Becoming A Groomer?

[DOGFATHER]

Hi all

I am a new member here and new in the grooming world. I am looking at a career change, and getting into dog grooming and eventually starting my own mobile dog wash and grooming business.

I am trying to find a good grooming training course that will teach me skills of the trade. There are many online courses, but I am looking for hands on experience.

I am considering doing the TAFE dog grooming course as an introduction and working forward form there.

Are there any groomers out there that can offer me some advice or recommended any good courses? Informal or formal qualification if any?

I am especially interested to hear from other groomers who have attended courses and training and your thoughts.

I am also prepared to do work experience in a salon or mobile unit with a seasoned groomer, before I emBARK on this new adventure.

I live in Adelaide but am prepared to travel to get the right training.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Dogfather

[Clyde]

Hi and Welcome. I've only heard bad things about the TAFE course. IMO any grooming course isn't going to be adequate. I wouldnt be doing training with a mobile unit either as alot of them aren't properly trained themselves, it's often just inhouse two weeks watching/learning.

The best way is to go is get a job in a salon, start as a washer and work your way up to styling. It might take you a couple of years longer than planned but at least you'll be a Groomer rather than someone with a pair of clippers

[Doggrooma]

Its not as easy as it sounds. Have you been out with a mobile service to see how they operate, before you decide? Sorry Im used to a salon situatin so i wouldnt work out of a trailer, too cramped for my liking. But others love it!!

As Dru said you need to work somewhere first before you venture out on your own. There are so many obsticles you will encounter and if you are not equipped with the knowledge of how to overcome or rectify the problem you'll be lost without guidance.

[DOGFATHER]

Hi and thanks for the welcome dru & doggrooma and for your comments so far

yes I have been out for a day in a mobile trailer, I had a look at a franchise and went out for an experience day.

I thought the trailers were comfortable enough, I think a hydraulic table would be a nice feature to have. unfortunately, the trailer I went out in did not have one.

My personal opinion is not everyone can get their dogs to a salon. I want to be able take the salon to the door.

I want to do more than just wash dogs and offer the full service of clipping, grooming & styling.

I am prepared for the long hard (backbreaking) work and I believe I have the confidence and patience to build the necessary skills and knowledge that I need to be a good groomer, even if it going to take time.

BTW, I am happy to say I decided not to go with a franchise option due to the costs, restrictions and the limitations of territory's etc.

The training you get is on the road is with other franchisees during a typical working week, nothing formal. however the ongoing support they offered is attractive.

Being out on the road with our best friends gave me the inspiration that I can do this myself.

The TAFESA course seems to have what I need to prepare myself in starting a business as a groomer. I would love to hear from anyone who has attended the TAFESA course.

so yes, until then I will need to find a salon or mobile groomer that is happy to provide me with some work experience. (send me a PM)

or the many groomers here on DOL happy to offer guidance.

Cheers

Edited January 13, 2008 by DOGFATHER

[GoldiesRgr8Poodles2]

I would strongly discourage you from the grooming course at TAFE. I had a member of my staff who was doing it and she did it casue she paid for it but she learnt more practicle skills in 1 month with me that the whole time at tafe. Its a waste of money. They dont have correct facilities or equipment out there. Neither do they have adequate numbers of dogs to groom with. They dont have any idea about the real grooming world. You cannot learn a shnauzer clip by doing one dog. The only way to get into this industry is to get a job in a saoln for at least a year or two to get experience and knowledge behind yourself as well as find out if this is really for you. Its hard work, not all playing with cute dogs. I came into this industry a few years ago with no physical problems i know have a gammy back and get RSi in both wrists. Its hard work.

Most mobile groomers will luck out before their 2nd year.

I wish you luck!

[Doggrooma]

Yes a height adjustable table is a must. Excellent investment. Good luck with everything

[charlie mouse]

Don't let them put you off !

Grooming is hard work but its rewarding. Being your own boss and being out on the road is great.

[DOGFATHER]

Don't let them put you off !

Grooming is hard work but its rewarding. Being your own boss and being out on the road is great.

thanks I appreciate your vote of confidence

[Dogsfevr]

The TAFESA course seems to have what I need to prepare myself in starting a business as a groomer

Unfortunately they dont teach what is needed to be a successful groomer who gets repeat customers.

You can not learn the skills in that set time plus understand breed trims.

Do you have any experience in grooming/dog handling or a showdog background??

Going to dogshows gives a groomer a good eye for what the breeds should look like & then adapting a practicle pet trim comprimise.It isnt about clipping everything off ,it also understanding how to strips the coat out of clients that dont want top coats clipped but strip etc etc .These are things tafe dont teach ,they just seem to teach one trim fits all.

The reality is it isnt cheap to set up if you dont have a good customer base.

I too would never do mobile .couldnt stand it in hot weather plus the price of petrol & driving around not for me.

We do run a full time grooming salon & thankfully are in a position to pick & choice clients plus we have a great referral base from the showdog world.

What we tell any person planning to become a groomer is do a how much list.

*advertising(business cards etc etc

*insurance/public liability

*hydrobath

*hairdryers

*clippers

*blades/clip on blades

*table

*scissors

*product range for bathing

*trailer cost or salon/rent

*what sort of client base for your area & who already has a good established set up(competition what do they offer,prices,services etc etc)

*stripping knifes,stones

*ear pluckers

* disinfectant for blades etc etc.

Some people havea good ideaof what these things will cost others are blown away with the expense of setting up.

We are very lucky as all these thing we already need for the showdogs .

For example our clippers are over $1000 & we have 2 of those plus smaller models.

Edited January 14, 2008 by settrlvr

[Miranda]

Do you have any experience in grooming/dog handling or a showdog background??

Yes this is what I was wondering. Dog grooming isn't as easy as it sounds, until you have an established clientele you may have to deal with some dogs in pretty bad condition and not all of them will have good temperaments or appreciate being groomed. It is not uncommon for some dogs to throw big tanties or even try to bite and you really need to have experience and be pretty dog savvy to manage this sort of behaviour. Be prepared to groom some dogs that are matted to the skin and infested with fleas, some may have sores under the matts or faeces stuck in the hair. A friend of mine groomed a dog only a couple of weeks ago that had maggots around its anus, it was so matted that it would have had problems even relieving itself. Plus all dogs are groomed differently, it's not a case of one size fits all, if you want to be a really good groomer who's in demand you will need to learn how to groom the various breeds.

I groom and clip my own dogs and sometimes help friends, but there's no way that I'd ever want to do it commercially, it's hard work and IMO the money isn't great.

But that's just me, Muckypup obviously likes doing it and everyone's different.

Edited January 14, 2008 by Miranda

[Cavandra]

Mobile has advantages like working alone, working whatever days or hours you feel like, having days off whenever you need, there is a large customer base of people who hate salons for various reasons, people that no longer drive (elderly)

Draw backs are Having to wash dogs in a hydrobath, battling the elements, having people stop to chat as they walk past, or just being nosey, and a nightmare in school holidays having kids swarm you. You will always have the reputation of being a "cowboy" as all pro groomers hate Vet nurses & mobiles work as a rule. You also have phone calls all the time at home, I had 4 on BOXING DAY, and often have them ringing late at night & weekends, being Mobile you have no boundaries , if you were in premises they would be ringing there not your home. You can only do so many dogs, probably half the amount as a salon & can not make the the same money.

I trained at a Grooming school & am salon taught & have been Mobile for almost 10 years........It has been fabulous to have every weekend I need off for dog shows & whelping bitches etc, but I loathe the heat, and doing the salon quality job that I do is made extra difficult if you have gusts of winds whip through when you would like to be styling the face or something!!!! The dogs can have lots of distractions, like traffic, people gawking to see what you are doing, people walking dogs past lots of things to distract the dog bla bla bla........If someone offered me a job in a salon now I would likely take it, as I am pretty much over it , yet I adore my job.

Mobiles have the reputation of being "cowboys" as the majority of them are. They have been trained briefly by someone who didnt have a clue themselves in the first place, many franchises do dreadful work for this reason. It really takes alot of years & alot of experience to become excellent at what you do, yet many of the "hacks" think they do a great job after being in the job 5 minutes LOL..........I dont think there is any point going out on the road with a mobile unit to learn to groom, as they are not going to be doing the amount of dogs you need to see to be able to learn properly, also time is money, they cant linger around on one dog to explain each step etc, in a salon there are high volumes of dogs coming through the doors & usually multiple groomers working , starting from the ground level is the only way to become good at what you do, so that you can understand the importance of a good wash, a good fluff dry, the reasons dogs are done like they are, some washed first, some clipped first etc etc etc. I find the ones that start at ground level but think they know it all already never last. In fact I think someone quoted on this forum before that the average lifespan of a groomer is only 3 years, and I reckon it is because people dont know what they are doing in the first place, as the trade is not regulated.

[Ari]

You will always have the reputation of being a "cowboy" as all pro groomers hate Vet nurses & mobiles work as a rule. You also have phone calls all the time at home, I had 4 on BOXING DAY, and often have them ringing late at night & weekends, being Mobile you have no boundaries , if you were in premises they would be ringing there not your home.

That's a business issue not a mobile issue.

I also had 4 calls on Boxing Day, a call at 7am this morning and one at 10:30 last night. The difference is I have a seperate business phone and I turn it OFF. I can see who has called and when by caller ID but do not return these calls. You have boundaries if you make them and stick to them.

[charlie mouse]

I do wish there wasn't this them and us situation going on with mobile v salons lets face it there is good and bad groomers working in both.

I agree its better to learn in a salon as more dogs come in and yes it takes years to be what i would consider to be a professional groomer but everyones different i am sure if some of you salon only groomers went mobile for a day you might actually enjoy it.

[Clyde]

Well I've done salon, mobile and now from home - and can still say that (for me) being mobile sucked the most

QUOTE(Cavandra @ 15th Jan 2008 - 02:07 PM)

You also have phone calls all the time at home, I had 4 on BOXING DAY, and often have them ringing late at night & weekends, being Mobile you have no boundaries , if you were in premises they would be ringing there not your home.

That's a business issue not a mobile issue.

I agree. Dont give out your home number. My business is from my home yet I still dont give out that number. Business calls are always to the mobile. Set your own boundaries I have clients who stick their head over my fence to book in, although it truly doesn't bother me when they do - they just get to see me before my first coffee in my jammies

[Silverblue]

Cavandra,

You have painted Mobile grooming in a very bad light.

I love it when people stop & talk to me while I am grooming a dog & I also love it when when kids come & watch me, it is called building rapport with your clients & the public.

When I pull up to a job the kids always come rushing out to say hello, they climb on the trailer to watch their doggy have a bath, granted sometimes it can distract the dog, but if you know what you are doing this shouldn't be a problem.

The majority of mobile groomers are NOT "COWBOYS", I am a professional dog groomer trainer & I knoqw all my trainee's are given the very best training with ample dogs to practice on.

As for "Having" to bath the dogs in a hydrobath, well HELOO what else would you use ?????????????????????????????????????

[Ari]

It would drive me insane turning up at a clients house for them not to be there. Does that happen much?

[Silverblue]

No it doesn't happen much at all,

In fact some of the dogs I do, the owners are not there, but leave me access to their yard.

[millie]

Hi

I did the Tafe Course for Grooming and I also did some work experience with very good groomers at a salon. A few hours a day twice a week. Mainly bathing, drying and brushing out.

The experience I gained from working with the groomers was far better than the course. They taught me to correctly bath, dry, brush and comb the dogs. We were not shown the true importance of this in the course. It was mainly styling and cutting it was more there is the dog, what are you going to do with it?

The course was good in a lot of ways but by far working with the groomers was better.

I would get experience from professional groomers and not a mobile dog wash. A lot of the mobile dog washes don't even rinse the dog and very few dry the dog properly.

[Dogsfevr]

I am sure if some of you salon only groomers went mobile for a day you might actually enjoy it.

No way .

You couldnt pay me enough to give up the air con for me & the dogs comfort in summer.I like having the toilet close by,the shower close by(nothing like having a good shower after doing some gross dog),i like the fact i dont have to spend half my day driving & the other in a little space..

As for "Having" to bath the dogs in a hydrobath, well HELOO what else would you use ?????????????????????????????????????

I am presuming not having the option to hydrobath or bath in a normal bath for which we use both depending on the dog .

Our business number is our private number aswell & we get calls at all times but that simply comes down to the fact people dont take our industry serious & feel that we are so desperate for work we should be grateful for the calls whatever the time off day.

Boxing day our phone rang hot too due to the 44 temp & the fact those overgrown fluffies all suddenly needed a groom now .

[GoldiesRgr8Poodles2]

I do wish there wasn't this them and us situation going on with mobile v salons lets face it there is good and bad groomers working in both.

I agree its better to learn in a salon as more dogs come in and yes it takes years to be what i would consider to be a professional groomer but everyones different i am sure if some of you salon only groomers went mobile for a day you might actually enjoy it.

But there has been a higher number of badly trained and inexperienced "groomers" with mobile salons. Generally speaking in a salon environment those ones are getting trained and if the dont make the grade they are replaced with someone who has a flair and can be a good groomer.

We have worked together you and me and I have a greater respect for mobiles purely because you are trying to do the right thing. But not everyone is and most think they are gonna eaarn a quick buck!

Cavandra,

You have painted Mobile grooming in a very bad light.

I love it when people stop & talk to me while I am grooming a dog & I also love it when when kids come & watch me, it is called building rapport with your clients & the public.

When I pull up to a job the kids always come rushing out to say hello, they climb on the trailer to watch their doggy have a bath, granted sometimes it can distract the dog, but if you know what you are doing this shouldn't be a problem.

The majority of mobile groomers are NOT "COWBOYS", I am a professional dog groomer trainer & I knoqw all my trainee's are given the very best training with ample dogs to practice on.

As for "Having" to bath the dogs in a hydrobath, well HELOO what else would you use ?????????????????????????????????????

Most of the mobiles I know are 'cowboys' They have no training no experience handling dogs and they got into mobile as a franchise to earn better cash. A lot of them have no idea how to wash and rinse a dog properly and almost never know how to dry and brush. One place offers a wash service and it casot more to dry and a small fortune to brush. And then they dont brush properly.

The mobiles like yourself who are professional groomers and trainers are the very rare ones! But I appreciate the hard work you do and the fact you try and give mobile a better name but there are still the majority of mobiles that are incompetant due to a lack of training. I dont knwo too many salons that would lend their name and let an inexperinced groomer touch a dog unsupervised without adequate training. Unfortunately thats what happens with mobiles especially franchises.

And with the washing in a hydrobath... Have you never had a terrorfied little puppy that would get blown away by the forse of the hydrobath? or a dog scared of the noise? I know I have at the salon and I thank the powers that be that I have warm runniing water on tap as well as a hydrobath or these dogs would flip their lids. As it is they get a nice relaxing bath with a hose and get trained to accept the hydrobath and they are all happy. I also have many clients who request the hose instead of the hydrobath for their pups and its just their preference.

I can safely say that kids yelling and squealing at the dog while i was trying to groom it would be my worst nightmare. Some of the puppies I get are bad enough without their whole family talking around them and making excitable noises when im trying to calm their puppy down. And kids arent that good as to stand their quietly like little angels and not say or touch. I am a dog groomer not a child minder. In saying that my salon is set up so people can see into my clipping room while im going and watch their dog from a distance which is great for the dog cause they dont get over excited and great for my because they dont strt jumping around and great for the parent cause they can see. I wouldnt like them in my personal space learing over my should and i dont know too many people who would.