What’s it really like being a dog groomer? The good and the bad

[barnabasp]

@sheiriam I was referring to you saying you won't make 60k, not that I made more than you. You said we don't get paid like that, and I was pointing out that you can get paid like that. Wasn't intending to sound condescending.

 

[sheiriam]

@barnabasp You make 60k a year?

The average is about 30-40k

I'm just trying to help OP realize that they won't have the same income. A 20k a year less salary is life-changing.

 

[barnabasp]

@sheiriam I make over that, yes. 30-40k a year isn't the average around here. Maybe it's regional, but to say that she's automatically going to make 20k less just isn't necessarily accurate.

 

[daleviewrd]

@sheiriam Thanks for the heads up! Can I ask what your work week looks like and if you get 50% commission?

Training where I’m at is $15/hour. and working up to with 50% commission, my thought was I’d definitely make $15 on top of that (equaling around 60k with at least a 40 hour work week).

 

[barnabasp]

@daleviewrd I work off of 50% commission for a corp and am able to support myself pretty comfortably, in a relatively high COL area. I do anywhere from 5-7 dogs a day. It is entirely attainable.

 

[sheiriam]

@daleviewrd No you make either 15 an hour or 50% commission. Not both, just whatever is higher. I make 60% commission and I'm just surviving.

It depends on the cost of living where you are located. Yeah some spots are 100$ grooms but that's like LA and higher col areas. Most small dogs average about 50-60 dollars. Most groomers average about 4-6 dogs a day. You'll need to do about 10 a day to make 60k a year and you'll be dead with no soul if you do that.

You also will have to buy and maintain tools which are not cheap either.

 

[daleviewrd]

@sheiriam Ah, that makes much more sense. I don’t know where I got the “on top of 15” idea from. Thank you for sharing.

 

[gentleminh]

@daleviewrd sometimes it can be so gross. i don’t think thats stressed enough.

 

[ronanddeb2014]

@daleviewrd so! a lot of people saying you can’t make money at this job but that hasn’t really been my experience. my experience is that it’s an absolutely backbreaking job but you can make a good amount off of it. (I made 55k last year and I’ve had coworkers that were making in the 80s-even six figures (doing an amount of haircuts that I, a pretty quick groomer, found insane) but the girlies that were making that much were definitely disabled by their chronic pain, so. y’know. pick your poison.

but I’m also 3 years in and I was definitely not making that much as an apprentice, so you’d be taking a hefty paycut, probably until around your second year (where, in my experience, it “clicks” for a lot of people and their speed goes up)

I’m concerned about everyone in comments saying they’re making significantly less. y’all ok? I couldn’t imagine doing this job without it being cushy it’s hard as fuck

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@daleviewrd The burnout is real. Hard days and a sore body. The bad dogs and bad clients will push you beyond your breaking point. It’s immensely difficult. I don’t really ever feel like “but it’s so rewarding it’s worth it!” Even tho I do like it, if I could go back in time I’d change my path.