The dog grooming industry in Australia is a burgeoning one. There are currently in the region of 29 million pets in Oz, but only around 4,000 pet groomers, which means that anyone with the wherewithal to start their own pet grooming business can take advantage of the huge demand.
While the styling and clipping of pets might seem like a luxury service, it’s quite an essential resource for pet owners. Of course, a set of clippers used in the right way is going to keep a dog looking good, but there are other significant benefits to grooming.
It helps to eliminate dirt and maintain a healthy coat but also ensures there are no ticks, fleas, or suspicious-looking lumps. As such, it’s a vital part of keeping them well.
The Benefits of Starting a Dog Grooming Business
Of course, you could join the pet styling industry as an employee working for someone else’s successful business, but the benefits on offer when you open your own start-up are enormous. Firstly, your earning potential is uncapped, and you get to call the shots, but it does come along with a lot more in the way of responsibilities.
You could choose to open your own grooming salon or operate a mobile dog grooming service. Either way, the principle of starting a dog grooming business applies. As such, you’ll need to consider a number of important factors.
You Need Equipment & a Location For Your Dog Grooming Business
When starting a dog grooming business, the first point of consideration is the grooming equipment you’re going to need. While animal lovers and pet parents might think it’s just like working on their own dog, it’s a lot different if for no other reason that they’re not your pets!
If your own business is salon-based or mobile, you’ll need a grooming table or two, as well as the following...
- A storefront, i.e. premises in a good location with lots of foot traffic
- De-matting equipment (it’s a specialised tool)
- Professional scissors for dog haircuts
- Shampooing/washing tubs
- Business cards for referrals
- Professional hair dryers
- Nail clipping tools
- A set of shears
Pampering dogs in this way is a hands-on task, and you’ll need all the right tools for the job. Without them, your pet business won’t be viable, and this is just a cross-section of the complete range of required equipment.
Understanding the Many Different Dog Breeds
Another vital part of starting a dog grooming business is the knowledge of how to deal with all the different dog breeds. There are 360 recognised dog breeds and five different dog coat types. That means you need to know how to deal with them all - or you’ll end up with some pretty unhappy customers when your work doesn’t work out as expected.
Most won’t have this kind of knowledge naturally, so training like a TAFE Certificate III in Dog Grooming, however, can take 1-2 years and take up thousands from your budget as laid out in your business plan. That’s why online learning like our CPD-endorsed dog grooming courses is becoming so popular, as they’re both cost-effective and convenient.
Your Business Name & Services Offered
Something that you’ll need to decide at some point is what form are your dog grooming services and packages going to take. Are you going to offer a basic package with add-ons like ear cleaning, tooth brushing, and anal gland expression, or a service that includes everything?
You’ll also need to consider whether you’re going to be salon-based with a team or work on your own on a freelance, self-employed basis. Then there’s the decision of whether to work part-time or full-time and branding your company so that your new small business stands out from the crowd.
Marketing & Promotion to Attract Customers
Of course, any business needs customers, as it’s their sole source of income. So, how are you going to get noticed by your target market? You could rely solely on word of mouth, but that’s often not enough - mainly when talking about a salon.
So, you’ve got to decide whether you’re going to:
- Advertise via social media organically
- Use paid advertising online, such as Facebook Ads
- Employ traditional newspaper/radio advertising
- Offer some kind of referral scheme
There is a lot involved in owning and running a business in Australia, but the rewards are very much there to be grasped. All that’s needed is the right approach and the best possible training.
Turn Your Love For Animals Into a Career With OCA Short Courses Online
If you’d like to turn your animal love for animal health into an exciting animal care career, OCA’s CPD-endorsed online Dog Grooming Business and Pet Care Courses represent the most affordable, convenient, and mentally stimulating learning options around. Whether you want to start a dog grooming business, pet sitter, or animal welfare worker, or you just want to work around animals, you need a solid foundation of knowledge to launch your career.
Our online animal course options are almost endless. It can all become possible with the proper education and a genuine passion for working with and caring for animals of all shapes and sizes. So, why not get started today and em-BARK on an exciting and fulfilling career in animal care and enjoy a range of benefits like industry-led content and 1-to-1 mentoring?
With further studies, you can step into a new and rewarding career! Alternatively, if you’re interested in working in a Vet clinic, check out our best-selling Vet Nurse Course.
Also, have you seen OCA’s brand-new jobs portal called Careers by Online Courses Australia? Sign up for free job alerts, Air CV, direct links to local and national employers, and much more! To get in touch, call 1300 611 404 or email support@onlinecourses.com.au today.
