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Where Are All The Good Groomers!


shmoo
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Is it just me or do i notice a shortage of groomers in Sydney?

I know of a place looking for a groomer currently, but no good groomers are looking for work.

I guess the wages have something to do with it! :confused:

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You're probably right Shmoo, about the wages being one of the problems. I get way more calls these days from people who want clips, as the salons are so busy - i guess part of that reason is lack of staff. I usually do them, but it probably takes me a lot longer than you guys in salons, so not really cost effective for me. I do enjoy it, but on the business side, it is more a customer service, as these people usually book in for regular in between baths.

And, if you think it is hard to find a groomer, then try finding somebody to buy a whole dog wash/grooming business..... i've had loads of nibbles but no takers as yet...

Patience, Jodie... Patience.

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I can groom and could probably start my own grooming business here, but there is no way that I would want to groom other people's dogs on a regular basis. Personally I think washing and grooming dogs is very hard work for only average returns especially when you consider some of the dogs (and people) you have to deal with and the actual physical labour involved.

I applaud those of you who do it and I'm sure that most of you enjoy the work, but although I'm happy to groom and sculpt my own dogs I have no desire to do it as a profession.

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I think the wages are a big part of the shortage. I do very well running my own mobile business, and if I were to stop being mobile, I would definately go out on my own, either from home or start my own salon.

The majority of my work is clipping, but I also make sure I charge a good amount for it, as I am travelling to clients houses. I have worked in a salon so it does not take me that long for a full clip, being an all off clip, or a lovely clip with a comb extention and nice shape on the entire dog. Saying that I can also have a very good day with all washes.

Cutting it short, I make much more money being out on my own and mobile, working my own hours, than what I would being in a grooming salon.

Cheers

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You can make the best money in grooming if you own the business and invest in retail.

Wages for groomers and 'animal attendants' suck - you'd never get ahead on them.

If you go in as a contractor and can work out 50% commission it could be worthwhile - but you might as well start your own business.

My brother and I can both do a '20 minute malt' and a '10min terrier' ( :p ) so if you were charging a low rate of $50 for a maltese clip you'd be on $25 an hour, which is almost as much as I make in the APS atm (lowly newbie I am)

You could also specialise in larger dogs and from the prices in the Samoyed thread you could do very well, at the moment I only do little dogs (and standard poodles, shepherds and friend's larger dogs)

eta: actually that'd be $50 an hour :) --- dayum! now I just need to find 16 maltese a day x 5 days a week!

Edited by Vehs
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depends on the clips thou. the longer clips that much longer because well, it takes longer to dry them and do a neat clip.

the short clips are easy because its just shaving it all off!

but what can be done about the wages? clients already seem to have a hard enough time parting with their money at the prices they are.

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.

And, if you think it is hard to find a groomer, then try finding somebody to buy a whole dog wash/grooming business..... i've had loads of nibbles but no takers as yet...

Patience, Jodie... Patience.

hey peachie,had mine on the market for nearly 2 weeks and looks 90% like it's sold,she just has to get her dad to check the trailer out as he's lending her the money,will know in the next few days.Only been operating around 9 months.I must be VERY lucky.Fingers crossed anyway.

Heading to Wollongong the 28th April and will suss the area out before i see what i'll do there.

Hope your's sells soon

julie

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Hey Julie, that's awesome... Anyone i have known who has sold a biz round here has taken ages.

Well done. It is truly a 'right place at the right time' thing i believe.

Congrats. Are you gonna start up another one at 'the Gong'?

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:thumbsup: that doesn’t include pick up and drop off - and it also helps if it isn't the first time a dog has been to the groomer and can tolerate the clippers :thumbsup:

I don't think I could or would want to maintain that speed for 16 dogs either, but some groomers do.

Shmoo - as for wages you've got to consider the overheads of the business and then either increase clients or downsize location, working from home is looking better and better huh :thumbsup:

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Shmoo - as for wages you've got to consider the overheads of the business and then either increase clients or downsize location, working from home is looking better and better huh :rofl:

yes i dont mean that i think my boss is making a fortune and not sharing... i just mean its a shame people think they are paying alot for their dogs to be groomed, when they dont realise how much time, effort and expensises go into grooming a dog.

and my god wash, blow dry, clip and finish a dog in 20 mins?! thats damn fast.

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and my god wash, blow dry, clip and finish a dog in 20 mins?! thats damn fast.

Fast alright. I clip the dog, bath, blow dry, clip again and do any scissoring and a really well behaved dog takes me about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 :rofl:

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I wonder how many vet nurses in vet clinics also are trained dog groomers? Or if there's any dog groomers working out of vet clinics?

I'd heard that a vet nurse at a nearby vet clinic, did clipping.

When our tibbie girl was getting v. prone to hotspots, I asked this nurse to clip her.

Frankly, I was ready just to see a shorn tibbie....but better able to deal with the humidity that gave her hotspots.

I was stunned at what a beautiful job this vet nurse/groomer did.

The tibbie girl was a knock-out. Face looked wonderful.

The bottom fur of her tail had to be cut back, because hotspots were appearing there. That vet nurse made it look gorgeous...where the lower section was clipped but the lovely upsweep was not.

A finishing touch of a little red ribbon separating the two sections.

Needless to say, I've kept taking the tibbie (& her sister) to this lass.

Not only does she make the tibbies look beautiful...but she discusses all the medical or hygiene needs for what she's doing. The cost is great, too.

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omg who groomed that second malt!!! i hope nobody paid money for that! :(

One of the staff at LDH seems to have a fondness for partially clipping dogs before they come into rescue! When the going gets tough though (like this girls feet) the matts are left on.

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omg who groomed that second malt!!! i hope nobody paid money for that! :rolleyes:

One of the staff at LDH seems to have a fondness for partially clipping dogs before they come into rescue! When the going gets tough though (like this girls feet) the matts are left on.

I was going to say this little one looks like a rescue whos hair needed to be just TAKEN OFF for the time being, she does look so funny though :laugh:

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