Hypermobile joints mean I can't be on my feet for more than 3 hrs - would a job dog grooming still be possible?

[theberlintall]

(26, F) I'm fine if I can sit down and rest every hour or so, and I can wear good shoes etc to help but I had to quit my old job because I was in too much agony doing 8 hour shifts on my feet.

I've saved for a course and really want to get qualified for dog grooming but don't want to spend all this money only to find out I can't physically do the job!

 

[huggy]

@theberlintall Dog grooming is hard on the body for a healthy individual. Idk about hyper Mobile joints and what that entails but it is possible to groom small dogs sitting down. Large dogs not really. And unless you're in a salon that only takes the best of the best behaved dogs, you're also going to be struggling against them pulling and moving and sometimes thrashing. I imagine working for a mobile grooming salon could be good for you because you work on a client and then drive to your next one. Giving you time to sit between clients

 

[theberlintall]

@huggy Hadn't thought about mobile jobs, that's a interesting idea! Thanks for your thoughts

 

[humanist0624]

@theberlintall It can definitely be done, but you will have to find a salon that is okay with you sitting down to groom. A lot of corporate salons, like pet supplies plus, don't allow you to sit while you have the dog on table. You will have to be VERY up front about your needs as you look for a grooming job. Plus, even if you sit while you bathe, dry, and groom, you still have to consider that you will be on your feet a lot of the time to move dogs from place to place, and you will have to lift and move heavy dogs onto tables and into tubs/kennels. There is also the strain of clipping and scissoring - carpal tunnel is a real risk, and maybe even more so with hypermobile joints.

 

[theberlintall]

@humanist0624 Thanks for the helpful info, it's this kind of stuff they don't necessarily warn you about before you start learning. I'll definitely need to keep researching and thinking about it

 

[humanist0624]

@theberlintall Of course! There is also the standard risk of being bit, scratched, kicked, pissed and shit on. It comes with the territory, and while some salons are good about weeding out dogs with behavioral issues, there are ALWAYS going to be uncooperative and aggressive dogs. You have to take this into consideration as well. Not to scare you away, but it's always better to be aware before you full send.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@theberlintall I would recommend only doing mobile grooming, but that has its own set of problems. Most of the vans are very high demand. Between Amazon and ups/fedex most of the people who bought them this year won’t get them until next year. They also start at $100,000. I would look into a truck and trailer first

 

[ahzmort]

@humanist0624 I got lucky .. I sit the whole time I groom .. but I have heel spurs in both feet and require hydrocortisone shots sometimes in the heels which hurts like hell

 

[chaz1268]

@theberlintall I work with a groomer who sits while she grooms but she struggles with difficult dogs way more than the rest of us do. She would have a hard time with dogs that nobody else had any issues with. She can work around it because she has a ton of experience. When you’re just starting out, you may be in for a harder time than someone who is able to stand for a full shift. Just being honest sorry

 

[theberlintall]

@chaz1268 No, thanks for the honesty and your opinion, I need to make a decision based on reality not dreams lol

 

[hms]

@theberlintall Grooming is a VERY physical job. I sat when I was pregnant, but I only did tiny dogs and I still had to stand to bathe. I agree that is easier to sit when u have lots of experience, but it would also be awfully hard to do any med-leg size dogs. IMO. Maybe a private salon in your area would let you observe for a bit?!

 

[thankfullness]

@theberlintall I worked with a groomer that had a weight limit and groomed sitting down. She still had to participate in all the other functions of a salon like laundry, cleaning, standing to bath and to dry. Even small dogs can struggle and cause issues. You will need to work in a place willing to accommodate you or work for yourself. I personally didn't mind working with someone on a restriction, but I will admit it got VERY old being the only person who had to wrestle walk in nail trims and having no one to help me hold large dogs when she was the only other person in the salon. It caused a lot of tension with other groomers when we had 7-8 50+ pound dogs walking in and she was sitting with her yorkie. I know she would rather be able to handle the bigger dogs as well but it just wasn't possible. Keep that in mind when looking around or making a decision. Also, is lifting continuously even small dogs going to make your condition worse? Will you be able to safely groom enough dogs to make a living?

 

[novs]

@theberlintall i have worked in a private salon where we sat for most dogs, except for when we were bathing them (we stood only for large dogs because they would be so tall on the table). i would look for private salons primarily, or see if you can get an accomadation in a corporate salon, as this would likely be considered a disability.

 

[gd3001]

@theberlintall The only time I sit is during blow drying, and that’s on a rolling saddle stool. Grooming I move around the entire table and it would slow me down a lot to sit.

 

[chris_1989]

@theberlintall Corporate salons are 100% not an option for you. I’ve now worked at three different big box businesses. Sitting down is considered a “privilege” and unprofessional (masked as a safety issue). So much so getting reasonable accommodated with a stern doctors note is like pulling teeth and employees are either hounded for an end date or bullied “teased” so much that it’s not worth it.

Definitely try private (the one I worked has enough chairs for absolutely everyone), but be wary as a lot of private salons as bad if not worse than corporate in many ways.