Dog lovers! How about a dog
grooming business?

What Advantages Are There in This
Type of Small Business?

Do you love dogs? Dog grooming may be the perfect small business for you!

Many dog owners are willing to pay big bucks to have their dogs groomed.

I've actually tried this one myself in my own neighborhood, not for a long time, but I can tell you, this can be a very easy and profitable small business to get into.

How do You Start a Dog
Grooming Business?

You might think that you lack the knowledge and tools for dog grooming. However, there is a very easy thing you can do to start your business rolling. Can you wash and comb a dog? Wash and comb dogs! There is a huge demand for dog washers!

Get your equipment ready. Needed equipment to start is this:

A good dog shampoo from your local pet store along with an assortment of dog brushes, and maybe some sharp scissors.

You can use your bath tub or shower stall to wash smaller dogs. Bigger dogs are best washed and combed outside on your backyard lawn. If you lack a lawn, you might purchase a fairly large metal or plastic tub at a hardware store or at a department store such as Wall Mart.

You'll need a long hose. Depending on your location, warm or cold climate, attach the hose to a cold water faucet outside, or your kitchen or bathroom sink faucet for a warmer water supply for more sensitive dogs (it might be more comfortable for you too, not just the dog, to go the warm water route). Lastly you will need lots of towels and/or a hair dryer for after wash drying.

Especially at first, you may need a friend or relative to help you, especially with larger dogs. One person can use the hose, the other person can apply the shampoo, both of you scrub. If you lack someone's help, leash the dog to a post or whatever to keep him in place during the wash.

Advertising Your Business

Now get the word out! The best way to advertise at first is to talk to friends or other people you know or meet who have dogs, about your new small business. I strongly suggest that you don't advertise in a news paper, Craig's List, or something like that, because you might get too much business and be swamped! If you live in a neighborhood having a fairly good population of dogs, you should get all the business you will need just from word-of-mouth.

That's it for now, and good washing! I mean good luck!

Grow Your Small Business

Any further development of your small business as a dog groomer will probably require some education, at a college or private school. Check with your local college or university for possibilities. Some schools offer on-line courses, where you can learn pet grooming, for example, Pen Foster Career School (new window), an on-line course in which you can earn a certificate in Dog and Cat Grooming.

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