Do you have these questions in your mind?
- Is pet grooming a good business idea?
- Is dog grooming a profitable business?
- How do I start a successful pet grooming business?
- Equipment needed to start a dog grooming business?
- Where do dog groomers make the most money?
- How do you start a dog grooming business at home?
- Dog grooming business license requirements
- How to start Mobile dog grooming business?
In this article, you will find answers to all your questions. So please grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What is the Pet Grooming Business?
With a global value of around $10 billion, pet grooming is one of the most popular and trending pet industries in the world right now.
Pet grooming businesses mainly encourage good health and hygiene of pets. A pet grooming business includes bathing, trimming, haircutting, de-ticking, etc.
As a pet groomer, you must also monitor the hygiene and safety of the pets. Pet grooming is a standard service provided with love and care to pets.
It is a significant part of modern culture & is profitable; congratulations on your decision to start a Pet Grooming business.
Market Insight: In 2024, pet owners will spend $12+ billion on their pets.
Types of Pet Grooming business models
The best way to choose the Pet Grooming Business Plan is by checking the demand for your service in the area & how much you can invest.
Let’s go through Pet Grooming business models so that you may decide accordingly:
- Pet Grooming Shop / Salon
Brick-and-mortar is the best way to earn profit. However, it is expensive due to rent, staff, and more equipment is required as you get good mass in the shop.
- Mobile pet grooming business
Mobile grooming is becoming popular day by day. It is convenient for pet owners as they don’t have to travel to a particular salon.However, you will have to work in a small space for long hours & fuel charges also cost high.
- Home pet grooming
Operating from home can be a good idea. You get the benefit of working according to your convenience; however, you must be sure of a few things.Your home location should be easy to commute to, cooperative, and the locality should have pets that can be your potential customers.
- Kennel Boarding / Daycare
It is where dog owners can pay to have their dogs looked after while away. In this business, you get flexibility in timings.
You need good space to start this; it will be hectic to manage it sometimes as it requires long hours to support these pets.
Is the Pet Grooming business right for me?
Let’s go through some pros of a pet grooming business:
- Trending and very flexibile business model
- Attracting customers is easy
- Do not require much staff
- You can get multiple options to earn.
- The company can operate from the front of a store.
- It can become a mobile business.
- You are your boss!
- Rewarding work.
Now let’s go through some cons of a pet grooming business:
- Startup costs are generally expensive.
- Have to be knowledgable with animal laws & insurance.
- It’s a physical and active work.
- You have to manage difficult animal behaviours.
- Bites and injuries.
- Long days and weekends to accommodate your client’s needs.
Trends & Challenges of the Pet Grooming Industry?
Some of the trends are:
- Organic products are more in demand now to keep pets healthy.
- People treat their pets as family members, which has increased sales of pet care products.
- Pet spa is also gaining popularity these days.
- Luxury products for pets are also getting online attention.
Some of the challenges are:
- Highly Competitive market
- Sometimes it isn’t easy to abide by government policies
- Competition is high
- It will help if you are tactful with aggressive pets.
- Injury to the pet makes you liable to the pet and the owner.
How much investment is required to start a Pet Grooming Business?
Starting a Pet Grooming business isn’t very expensive. However, it will cost you nearly $10K – $50K.
Here is the approximate expense breakup:
- Wages & salaries
- Equipment
- Rent
- Van/truck
- Fuel
- Insurance
- Electricity
- Telephone
- Office Supplies
- Repairs
- Licenses
- Property Taxes
- Loans if any
- Advertisement Costs
- Office & Administration
- Utilities
- Water Bill
- Storage
- Taxes
- Other Supplies
How much does a Pet Grooming Business make?
The average Pet Grooming Salon generally earns about $85-$300 per dog, not including tips.
Some of the top pet grooming companies in the UK and the USA:
- Groom Dog City
- Pet Universe
- Purplebone
- Top-notch Pet Spa
- Graceful Top Grooming
- Top Dog Grooming
The Business Cycle:
During Valentine’s Day, Halloween, New year, Thanks Giving, and Pet Shows, there is a high demand for pet grooming. We can say that the pet grooming business is not seasonal; however, it might sometimes vary due to a few factors.
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A typical day in a Pet Grooming Business
- Dealing with clients
- Picking clients’ bookings
- Checking inventories
- Preparing workstation
- Attending pets and their owners
- Cleaning workstations
- Cleaning towels and equipment
- Grooming pets
- Maintaining the safety and hygiene of pets
- Managing accounts, payroll, expenses, etc.
- Accepting complaints and feedback from clients
Find a good location:
To open a pet shop, you need to find an economic space. Shop space depends on the decision of how big your business will be.
Select a locality which has more population & gives you more footfall. If the business location is within your budget, it will be easy for you to establish.
Opportunities in a Pet Grooming Business
Here are a few opportunities which will help you in your business:
- Owners of pets usually don’t get time to groom their pets. They love their pets and are concerned about their hygiene also.
- Elderly pet owners are not capable of physically grooming their pets.
- Pet shops sometimes offer a grooming service to their customers, but sometimes they can’t do it themselves.
- The vet also refers customers to pet owners.
How much should I charge my customer?
Getting the price right is very critical. You should charge just the justified amount that covers all your expenses but within a similar range to your competitors so that it's affordable for your customer and makes you look competitive in the market.
If you are using high-quality equipment or specialized services, you need to keep premium pricing and categorization for your assistance.
Checklist of essential equipment used in a Pet Grooming Business.
You’ll need to research brands while buying equipment for your business. It will help you to provide the best of your services.
Here is the list of basic items you’ll need for your pet grooming business:
- Combs and brushes
- Towels
- Shampoo
- Clippers and attachments
- Scissors
- Grooming table
- Bath or sink
- Blaster
- Varying head cones for nervous animals
- Deshedding tools
- Crates
- Cleaning equipment
- Toys and treats
- Grooming tables
- First-Aid box
Service List of a Pet Grooming Business
To be organized, you must make a list once you decide on your services.
Set your rates that are affordable and are in a similar range to local pet groomers to ensure your business is competitive.
Most groomers provide services as-
- Bathing services
- Brushing
- Eye and ear cleaning
- Hair trimming
- Nail trimming
- Teeth brushing
- De-shedding treatments
- Anal gland expression
- Dematting treatment
TIP- It is necessary to listen to & understand customers’ needs before you start grooming the pet. Try to get an estimate of the time you will spend per pet to pick the number of customers accordingly.
Tips for Growing your Pet Grooming Business
- Give timely discounts
- If the owner brings more than one animal, then offer a discount
- Rebates can be offered to senior citizens
- Reward loyal customers with occasional discounts
- Your prices should be affordable & less than your competitors
- Always offer a better level of service
- Keep a well-trained staff, and give timely training
- Premises should be easy to commute
- Value customer relationships
- Send timely offers via social media, and emails
- Build a Positive Personality
- Attend workshops, conventions, trade shows, and lectures; it can be great to build new skills and become connected within the industry.
Here are additional services you can provide for extra income:
- Pet Sitting
- Pet Food
- Homemade Pet Treats
- Pet Clothes
- Doggy Daycare
- Dog Walking
- Pet Supplies
- Pet Products
- Dog Training
- Pet Boarding
- Build an Online Pet Store
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Qualifications & Certifications required for Pet Grooming Business
In most countries, pet groomers don’t require long time-consuming training; you can take part in short-term accredited / diploma courses.
You will at least need a high school diploma to be a pet groomer. That is the minimum educational requirement in the US, as per BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
However, In the UK, there is no such restriction for minimum educational requirements.
You can do an accredited / diploma course, where they will train you in the following:
- Pet grooming
- Breed-specific haircuts
- How to handle aggressive animals
- Nail trimming
- Ear cleaning
Maintenance, Hygiene, and Quality Control
Running a business takes a lot of work. It needs lots of determination to maintain quality & standards as agreed by the law.
These disciplines keep you organized & maintain your business without any chaos.
Below are the top parameters for maintenance and quality control –
- Check all the equipment works fine every month
- Maintenance & repair of the studio every 6 months
- Everyday cleaning of hobs & counter
- Disposing of daily garbage
- Pest control
- Ensuring good quality equipment is used
Buy an existing business or franchise model or start from scratch
There are several pros and cons of both the business model you can choose among both based on your goals and objectives:
If you go for a franchise business –
- You get an established brand name
- You get a ready-made customer base
- Plans and processes are well set and simplified
- Don’t have to worry about marketing or advertising
If you start a business from scratch –
- You get to create your recognition and name
- You set your plans and processes
- You are your boss
- Full credit for the company goes to you
- You can scale your business by giving your franchise
Conclusion
Yes, Pet Grooming Business is a good idea; the profits are rewarding.
Pamper your way to success by starting a pet grooming business. With the proper training and marketing strategy, you can turn your love for animals into a profitable and rewarding enterprise, providing valuable services to pet owners in your community.
Offer different services, as customers need varieties per their pet. Try to provide customers with a full range of services that best suit their pets. Other than Grooming, offer your customer other extra services.
Remember, Grooming isn’t just a job; it’s a chance to make a difference in furry friends’ lives.
Want to Save Time in your Business Launch?
- How to Create a Business Plan
- What is Market Research, USP, Niche & Positioning
- How to find a suitable name for your business
- How to create your brand image (Logo + Branding)
- How to Register Your Business
- How to Register for Taxes
- How to get Licenses / Permits
- How to Open a Business Bank Account
- How to Get Business Insurance
- Which Payment Processing Terminal (POS) to buy
- How to get Funds for your Business
- How to do Sales & Marketing – Offline & Online
- Why have a Website / Blog / Social Media
- How to build & train your Dream Team
- How to provide Excellent Customer Service
- Buying an Old Business Vs Franchisee Vs Own Brand from Scratch
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A. In the year 2021, around $124 billion was spent on pets in the US and as per PFMA, and around 30+ million pets in the UK.
Annually, pet owners do spend £7+ billion on pets.
A. Some of the basic expertise
- Passion to take care of animals
- A calm & loving nature
- Smart in handling things with patience
- Interact positively
- Focus on business
- To manage & organize things perfectly
A. If you have sufficient space & equipment, it’s definitely possible to run a pet grooming business from your own home.
Operating from home saves rent and traveling time. However, it’s advisable to refer to your local laws for updated rules and regulations to avoid any penalties.
A. General steps involved in pet grooming:
1. Brush and comb the pet’s coat to remove tangles and mats.
2. Use high-quality shampoo and conditioner appropriate for the pet’s breed and skin type.
3. Dry them using a towel or a blow dryer on a low heat setting.
4. Clean the pet’s ears using an ear cleaner and a cotton ball or pad.
5. Brush the pet’s teeth with toothbrush and paste formulated for pets.
6. Check the pet’s eyes and clean away any discharge or debris.
7. Check the pet’s anus and clean away any dirt or debris.
8. Trim the pet’s coat as needed, using scissors or clippers.
9. Give the pet a pet-friendly cologne or coat conditioner to leave them smelling fresh and clean.
A. No specific qualifications are required to start a pet grooming business. However, it is generally recommended that aspiring pet groomers have a strong knowledge of animal anatomy, behaviour, and grooming techniques.
Pet groomers may also choose to become certified by a professional organization, such as the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA) or the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP).
A. Pet groomers typically work with a variety of pets, such as:
1. Dogs
2. Cats
3. Rabbits
4. Guinea pigs
5. Birds.
6. Horses and farm animals
In the pet grooming business, it’s advisable to have employees who excel in the skill of grooming to wide range of pet animals.
