The reasons why the mobile dog grooming revolution has

gained so much momentum 

 

There are literally thousands and thousands of mobile grooming salons across America and beyond and why shouldn’t there be? For ages, they were literally the only solution if a dog owner wanted their dog to be groomed by a professional. Even for dog breeds that only get bathed, any large breed dog owner who has tried it knows the mess, frustration and difficulty of bathing their dog in the bath tub. At 130 lbs, one unexpected shake-off from my childhood rottweiler was enough to cover most of the bathroom with water and require me to change into dry clothes. Who would have thought that one day, professionals would drive up to your home in a $80,000 grooming salon on wheels and groom your dog in a quiet one-on-one environment? If we had thought it up, I’d be writing this from a yacht.

Even though the mobile dog grooming phenomenon is sweeping the nation, there are still a massive number of people who take their dogs to salons to have their dog groomed. While I don’t have the figures, there are still probably more dogs that get groomed at a salon than get groomed by a mobile groomer. We can think of a number of reasons for this and have listed them accordingly:

  1. Unaware of mobile grooming or that there is a mobile dog groomer in their area
  2. There is no mobile dog groomer in their area
  3. Shop Loyalty: Understandably some people will continue taking their dogs to the familiar
  4. Unaware of the pitfalls of salon grooming
  5. They believe salon grooming to be the more convenient option

What I’d like to do in this article is to clarify some of the misconceptions and to give everyone an inside view of mobile grooming and salon grooming. We’ve done both in the past and once you finish reading this article, you’ll understand why we decided to open a mobile dog grooming business and not a salon. Here are some responses to the reasons we listed above:

  1. Some people really are unaware of mobile grooming or that there is a mobile dog groomer in their area and this is understandable. It is a new segment of the grooming industry and to be honest, a lot of dog groomers have poor websites to be frank. We’ve written on this extensively if you look through our blog. It is the duty of the mobile groomer to let all dog owners in their area know that a safer, better alternative is available.
  2. Pretty self Explanatory
  3.  Shop loyalty is a tough one. On one hand we understand that there really is a bond between customer and groomer that is built and it happens to be one of the strongest customer relationships out of any industry we’ve been a part of. This goes probably double for mobile groomers, since we come to your house! However, once you finish this article, you may realize that you’re putting loyalty to the grooming shop in front of loyalty to your dog…
  4. This one is also understandable, since dog owners do not see what goes on behind the reception area. We will clarify this for all of you shortly.
  5. The belief that  salon grooming is the more convenient option is simply a misconception that we hope to clarify in this article as well.

A Typical Dog Experience When Going to a Salon Groomer

First things first. Before you even get to the grooming salon, you have to take a car ride – we all know that means hair and slobber in the back or passenger seat (for certain breeds) which is never fun. Additionally, you already take on a safety risk – what happens if you’re in an accident? However unlikely, it is still undoubtedly a risk you’re taking.

When you take your dog to a salon groomer they typically will give you a window when your dog will be finished and will give you a call when your dog is complete. Some people choose to drop their dog off at a groomer in the morning before work and will pick them up sometimes 9+ hours later when it is most convenient. This is not a rule, more like an exception but both grooming salon owner and dog owner are to blame for allowing this to happen. Within that window, sometimes 3 hours, sometimes 5 – the only time you’re dog is out of a small cage is when it is getting groomed. Now we tried to let the dogs that we’re there for a long time out at least once to go potty, but realistically that isn’t something that happens for certain. When you get your dog back, there is a chance it has gone potty in the cage while it was waiting and may not have been cleaned off. This goes especially in the corporate grooming environment like some of the large chains ( you know the one’s we’re talking about) where insurance and red tape do not allow the groomers to let pets outside on a leash for fear of lawsuit.

Now the noise. In a busy grooming shop, there could be 8-10 dogs in cages in the back area crying, barking, showing aggression – you name it. Your dog now has to sit and listen and watch this for the duration of his/her stay. We don’t need to mention how stressful the noise, the smells and other animals can be to your pet.

The Mobile Dog Groomer Difference

With mobile dog groomers, you really don’t run into any of what we mentioned above. Your dog NEVER leaves your property! No transporting (which causes stress in lots of dogs), the dog is on its own property and has a view of his/her house, it is free of any other strange animals and is far cleaner than a shop.

There is a reason why veterinarians recommend mobile dog grooming.

Remember the dog flu epidemic as well as any other recent epidemic afflicting pets? There was a huge push from animal service providers and veterinarians to use mobile dog groomers due to its cleanly nature.

As far as convenience goes, you really cant get any more convenient. With Wet Noses in particular, because not everyone offers it – but you can book online and we come right to your door to pick up your dog and they he/she is right back into your arms the moment we’re finished. We even have long time and trusting clients who give us their garage codes and we go inside, collect the wagging pup and drop him/her off as soon as we’re finished. Now that’s some convenience.

Mull it Over

Now Wet Noses is only currently grooming in the Chicagoland area currently, but we’ve taken the time to write this to help dog owners and their pets across the entire country. We want what is best for you and your dog, regardless of what mobile service you’re using. So think about it. Take a few minutes to weigh the options in your head and decide if mobile dog grooming is right for you. We have a feeling you’ll agree with us.