What do you think of dog grooming? (question for dog groomers especially)?

Question

I am interested in dog grooming as a profession. I did a 1-summer dog grooming internship and enjoyed it. I did some grooming and a lot of watching.

Next, I talked to dog groomers and heard many complaints. Most say that they are way to busy and have arthritis or some other problem from working with their hands all day.

I would like to here opinions about this job from actual groomers or those that know a lot about the industry. Will I be dissappointed like so many others? Would dog training or boarding be a better career choice?

Answer 1

I've been a groomer for 39 years. No carpal tunnel or other health issues as a result, but I have been bitten on a number of occasions, but in that time only 3 occasions sent me to the hospital.

The biggest problem I see with new groomers starting out is that the grooming schools in my area do a really poor job of preparing students for actually working in the industry. At best they've done a few breeds and a few different haircuts. Unlike grooming school where you will have most of the day to do one dog, in a shop environment you will need to be able to turn out 5-7 dogs a day in order to make a living at it. Mosr shops pay commission, and if you can't turn out several dogs a day you may earn less than minimum wage.

Grooming is hard work. Lifting, bending, cleaning up after "accidents", keeping your various body parts out of the mouth of a dog who does not like being handled, etc. all take a toll. Most groomers I know who have been at it longer than a few years do it because they love the job and the dogs they work with. A number of those who go into the profession thinking they will have a fun job playing with the puppies all day have a reality check as soon as they really start working and call it quits after a short time.

Many young people coming into this profession have a very poor work ethic and this is one business where that just won't fly if you expect to have a job for long. When a shop has 30 dogs booked in and a groomer just no-shows because she found something better to do that day, most employers don't realize until too late that they are shorthanded and the dogs for the day have already arrived. Finding and keeping good talented groomers was the most difficult part of running a grooming shop, and the primary reason I eventually sold my own shop after 12 years and opted to work for someone else.

Then there are the various shops you work at. Some are better than others in terms of pay and workload. I've worked for some that the owner takes all the easy and/or expensive dogs and enough for her to live off of and gives employees the rest, maybe only two or three a day. I've worked for others who seem to think their employees should be able to turn out a dozen dogs in a few hours, regardless fo the type of work needed. Employees in both cases end up quitting, either for lack of work or too much. Some owners keep their shops clean, some don't. Some maintain equipment, some don't. Some supply virtually anything in the way of expendable supplies, others provide close to nothing.

Truly, you have to love the business and be willing to spend time learning. I personally love it. My days are never quite the same, and I've met many wonderful people and their dogs, worked with many excellent groomers and generally have had a wonderful career.

Answer 2

I totally agree with everything CS had to say.

Ive been grooming for about 15 years. I don't regret it, and I cannot see myself doing anything else. I don't have carpal tunnel, but there are days where my back is just killing me at the end of the day. (however..I have back problems to begin with..non grooming related)

It's not playing with puppies all day. You will have to deal with pee, poop, bugs, crabby/picky owners, crabby dogs, dogs that bite, jump all over you, wiggle all over the place, hair in every part of your body.

It's not just knowing how to give a haircut either. You will need to know how to run/manage a business, some accounting (unless you are an employee) You need to know about shampoos, skin problems, equiptment maintence, people skills, breed styles, and you will need ALOT of patience!!

I went to a grooming school to train. And like CS said..I had 8 hours to groom ONE dog. By the end of my training, I was up to 2 LOL. And 90% of the dogs that came through that school, were perfect angels. I learned alot from school, and the instructors were amazing groomers. I just wish that they would have taught us a little more on how to deal with dificult dogs, owners, and help us build up our speed for "the real world".

Before I went to school, I worked for a very busy groomer as a bather for 4 years. I already knew what the grooming industry was all about, and knew what I had to look forward to.
I know you said you interned for a summer. Before you make a decision on what you want to do, I would try to get a job for a couple years as a bather somewhere...preferably with a good groomer. That way, you will know what all goes on, and see if this is what you really want to do. Grooming school cost me $5,000 and that was years ago. That's alot of money to spend on something you are not going to want to do after a year.

Answer 3

I did it for a little while. I enjoyed working with the dogs, but some of the owners could be pretty crabby. But that's how it is anytime you have to deal with the public. If you love animals and enjoy grooming, then I say go ahead and do it. You can always go into training or boarding later. It never hurts to learn every aspect about dogs, and that includes grooming.

Answer 4

Lots of backbreaking work,get bit,anal sacks,little hairs in your skin,crabby clients,and carpal tunnel. It was a load of fun. I stopped that after 5 years. Could do it NO longer!!!!!!!