my own dogs, so it's handy to have that skill, during the pandemic. I have everything (professional clippers, scissors, brushes, blades, blade washes, etc) Saves me a fortune at the groomers - But Christies gets that back!

I'm almost certain you need the City & Guilds cert to run your own grooming business. But not to be employed in one. Only have a FETAC level 5 meself but I'm too messy to work in grooming, so I never looked into it.

alroley

I have looked up City & Guilds, but it is only for the UK as far as I can see?

silver2020

Lucrative business if done properly and with good business sense, you could look at 2,3,4+ studios and ensure you have a set standard - the Peter Mark of grooming Commercial rent is quite low for the type of place you need and you don't need prime spaces.

Only drawback is if something happens to a dog, some owners are so over protective that they will scream their heads off on social media


But if you get the trust of an owner, they'll be a €40/€50 customer every 2 months. Add in a range of treats and clothing/harnesses/shampoos for the upsell

MissShihTzu

alroley wrote: »

I have looked up City & Guilds, but it is only for the UK as far as I can see?

Try here: http://www.learndoggrooming.ie/dog-grooming-careers.html

Ashtown_biz

Hi all,

I too am interested in becoming a groomer and am planning on starting the IPET level 3 course shortly.

My plan is to set up a grooming studio out my back garden once my practical training is complete.

Has anyone set up their own studio out their back? How have you targeted your local market?

Appreciate any input you can give,

Jx

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122074807#Comment_122074807

Get some “start your own business” education under your belt-there’s likely one in your area run by a government agency. You’ll need to understand tax liability insurance etc - and you’ll likely need planning permission to run a business from your home which will also impact home insurance.

My experience of dog groomers working close by to each other is that there’s a fierce level of competition and no little amount of criticising the competitors when speaking to them on a one to one basis.

Some dog groomers have studied under quite respected groomers in other parts of the country so they state that in their website obviously with the respected groomers permission- this helps them gain a following.

But saying all of that, what one dog owner likes in a dog groomer another will hate. My own dog groomer is very opinionated - she doesn’t do herself any favours sometimes and has lost business as a result - I don’t mind that and she has the best interests in the dog which is key so that’s why I’ve stuck with her but her manner will put some people off.

Your qualifications need to be clearly stated but if you can get a testimony statement from a respected dog groomer outside of your catchment area obviously, this will help too. After that it’s word of mouth - there will definitely be people in your area wanting to change groomers - after that it’s down you if you win them over.

Attending community events like local summer festivals and setting up a stand might be a good way to interact with the public and let people meet you- bring your own dog with you of course

Terrier2023

if you do go into grooming can i just give you my observations. All the groomers about 5 in my area have stopped doing large dogs, i have a large dog 60kg Belgian Shepherd, and as a result i have bought a clippers 300 euro and now have to do him myself. They are refusing large dogs as they take longer and are hard going lifting and maneuvering them . most say due to back trouble. this market will be big as too many have stopped doing them . So groom the bigs dogs too charge more and only do 2 per day i have paid up to 120 / 140 for the service when i could get it.