Tips to be a Successful Dog Groomer

posted 6 May, 2021 – by editor

Have you been thinking about a career change? Being a dog groomer is certainly a dream come true for any dog lover, but it does take more than just loving dogs to succeed in this industry. Read on to find out our top 6 tips on becoming a dog groomer.

Be a self starter

You need to be motivated and determined if you want to start your own business – this applies to any business at all.  You’ll be great at setting your personal goals, identifying solutions and keen to learn on the job. Having the right motivation to get into a dog grooming business, like loving dogs or wanting to be your own boss, will set you on the path for success as your goals will motivate you onwards – even on the challenging or busy days. 

Customer service skills

Getting into a dog grooming business because you love dogs is a great motivation, but the dogs aren’t the ones who pay the bills! Creating relationships with both furry and human customers are essential to grow your business with repeat customers. Small things like having a great phone manner, good communication to make sure you provide the exact groom they want, making customers feel valued and being punctual can make the world of difference to the success of your business. When customers love your service, they are your biggest advocates,  posting positive reviews, raving to their friends about you, and engaging with your social media posts. While you will spend most of your day with dogs, you have to be able to communicate with their owners to make them feel like their fur baby is happy and safe in your hands. 

Good hand-eye coordination and attention to detail

Breed specific cuts (like Poodles or Schnauzers) require quite a bit of technical skill and can be a bit stressful at the beginning, especially with a wiggly dog. You’ll have to handle blades, scissors, hair dryers and more whilst also keeping an excitable dog in your control. Initially, some grooms can take hours to complete, but you’ll gradually become skilled and confident as you get more grooms under your belt. Many dogs may be happy at the start of a groom, but after an hour or so, they can become restless and less co-operative. Dogs really feed off their groomer’s behaviour, so we teach you how to handle more difficult dogs and to remain cool, calm and collected.

Have good training behind you and knowledge of dogs 

Training at a professional grooming school is vital to the success of your business. You’ll always be learning new technical and business skills as you grow, but finding a great initial training course will be a great start to setting you up for success. You also need to learn general dog health and anatomy. This will help you with dogs that have arthritis or other health issues. Basic dog first aid is vital, to deal with any issues you may encounter. You should be noting the health of each dog at their appointments, especially if they are a regular.  For example, you may discover a new lump that should be checked out, fleas or worms. 

Ability to manage temperamental dogs

Not all dogs are perfect, especially when they are being groomed! You’ll develop a good knowledge of the body language of dogs to anticipate a dog’s behaviour. This can include paying attention to their ears, posture, teeth, tail and expression. All of these visual and audible cues can indicate aggression, fear, anxiety and happiness. Managing these signs will help keep your doggie customer happy and help you to manage your position as a professional dog groomer. Your safety should be your top priority, so if you don’t feel safe working with an aggressive dog, you should kindly suggest to their owner that they may need to take them to a vet to be groomed. 

Have a good support and advice network

Being a dog groomer and business owner can be tiring on the body and mind; so having a great support network of friends and family can really help with your overall health and motivation. It’s also great to connect with a friendly network of other groomers for advice on handling different breeds or issues, or even just to have a friendly ear to chat to on a challenging day. 

If you’re interested in starting your own dog grooming business, you are more likely to succeed if you start your business with a reputable franchise instead of creating a brand from scratch on your own. You also get a supportive network form day one. 

With Blue Wheelers and Dash DogWash you become part of a family of over 190 + Groomers. You’ll be given the contact numbers of your closest team members, access to a closed forum where you can communicate with all our groomers and ask any questions. There are state meetings where all Groomers come together to continue to learn and grow in their businesses. You can find out more about joining the No 1 team in Australia by completing an enquiry form to receive your free, no obligation information pack today!