What will I be doing?

If you enjoy dogs, consider joining the nearly 20,000 full-time pet grooming shops in the U.S., many of which work from their home. A pet groomer offers services such as washing, trimming and grooming dogs, cats and other pets for owners. Learnable skills are required, as is a concern and interest for the health, beauty and temperament of these animals.

What will I need to start?

To be a professional pet groomer you must have knowledge and training in a variety of areas. There are schools, books, videos and other resources for learning these skills. The best is on-the-job experience. If you don’t already have experience, get it now by working in a pet grooming shop in your area.

To offer pet grooming services you’ll need a convenient location where people can bring their animals for care. If your home is difficult to find, consider making your business mobile and going to your customers. You can set up shop in a travel trailer or mobile home that visits your customers.

You’ll also need some tools (clippers, trimmers, etc.) and supplies (shampoos, detanglers, flea sprays, etc.). Most pet groomers also carry pet-grooming products to sell to customers—much as a beauty shop carries a line of beauty aids.

Who will my customers be?

Customers for your pet-grooming services include pet owners, veterinarians and pet stores. If you have many potential competitors, look for a unique service or unserved customers that you can build your business around. For example, specialize in caring for dogs that most groomers don’t like to handle. Using safe restraining equipment, you can serve these specialized customers and probably get a higher price than for grooming most dogs. Or consider specializing in services for older dogs or even for cats. They don’t all groom themselves!