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Keeping our animals healthy and clean goes a long way toward keeping them — and their owners — happy. With a billion pets in the world, pet grooming businesses are lucrative opportunities for pet lovers. In fact, the pet grooming market is expected to reach $9.83 billion by 2030. But with any business, there are aspects to consider and plan for in order to make your business sustainable.
Aspects such as required licenses and requirements, marketing, accepting payments, and, of course, becoming profitable are all key to starting a business. Here’s what you need to know before you start your pet grooming business.
3 types of pet grooming businesses
Almost all pet grooming businesses can be placed in three main categories:
- Mobile pet grooming business: As the owner of a mobile pet grooming business, you will travel to your clients’ houses and groom the pets right at their own address. Most mobile groomers bring a purpose-built trailer or converted vehicle to groom the pet in, while others simply groom the pet on the property.
- Home-based pet grooming business: Why go to your clients if they are willing to come to you? Basing your pet grooming business at home can lower your costs, though it may not be as convenient for your customers unless you offer a pickup and drop-off service.
- Pet grooming shop: While running a dedicated pet grooming business has the higher investment amongst the three options, it can ultimately open your business up to a broader audience, allow you to handle more pets at once, and help your business establish a solid footing.
8 services that a pet grooming business can offer
The next step is to understand the different services you can offer your clients. Here are eight of the most common:
- Washing: Dog/pet washing is the bread and butter service of any pet grooming business.
- Hair brushing: Brushing is a standard service that can be included in packages or as a standalone option.
- Hair trimming: Consider obtaining the appropriate training if you plan to give pets a haircut.
- Nail cutting/filing: Trim and dull those claws, and save your clients’ furniture in the process.
- Ear cleaning: This can be a quick and easy add-on service (provided you know what you are doing).
- Teeth brushing: Like ear cleaning, giving teeth a quick brush can be a nice little add-on.
- Show trimming: Do you have a talent for trimming? You can charge a pretty penny for giving high-end cuts to show dogs.
- Deshedding/dematting treatment: Just as a hairdresser has a range of additional treatments they can offer their clients for their hair, so can a pet groomer. This service can be especially useful for pets with thicker and longer hair.
Requirements to start a pet grooming business
If you decide that a pet grooming business is right for you, there are skills you’ll need to master, along with rules, regulations, and requirements that you’ll have to abide by. Here are a few:
Skills and knowledge
Pet groomers need to pair their deep love for animals with a high level of knowledge. You should be able to:
- Understand the different types of dog breeds and the nuances of grooming them
- Apply animal CPR and first-aid
- Provide different grooming styles and trims
- Read animal body language and make each pet feel comfortable
- Recognize skin conditions and know how to manage them during grooming
- Deliver a pain-free, pleasurable, and high-quality grooming service
- Work in a physically demanding job for up to eight hours a day
The majority of the above skills can be acquired by completing pet grooming training. Pet grooming training can be obtained by taking online courses, attending dog grooming school, and reading books (and practicing on your own pets or model pets).
Licenses and registrations
In the U.S., businesses will often require at least one license to legally operate. However, pet grooming businesses may also require other licenses, like an animal care license. Your Secretary of State’s office or state Department of Commerce will help you confirm what kind of license(s) you may need. Your state likely also provides online resources that list the requirements for state licenses.
To gain any type of business license, you must register your business with the Department of Commerce and decide which type of business structure you’d like to operate under. There are several types of business structures, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, a limited liability companies (LLCs), or corporations. A sole proprietorship states that you alone own the business. A partnership means two or more people own the business and all of its resulting assets and responsibilities. A limited liability company refers to owners as members, ultimately allowing a wide number of owners. A corporation is when a business is incorporated by a group of shareholders with a common goal.
Each business structure comes with its own legal and tax implications that may also impact which business type you choose. Be sure to consult a professional when planning for your business.
Insurance
Insurance is important for all businesses, including pet groomers. In the event of an accident, injury, or even death, the legal and financial ramifications can be significant. Depending on the type of pet grooming business you decide on, you may need additional types of insurance.
Here are a few forms of insurance that a pet grooming business should consider:
- Liability insurance, which, in a broad sense, protects against any liability you may have. But there are several types of liability insurance, including general and professional. Consult an expert to determine what your business needs.
- Workers’ compensation insurance, which protects employees in the event of a work-related injury.
- Animal Bailee insurance, which protects your business in the event an animal is injured in your care.
- Animal damage insurance, which protects against animal damage caused to buildings or a business’s personal property.
There are other types of insurance that businesses should consider, such as data breach insurance, equipment insurance, and more. When deciding what type of insurance to invest in, always consult a professional.
Essential equipment needed to start a pet grooming business
What equipment will your pet grooming business need? The following core items will help get you started.
Furniture:
- Grooming tables
- Chairs
- Reception desk
- Storage space
Tools:
- Scissors
- Combs
– Shedding combs: Shedding combs have teeth with two different lengths. The longer length is used to help separate hair, while the shorter end is used to eliminate dead hair.
– Flea combs: Flea combs help groomers remove foreign material like fleas, flea eggs, or other materials.
– Rotating pin combs: Rotating pin combs help prevent pet fur from detangling and breaking.
- Brushes
– Pin: Pin brushes are often used as a finishing tool on detangled pet hair to fluff or fine-tune.
– Bristle: Bristle brushes are also used as a finishing tool to add shine and distribute natural oils throughout the pet’s fur.
– Slicker: Slicker brushes are used to detangle and dematt pet fur.
- Clippers
- Shears
- Nail trimmers
- Hoses
- Sprayers
- Dryers
- Tubs
- Towels
- Gloves
Grooming supplies:
- Soaps
- Shampoos
- Conditioners
- Ear cleaners
- Skin and fur treatments
Administrative equipement:
- Computers
- Printers
- Scanners
- Phones
- Business software
- Payment software
- Wi-fi
General business equipment:
- Cleaning supplies (mops, cleaners, sponges, brooms, etc.)
- Medical equipment/first aid supplies (bandages, disinfectant, etc.)
- Safety equipment (eyewear, gloves, etc.)
- A car or customized trailer will be needed for mobile pet grooming businesses.
Operating your pet businesses
When starting your new business venture, you’ll need to invest in a suite of affordable and easy-to-use business tools. Here are a few tools you’ll need to make your business competitive:
- Payment systems: Businesses can’t function without making a sale and turning a profit. Accepting payments for your services can take on a variety of forms, depending on the type of pet grooming business you decide to open. Whether you want a simple, portable solution like Square Reader, a slightly more feature-rich solution like Square Terminal, or a top-of-the-line system like Square POS, payments will be handled instantly, securely, and cost-effectively with your choice of Square tools. It’s also important to note that you don’t necessarily need a physical payment system. Tools like Square Virtual Terminal turn your computer or laptop into a payment processing station.
- Loyalty programs: Returning customers are the best customers, and they are far easier to obtain when you offer a loyalty program like Square Loyalty. Research shows that customers enrolled in a Square Loyalty Program visit 40% more often.
- Gift cards: Gift cards are great because they allow customers to gift your business to others. This introduces your business to new customers and can even work to encourage regular customers to spend more. Square Gift Cards have physical and digital offerings to help ensure your business is the best gift, no matter what.
- Invoices: When you establish yourself in the world of pet grooming, you may need to produce professional quotes and tax invoices for your services and offerings —tasks made super simple by Square Invoices.
- Online booking system: Scheduling your work can be a time-consuming task for a pet groomer. Square Appointments allows your customers to book time and make payments upfront, which can seriously simplify and speed up scheduling.
Establishing prices
In the U.S., the average range for dog grooming services is $30–$90. This range can increase or decrease depending on a number of variables, including:
- Your location
- Your experience and ability
- The size of the pet
- The service chosen
- Whether you offer a mobile service
The key thing to remember is that your rate should always be based on your costs. You need to cover your costs comfortably in order to ensure there is enough left over for you.
Marketing your business
It’s time to get to work, though you cannot expect that work will just come to you — you will need to go out and get it. Marketing a small business is a subject that deserves its own guide, but the most effective strategies include:
- Creating a website: Every business, no matter the type or size, needs a website, as this is the digital equivalent of your storefront and makes you Googleable. With the help of tools like Square Online, making a professional online store is simple and easy. There are several types of themes you can choose from that reflect your business’s aesthetic, have built-in functionality that allows you to expand your revenue streams, have the ability to sell Square eGift cards, and more.
- Email and SMS marketing: Email and SMS marketing help you put upcoming events, specials, and other important information in front of your customers, no matter where they are. They allow you to link out to other platforms like your website and social media, helping to create a full customer journey that can ultimately lead to more sales. Square Marketing has easy-to-use templates and automation features to get your marketing efforts up and running to help get your customers engaged.
- Social media: Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms allow potential customers to get a sense of you and your work. Pet grooming is a business built for social media (thanks to the sheer amount of love for things like dog videos), so have fun with it.
- Word of mouth: Perhaps the most powerful tool in your marketing arsenal, word of mouth continues to be how most pet grooming businesses get their start. Spread the word via family, friends, and your personal network.
Starting a pet grooming business can be an exciting and rewarding endeavor. With the right business tools, expert knowledge in the field, and a solid business plan, your business has the chance to be incredibly successful. To learn more about operating a successful pet grooming business, check out how Bubbly Paws grew into a blossoming franchise in just a few years.
