How to Start Your Own Dog Grooming Franchise

Passionate about cleaning pooches up and making them look even cuter than normal? Why not turn that passion into a profitable and lucrative business within a growing sector of industry? If you start your own dog grooming franchise, every day of your professional life can be dynamic, exciting and dog-filled. Keep reading if this sounds up your street, and you’ll discover a list of simple steps to follow - steps that will help you launch your franchise on the right paw.

There are 12 million dogs in the UK [GroomArts Academy], and many of these are awaiting your grooming services! If you’re looking to get into dog grooming as a career (and looking to become your own boss), you’ll be pleased to know there’s never been a better time to make a career change with a dog grooming franchise than right here, right now. What are you waiting for?

What does a dog grooming business do?

Dog owners head to groomers for many reasons, from improving the hygiene of their pets to peace of mind about parasites. If you’re looking to become a dog groomer, the first thing you should do is develop a strong sense of what these businesses do, and what you’ll be doing every day as a franchisee. 

Obviously, dog groomers prepare dogs for grooming, wash and shampoo them, shape their coats, check their skin for irritations and common parasites and generally care for them while they’re in the grooming parlour. But as the owner of the franchise location, you’ll also need to do all of the following:

• Keep and update client records
• Develop and/or maintain strong client relationships
• Develop and/or maintain strong supplier relationships
• Maintain the parlour and keep it 100% hygienic and cleanly at all times
• Manage the business (operations, finances, employee management, etc)
• Market the business 
• Stay up-to-date on the latest dog grooming industry trends and developments

Why consider running a dog grooming franchise?

There are so many reasons to start a dog grooming franchise, even beyond the high levels of demand that the industry is currently experiencing. For one, there are the advantages inherent to franchising - a proven business model, a built-in customer base, a huge amount of training and support. For two, there are the many specific advantages that come with running a dog grooming franchise, like:

• The availability of low-cost, high-reward investment options
• The chance to work with super-cute dogs every working day
• The chance to enjoy a varied, exciting working life
• The ability to set your own hours and work flexibly around your lifestyle/other responsibilities
• The endless room for growth and development down the line

How to start a dog grooming franchise

1. Complete plenty of initial research to find your place in the industry

Fewer than 1% of franchise businesses closed in 2018 citing commercial failure [British Franchise Association], making franchising a far lower-risk type of investment than starting a business from scratch. But that’s not to say there’s no risk involved! In an industry as thriving and fast-growing as dog grooming, it’s important that you make your first step towards investment all about industry research.

What’s currently happening in the grooming world? Which trends are dominating consumer conversation? What are your competitors up to, and which gaps in the market can you spot when you find out what they’re up to? There’s no such thing as too much research. For one, this research will help you find your place and seek out your ideal franchise opportunity. For two, it’ll help you to get a jump-start on marketing your franchise post-investment. Win-win.

2. Ensure the franchise you invest with is a financial match 

If you think you’ve found a franchise that’s a match to your professional preferences and working desires, it’ll then be time to determine whether this franchise is a true financial match for your means. The last thing you want to do is overinvest, get midway through your franchising journey and then realise you can’t sustain your business. 

A lot goes into running a grooming parlour, so consider not just initial investment costs as you try to figure out the financial viability of an investment, but franchise fees, ongoing royalty fees, premises costs and equipment costs. Multi-service pet care franchise Friends For Pets, for instance, requires a minimum initial investment of £8,995, but an operating fee of 10% is also charged, and associated running costs will add onto this figure.

3. Do your due diligence before signing a franchise agreement

You should now be right on the brink of starting your own dog grooming franchise - congratulations. Before you do, make sure you’re actually getting what you’re paying for doing your due diligence. This means thoroughly assessing the franchise opportunity in full, reviewing the FDD, speaking to existing franchisees and getting answers from your franchisor about any questions that you might have.

The primary purpose of [due diligence] is to obtain sufficient information about the target's business to enable the buyer to decide whether the proposed acquisition represents a sound commercial investment.
- Franklins Solicitors, Business Times

Franchise opportunities in the dog grooming industry

There are many great options when it comes to dog grooming franchise investments, but one of the best is Dial a Dog Wash. Dial A Dog Wash is a very well-loved dog grooming service provider here in the UK. First established by Andy and Helen James back in 1999, the grooming network has grown substantially since this time. The franchise prides itself on providing a low stress environment for dogs, keeping owners coming back.

• Becoming a Dial a Dog Wash franchisee: You don’t need any specific industry experience to become a franchisee - just a genuine love of (and desire to care for) dogs.
• How much you need to invest: You’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £14,999.
• What you get for your investment: In return for your investment, you’ll receive an extensive training programme (including grooming, marketing, franchise operations and much more). You’ll also receive a great deal of ongoing support, 12 months of public liability, discounted rates with grooming suppliers and some promotional materials to distribute in your operational area.

Join the growing pet grooming industry today with an investment in a dog grooming franchise

If you’re more certain than ever that a pet grooming business suits you, browse Point Franchise’s range of grooming franchise investment opportunities. If you’d love to work with dogs but you want to explore the wider world of dog-focused franchising, why not find out how to choose the right dog daycare franchise for you, or discover how to become a dog trainer?