Grooming

[becks]

Having read the thread about the downside of grooming and some of the nice bits I just wondered is this a job you will stay in for life or is there something else you would like to move on to?

[Vehs]

I'm only doing it part time now while I work through uni, but I definately would like to continue doing it when I get a 9-5 job. Perhaps on weekends I could groom rescue dogs and build up some regulars when they find homes... I'd probably groom them and my friends dogs for free because I just like doing it!

I really enjoy the transformation the animals go through, old dogs get a little bounce in their step after a groom, matted messes act like puppies once all their knots are off... I don't like feeling rushed so working for myself/helping out/ being creative would make the work I do even better.

I feel sorry for the SWF I adopt from the pound - s/he will be toyed and played with contantly as I try new things I own a Shepherd at the moment and he's just wash and wear - boring!

[kimjm]

I don't do all that much grooming any more maybe 5- 6 a week inthe slow times and up to 12 in busier times. Its not something i could do as a full time job. I enjoy it when i only have 1-2 at a time anymore than that drives me a bit nutty.

[Clyde]

Grooming isn't something I'll be doing in the distant future, but for now it's good money and flexibility. I had a bad back before I started grooming which hasn't helped, but sometimes I just wish for a nice, clean office job again Although, love being my own boss and generally I have good clients with really nice dogs these days.

[poodlemania]

I physically cannot do it full time anymore, probably not even part time without being in serious pain or risking doing further damage to my back.

I would have liked to start my own salon(I worked at a vet), but I would have trained groomers to take over from me and only do the really well behaved dogs or the harder styles eg:scissoring poodles etc.

I have been involved in dog training for 5 years and probably would have streamed more into that.

[pug rescue victoria]

I ran my own dog grooming business for 2 yrs part time and worked full time else where. The money was great, but I dont think I could do it full time as it is a back breaking job! Now I just do the occassional groom for shelters and my own poodle x.

[Tapferhund]

I did 15 years of Grooming.........worked from home to start with,then had a shop for about 2 years and after the owners of the shop sold it, I decided to go Mobile and as far as I know I was the very first Mobile service in Melb.

[Ceilidh]

Some days I feel I am getting too old for this caper

I intend to sell the shop in around 4 years time and work from home selling the grooming wear, by mail order, that I am now importing. (first shipment due any day now yipee!!!!)

[Nadia]

It is very hard on the body, the big dogs and the difficult ones take their toll.

I have been at it for 20 years now.

I say every summer, that I won't do it the next year, but I do.

I do not work every day now, it is just too much, in the summer madness you have no time for anything else, nor the inclination, so I've limited the days that I work.

Winter give you the chance to ease off a bit from the awful jobs, the once a year cockers etc.

[espinay2]

I worked full time grooming for a few years. Really enjoyed it a lot and it was a great break from my 'other' career when I burnt out big time. The truth is however I can earn a LOT more doing other things (although I recognise now that I probably could have earned more grooming than I did - I made a lot of mistakes from a business and management point of view at the time). Medium to Long term plans for importing dogs and horses and our more immediate new house/property plans means that the extra money comes in handy. I still groom a few of my best customers because I simply enjoy doing them, but I doubt I will groom as my primary income for a long while unless I happen to win the lottery!

[Clyde]

I have been at it for 20 years now.

Crikey Nadia, thats good going! Can't believe you haven't had burn out yet. That would have to be the longest time I know of. You must be a natural at it, and very strong/fit :rolleyes:

[schnauzer]

I groom part time so that I can spend more time with my own dogs, (instead of being in an office all day) although my grooming business is becoming busier and busier. It gives me the flexibility I want.

Edited July 19, 2005 by schnauzer

[Nadia]

Actually Dru I have a close friend who has been doing it longer!!

We have both found that you start to get picky about what you will take on, how many bad cases you will do in a day etc.

It is very hard on the body, and the mind as well!!

[Dali-love]

I've been washing dogs for over 7 yrs now and not planned to stop soon (sometimes thinking about it) I love my work and the fact, being my own business, I can make my own hours.

[Akitagal]

I'v been grooming 15 years now. I am currently working only 4 days.I increase this to 5-6 at christmas. I do think i will continue and still would like to start my own buisness up. I like the flexability of it and yes i think the money is good but you do pay for it physically. I am about to do a dog training course and hope to incorperate that into things. I do do many other things and working as i do, it does allow me to pursue those. So i guess i would say i am happy grooming but also always look for opportunities to grow. I have thou been training in another unrelated area for about 3 years and if i can get my skill level up in this area i will be leaving grooming for a while to pursue this path but it is a very difficult area to get into so im just taking things as they come. And i would then retern to the grooming/training.

[becks]

So nice to hear I'm not the only one suffering with a bad back and not wanting to put in a full week - but as has been said the flexibility it gives you is very handy.

The problem for those of us thinking of moving into another job is the lack of transferable skills or am I wrong in this?

[ellz]

I guess it depends upon your skills prior to, or in addition to grooming.

I first started grooming when I was unemployed, then went to TAFE to get some "real" skills...I know, I know....don't flame me....but that was how the CES felt in those days.

After I'd been in an office job for a while I started breeding and exhibiting long-coated dogs and although I was offered another grooming job, I didn't feel that I was that inspired to be able to groom for a living AND have the heart to devote to my own dogs so I stayed in the office.

Now that I'm a SAHM I take in the occasional dog for pocket money and so far, am enjoying it. I had forgotten how hard it can be and my back and hands aren't what they used to be.

Next year I'm considering a return to education or work, but grooming jobs are thin on the ground here anyway so it will be an office if I choose the employment path.

[Rascalmyshadow]

I am only 27 and have been grooming for 10 years, I hope I make it another 10 but I phisically will never be able to do it full time (4 days is the limit) due to a neck and shoulder injury (done at work of course).

I am about to start training my own dogs so I may cosider doing that as a career if I enjo it enough.

[WreckitWhippet]

I see it as something that I will continue to do, as long as my body holds up

I have combined the grooming with Vet Nursing, the two so far are going well together. I am really only working about 2 days a week grooming, so my body gets a bit of a rest.

Even though I get tired and run down, I never get tired of the dogs :D

[dogcop]

I've been gooming since 85 when we got our first Saints. When I started I would put my handi-bath in the ute with about thirty towells a cheap ladies hair dryer, clippers etc and off I would go. I covered an area that went from Mt. Hotham to Yarrawonga then from Benalla to Holbrook. The only other guy doing anything was a man in Albury. We were so we were told from sources in Sydney the only mobile dog wash people between Melb and Sydney. It was doing so good I decided to go fulltime and open a pet shop too. Then along came PAUL CLITHEROW you know that money show on tele and told everyone how to make ten bucks washing dogs. Well it only took ten minutes and there were 18 mobiles operating between benalla and albury. I lost heaps of dollars because I had planned to float the shop by using the dogwash as support until the shop got up and running. But alas it didn't happen so I just do it part time now. I drive a truck in the mornings and groom in the afternoons and weekends. If find that I have to work in different ways in order to not tire or get hurt (back ). It is interesting to see others have the same difficulties. But hey I do enjoy doing it knowing I helped a dog and see the owners so proud of their dog especially one of my clients who's girl is autistic and the way she interacts with Monte.