Setting up a Dog Grooming Salon at Home

Check out our tips for setting up a dog grooming business from home

Which business is right for me?

Each year we train hundreds of beginners from all different walks of life; career changers, from all different backgrounds, who now want their chance to shine, those who are passionate about animals and those just starting out on their career journey. 

All of our students become successfully qualified. Out of those, 98% will end up successfully running their own business whilst others will work in a Salon.That’s really great news if you are looking start a new career or want to run your own business.

So just what are your options after the course?

Dog grooming from home

When grooming from home, there are big decisions to make. Are you converting a room, a garage or having a shed within your garden? Are you using any garden space? Are you able to take multiple dogs or do you just want to have one dog at a time? The main factors that need considering when working from home, funnily enough aren’t costs at all, but in fact are neighbours! Planning permission is essential to get but keeping your neighbours well-informed and happy is fundamental to a successful venture of working from home. Working from home means you get to work the hours that you decide and importantly, get to stay in the comfort of your own home. Overheads are significantly smaller than the other options, but you would need to renovate your living space and remember that your market would only be open to those that can travel to you. This would also mean that all of your clients would know your home address.

Dog Grooming at Home Pros:

  • Overheads are small compared to a salon.
  • You can advertise by word of mouth purely from talk in your local community.
  • You can choose when you work.
  • It is a fairly straight forward route into independent business.
  • You require a smaller range of equipment because you only have a small space to manage.
  • You don’t have to worry about the commute to and from work.
  • The dog becomes familiar with their groomer because it is generally just yourself.
  • You can have a very close community, where neighbours can quickly become regular clients.
  • Some clients can warm to a smaller business, thinking you will take more care of their dog.
  • You may have an accessible space already without any additional rental cost.
  • It’s a stepping stone that can be combined with part time work.
  • It can tie in if you have children that you need to be at home for.


Dog Grooming at Home Cons:

  • You are limited to the number of dogs that can be groomed at one time.
  • You have to consider the impact you have of disposing grooming waste.
  • You will spend a lot of time based in a very small space.
  • You are limited to your options of expanding unless you invest in a salon.
  • Because you only groom one dog at a time, costs have to be high to make it worth while.
  • You need to be considerate of your neighbours and consult them with any changes.
  • You are changing your living space
  • You don’t have any separation between work and home.
  • All of your clients will have your home address.
  • You need to consider planning permissions for any alterations.
  • Limited opportunities to upsell any additional products.
  • It can be more difficult to maintain high standards and appear professional in a home environment.

What equipment do I need to set up from home?

Starting up can feel like a never-ending list of items and an ever-increasing investment into your future. To help you understand the full extent of your costs, here is a list of equipment that is useful to your start up and an approximate cost for each item.

EquipmentWhat it is for?Approximate average cost (£)
ShampooYou’ll need a range of shampoos to deal with skin conditions and coat types.£25 per 4l bottle(prices range between £10 and £80 per bottle)
ClippersWhether you go for corded or cordless, clippers are an essential tool for every groomer for quick, effective consistent grooming.£200(prices range from £130-£350)
Clipper bladesYou’ll need a range of these, including 30, 10, 8.5, 7F, 7, 6F, 6, 5F, 5, 4F, 4, 3F, 3, 2F, 2.£30 per blade
Comb attachmentComb attachments will attach to blade number 30, 15 and 10 and using attachment size 1-8.£20-£50 per set
Clipper OilTo make sure your clipper blades stay working well.£7 per 500ml
Colognes and PerfumesTo give each dog a fantastic smell that each client can associate with your business.
Ear PowderTo help clear out and disinfect ears.£6.50 for 25g
Nail ClippersTo keep their nails clipped and free from infection£18 for a set of 3
Blood stopperTo manage little nips and cuts to the dog.£8
Slicker brushesTo brush out and de-matt hair£12-£25 for 3
De-shedding toolsTo help remove the undercoat in short and medium coats£40 for 2
CombsTo help de-tangle and brush hair when it is needing to be styled and is less tangled£8.50
Coat KingTo remove the undercoat on longer coated dogs.£15-£20 each
Finishing DryerTo dry the dog after a wash and removing excess water, ready for a groom.£400-£700 each
BlasterTo remove excess water after an initial wash before using the finishing dryer.£200-£800 each
ScissorsThis can be a huge range but to cover the basics of a straight, curved and thinning pair to help style and shape.£250 for 3, however, with experience this can be over £1000
Grooming tableThis can be hydraulic or set to a particular height. Having one that moves is useful for your back and the health of the dog, but is up to you.£100-£500 (non-hydraulic)£400-£1000 (hydraulic)
BathOnce again, there are a huge range available and the cost is affected by bath size and material used.£400-£1000
SteriliserTo sterilize your metallic equipment.£80
Leads and NoosesTo restrain and maintain safe control of each dog£80 for a set
CagesThis is dependent on how long you wish to hold your dogs and the space you have to hold the dogs in.£35-£350 per cage
Bath equipmentThis would including a mitt, a sponge, a jug and combs specific for hygiene areas£50 for a set

Quick tips for your dog grooming from home business

DON’T be the cheapest or undersell yourself
DO understand what other businesses in your area are charging
DO understand your target market and local area

Price guides

These pricings are a suggestion and a rough guideline to where you can price your services. This doesn’t factor in the price difference in your local area or the time or overheads that you will need to think about when sorting your price structure. This also doesn’t include up-selling and additional services that you may wish to charge for. If you haven’t thought of this option, please see our adding services section.

  • Extra small dogs from £25 to £35. For example, Pugs and Pomeranians
  • Small dogs from £30 to £40. For example, Shih Tzu, Miniature Schnauzer and West Highland White Terriers
  • Medium dogs from £35 to £45. For example, Cocker Spaniels, Cockerpoo’s and Schnauzer
  • Large dogs from £45. For example, German Shepherd, Samoyed and Standard Poodle
  • Extra large dogs from £65. For example, Bernese mountain dogs, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard and Great Dane
  • Hand stripping from £40

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