How To Make Money Dog Grooming In 2024

Dog grooming can be a rewarding side hustle, especially for animal lovers. In this article, I’ll cover the five steps to get started grooming, how much to charge, and what challenges to expect along the way.

To help me with this article, I interviewed Xena Cirelly, a lifelong animal lover who’s been grooming dogs for the past five years. She’ll be chiming in with helpful tips throughout this article.

Let’s get grooming! 🐕

How Profitable Is Dog Grooming?

Dog grooming can be a very profitable side hustle, with many dog groomers breaking even within their first few jobs. Dog groomers can expect to earn between $30-$125 per dog. Dog grooming rates vary based on breed, size, and home service fees.

Across the US, dog groomers on average make $29,000 per year. However, groomers with experience, education, and a great reputation can earn much more. To many, dogs are an extension of their family. People will pay more for groomers who will go the extra mile.

Statistically, dog groomers can expect to make the most money in higher-income areas and more affluent parts of the country. For example, groomers earn over $25/hr in cities like Denver, San Jose, and Irvine.

I asked Xena how she priced her dog grooming services:

“I priced my services about $20 cheaper than the local groomer as I was only a beginner. As I got better, I raised my rates and my clients followed. But also, remember to give back to the community without being taken advantage of. Offer free grooms for your local shelter or maybe offer a one time discounted groom for a special occasion. This will help set you apart and above the rest.”

Freelance vs Employee Grooming

Freelance verse employed dog grooming jobs can play a huge role in how much you earn, how you get clients, and how much freedom you have over your work. Before you dive into the world of dog grooming, consider which path is right for you.

Here are the differences between the two:

Freelance Grooming

Freelance grooming means you choose your rate, your hours, and your services. Being your own boss is great, but it requires more responsibility when it comes to finding clients, paying for supplies, and keeping track of expenses.

Freelance groomers:

• Charge whatever they like
• Are responsible for finding clients
• Are responsible for expenses and liability
• Have more control over their service
• Can choose their hours

For the sake of this article, we’ll be covering the freelance grooming business model.

Employee Grooming

If you don’t want to go the freelance route, you can get hired as a groomer at your local pet store. You’ll get paid an hourly rate or receive a portion of the sale as a commission. For example, if PetSmart charges $50 per dog and you get a 50% commission, you’ll take home $25 per dog.

Employee groomers:

• Have set hours to work
• Make a set commission or wage
• Have a list of services to perform
• Don’t have to use their own supplies*
• Don’t have to find customers

Skills To Have For Dog Grooming

You don’t have to go to school or have a degree to get your dog grooming side hustle started. YouTube, mentors, and other groomers are great sources of experience.

Xena recommends finding a good grooming mentor and working on obtaining qualifications as you go.

“You could start with no experience and find a good mentor to help teach you and work on education and qualification from there! Dog grooming is all about passion. A course in pet first aid is a must in the event of an emergency. You should also learn how to properly care for your clippers and shears. Have your local sharpener teach you!”

How To Make Money Dog Grooming

Even if you’re a total beginner, you can start making money as a dog groomer by following these five steps:

1. Choose How You’ll Groom

Pet owners choose freelance groomers for their level of care, competitive pricing, and convenience of home grooming.

Consider what services you’ll offer based on what you’re comfortable with, what you have supplies for, and what you’ll charge. Some full-time freelance dog groomers even have mobile grooming vans, so their client’s pets don’t have to be kenneled.

Dog grooming services can include:

• Sheering
• Shampooing and bathing
• Nail clipping
• Nail painting
• Anal-gland expression
• De-shedding
• Eye cleaning

2. Buy Your Supplies

With a list of services in mind, it’s time to buy supplies. Depending on the services you offer, your startup costs can range from $300 for starter kits to several thousand dollars for mobile grooming vehicles. Thankfully, you don’t need to buy everything at once to get started.

Xena specifically recommends investing in quality clippers, sheers, and a high-velocity dryer.

“Invest in good shears and clippers! I promise they are worth the money. Loyalty Pet Products is a great “starter” brand that offers many quality products. You’ll also wants a good high velocity dryer and a concave diamond dremel bit for nails.”

3. Find Your Clients

When one of the biggest challenges in making money in dog grooming is finding clients. Consider starting with friends and family and working your way out from there. If you have one customer who loves your work, offer them a discounted rate in exchange for referrals.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be another excellent place to drum up business. Local Facebook groups and apps like Neighborhood can be the perfect place to find local pet owners looking for grooming.

Everyone loves to see before and after shots, so make sure to snap some photos and post them on your Instagram and other social media accounts.

4. Do Memorable Work

Your work and the customer’s experience will make all the difference. Take your time to not only groom well, but include small extras that show you went the extra mile.

For example, send progress photos to your client, or give each pup a small toy. Combing your grooming skill with creativity will help you stand out, increase your customer retention, and increase your new business through referrals.

Xena says attention to detail is key to keeping clients and their pups happy.

5. Add Upsells To Increase Profits

Once you have a small dog grooming client base, you can increase your earnings by offering additional services to your existing customers. Since your customers already know, like, and trust you, it will be much easier to sell additional helpful services.

Ask yourself, what can I provide to my clients that they don’t already pay for? A few dog grooming-related services include:

• Pet Sitting
• Dog Walking
• Pooper Scooping
• Nail Painting
• Teeth Brushing

To make it easier for everyone, consider offering packages. For example, your base package can include grooming and de-shedding, while your plus package includes nails, teeth, ear, and eye cleaning.

Dog Grooming Challanges

While hanging out with dogs all day can feel like a dream job, it isn’t without its challenges. Some issues you might run into include:

• Figgity pets
• Biters
• Cut cuticle
• Sick pet
• Lots of messes

If you’re serious about grooming, consider starting a Limited Liability Company (LLC). These are legal entities in which you do business through. LLCs, along with business insurance, can help protect you from legal troubles if a serious incident occurs.

Below, Xena shares some of her biggest challenges during her years of grooming:

“You’ll always find a breed that challenges you. For some, those are Doodles and for others they’re Yorkies. Puppies, in their adorable and never ending wiggles, are also challenging when you have razor sharp shears half an inch from their eyes. Last but not least, you have your biters; though you’ll find they’re more easily managed than puppies!”

Wrapping Up

This has been our complete guide on how to make money dog grooming. While there are plenty of challenges, dog grooming can be one of the best side hustles for animal lovers.

To wrap up, I’ll leave some advice from Xena for anyone new looking to get into dog grooming.

“Find a mentor! Attend grooming conferences and shows – They’re a ton of fun and super informative. Learn skills you may never use, like ear plucking or hand stripping. Also, ALWAYS keep notes on your clients and their pets! Didn’t like a cut? Noted. Kid had a birthday? Noted. Had a childhood cat named Sam they loved? Dually noted. This will help you built rapport with your clients and always ensure you have something to talk about.”