Help!

Sparx

Agreed we have 5-6 popular dog groomers round here, all constantly booked up for 2+ months at a time.

I've seen a few more on Facebook local but they are just start-ups, little experience so not as popular or booked with.

System

Parents recently closed their dog grooming business after a successful 30 years doing it. They've seen countless in the area start up, their customers try the new ones only to return and within months the new places have closed.

To stand a chance of surviving you have to be good, you need to know what breed standards are and groom to those. But guess what, these direct courses don't teach you that, they teach you the basics which is why ones done with a reputable grooming parlour is worth the money because you learn what you actually need to know..

The bloody good ones are rammed out with customers, the rest are scratting around doing basic bath and trim for next to nowt barely making minimum wage after expenses.

tetley

Totally agree with the above poster, my wife has a successful dog grooming business and is sick to the back teeth of young upstarts with a 3 month course behind them who think they know it all. They start up by undercutting everybody else in the area, leave a trail of misery behind them, and then leave the area.
Take your £4500 and spend it WITH a groomer, find one OUT of your area who would be prepared to take you on as a trainee, far better than any college course that has very loose links with city and Guilds.

blueberry5

If you can find a college locally that offers the course, student finance now help with the costs of tuition fees on college courses.

Caroline_a

I think one of the important things about being a groomer is to be consistent. One of my dogs needs hand stripping, and as it's a specialist job not many groomers do it. I had the same groomer for 5 years and although she seemed to be getting a little more expensive each time, she'd always been ok. The last time she groomed him she rang me to say she had a few slots left before Christmas and did i want her to fit him in. I hadn't really thought about it but said yes. She rushed it - I was really surprised when she said he was ready so soon, and when I got him back and had a good look I could see that she'd just gone over him with clippers - a real no-no with his type of coat. I've since found another groomer, all trust went with that one groom.

gill37

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

Waste of time and money - if you haven't got it to throw away please don't borrow it for this.

Can i ask why you say this? Is it the qualification thats a waste of money or the dog grooming job that would be a waste of time etc

jonesMUFCforever

gill37 wrote: »

Can i ask why you say this? Is it the qualification thats a waste of money or the dog grooming job that would be a waste of time etc

Paying that kind of money for a piece of paper!
IMO get a job with an existing dog groomer and build up experience.

I don't think dog grooming is a waste of time.

(To be honest before you ask the question YES i think some degrees offered today are a complete waste of money)

bris

4.5k to learn how to wash and brush a dog? Are you mad, practice on your own, friends and families dogs and the advertise when you're any good, you think anyone wants to see your cert?


This is a word of mouth type thing, retaining customer loyalty, certs don't get you repeat business, recommendations and experience does.

zippygeorgeandben

I'm sure there is more to dog grooming than the above poster is suggesting. Otherwise it's an insult to the industry.

MallyGirl

There is a lot more to it. You only have to look on the internet for stories about it being done badly - shaving double coated dogs is a common mistake but there are many others.
I wouldn't let just anyone lose on my dogs - and them practicing on their golden retriever at home does not give them the experience to tackle a Newfie. Idiotic comment really.