So you think you want to start your own pet grooming business? If you have a love of dogs and a knack for handling clippers and scissors this may be the pet business opportunity for you.

But no pet groomer should think about testing the waters without joining the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA).

The NDGAA offers seminars and conferences to help learn not just about being a better groomer, but also how to run a better grooming business.

The NDGAA is also the administrative body that bestows the professional National Certified Master Groomer designation to those that successfully complete the certification program. You can contact the NDGAA directly by visiting their website.

LEARN ABOUT THE NDGAA HERE.

But please note: You do NOT need any certification or even a license to be a dog groomer. Which is both good and bad. Good, because anyone can become a dog groomer. And bad, because anyone can become a dog groomer. 😉

Being certified by the NDGAA assures a basic level of quality and separates the wheat from the chaf, so to speak.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

But if you really want the lowdown on being a pet groomer or futhering your grooming skills, you really need to visit PetGroomer.com, the MOTHER OF ALL GROOMING SITES.

PetGroomer.com is more than a website, it’s an entire community devoted to all things having to do with pet grooming. In fact, PetGroomer.com boasts having more than 6,000 web pages! Wow! This is really the only pet grooming information site you’ll ever need.

VISIT PETGROOMER.COM

GET A PLAN

Every new business needs a business plan. Consider it your roadmap.

Writing a business plan for starting a pet grooming business will not guarantee your success but it will give you an honest assessment of how realistic your chances are.

The following site offers a wide variety of easy to follow business plan templates including, of course, a “PET GROOMING BUSINESS PLAN”.

I particularly liked the fact that these easy-to-customize business plans also help you prepare a business loan request, how choosing a name for your pet grooming business is so important and offers over 50 ways to improve your cash-flow.

Get Your Pet Grooming Business Plan HERE

The Business Plan For Your Pet Grooming Business

CD-ROM or PDF File Download: 93 p.
Publisher: 125aday.com Publishing

This Business Plan is specifically designed for your pet grooming business. The Business Plan contains nearly 90 pages of instruction to complete the Business Plan in Excel. The complete template you will need is provided. In just eleven steps your Business Plan is complete and ready for printing. Costs either $34.32 as a series of 93 downloadable PDF pages and Excel spreadsheets or $72.90 on a CD-ROM, delivered.

More Details Here

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

How To Make Big Money Grooming Small Dogs
by Robert S. Whitman
Hardcover: 192 p.
Publisher: Protective Specialties Development (1995)

Excellent “how to” guide for current and would-be groomers.

Contains easy to follow expert instruction about how to control and style pets without the use of dangerous drugs, grooming posts and nooses, or inconsiderate treatment. It includes tips, tricks, and numerous trade secrets and sources of unique equipment to save you time and money.

More Details Here

The Art & Business of Professional Grooming
by Dorothy Walin
Spiral-bound: 256 pages
Publisher: Alpine Publications, Inc.; Spiral edition (April 1, 1986)
A great primer for anyone thinking about taking the plunge and opening their own pet grooming business. The author is a 30 year grooming pro and this classic book is as relevant today as it was when it was first published nearly 20 years ago.

More Details Here

From Problems to Profits:
The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming Businesses
Paperback: 290 p.
Publisher: Madson Group; Rev Update edition (1997)

This the revised edition of 1997 of this book totally focused on the business side of grooming. It sets the professional standard backed by 40 years of field experience by Madeline Bright Ogle, PhD. She presents a business manual detailing the same management system she used to establish one of the world’s largest and most professional salons, complete with topics ranging from personnel, marketing and advertising, client relations to safety and supervision,  financial planning and bookkeeping.

Useful for small 1 person businesses as well. Illustrated with dozens of forms and agreement, etc.

More Details Here

Start Your Own Pet Grooming Business

CD-ROM or PDF File Download: 88 p.
Publisher: 125aday.com Publishing

Download this ebook for $26.40 or get it on CD-ROM for $96.90.

This detailed guide is a great place to start once you’ve already decided that this business is for you. This is not a general overview but a detailed “how-to” that gets into the nitty gritty, such as:

• Financial Projections
• Projecting Your Sales Potential
• Budgeting
• Licenses,
• Regulations
• Permits

By using this guide you could realistically start the ball rolling on your pet grooming business today. This book gives you the insight on how to Plan, Start, Manage and Operate your pet grooming business. The Getting Started section shows you how plan, start and finance your pet grooming business. The Managing Your Business section shows you manage and operate the important aspects of your pet grooming business. The Accounting section provides information for furnishings, cost controls, financial projections and cash control systems. The Employee section shows you how manage employees. Other sections provide information on supplies, equipment, wholesalers, publications, associations, training, certification and franchise opportunities.

More Details Here

FREE GROOMING MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

Groomer to Groomer Magazine claims to be the “Grooming Industry’s Business-Building Magazine”. It has a lazer focused distribution, distributed free to about 20,000 working, active grooming professionals. Each issue is packed with tips and ideas on how to maintain and GROW your grooming business.

Get A Free Subscription Here

VISIT THE GROOMER TO GROOMER FORUM

If you have questions, they’ve got answers. Post your questions, comments and suggestions on the free Groomer to Groomer Magazine forum.

VISIT THE GROOMER TO GROOMER FORUM

LEARN ABOUT GROOM EXPO

Every industry has trade shows where professionals learn about new products and techniques as well as network with other professionals in their field. Groom Expo began in 1988 and has become the “must go” event for pet grooming professionals ever since.

VISIT THE GROOM EXPO SITE