Pet Grooming: Start a Dog Grooming Business
The dog grooming industry is highly competitive and challenging. However practitioners enjoy good patronage huge returns. Things to consider before starting the business is training, equipment, lease and licensing.
What is Dog Grooming?
Dog grooming involves cleaning, brushing, trimming dog nails. Other services are cleaning ears, treating fleas, teeth brushing, and haircut.
- cleaning
- brushing
- trimming dog nails
- cleaning ears
- treating fleas
- teeth brushing
- haircut
Steps to Start a Dog Grooming Business
The first step is to write a business plan, carry out a feasibility study. Study the competition, form a legal entity, get tax identification number.
Other requirements are open a company account, setup accounting software, get permits, certification or license. Purchase equipment, get insurance cover, vehicle, staff and marketing.
Steps
- write a business plan
- carry out a feasibility study
- Study the competition
- form a legal entity
- get tax identification number
- open a company account
- setup accounting software
- get permits
- certification or license
- purchase equipment
- get insurance cover
- vehicle
- staff
- marketing
License or Certification
A professional needs a certification to practice the trade. However in most countries there are no regulations for licensing or certification and join a national grooming association.
To acquire certification there are online/offline dog grooming courses. Find a grooming institution that offer certification for professional training. Groomer apprenticeship is another way to gain experience, knowledge of the business.
Pet Grooming Funding
Dog grooming requires huge funds for startup. Startup cost to consider are supplies, rent, utilities, grooming equipment. Mobile operators need a vehicle, permit, hand tools. Funding options are personal savings, loans, grants, partnership.
Groomer Loans
Loan for groomers are small business administrator loan, bank loan, private lending. Others are non-traditional loans, asset based loans, cash flow funding like merchant cash advance.
- SBA loans
- Bank loan
- Private lending
- Non-traditional loans
- Asset based loans
- Cash flow funding
- Merchant cash advance
Dog Grooming Income
Income generated are capital, loans and grants. Others are cash realized from sales, VAT repayments, cash from debtors and other income.
- Capital
- Loans
- Grants
- cash from sales
- VAT repayments
- cash from debtors
Dog Grooming Expenditure
Expenditure covers rent, value added tax, wages, licensing. Others are payment to creditors, tax, stationery, advertisement and postage.
More expenditure are utilities like water rate, heat, lighting, telecommunications, and cash purchases. You have leasing payments, capital expenditure, general expenses, insurance cover, professional fees, travel and motor expenses.
Expenditure
- Rent
- Value added tax
- Wages
- Licensing
- Payment to creditors
- Tax
- Stationery
- Advertisement
- Postage
- Utilities
- Telecommunications
- Cash purchases
- Leasing payments
- Capital expenditure
- General expense
- Insurance cover
- Professional fees
- Travel and motor expenses
Business Type
An entrepreneur needs to determine the business format. There are three ways to run a grooming business. The first way is to lease a shop and operate from a location. Second method is mobile grooming service while the third method is to offer both onsite and mobile service.
Mobile Grooming
Mobile grooming requires an operational vehicle or transportation. Buy hand tools, equipment that fit with the services.
Professional Dog Grooming Equipment
Professional dog grooming equipment many and pricy. The individual should focus on supplies that supports the type of grooming customers expect. Focus on cleaning, cutting, drying, styling brushing items.
Common equipment are dog dryers, cages, worktables, pet tubs. Buy body care products like pet conditioner, wipes, pet shampoos, teeth or paw care. Others are odor eliminator, pet colognes, perfumes, dental care, finishing spray anti-shed
Dog Grooming Tools
The professional needs an assortment of dog grooming tools. Tools to consider are scissors, blenders, brushes, rakes, combs. Others are pumps, bottles, leads, chokers, tool totes and towels. More are strippers, razor, shapers, clippers, chains, dog restraints.
Tools
- Scissors
- Blenders
- Brushes
- Rakes
- Combs
- Pumps
- Bottles
- Leads
- Chokers
- Tool totes
- Towels
- Strippers
- Razor
- Shapers
- Clippers
- Chains
- Dog restraints
Dog Grooming Equipment
Stock store accessories, sprayers, vac system, stools and chairs. Others are equipment accessories, drying cages, grooming table, steam clean system, floor mats grooming arms.
- Sprayers
- Vac system
- Stools
- Chairs
- Drying cages
- Grooming table
- Steam clean system
- Floor mats
- Grooming arms
Marketing
Marketing considerations include advertisement, social media channels, and online posts. Use television advertisement, radio, billboards, posters, flyers. Leverage on instagram, Facebook, twitter other social sharing platforms. Build a website, blog or guest post on related niche.
- television advertisement
- radio
- billboards
- posters
- flyers
- Website
- Blog
- Guest post
- Word of mouth
Pricing
Price is determined based on weight of dog, breed and service rendered. Make sure the price is competitive and close to what the competitors offer. Price estimated on weight are 14bs-$20, 25ibs-$25, 35ibs-$35, 50ibs-$45. Others are 60ibs-$50, 70ibs-$55, 80ibs-$55, 90ibs-$60.
| Dog Rooming Service | Price |
| Self Service | $11 – $23 |
| Local Shop Service | $40 – $75 |
| Mobile Service | $75 |
Dog Grooming Price List
A groomer should have a price list for services. They charge $10 for teeth brushing, $10 gland expression. 410 nail trim.
Others are $10 ear cleaning, $15 buffing/ Nail trim, $15 tick and flea treatment. More are $7 nail polish, Blueberry facial $5, palm balm $5. Full service charges for small dogs is $40 while full service for large dogs is $75.
| Price List | Cost |
| Buffing and nail trim | $15 |
| Nail polish | $7 |
| Blueberry facial | $5 |
| Flea treatment | $15 |
| Teeth brushing | $10 |
| Gland expression | $10 |
| Palm balm | $5 |
Price based on breed
Charge $40 for Maltese, Yorkshire, Pug, Shih Tzu, Dachshund or Chihuahua. Toy Poodle, Dachshund, Schnauzer, Terrier attract $50.
Charge $60 for American Eskimo, Wheaten Terrier, Collie and Cocker Spaniel. German shepherds, old English, standard poodle cost $80. Golden Retriever, Lab Retriever, Australian Shepherd cost $70. While large dogs like Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Great Pyrenees cost from $100.
