Member Article

Work and Have Fun in a Dog Grooming Business

Why spend your days without end in a boring office when you love dogs and have a natural gift for grooming them? A dog grooming business may be the right choice for a dog lover who knows he or she can get along with most dogs and knows how to groom them. It may be a tricky job to do though, but for the right, patient person, it may develop into a dream come true.

Many people nowadays keep beautiful dogs which need a lot of grooming, like cutting their nails or hair into various looks, or just can’t get them into the bath tub to clean them. This is when they decide to take their pets to a professional dog salon, so this need may be the starting point of your business.

Learn about dog grooming and training

Dog training skills are a great asset when considering this job, as you need to communicate firmly with your furry “clients” and make sure they do listen to you. You may learn all by yourself from training books found in book stores or online forums, or you may need to enroll into a pet grooming training program, to demonstrate them you also have the skill not only the dedication needed to care after their four-legged babies. This depends on the area you live in and, most of all, the clients around you.

Each breed has its specific care needs, as well as dogs of the same breed, depending on whether they are show dogs or just family companions. Show dogs may require specific haircuts to meet the breed’s standards, so this is vital information for any dog groomer.

But, besides training and grooming, you must also consider tips on marketing and how to get started.

Choose the perfect location

Your dog grooming business should always feel like home, for the dogs to feel calm and comfortable. Your location must also be visible and accessible to customers, but the great advantage is that you won’t need to begin with a wide, fully-equipped parlor.

If you lack the resources, you can always begin working from home and grooming your friends’ dogs. If they are happy, then you gained your first clients, who will surely recommend you to other dog owners they know. When you manage to save some profit, you can begin expanding your business to a dedicated place and acquire new and upgraded dog grooming equipment.

Animal Wellbeing

It’s not hard to learn how to develop a business by setting your place and make it look appealing or by getting the necessary equipment. But you must always keep in mind that your play dolls are alive and they also have something to say about this.

Choose your staff wisely and make sure they do know how to treat dogs to make them feel at ease. Dog lovers with training and grooming skills are the best option when it comes to hiring new helping hands. You may even try their hand at handling present dogs at the time of their interview, or find out if they own any pets to make an idea on how well they understand a dog-human relationship.

Also, always choose the best products available that are created for dogs. Baby shampoos may work from time to time, but it is always best to use dedicated products. Search for the least aggressive shampoos or lotions, but also keep in mind that you need to have products that can be used for every skin or hair type.

Personalized service

There are some dog grooming stores that offer self-service opportunities. This means they allow you to use their professional products and equipment to make your dog look and feel good. This way, he would be more calm and confident because he is being handled by someone he knows.

Also, constantly seek your clients’ needs and ask them for feedback whenever you feel the need. This way, you make sure that your dog grooming business offers the best service for your specific customers, no matter what general guidelines successful books or business coaches teach you.

Medicinal products are a good thing to have if you know dogs in your area may suffer from any specific problem, so always ask new customers about their dog’s specific needs and sensitivity to any ingredient. For frequent clients, a database with specific skin issues or treatments will help ensure your staff has access to the dog’s history and give him the most appropriate care.

Social events

Bubble bath parties with tasty pup treats are a lovely way to spend an afternoon, let’s say once a month. They are a fun way to relax, for both dogs and owners, and why not, a great way to nurture new relationships between people. Dogs would clearly have a great time, but you must make sure they are properly socialized before bringing them all together.

Never ditch passion for profit

Many business owners tend to focus only on the money and try a lot of direct strategies to earn more income. But when you really love what you do and you only focus on making your work more beautiful, everyone around would sense this and profit is sure to come easier. Every effort is done with great love and dedication to the benefit of your clients, who always notice the difference between a profit-oriented business and a passion-generated one.

The saying “choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” works just well with this activity as well. A dog grooming business is a great and fun way of earning nice income, but can also be challenging. Dogs never talk and cannot say what they like or not, so you need to learn their body language and read their emotional state from every sound or move they make. You only need the will and dedication, and the rest will come by itself.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by AndrewM .