Mobile Dog Grooming

About Mobile Dog Grooming

When it's time for FiFi's next grooming, most owners will make an appointment to bring her to the grooming shop for a bath and clipping. However, there is another option in the pet grooming industry that provides far more convenience for owners and a little less trauma for pets -- mobile dog grooming.

Mobile grooming brings the shop right to your own driveway in the form of a fully rigged Maxi-Van. The mobile dog grooming van is equipped with a full-sized bath tub, warm running water, grooming table, hair dryer, clippers and all other useful grooming supplies. Many mobile dog grooming units will ask to plug into your home electrical outlet, but if this isn't possible, most also carry their own power generator for these situations. Occasionally, you may be asked if your mobile groomer can refill their water tank from your hose, but it's a small inconvenience compared to taking your dog to the shop yourself.

Advantages for Dog Owners

By using a mobile dog grooming company, owners can save themselves the hassle of transporting their pets across town. They will never have to fight traffic or the elements, and the appointment will be made to best fit their schedule, not the grooming shop's. Owners will be able to check in on their dog periodically while it's being groomed, and offer input on the way Fido should be clipped. In a grooming shop, typically you will tell the groomer what you want before you leave, and you will not be allowed back into the actual grooming area.

Advantages for Your Dog

Some grooming shops run appointments on a strict drop off and pick up schedule. This means you may be expected to drop your dog off at the shop by 8:00 AM and not come back to pick him up until the last hour of the shop's regular business hours. Although this streamlines things for the grooming shop staff, it means a lot of excess time spent in the grooming shop for your dog, and it can be stressfull. Your dog will have to listen to the constant hum of dryers and clippers, and numerous other dogs barking all day. He will also have to be confined to a cage before and after his turn. If you have a nervous dog who doesn't like confinement, this can turn his grooming experience into a monthly nightmare.

Mobile dog grooming shortens the actual time your dog has to spend away from his comfortable home environment. He may still not enjoy being groomed, but he's only a few yards away from his owners at the time; so overall, the experience is far easier on him.

From the Mobile Dog Groomer's View

The daily schedule for a mobile dog groomer is quite different than that of a shop-based groomer. The mobile groomer begins the day with a vehicle check. Is the water tank full? Is the propane heater full and working properly? Depending on the season, either the AC or the onboard furnace must be checked to assure it is operational. The mobile groomer must also be sure to carry extra fuses and a very long hose in case refills are needed, as well as all the necessary disposable grooming supplies, such as shampoo and conditioner.

Time equals money for a mobile unit. In the shop, the next dog and grooming fee are just a couple of feet away. The mobile dog groomer must often drive to another neighborhood to meet his next client, so fewer dogs can be groomed in a single day. This results in a grooming fee that is normally $10.00 to $15.00 more than the average shop fee.

The mobile groomer is also more accessible to the dog owners. This gives the advantage of being able to check what the customer wants, resulting in a customized groom. However it can also slow the groomer down significantly if the customer wants to hang around and chit chat. Many dogs will also struggle to return to the owner, making the grooming more challenging for the mobile groomer.

External Links

• Aussie Pet Mobile Franchise/Grooming Appointments
• Wags N Tails mobile pet Grooming Opportunities