dog grooming business question?

[spookypony]

Not sure if this is the best section of HHO for posting this, but thought you folks might be the most likely to have some advice about this, so here goes...

A friend left work some years ago to have 2 children. Now that the older has started nursery, she is thinking about getting her hand back in, to earn a little extra cash. She is a qualified dog and cat groomer, with 8 years' experience in a salon, and also has experience clipping horses, although hasn't done that in a long while.

The thing is, she isn't able at this point to embark on a full business venture, nor does she have access to a car at the moment. What she is thinking is more along the line of a couple of clients whose animals she could groom at home while her child is at nursery. Sort of a freelance neighbourhood groomer!

Is this sort of thing feasible at all? I see lots of people advertising around local shops and yards for pet-sitting and related services with little cards---is this a feasible way of starting to build up a clientele, or would people think it odd? I suppose the prices would have to be right...

I also suggested to her that she go along to her local RS (where she rode before #2 came along), both to get her bum back on a horse, and to offer to assist with clipping in the fall (for free, natch), so that she could get back into practice with clipping horses. She'll hopefully have access to a car soon-ish, and that might be a nice side-line as well!

Any thoughts?

 

[ThePinkPony]

my mums old dog groomer groomed from her home, she had a little set up next to her house.

Its all doable, providing she is qualified.

Advertising in pet shops, counrtywide etc. village shops.

 

[s4sugar]

Nothing to do with qualifications (& how is she qualified to groom cats?) but does need planning consent & insurance.
It could also invalidate home insurance unless declared.

 

[ThePinkPony]

Nothing to do with qualifications (& how is she qualified to groom cats?) but does need planning consent & insurance.
It could also invalidate home insurance unless declared.

i dont know many people who would pay good money to let an unqualified pet groomer loose on their animals. i certainly wouldnt.

 

[spookypony]

See, that's part of my concern. So she would need to look into planning and insurance.
Cats---I don't know, honestly, because I don't know how pet groomers qualify in the UK. I just know that she used to have a lot of cat clients!

I think she'll need to look into translating her qualifications into UK terms as well; hadn't thought of that...she did her training/work overseas. Hmm...more research to do!

 

[s4sugar]

There are lots of "qualified" groomers who have a piece of paper after a two week course and many who have produced quality work for years with no specific qualifications.

Unless it is very recent there are no official cat grooming qualifications in the UK.

 

[padderpaws]

I run my own dog grooming business and I am a qualified city and guilds dog groomer. I do not groom cats because they are in my opinion not worth the hassle and are not cost effective.

Ideally you need to hold a qualification, portfolio of your work and some insurance. However, I have never and I mean never been asked by anyone if I am qualified to groom they just assume I am. People are very shocked to find out that you do not have to be qualified to start grooming dogs for a living. Anyone can do it, all they have to do is buy some clippers and scissors and advertise in the local pet shop etc and off they go.

 

[spookypony]

OK, so there is not actually a nationally-recognised UK course, it appears? Her course was at some sort of college, and lasted at least 6 months, while she was working in a salon as a student. As I said, she worked professionally for nearly a decade after that. I can ask her if her course was specific to dogs, and if the cats were merely a part of the job at the salon. Thanks for your replies so far!