Learn how to start your dog grooming business at a salon, at home or as a mobile grooming service with Groomarts. We train groomers in London and Hertforshire.
Which business is right for me?
Each year we train hundreds of beginners from all different walks of life; career changers from finance & banking, insurance, logistics, the hotel industry, lawyers, medical staff, ex police force, ex army, and career mums who have been looking after the family and now want their chance to shine, those who are passionate about animals and those just starting out on their career journey. All of our students become successfully qualified. Out of those, 98% will end up successfully running their own business whilst others will work in a Salon.That’s really great news if you are looking start a new career or want to run your own business.
So just what are your options after the course?
Working for yourself
There are 4 main options as follows:-
Working for an employer
Once qualified, you will have a professional AIM Qualifications Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming AND you will have been trained by some of the best teachers and stylists in the world. It is then, no surprise to us that our students are in demand and everyone, from high street salons to Pets at Home are in frequent contact about student availability.
When you are thinking of your business options, one of the main choices that you will consider is what type of business do you actually want? Do you like the idea of being on the road and going to find your business at their doorstep? Do you like the idea of starting small and keeping things comfortable, setting up in your own home or do you feel the desire to have your own salon and making your mark with a brand that can take over the world?
Even if you’re not planning on global domination, knowing your options is key. There are definite benefits and drawbacks to each one, so let’s have a look at the options of each one to help guide you on the path that’s right for you.
Home Pros:
Overheads are small compared to a salon.
You can advertise by word of mouth purely from talk in your local community.
You can choose when you work.
It is a fairly straight forward route into independent business.
You require a smaller range of equipment because you only have a small space to manage.
You don’t have to worry about the commute to and from work.
The dog becomes familiar with their groomer because it is generally just yourself.
You can have a very close community, where neighbours can quickly become regular clients.
Some clients can warm to a smaller business, thinking you will take more care of their dog.
You may have an accessible space already without any additional rental cost.
It’s a stepping stone that can be combined with part time work.
It can tie in if you have children that you need to be at home for.
Home Cons:
You are limited to the number of dogs that can be groomed at one time.
You have to consider the impact you have of disposing grooming waste.
You will spend a lot of time based in a very small space.
You are limited to your options of expanding unless you invest in a salon.
Because you only groom one dog at a time, costs have to be high to make it worth while.
You need to be considerate of your neighbours and consult them with any changes.
You are changing your living space
You don’t have any separation between work and home.
All of your clients will have your home address.
You need to consider planning permissions for any alterations.
Limited opportunities to upsell any additional products.
It can be more difficult to maintain high standards and appear professional in a home environment.
Mobile Pros:
Overheads are very small compared to a salon.
You can advertise by word of mouth purely from driving between clients.
You can choose when you work.
You can be more sure that you have clients available for you because you are driving to them.
You require a smaller range of equipment because you only have a small space to manage.
Dogs are generally lower stressed because they are groomed outside of their home environment.
They’re also able to generally have one groomer for each dog, which increases dog comfort and consistency.
Franchise opportunities
Mobile Cons:
You are limited to the number of dogs that can be groomed at one time.
You have to consider the impact you have of disposing grooming waste.
You will spend a lot of time based in a very small space, including behind a wheel.
You are limited to your options of expanding unless you can invest in more vans.
Because you only groom one dog at a time, costs have to be high to make it worth while.
Travel and maintenance of your mobile salon have a big impact on your business.
To make substantial money, you have to work very long hours.
Salon Pros:
You have a big opportunity to make a significant profit quickly.
You can hire other groomers and expand your business.
You can groom multiple dogs at once.
You are generally lower priced than mobile groomers because you don’t have to factor in travel costs.
You can also upsell additional services if you have the space or products in-line with your brand and business.
If designed well, clients feel they are taking their dog to a reputable place and expect a high professional standard.
You can have a fairly structured grooming routine that is essential for dog compliance.
Significant franchise opportunities.
Salon Cons:
Your overheads are significantly bigger than the other options.
You need to be aware of planning permissions and usage categories when renting or owning a salon for business.
How you design your brand needs to be very carefully thought out to target the market that you are after. In a salon, this appearance can either gain or lose business.
There is generally a bigger area to manage.
You will have to multitask the running of administration and reception tasks with grooming.
Salons, with multiple dogs and more equipment can be a lot noisier.
Your market will only be as big as those that can pick up and drop off their dogs unless you choose to expand the service you offer.
Starting up can feel like a never-ending list of items and an ever-increasing investment into your future. To help you understand the full extent of your costs, here is a list of equipment that is useful to your start up and an approximate cost for each item.
Equipment
What it is for?
Approximate average cost (£)
Shampoo
You’ll need a range of shampoos to deal with skin conditions and coat types.
£25 per 4l bottle(prices range between £10 and £80 per bottle)
Clippers
Whether you go for corded or cordless, clippers are an essential tool for every groomer for quick, effective consistent grooming.
£200(prices range from £130-£350)
Clipper blades
You’ll need a range of these, including 30, 10, 8.5, 7F, 7, 6F, 6, 5F, 5, 4F, 4, 3F, 3, 2F, 2.
£30 per blade
Comb attachment
Comb attachments will attach to blade number 30, 15 and 10 and using attachment size 1-8.
£20-£50 per set
Clipper Oil
To make sure your clipper blades stay working well.
£7 per 500ml
Colognes and Perfumes
To give each dog a fantastic smell that each client can associate with your business.
Ear Powder
To help clear out and disinfect ears.
£6.50 for 25g
Nail Clippers
To keep their nails clipped and free from infection
£18 for a set of 3
Blood stopper
To manage little nips and cuts to the dog.
£8
Slicker brushes
To brush out and de-matt hair
£12-£25 for 3
De-shedding tools
To help remove the undercoat in short and medium coats
£40 for 2
Combs
To help de-tangle and brush hair when it is needing to be styled and is less tangled
£8.50
Coat King
To remove the undercoat on longer coated dogs.
£15-£20 each
Finishing Dryer
To dry the dog after a wash and removing excess water, ready for a groom.
£400-£700 each
Blaster
To remove excess water after an initial wash before using the finishing dryer.
£200-£800 each
Scissors
This can be a huge range but to cover the basics of a straight, curved and thinning pair to help style and shape.
£250 for 3, however, with experience this can be over £1000
Grooming table
This can be hydraulic or set to a particular height. Having one that moves is useful for your back and the health of the dog, but is up to you.
£100-£500 (non-hydraulic)£400-£1000 (hydraulic)
Bath
Once again, there are a huge range available and the cost is affected by bath size and material used.
£400-£1000
Steriliser
To sterilize your metallic equipment.
£80
Leads and Nooses
To restrain and maintain safe control of each dog
£80 for a set
Cages
This is dependent on how long you wish to hold your dogs and the space you have to hold the dogs in.
£35-£350 per cage
Bath equipment
This would including a mitt, a sponge, a jug and combs specific for hygiene areas
£50 for a set
The idea of setting up your own business can be incredibly exciting but it can also be a bit daunting. Tackling the thoughts of “will it work?” and “can I afford this?” are difficult but can be overcome by knowing exactly how to prepare and we’re here to help you.
Find a comprehensive list of everything that you will need to consider when setting up your own business below.
TABS
DON’T be the cheapest or undersell yourself DO understand what other businesses in your area are charging DO understand your target market and local area
For your business, whether starting small and just doing a friend’s Pomeranian in your own home or hand stripping in fantastic brand new facilities, you need to understand your pricing to be able to get the most from your area. There are several steps to making sure that you do this at the right level.
Firstly, research your local area; find out what people are charging; find out the range of services that are on offer where you want to work; know your market and your competition.
Secondly, do not be tempted to price yourself low. There are many groomers that do not go through proper training and sometimes experience doesn’t equal quality and it can equal complacency. Have faith in your training.
Thirdly, think of what is a reasonable mark up. Set out a business plan and look at your accounts properly. You need to be able to comfortably make profit from what you are doing. Yes, it is important to gain customers but by aiming to low you can make yourself very busy without any real profit. On the other hand, by pricing too high, you make mark yourself out of getting the custom through your doors.
Lastly, think of your USP. If you are going to be pricing yourself either similar to somebody else, or at a more expensive rate, what separates you from them? You hold a nationally recognized qualification and have trained with the best but what else can help you within your market?
These pricings are a suggestion and a rough guideline to where you can price your services. This doesn’t factor in the price difference in your local area or the time or overheads that you will need to think about when sorting your price structure. This also doesn’t include up-selling and additional services that you may wish to charge for. If you haven’t thought of this option, please see our adding services section.
Extra small dogs from £25 to £35. For example, Pugs and Pomeranians
Small dogs from £30 to £40. For example, Shih Tzu, Miniature Schnauzer and West Highland White Terriers
Medium dogs from £35 to £45. For example, Cocker Spaniels, Cockerpoo’s and Schnauzer
Large dogs from £45. For example, German Shepherd, Samoyed and Standard Poodle
Extra large dogs from £65. For example, Bernese mountain dogs, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard and Great Dane
Hand stripping from £40 (Groomarts offer a hand stripping course to help improve groomers techniques)
What additional services can I offer?
Additional services to consider:
Painting nails If customers are pampering their pooch, why not give them the option for a pristine finish and protection of their dog’s nails with a fantastic varnish. You can even style them further with a fantastic range of colours and patterns, all of which will be acetone free. It’s a great way for customers to show they care without piling on the calories for their furry friend. It is also a great way of adding a sense of style and additional service to the overall groom.
Clipping nails Clipping a dog’s nails is an essential part of it’s maintenance and something that can be a clear add-on opportunity. If a dog’s nails are left to grow too long, it can affect their foot formation and also how their quick grows. This can be uncomfortable for the dog and as a groomer, is a service that you can offer very quickly, even for those dogs that aren’t in for a full groom.
Ear cleaning Ear cleaning is very similar to clipping a dog’s nails. This is really imperative for certain breeds of dogs because they are much more likely to collect dirt and create the environment for breeding bacteria and holding parasites in unclean ears. For a dog’s health, this can be part of the standard grooming process.
Gland expression This is an optional service that is given to dogs that are unable to release the build up of fluid; they would usually use this to mark their territory. This is usually when a dog has been spayed or neutered. To reduce this build up, which can cause an uncomfortable, smelly, compacted area, you as the groomer can externally clear the glands.
Teeth descaling A dog’s teeth are fundamental for their health and a build up of plaque can lead to issues with eating and infection. You can make sure your customer’s dog has a healthy set of gnashers by offering a descaling service. This is something that requires specialist knowledge, equipment and training.
Perfume and a quick freshen up This is a service that most people will jump at the chance to have and will choose to have time and time again. People respond strongly to smells and having a distinct smell can say a lot about you as a brand and also help associate a good cut and service with your name and that specific fragrance.
Brushes and combs Most pet owners could and should be encouraged to do a bit of maintenance within their own homes. Unfortunately, lots of owners will be happy to use their own hairbrush or to buy one specific for humans. This isn’t effective in being able to groom a dog’s hair properly and can actually add to the knotting and matting that a dog has. By using specialist brushes and combs, you are ensuring that your owners are happy and the dog’s coat condition should generally be better.
Flea kit Although severe treatment should be carried out by vets, flea treatment and flea kits are commonly needed for dogs, especially those that regularly come into contact with other dogs. This is something can be easily used and shows that you are concerned for the welfare and give the customer an easier option than going to the vets.
Consumables This is a fantastic choice. Find me a dog that doesn’t like treats or even more importantly, find me a dog that won’t eat! Consumables are easy options that can be matched to your brand and in a similar way to parents with children, owners will want to purchase a treat for their pets. This can be bought time and time again, which makes it a smart choice for your business.
Perfumes Perfumes are luxury items for both humans and dogs and are a great way of giving every dog that comes into your business a sense of identity. Owners will like to have something that helps their dog smell clean and fresh and give them the chance to be seen as “I get groomed here”.
Toys For owners, the idea that they are stimulating their pet is hugely important. Using toys to play with them and to help socialising skills are highly effective. This commodity is a great way of helping in still an active lifestyle for the dogs and the owners that come through your doors plus also work really well as gifts for other owners too.
Not everyone wants to be a dog groomer, but if you’ve been inspired by BBC’s Pooch Perfect, carry on reading …
Dog grooming can become a rewarding and lucrative career choice for the right person. It can be fun and can offer relative freedom and flexibility.
It means learning a new skill or if you have taken a career break, then now is the time to refresh your skills.
Dog groomers are lucky in that they can work from home if there’s space. Some choose to go mobile with a van while others rent space in a dog grooming salon. The most positive aspect is the pooches you will meet, make friends with and help become spruced up and looking fabulous.
Elements to remember are the physical aspect of the role, and patience is not only a virtue but an essential skill: some dogs take up to 4 hours for a complete groom. The best courses allow you to enrol with little or no previous experience in the dog grooming profession.
The right course will provide you with everything you need, from identifying canine anatomy to choosing the right equipment. Other key aspects include health and safety, first aid, bathing, brushing and trimming, how to get rid of groom waste correctly, and everything in-between. The best courses will teach you principles, practices and techniques.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR GROOMING BUSINESS ON A BUDGET | Pet grooming | Small business