# Groomers, how did you start out?



## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

I paid $2500 to be taught at a small grooming salon in a nearby city. This price included my supplies and training. For probably the first two or three weeks I was bathing mainly and doing nail trims, pretty much getting comfortable around dogs. I did A LOT of watching and paying really close attention to whatever the groomers and my instructor was doing.

I then started helping with shave downs, mainly the bodies, and they would help me with the legs and do the faces. Near the end when I was doing legs on my own I started doing faces and bringing in friends dogs to practive on. I graduated the week before the management changed, failed, and the place went out of business.

The day after I graduated I applied for Petco, and two days after I applied I got a call, went in, groomed a dog, got the job the next day. I get paid 50% commission for full grooms and 40% commission for baths. My salon manager at Petco and another coworker for the last year and a half are leaving to their own salon where they'll be getting 100% commission.. I'm trying to get them to take me with them, rofl.

So say a groom at Petco for a shihtzu is 36, I get half, so 18 per dog. If I go work with my other two coworkers at the salon they're starting up, a shihtzu will be 28, and I'll get full commission for that dog, $10 more than my current. So your salary really depends on how many dogs you do and the commission you're getting for it.

One of the girls that's going to the salon is going to hire her mother to help bathe dogs, and they're going to give her 15% commission for bathing.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I started out being a member of a household surrounded by Spoos. 

Out of neccessity, my Mother learned to groom, and over the years began to teach me. By thirteen years old, every school holiday I worked in a salon. I bathed only for a long time, then was allowed to rough out dogs. Then I was given a chance to prove myself on legs. Then finally I got to finish a head. Then I no longer bathed and they hired someone else for that part of it. By sixteen I was working in a salon full time, and by nineteen I opened my own salon in Toronto. I did it all except at Christmass and some rushed days in the summer, when my Mom's girlfriend would come in and be my bath girl.

My personal feeling is, the best way to learn in by living it. Because we had so many Spoos, learning to groom was not really a choice, and I can do a lovely groom on a Poodle. I am finding that a lot of the younger, school taught groomers don't see a lot of purebred Poos because of all of the hybrids out there, so when you take a Poo to them you can be a bit shocked at what you pick up. I think at the very least a groomer needs to live with Poodles. grooming their own before they can do an awesome job on some elses. Please... I mean no offence to the school taught groomers on here, but if 90% of the dogs you groom are not purebred Poodles, and if you live wth a German shepherd, why would I expect you to be able to groom my Poo to look like a Poo? Nearly every dog that walks out of the salons in my neck of the woods look the same. Every Shih Tzu looks like every Bichon, who looks like every Havanese, who looks like every Poodle. If I were going to spend $80 getting my Spoo clipped, I want it to look like a Spoo.

I really do not mean to hurt anyone's feelings, so forgive me ahead of time if I have, but I like old school groomers who learned at home, then worked their way through the stages in salons.

If I were to begin doing this for a living again, and I am thinking about it because of the amount of equipment I have since my Mom passed away, I would have next to no overhead because I would be doing it in my home. I would charge no less than $70 for a Standard, and not less than $45 for a mini. We have a lot of farmers in our area who get their Border Collies shaved down and bathed for the summer- $60 because of the wear and tear on the blades. I could likely make a nice living at it because of the lack of overhead.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I respect both comments and appreciate them equally These are very informative and helpful in why I was asking.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> If i were to begin doing this for a living again, I would have next to no overhead because I would be doing it in my home. I would charge no less than $70 for a Standard, a and not less than $45 for a mini. We have a lot of farmers in our area who get their Border Collies shaved down and bathed for the summer- $60 because of the wear and tear on the blades. I could likely make a nice living at it because of the lack of overhead.


See - this would be the key, for me - hypothetically speaking  I am really wanting a back up plan for the future near or far, and it wouldn't hurt to do something you kind of like! BUT I have to pay the bills, and be at least comfy


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

If you have a shop in your home - does it have to be DHEC/Department of health certified?


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Not here...


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## kanatadoggroomer (Jan 24, 2010)

I started grooming my own first standard poodle almost 20 years ago. I couldn't afford to have his groomer trim him every 3 weeks like I wanted, so I hired his groomer to teach me how to groom my own dog . I think it cost me a few hundred dollars plus equipment. I was hooked. 

I then studied where to learn to groom all breeds and I decided that I either had to go to New York City - I forget what the school was at the time - or have a "master" groomer teach me. I couldn't afford to leave my 3 kids/husband to travel to NYC, and one of the top 6 groomers in Canada was working in my city. She was a master groomer in all 4 categories - poodles, long legged/short legged and non-sporting - she was one of only 6 in Canada with those titles. 

She agreed to teach me one-on-one for a year (for a price that I dare not even think about) and then I had to apprentice with her for another year in her shop while she taught me the finer points that only a master groomer can teach. It was a phenomenal experience. Fortunately, I had a husband to support me, as I was not making a penny all that time. 

I now work from my home and have never advertised - my business comes from word of mouth from my existing clients. Overhead is fairly low, profit is good. I gross approximately $50,000 working 9 months a year. The other 3 months I winter in Florida. It's a rough life. LOL I lose 1 or 2 clients over the winter, as they are impatient for me to return, but I have a waiting list of clients now. I work alone except in December, when my husband bathes/dries for me. Christmas is chaos, as you can imagine - everybody wants a beautiful dog for Christmas, plus they know I'm gone for 3 months right after Christmas. 

I do have to say that in my neck of the woods (I'm in a major Canadian city with a population of one million), there is a dire shortage of GOOD groomers. If you are good, then clients hear about you very quickly.

Would I do it again? YES without a doubt.


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## Paris-London (Mar 2, 2010)

I started at petsmart, and got out 6 months after they sent me to school.
Awful company I would never again work for the corporates. The teaching sucked, I had to learn everything on my own ANYWAYS, even though they try to stick you with a contract for shoddy teaching, I can only imagine the quality of the other groomers seeing as they didn't seem to care about the work they were putting out.

Really if you want to be good, you can be, you constantly learn, and you have to set out to learn and become better all the time.

I am a great groomer, the best in my salon and can compete with any good groomer in my area. 
I've only been grooming 2 years though and started in a crap place, with crap groomers, and a crap teacher who I can outgroom anyday now.

SO it is what you make it. You have to be willing to learn and do a good job. 

Sorry I sound so conceited. I am. But I've worked and tried super hard to get as good as I am today.
Thats all you need to do really.

I would see if you can work under someone who really knows what they are doing!

Don't go to petsmart/petco their training sucks and you are expected to stay with them for 2 years. once they get you in a contract they treat you like dirt. I got out of my contract due to harassment, so watch your back!


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

I happened to be in the right place at the right time!!! I managed to arrange 4 weeks of work experience at a groomers here, but right from teh start it was never going to lead to a job, it was just that I was a teenager and I could play with dogs for 4 weeks and see how a groomers was run! It just so happened that 2 days after I started my work experience there, the full time employee walked out of the job, never to be seen again.... !!!

So basically my boss was left high and dry, but she had a keen hardworking teenager right there who dug in and helped over the long days to pull her through until someone could be found to help her etc etc. I finished the 4 weeks of 'work experience', signed the contract, and started full time being paid. I was trained on the job by my boss and the temp lady who came to help over those few months. We got through the Christmas rush, and at the start of the following year I started working alone more and more. When my boss got her knee replaced she found she rather liked being at home and not worrying about the business, so she's never come back unless I needed her. I now run the shop alone, I make my own hours and do the dogs how I want. 

I do agree with Arreau though, I truely didn't know how crappy I was at poodles until I had Paris to play with and started to get my grooms on her critiqued online. I hadn't had the chance previously to have a decent dog to really work on until her, and it has been Paris that's responsible for me and my grooming to have improved so much in the past year or so!

I have shares in the business, my 63 year old boss doesn't work at all now unless I ask her to some in and help hold a cat (I don't do cats anymore though, so that's irrelevant!) and yes I will be buying the business for myself in the next year or so. I can't remember the figures though, and being NZ I'm not sure they'd be relevant to over there anyway...?!




Some of the corporate training can be fine, but it does depend on who it is that's training you!!! Don't write them off totally though, cos getting hands on training to groom and handle dogs is still better than nothing... The internet is an amazing resource to improve yourself; I work alone but I have improved my grooming by leaps and bounds PURELY through the internet. I'm a better groomer than my boss who taught me and has been grooming for decades!


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I am so GLAD I asked this question/questions and appreciate the shared and different experiences. 

I am guessing poodles are one of the hardest to groom, not hard if you are good, but also hard to please clients. (I am one of those clients right now) 

I would be more than willing to spend time on the weekends to learn. I know I am capable, I am a very driven person.

Who knows what the future holds but it has sure been on my mind a lot lately. And when I groom the spoos myself I see all my faults and seem to go over and over until it's good enough lol! Which is why I have probably killed some blades (because I touch up on feet and face sometimes w/out washing. Lesson learned. 

I joined a grooming forum so I can read and watch and found one with a wealth of information to grooming schools.....which I could do IF I didn't have a FT plus job  I have a blackberry connected to me 24/7  But it's been a great job and I am grateful for it. But there is something about grooming my dogs that I love. I have also been looking at different breeds and AKC cuts....I have everything priced that I may need Which is not a lot. AND I came up with an idea down the road IF in fact I do this, would be to pass out flyers in my neighborhood for FREE GROOMING that I might do for a while on the weekends to get experience and expossure. 

All kinds of thoughts.............lol Thanks ALL>


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Oh, and I have always thought you have to have an artistic eye overall in order to be a good groomer. I've been an artist for as long as I could remember, from paintings with watercolors, pen and ink, pencils, to digital art. My grooming manager is really good with interior design, and the other two groomers I work with aren't that great.. and they're not very artistic, rofl.

A pointillism (purely dots) portrait of some nameless girl I did in highschool three years ago.
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs9/i/2006/061/9/4/Thousands_by_FluffyChic.png

And a cartoony, digital picture I did with my tablet and the program Open Canvas I did around Christmas as a secret santa project
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/006/5/6/Starstruck_by_FluffyChic.png


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I had a back-of-the-mind- idea that I wanted to groom so I bought a standard poodle right offf the bat. As I continued learning, both at Petco, on my own and thru seminars at Groom Expo and Intergroom, I talked to groomers who mostly didn't look like groomers. I thought they were so pretty and were so professional, they didn't look like they dealt with dog hair and anal gland juice all day. That's the kind of groomer I wanted to be. I wanted to attract a nice clientele with clients willing to pay for my expertise with dogs. I found a building, and I just knew what I DID NOT WANT in it. So the dogs are visable to clients, no mystery back rooms, and every time a clients comes in "I teach" them something. That's what they all say they love about coming here...."I learn something new everytime I come here!" I do breed specific grooming, then modify it to a clients request. But I make schnauzers look like schnauzers, not cockers and cockers don't look like Brittanies.


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## kanatadoggroomer (Jan 24, 2010)

partial2poodles said:


> " I do breed specific grooming, then modify it to a clients request. But I make schnauzers look like schnauzers, not cockers and cockers don't look like Brittanies.



Amen to that comment! This is how the clients come to me - they see one of my grooms and want THEIR dog to look like that. Some of my clients have NEVER had a "real" breed cut, but they know that what they were getting done to their dogs was not quite right.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

Fluffyspoos said:


> Oh, and I have always thought you have to have an artistic eye overall in order to be a good groomer. I've been an artist for as long as I could remember, from paintings with watercolors, pen and ink, pencils, to digital art. My grooming manager is really good with interior design, and the other two groomers I work with aren't that great.. and they're not very artistic, rofl.
> 
> A pointillism (purely dots) portrait of some nameless girl I did in highschool three years ago.
> http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs9/i/2006/061/9/4/Thousands_by_FluffyChic.png
> ...


Very talented!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I completely agree with Fluffyspoos. If you don't have it, you don't have it. My Mother knit, cvrotcheted, and did the most incredible ceramics I have ever seen. I am great at decorating a home and I sing. So, there is artistry in one form or another in there. So learning how to groom correctly and well may not have been so easy if we did not have artisitic blood.

I liken teaching someone who just does not have it to trying to teach someone to sing harmony. You either have an ear for it or you don't.

BTW...Fluffyspoos...right on!! Beautiful stuff!!!


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## thestars (May 2, 2009)

I learned from the in-home groomer down the road from me when I was a teenager, over 30 years now. I've been grooming my poodles and family and friends poodles ever since. However I just learned the correct show Continental and Saddle cut just last year. Alot easier then I thought. It's just a matter of balance on a paticular dog and what works best for them. It is a form of artwork. I am also an artist as well as crafts person (flower arranging, quilting, trapunto, pottery, as well as cutting topiaries.) It balances my mathematical, logical computer side which is my job.


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## Reesmom (Feb 4, 2010)

I went to a grooming school and was taught by a professional show handler. I worked at PetsMart, a couple of small shops, then I opened my own shop. I have improved a lot from the internet and learning from other groomers I've worked with. You can always learn something from somebody else.


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## apoodleaday (Feb 22, 2010)

When I was 15, I gave my own dog a home haircut. I was hooked  I called around and found a groomery owner who was willing to train me. I would go to the shop after school and on Saturday and she would teach me what she knew. 
Six years later, I transferred to a veterinary clinic. The head vet wanted all his groomers to be well educated, so he would send us to breed seminars and clinics. I study online and go to clinics and seminars when I can. I follow some grooming boards and network with other groomers whenever they are willing. 
Now, I am 43 and I work for a groomery by my house. I mostly do my own clients with an occasional shop dog. I do quite a few standard poodles and bichons. I make 60% and I have access to a bather, a blower, and a receptionist.


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## Reesmom (Feb 4, 2010)

kanatadoggroomer said:


> I started grooming my own first standard poodle almost 20 years ago. I couldn't afford to have his groomer trim him every 3 weeks like I wanted, so I hired his groomer to teach me how to groom my own dog . I think it cost me a few hundred dollars plus equipment. I was hooked.
> 
> I then studied where to learn to groom all breeds and I decided that I either had to go to New York City - I forget what the school was at the time - or have a "master" groomer teach me. I couldn't afford to leave my 3 kids/husband to travel to NYC, and one of the top 6 groomers in Canada was working in my city. She was a master groomer in all 4 categories - poodles, long legged/short legged and non-sporting - she was one of only 6 in Canada with those titles.
> 
> ...


Aren't husbands great!!! Mine dries for me too. He's on a weekend shift right now so he is my bather thru the week. I love it.


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

I agree that having a natural artistry makes a big help too, I draw a little and do a lot of crafts too, and enjoy a touch of photography etc, and have done since I was a kid so I already had an eye for what would look 'good'...

I've actually found that my grooming has helped my crafts and drawing HUGELY as well, because now I KNOW the structure of dogs sooooo much better than I used to! The tendons and dips and bumps and bones and angles... I clip over and around them all dozens of times a day so I know the shape of dogs, and can re-create them so much easier now than I ever could!



























lol!!!

And yes, I've had a fair number of people who love that I can groom their dog to look like it's breed!!! Mainly the likes of the airedales and wire haired foxys that get done like schnauzers here! lol!


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## Cameo (Feb 5, 2010)

FD, those are SOOOOOOO cute! What are they made out of?

I never planned on grooming and as a matter of fact, didn't WANT to work in a grooming shop, lol. 

LSS, After a pretty long career in retail management, I quit my job (making near 40K a year) and went back to school to get my degree in Animal Care and Management (AAS) and while I was in school, I needed some work, so I took a job in a kennel as a tech. Ended up doing some bathing, holding, etc and one thing lead to another and I ended up apprenticing for nearly 3 years before going out on my own. During my "training" I was only making a small hourly wage and I was really needing to make more, but there was no promise of more money even when I was doing so much of the work (all the kennel work, reception, cleaning, AND grooming). I ended up going out on my own when the perfect little space opened up at the right price (very cheap rent, great location). I opened on a very short SHOESTRING and have not looked back. I make more money now than I made in my retail career, with better tax benefits  As a business owner, we have the advantage of deductions, tax credits, and write off's that employed people do not have. Since I maintain a home office, as well as, a commercial location, I can also take a portion of my home expenses on my tax returns  Plus so many more tax benefits.

I think you have to consider ALL the benefits of being self-employed and not just the net income to know whether or not it is going to be profitable, but most of all, it affords me the opportunity to do what I TRULY LOVE!!!

ETA: OH, did I mention my retail career was in the Arts and Crafts field? LOL seems to be a trend here...


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## wolfcub81 (Feb 5, 2010)

I started out as a bather in high school. I did that for through 2 years of college as well, then I came to my senses and went to grooming school instead, lol. I went to an Academy and paid $3500 9 years ago. This included my training and equipment. It took me 6 months of 40hr weeks to graduate and then I got a job at an animal hospital. From the get-go, I have done 6 dogs a day by myself (no bather), occasionally adding in more when needed. I usually make 50% commission, and it averages out to be about $20-25 an hour for me.


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## Jessie's Mom (Mar 23, 2010)

first, paris is gorgeous. funny, but that was one of the names i had in mind for jessie. i had: asia, paris, coco chanel (to be called chanel), and jessie. i figured when we got her we would know her name - well....she was a jessie for sure. lol

and thanx to all that i read here about how some of you got started with your own grooming, today i eMailed the trainer who is working with jessie. i've heard she's an amazing groomer - so i asked her if she would teach me, obviously, i would pay her. SHE SAID "OF COURSE I WOULD"!!!! I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR PUTTING THAT IDEA IN MY HEAD!!!!! jessie has 2 more weeks of training with her, so i'm guessing we will start after that. i hope this works out!! will keep everyone posted.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Jessie's Mom said:


> first, paris is gorgeous. funny, but that was one of the names i had in mind for jessie. i had: asia, paris, coco chanel (to be called chanel), and jessie. i figured when we got her we would know her name - well....she was a jessie for sure. lol
> 
> and thanx to all that i read here about how some of you got started with your own grooming, today i eMailed the trainer who is working with jessie. i've heard she's an amazing groomer - so i asked her if she would teach me, obviously, i would pay her. SHE SAID "OF COURSE I WOULD"!!!! I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR PUTTING THAT IDEA IN MY HEAD!!!!! jessie has 2 more weeks of training with her, so i'm guessing we will start after that. i hope this works out!! will keep everyone posted.


Good for you!! I think if you are going to own a Poo, you ought to learn how to groom it, even if you just do the FFT in between clips. That helps keep them looking so much better while they await their next groom. Please do keep us posted!!


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## Reesmom (Feb 4, 2010)

My sister is getting started learning this week. I sent her this post. I didn't explain a lot in my first post.

I had a sheltie that my mom picked up off the road. Every time I picked her up from the groomer she would be limping. She had HD and severe arthritis. I asked them not to lift her back legs and they would anyway. I started researching and doing her myself. Just the normal feet and sani with minimal shaping. Nothing major. I liked it and began researching schools. I found Texas Allbreed Grooming School. Gosh that's 10 years ago this year. I am the most knowledgeable in my area and it shows in my business. I love what I do!!!


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## Jessie's Mom (Mar 23, 2010)

ETA: OH, did I mention my retail career was in the Arts and Crafts field? LOL seems to be a trend here...[/QUOTE]

ok, funny observation, but apparently so true cause i, too, have done some drawing and painting and some crafts (on my own) and photography for my own pleasure. it just bothers me when i look @ my girl after slapping down $92 + tip = $100 and i see something that bothers me OR, worse, she isn't done the way i would like to see her done. listen, i do not mean to sound like i have the right to criticize, moreso it's that i have a particular idea in mind and sometimes my requests just don't turn out the way i would like to see them. i will try this to the best that i can - if i can't do i, then i guess i have to learn to make my requests clearer to her groomer! but, won't know unless i try!


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

Cameo said:


> FD, those are SOOOOOOO cute! What are they made out of?


they're made of fleece, felted with a barbed needle, into whatever you want. ie, those dogs.  So they're solid felt now, with no seams or sewing etc. I never really did like sewing..... haha!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

flyingduster said:


> they're made of fleece, felted with a barbed needle, into whatever you want. ie, those dogs.  So they're solid felt now, with no seams or sewing etc. I never really did like sewing..... haha!


They are fabulous!!! How big are they??


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## Paris-London (Mar 2, 2010)

I WISH I could find many more people who took care of their dogs and truly wanted breed specific haircuts. There are WAY too many shave downs around here for my liking.

Especially poodles. I HATE HATE HATE doing a 5 or 7 teddy head. I'm so sick of it. Why doesn't anyone want a continental, lamb, etc. ugh. Oh yeah...because they don't want to brush it!

People see my poodles when we go out, and they make a big fuss over how they look where they get groomed etc. Then I tell them I groom give them my info, they call and make an appointment just for a #5 or #7 that anyone can do. How frustrating..

Oh and I too use to do alot of photography, and drawings. Of animals. Go figure.


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> They are fabulous!!! How big are they??


they're all 6 inches tall, give or take a smidge...













> I WISH I could find many more people who took care of their dogs and truly wanted breed specific haircuts. There are WAY too many shave downs around here for my liking.


Oh I SO agree!!!! I have a couple of dogs I manage to keep cute and fluffy looking now, but most are still all shave downs. That's why I wanted my own spoo! lol!


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## Savannah (Jan 15, 2010)

Arreau, I can see where you're coming from, but I have to disagree. I can groom many breeds to a fantastic finish, and I have never owned any of them. 
If your basic skills are solid and you do plenty of research--and I agree with FlyingDuster here, the Internet is a wonderful resource!--you should be well equipped to handle any breed. While it certainly helps to have your very own Spoo to practice on, it's by no means necessary.

I got a lot of my practice on dogs asking for summer cuts. My mentor had me do a full pattern groom on them, then I'd strip em down and send them home. I confess it was somewhat disheartening to spend all that time making the dog look perfect just to shave it off, but it's the only way i could learn the patterns that don't frequently get requested. 

Now there are still a few grooms I've never done, but I'm confident in my clipper and scissor skills and I have several great reference books to help me remember where the lines should be set. In fact, I groomed an Airedale for the first time yesterday and his owner was ecstatic. Is there room for improvement? Of course, always. But I don't have to own an Airedale to turn out a pretty Airedale groom, and you don't have to own a poodle to know how to scissor one properly. 

You just have to care enough about grooming well to do the extra homework.


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## *heather* (Jul 30, 2009)

I know this is an older thread but I've been busily researching grooming schools these days as I think it might be something I want to get into. I currently have a home daycare since I wanted to be home with my daughter while she's little, and I do love it, and I love being home, but I honestly don't see it as a long term option for me. Since getting Rogan a year ago and learning how to groom him, I've started doing a little grooming on the side for family and friends and I am so hooked. I have been diligently searching for a school to go to in order to get some formal training and possibly set up a small shop here in the house. I have everything I need and a good space for it. My dilemma is this ... how do I learn? I need an income, that's non-negotiable. I have 4 kids, 1 in University and 3 still at home, we rely on my daycare income and I cannot quit the daycare to go to school full time or work in a grooming shop for free. I've called numerous groomers in the area to see if I can work with them some evenings and weekends, and they're all basically saying, sure you can apprentice here once you've been to school, but not until then. So I'm kinda feeling like it's hopeless. Either we learn to live on one income for a while so I can study, or I try to learn on my own, evenings and weekends, and go from there.... I know there's lots to learn online but I don't think that's the way to start out.... 

any suggestions? I live 2 hrs east of Toronto... if anyone out there wants to take me under their wing, I will TOTALLY pay you to teach me (or if you know of anyone)!! It's become a passion of mine and it's all I think about! I have some business background and I know that once I'm good, I could totally run a successful home based grooming salon, I just need a good foundation in order to start out on the right foot!! 

as an aside, I am most definitely an artsy/creative person! I love drama and used to be in every school play!! I am a singer and play piano and in general, love music, I used to sew a lot not so much time anymore, I love to scrapbook and create arts and crafty things with my daycare kiddies....


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## Savannah (Jan 15, 2010)

Firstly, I recommend the book "Notes From the Grooming Table." It's an expensive book at $50-$70, but well worth it. There's a wealth of info to get you started, as well as breed specific info to keep you going when you run into new breeds. There are also a lot of great tutorials online. I love BBird's groomblog, she has lots of pro tips.

If you are needing more experience grooming, you can try posting an ad on craigslist.org. Explain in your ad that you need experience grooming, and will groom dogs cheap--not free, you'll regret that. Take before and after pics of each dog. 

When you've built a portfolio of your work, you can bring it to a shop and ask again for an apprenticeship. You want to emphasize your value to a shop, so don't ask to work for free. It does help greatly if you have all your own equipment. I recommend a full set of blades (40, 10, 7F, 5F, 4F, 3F, and possibly a regular 5, 4, and/or 3) plus a good set of clippers and some snap on combs for longer clips. You'll also need a good set of shears- a straight, a curve, and a thinner/blender. Don't skimp on the shears, buy the best you can afford. You'll get a lot of different advice from a lot of people, but I personally really love my Dubl Duck Mercedes' shears. They were about $50 apiece, and they're very solid multipurpose shears. 
All that stuff can be pretty expensive, but you can buy it a little at a time as you need it. 

If you know the basics and bring your own equipment, it's too hard to get an apprenticeship. I was able to start at full commission. Although working for commission when you're new doesn't necessarily pay well. It can take a year or two to build up to a good income. You can always supplement your income from the shop with home grooming. 
If you'd like, you can send me a message if you have any questions. I'm by no means an expert, but I'd love to help if I can. 

Best of luck to you!


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

Heather, I prefer to hire artsy people since they are very visual and can set a straight parallel line. Your time will come. I put aside 2 years of my life and struggled and was poor and traveled 100 miles a day 5 days a week. I was physically exhausted every day and my kids were about 13 and 17 at the time...old enough to leave alone. But it was my goal and everything that was in my way, I figured out a way to overcome it. One thing I had going for me was I was REALLY into dogs BEFORE grooming. I attended show, collected stuff, read every book since 2nd grade that had to do with dogs. I just needed to learn the skill of grooming proficiently....I knew I never wanted to be a bargain basement groomer....I wanted to be GOOD at what I did.


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## *heather* (Jul 30, 2009)

Thanks Savannah! Your response gives me hope!! I'm kinda already doing what you said; I'm currently advertising on kijiji (which is like Craig's List) and I did 5 dogs last weekend, 2 were friends and 3 were from my kijiji ad! I had a blast! It was a crazy amount of work, esp for a newbie like me, but I was in heaven! I was all set to take before and afters then I forgot!! lol I was so anxious to get started, that by the time I realized I hadn't taken a before picture, it was too late! I did get a good before and after of a little shih tzu and I started a facebook page to post all my work (I'm calling it "doggie detailing" which I think is a great name for a business someday, but I'm sure it's already taken... have to look into that!) ... hopefully I'll get a bit of a following on facebook and can generate some business that way. 
In speaking with my hubby last night, he's all about just going for the goal! He said if I need to commute to Toronto/Ottawa for 12 weeks 6 months a year, whatever, and take a really good course, just do it! He's a big 'follow your dreams' kinda guy and he keeps saying, the rest will fall into place. Bottom line is, you never get anything for nothing, gotta make some sacrifices and work hard and good things will happen.... He's right, I'm just the type to have everything planned to the smallest detail so nothing surprises me! I will continue to search for a school in TO or Ottawa and try to figure out how I can make that work! 

In the meantime, I do need to collect more tools, I have a good start though; I already have a fantastic pair of Andis 2 speed clippers, with a few blades, #10, #7f and #3/4HT, need a few more blades for sure, and a set of combs I guess, I have a pair of heritage shears (straights 8 1/4") they were about $60 from petedge and I really like them, I have a few other little trimmers that are great for tight spots and hard to reach places, nail trimmers and a dremmel, different shampoos and conditioners, and a bunch of odds and ends that get me through a groom at this point... but I am addicted to the PetEdge catalouge and have a long wish list. I just picked up a stainless steel tub on kijiji for $140! I'm super excited about it!! It will go where my laundry tub is now in my basement right along side my grooming table! I have a nice big window down there too, so great natural lighting! 

Anyway, I'm rambling on... 

Partial 2 Poodles, thanks to you for your response also! I agree that you have to just set your mind on the goal and just deal with whatever gets in your way at the time! I've been to lots of dog shows too, but I will start going to everything I can go to, and really get into the world of dogs 100%! I'm also going to start reading and get a couple of really good grooming books and do my own studying and learning.... if anyone has an old copy of Notes from the Grooming Table lying around, SELL IT TO ME?? Or DVD's etc... let me know!! I totally agree with you when you say you didn't want to be a bargain basement groomer, I'm on that same page, I want to be GOOD and I want people to know about me and I want to have a waiting list and be picky about who I take on as a client etc... I need to get really really good and to do that, I need to learn from the best! "If you can't do it right, don't do it at all!"

Thanks so much for all your support guys! I greatly appreciate it!! I joined Groomers BBS but I find it so overwhelming and no one really answers any of my questions!! You guys have been much more helpful! THANKS!!!


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I dont have much advice to offer accept it sounds like you are doing everything you should be. And the fact that you have this in your head and heart - you will acheive it. I am still considering my options and doing any feebies trims/grooms I can! My girlfriend just got a wee little peekapoo (I think) and I intend to offer free services! 

This is a good thread - it got off track for a bit but hope to hear other new members chime in.

Put your skills to work, enjoy and make some $$ too lol!


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I have a friend with a mobile business called Doggie D-Tailing


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## BFF (Jun 10, 2009)

*heather*, it sounds like you have a great start! I'm so excited about your enthusiasm. I know this is going to be a great thing for you.

I'm not a groomer, but here are some suggestions that my all time favorite groomer did for me.

When I first called/saw her, she had a checklist of questions to ask me. Everything such as does the dog have dew claws, any bumps, previous injuries, arthritis, ect. Kinda like when you go to a new doctor, and you give them your health history. Since my dog had a history of seizures, this made it clear from the beginning what could happen during her grooming stay. We discussed what I expected of her in the event she had a seizure.

She verified that my dog was up to date on vaccinations, so I felt better about bringing home a healthy dog that didn't catch anything from the 'others' that were with her for the day.

She asked me who my vet was and asked if it would be ok if she took her to her vet (because they were closer) in the event of an emergency. What emergency numbers to call (in what order). 

She even asked me if there were certain color bows, nails, accessories that I liked or didn't like. What days of the week I preferred appointments. Of course, what style trims I liked.

This is all I can recall at the moment. I know you are very meticulous and can come up with a great checklist. Others have commented on having some occasions where it is difficult to keep fleas under control from clients bringing them in on their dogs. Not sure how to tackle that one.

I'm also not certain if there are certain measures you can take to make sure Rogan doesn't get infected from something another client inadvertently brings in (parvo would be my biggest worry). Maybe Lysol everything morning and night???? If something did happen, you could isolate which day and which dogs could be affected most.

Random suggestions that I was thinking about. I hope some of them are helpful. Keep us updated on your progress, it is very motivating!!!!


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

good on you!!!!! I think you'll do GREAT with your mentality for sure, as I'm on the same boat and if I can't do it properly, I'd rather not do it at all! lol!

Groomers BBS is a bit odd at times, and while it's GREAT for reading info already there, I haven't had heaps of success with help to specific questions too. petgroomerforums are much *much* more active and you'll be far more likely to get help through them, as well as learning a LOT in the topics that are already on there. It's moderated there too, so any post you make has to be approved before it shows for others (caught me out initially, I'm used to it now) but it does make for great topics...

Ohhh I wish you all the best, I think if your'e determined, you'll do GREAT, I mean look at how much you're doing already!!! 

Oh, and ETA that I 'liked' your grooming page on facebook, so I look forward to keeping in touch with your grooming through there!!! Feel free to see my page on there too under The Dogs Body! hehehe


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