To start you dog grooming business, you need to determine if you want people to drop their dogs off at your house or if you want a mobile service. A lot of people purchase big vans and have turned them into mini beauty salons for animals. This provides the owner with the convenience of having you pick up their animal and clean them up and return them. You will need some professional nail trimmers, tooth brushes, dog toothpaste, shampoo, hair brushes, blow dryers, towels, and a shaver. You must also get insurance and a business license to get started.

If you are running the company from your home, you will need a tub or an area to bathe the dogs. Then you need to have an area where you can dry them and finish your other services. If you can set aside a spare bathroom in your home, this may be the perfect solution. Some people have even built outdoor showers for their pet grooming business.

The time it takes to groom one dog is approximately 30 minutes to an hour. The larger and hairier dogs will take a lot longer from the dogs with short hair or smaller dogs. It also depends on the dogs' personality. Some dogs absolutely hate water and getting their nails cut so you may run into problems with a few dogs. It also depends on the hours you want to work. If you want to attract clients that work all day, offer some late hours like 6-8 pm versus the 8-5 for your customers that can come during the day. Consider working weekends as this will be convenient for a lot of customers.

The dog grooming industry is on the rise. Over the next few years, experts have predicted that it will grow by at least 5 percent. This means you have a great opportunity to grow your small business into something bigger. If you want to rate your earning potential on a scale of one to five, it will be about a 2.5 to a 3. Most people charge about $20 per dog so it is really up to you on how many dogs you want to work with and how many you can do per day.

To become successful with your dog grooming company, you should consider adding in some extras to your business. When you have groomed the dog, send them home with a little bandana or a treat. You can also help yourself stay in business by offering discount passes to your repeat customers. Place some flyers at pet stores and at veterinarian offices, this is a great way to reach your target audience. Consider placing some ads at your local animal shelter and ask them to pass them out with every dog adoption. You may even be able to establish a contract with shelters that need the dogs groomed.

Since you are working for yourself, you will take the risk of staying up-to-date with the latest trends in dog grooming. Subscribe to newsletters and magazines to see how you can keep your customers happy. You are responsible for the dog while they are with you, which means you need to have home owners insurance to protect you in case the dog breaks anything. You will also be responsible for any veterinary bills if the dog is hurt while you are grooming them. Make sure you check with your local and state government about licensing, zoning and other requirements for your dog grooming business. Remain professional and keep your office clean to keep your customers happy.