Top Dog Grooming Supplies for Your Business in 2024
PetExec Software
Did you know the pet grooming industry is expected to reach $6 billion in revenue by 2026? But don’t start the plans for your dream house just yet. While operating a groomer poses a huge potential financial gain, there is a great deal of administrative work, finance management, staff management, and other tasks that go into making a successful groomer. PetExec, a dog business software is ideal for groomers looking to take some of these tasks off their hands so they can get back to doing what they love: providing care for our loyal furry friends. With PetExec, you can create custom grooming services and set prices according to breed and size, and schedule grooming appointments or tack them onto boarding stays. When working with staff, you can set commission rates for groomers as well as their work schedules, run detailed reports on groomers’ tips, and manage employee schedules and availability on a color-coded calendar. On the client side, they can select grooming services for their pets in their owner portal or mobile app. They can also request or schedule appointments based on employee availability and your grooming calendar. Plus, PetExec can help with marketing, inventory, and financial reporting.
Dog Grooming Tools
What supplies do I need for my grooming business?
Becoming a professional dog groomer involves more than just a love for dogs—it requires a comprehensive set of grooming supplies to ensure the well-being and aesthetic appeal of canine clients. From clippers to shampoos, the tools of the trade play a crucial role in transforming a shaggy pup into a well-groomed companion. Let's explore the top grooming supplies that every dedicated dog groomer should have in their arsenal.
Clippers. You can opt for electric or standard clippers, just ensure that they’re lightweight, and easy to grab. You’ll also want a blade that is of a high quality, and clippers that preferably come with multiple blades for different types of coats. You can get scissors to trim around the face, giving pups a cute circular look to their heads and thinning shears to blend thin and thick areas of coats.
A Slicker Brush. This style of brush, with its bristled flat head, is beloved by groomers because of how easily it removes dead hair buildup and tangles, leaving a shiny coat that sheds less in its place. You can also opt for dematting tools to get rid of matted patches of hair, and undercoat rakes for particularly thicker coats.
Nail Grinders. Some dogs, like humans, don’t particularly love the sensation of getting their nails cut. A nail grinder helps you polish the nails down without getting too close to the quick, and many dogs adjust to a grinder easier than clippers. Make sure to find a grinder that’s durable so you don’t have to replace it too often.
Dog Grooming Equipment
A Grooming Table. To prevent dogs from wiggling all over the place and becoming escape artists, you’ll want a grooming table that has an arm with a loop so you can hold pups in place. Invest in a heavy-duty table that can hold larger dogs. And you can find grooming tables with added baskets to hold all of your supplies like shampoo, conditioner, scissors, and brushes.
A Shower Attachment. Control the amount and pressure of the water you’re spraying onto pups with a handheld attachment. Find an attachment that comes with adapters so you can plug them into a larger sink, a bathtub, a hose, an outdoor faucet, or wherever you’re getting your water source.
A High-Velocity Dryer. Some dogs hate being blowdryed, so the best way to maximize their comfort is to get a high-speed dryer that can speed up the process. You’ll want attachments for this dryer as well, such as different nozzles and a 10-foot hose that keeps the sound away from dogs’ sensitive ears.
Grooming Apron. Keep your groomers’ outfits safe from dirt, hair, and other debris. You can even get custom-branded aprons with your logo to contribute to the overall aesthetic of your business.
Dog Grooming Products
Dog Shampoo and Conditioner. These are needed to properly clean a dog’s coat and restore it to a silkier, softer texture. There are many types of shampoo and conditioner on the market, and you can even opt for shampoo and conditioner with certain health-conscious claims like vegan shampoo or gluten-free conditioner that you can upsell for a higher cost to clients. There are also types of shampoo and conditioner for dogs with sensitive skin, dogs with allergies, and dogs with tangled fur. You can stock multiple types and ask clients what they’d like to use upon booking, or simply assess the dog when they come into your studio.
Ear Cleaner. Available as wipes, in a nozzle-style bottle, or as powder, you can clean out doggy ears and get rid of any gunk, build up, itchiness or smells.
Toothbrush and Toothpaste. Some vets offer teeth cleaning as an additional service, and you can sell dog toothbrush and toothpaste sets at your facility so parents can maintain dental hygiene at home.
Cotton Balls and Swabs. Clean around sensitive areas, such as ears and eyes, with gentle and soft cotton.
Styptic Powder. Accidents happen, and sometimes a groomer might cut nails too close to the quick. Styptic powder stops the bleeding, pain, and irritation fast so dogs are more comfortable.
Pet Industry Trends for 2024
The 2023 Global Pet Expo was held in Orlando, Florida, and a number of trends arose from all the booths and new products being offered. Here are some trendy ideas to tap into to ensure your business is au courant.
CBD Supplements For Pets. People have taken CBD for improved mental state, reduced inflammation, and reduced pain, and the CBD boom has extended to pet products too. CBD products for pets are now available in tinctures and chews.
Personalized Nutrition. Gone are the days when the only food option for dogs was kibble. More companies are offering food tailored to dogs’ breeds, allergies, weight, and age.
Sustainable and Green Products. Upcycling and recycled products aren’t just for eco-conscious people. There are dog treats made with sustainable protein like crickets, biodegradable or upcycled cat litter, compostable toys, upcycled dog treats, and even plastic-negative ones.
Pet Probiotics. We know eating probiotics like yogurt can improve our digestion, immunity, and gut health, so companies have formulated pet products that can provide the same benefits for our furry friends.
Commonly Asked Questions
How to start a dog grooming business?
Starting a dog grooming business is a lot of work, but can be broken down into these steps.
1. Conduct market research: Assess how many pet owners are in your area and their incomes, where the nearest groomers are, and how much owners would be willing to pay for services. You can conduct surveys, focus groups, and speak to dog grooming professionals to make this assessment.
2. Create a budget: Account for your rent or mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities, equipment, salaries, licenses and permits, marketing expenses, dog grooming business software, and bank fees.
3. Write a business plan: Essential if you’re seeking outside investment, great to have just to plan out marketing strategies, budgets, revenue goals, market research, and future services.
4. Buy equipment and supplies.
5. Apply for documentation: Get a business license, tax numbers, insurance, and legal documents.
6. Address health and safety requirements: Check with your government to see what those might be.
7. Create a marketing plan: Figure out how you’ll utilize Google, social media, flyering, and other marketing tactics.
8. Create an operations plan: Make employee and cleaning schedules, assess how you’ll do accounting and how you’ll collect payment.
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