aving worked as a mobile, house-call, and salon pet stylist in Los Angeles and the UK, I wanted to share some points to consider as well as some tips if you are thinking about getting into mobile grooming, either as an additional service or as a new venture.
Mobile grooming can be a great idea, but like with anything, it does come with negative and positive aspects, so let’s start by reviewing some of those…
It is useful to keep in mind that mobile grooming relies on your vehicle, such as a van or truck, or a trailer for your source of income. When your vehicle breaks down or faults happen to your mobile unit, it can be costly both in missed grooming time and the repairs themselves. In addition, cancelling appointments can potentially lose you customers, which may be costly to replace.
Some clients may not like that certain units use the customers’ water and, in some cases, their electricity. However, as a business, this can save you in expenses, so it may also be a positive. Additional expenses the mobile model will save on are business rates and rent. Another perk is that you have a free, moving advertisement on your vehicle or trailer that people can see in multiple places.
If mobile grooming is something you are considering, you must ask yourself a few questions first and be honest about your answers. Are the areas you are working in safe? Are you experienced enough to deal with emergencies on your own? Are you able to deal with conflict and arguments in a calm and collected way to avoid confrontational owners? Are you able to groom fast enough to make money in mobile grooming? Lastly, are you physically strong enough to groom mobile?
Mobile grooming includes a lot of driving and a lot of bathing (sometimes) heavy dogs, unless of course you choose to just cater to small dogs. However, a lot of mobile clients choose that model because they have large breeds that are not easy to fit into cars or are too heavy to lift, and they expect you to be able to do this, which takes a toll on your back, arms and joints.
If you do choose the mobile grooming route, you should invest in the best of everything, if you’re able. This is a business, and what you invest in will pay for itself and your welfare. Start with a quality vehicle or trailer. And if it needs renovations, get a professional to make them to ensure everything is up to code. The unit should have a large water tub with large storage and waste tanks. It’s also a good idea to invest in a table that goes to the floor, a walk-in tub and ramps rather than stairs, which are better for older dogs. Other things to consider are generators for dryers and shampoo mixers for tubs.
Another big benefit to mobile is charging higher prices. As a mobile groomer, you’re providing a service at the owner’s home where they can see where their dogs are being groomed, and they generally have more input. People with large disposable incomes prefer mobile groomers so they don’t have to make time to drop dogs off. Therefore, mobile grooming can be a lucrative business. But to get high-paying clients, you also need to be excellent at grooming and customer service and consistent in quality.
Mobile grooming also requires using equipment that is practical and useful for mobile and may differ from a salon setting, as you want to try to reduce your grooming time. This is why a lot of mobile groomers use a shampoo mixer to reduce the bathing times, and they tend to use HV dryers more frequently than a salon to reduce drying time.
Going back to safety, one key tool you will need is knowledge of pet first aid. If you do not have a pet first aid qualification, it would be a good idea to take a course and get certified. Make sure the course you take includes drowning, poisoning, and choking for small, medium, and large breeds and is taught by a qualified, knowledgeable individual or organization.
To recap, mobile is for an experienced, knowledgeable, fast groomer with excellent customer service who can work autonomously to a high-quality finish. You can charge more per dog, but generally don’t groom as many dogs in one day. You will drive for long periods, need to navigate neighborhoods and traffic, be flexible to change, excel at time management, and be organized and business minded.
Salon grooming is for all groomers, but with more overhead than mobile. You usually cannot charge as much per client, but you can generally do more dogs in one day, have more flexibility with timing and can employ helpers more easily. You also have the luxury of working in one place and with co-workers; although, some people like the aspect of being out and about and on their own, which mobile grooming provides.
So, it really comes down to who you are as a groomer, what your goals are and what abilities you possess. Whatever you do, enjoy and happy grooming!