Career change to dog groomer

[Salvia89]

🐶 CAREER CHANGE TO DOG GROOMING 🐶

Has anyone here successfully changed career to be a dog groomer? If so I’m very interested to know what it’s really like, especially in terms of pay.

I live in the south east and the dog groups I’m part of on Facebook are always full of people asking for groomer recommendations, as they can’t find one with space in the next 6 weeks, so obviously there’s plenty of demand.

I have worked in dog rescue, assessing and training difficult dogs in the past, so am confident in dealing with behavioural issues.

I would be looking to be self employed (set up in a converted garage in the garden) rather than an employee.

For those that have taken the plunge, how much are you making once established and how does your work life balance look? What are the best and worse bits?

Can’t help directly but a friend did it and eventually gave up as she found it difficult to make a decent living. It probably depends on competition in your area to some extent though (or lack of).
do you watch the girl with the dogs on YouTube? I love her videos.
you sound pretty well qualified with animals but wouldn’t you need some formal training? Some of the stuff that the girl with the dogs does is quite technical and a lot of it is understanding the different coats of different breeds.

It's frankly a bitch of a job. Does not pay well and whatever you set your rates at someone will always undercut you. I know two people with serious health problems directly related to the leaning, lifting, chemicals, and so forth. Plus people can be so very rude.
Saying that though, if you can keep your overheads minimal and don't need to rely on the income it can be fun to spend time with (most) dogs.

My friend is a mobile dog groomer so she goes to the client's houses sets up her table and attachments etc so she has travel expenses but the offset is no mess in her own home. You will need insurance and training and of course the initial outlay of equipment. She is always busy and loves the job as she's sociable and chatty and she works around school hours so it suits her being self employed setting her own hours again downside being no sick/holiday pay.

I agree with Frazzled - you will need to train to be taken seriously. It's not an easy job and there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

I don't think the OP is suggesting she wouldn't need or be getting training. Or that there isn't a lot to it.

My next door neighbour is a dog groomer out of her converted garage. She always seems busy. She has an active Facebook page which seems to generate interest in her business.

I think with the cost of living crisis currently that’s the kind of expense people will cut out unfortunately.

Yes would definitely need the training and outlay of equipment etc.. that’s not a problem.

I’m glad for @Frazzled2207 and @ImJustNotMeAnymore ‘s posts as that’s what my spider senses are telling me.

I know I’d be good at it.. I’m good with dogs and people and would be able to do my accounts etc, but it’s whether in reality it would be a hard slog and ultimately not much fun for minimal pay.

I’m currently on £40k in a boring, frustrating but ultimately easy job that has flexibility around school pick-ups etc. I’m deeply unfulfilled in it, BUT can’t deny that I’ve got it pretty good in many respects.

I was in a similar situation to you and got made redundant. Set up my own business (not dog grooming), made a bit of money but not nearly enough really to account for the stress (not that bad) and general responsibility (was that bad). I enjoyed the work but found it a lonely experience and absolutely hated the social media promotion part (some people love that part, I really didn’t). Pandemic saw the back of the business and am
mow broadly back where I started. Not great generally but works for our family and I joined a new company which means the works is much more interesting (for now) than it was.
I think you’ve got it pretty good tbh. By al means have a stab at running a business but only if you’re totally committed. In my case being made redundant and getting a hefty pay off helped. I never would have done otherwise. No regrets at all though it was a useful learning experience.

Thanks @Frazzled2207 . I actually had a very promising business (completely unrelated) that was beginning to flourish but then got completely wiped out by covid.

I don’t think I’ll go back to that specific business model, but feel like I definitely have it in me to do something that isn’t soul destroyingly dull. Be that setting up a business or retraining to do something that’s at least a bit more fun.

The killer is getting the balance right with earnings, flexibility and enjoyment!

Depends how much you need/want to earn. I dog groom from my garage. £50 per medium dog. I usually do 5 a day but love the fact I can take a morning/day off when I want. I sometimes do extra evenings and then take time off when kids are off.
I'm a single parent so works really well for me being at home all the time too.

A woman I know did this. Was a primary teacher but gave it up. She did a course then some unpaid work to get experience. She went part time with her teaching and set up her dog grooming business. Eventually left teaching all together and did the grooming full time.
She has a thriving business. Never going to make her millions but was enough for a comfortable lifestyle.

Go for it!

I'm friends with both our local dog groomers - they're both incredibly successful, set their own hours and never struggle for clients or money.

It can be quite physical though especially if you take giant breeds.

I would think carefully about it. To match your current income and flexibility will be hard.

Grooming is a physically hard lonely job. Most groomers I know have back issues and are desperate to get out of it. I train trainers and nearly 80% of enquiries are groomers trying to get into training rather than grroming.

You will spend a lot of time on your own with dogs who may or may not want to be with you. You will not have a lot of human contact just dropping off and picking up.

Linke any business initial startup costs equipment and training will be expensive although not a reason not to do it.

Think of the actual work involved standing still for hours with your armsabove your waist brushing washing and picking. Nearly all groomers I know have back issues.

It is not an easy job nor is it a huge money making job