Setting up a Mobile Dog Grooming Business
Check out our tips for setting up a mobile dog grooming business
Mobile Dog Grooming
When you think about grooming using a mobile facility, you need to be realistic in how much everything will cost because you don’t just need to factor in your grooming equipment, but also the running and maintenance costs to a vehicle. Being truly portable means that your client base can be as large as you want it to be and you also have greater freedom to work the hours that are suitable to you. Travel does come with a drawback in that you now have to factor in issues with traffic and must be flexible with you appointments. Clients are also aware that your overheads are low and as a result, you cannot charge the same amount as you would for a salon experience. One additional factor is that you must be aware you are only able to complete one dog at a time and as a result, if you are thinking about expanding, that will mean another van. Depending on the quality of your vehicle and your equipment, you can have an initial start-up cost ranging anywhere between £5000 and £30000. Let’s summarise the main pros and cons of mobile dog grooming.
| Equipment | What it is for? | Approximate average cost (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | You’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) |
| Clippers | Whether 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 blades | You’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 attachment | Comb attachments will attach to blade number 30, 15 and 10 and using attachment size 1-8. | £20-£50 per set |
| Clipper Oil | To make sure your clipper blades stay working well. | £7 per 500ml |
| Colognes and Perfumes | To give each dog a fantastic smell that each client can associate with your business. | |
| Ear Powder | To help clear out and disinfect ears. | £6.50 for 25g |
| Nail Clippers | To keep their nails clipped and free from infection | £18 for a set of 3 |
| Blood stopper | To manage little nips and cuts to the dog. | £8 |
| Slicker brushes | To brush out and de-matt hair | £12-£25 for 3 |
| De-shedding tools | To help remove the undercoat in short and medium coats | £40 for 2 |
| Combs | To help de-tangle and brush hair when it is needing to be styled and is less tangled | £8.50 |
| Coat King | To remove the undercoat on longer coated dogs. | £15-£20 each |
| Finishing Dryer | To dry the dog after a wash and removing excess water, ready for a groom. | £400-£700 each |
| Blaster | To remove excess water after an initial wash before using the finishing dryer. | £200-£800 each |
| Scissors | This 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 table | This 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) |
| Bath | Once again, there are a huge range available and the cost is affected by bath size and material used. | £400-£1000 |
| Steriliser | To sterilize your metallic equipment. | £80 |
| Leads and Nooses | To restrain and maintain safe control of each dog | £80 for a set |
| Cages | This 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 equipment | This would including a mitt, a sponge, a jug and combs specific for hygiene areas | £50 for a set |
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