Is There a Demand for Dog Groomers?

Absolutely. Since 2019, there has been a significant increase in the population of dogs and dog breeds and the number of dogs in the UK has risen to 10.2 million from 6.2 million. In just two years, this has increased by 4 million. What this means for dog groomers is that they are now in demand and more people are now looking to pursue a career as a dog groomer.

Can Dog Groomers Make Good Money?

How much do dog groomers make? It’s possible for dog groomers to make good money, especially if they start their own businesses. If they have a successful business with a large clientele, and they have the scope to groom several dogs per day then they have the scope to earn good money. They can also grow their business by taking on staff and more clients, all of which will help them to make even more money.

Is Dog Grooming a Profitable Business?

Yes, dog grooming is a profitable business, employed dog groomers can earn anything from £13,000 to £23,000 per year in pay. For those who are self-employed or run their own dog grooming business then they can earn much more – as much as £100,000 (this would be multiple salons). This is because they have the scope to charge their own amount based on the market rates for taking care of dogs and handling the grooming for their owners.

Dog Grooming Business Cost in the UK

If you start a self-employed business as a dog groomer, then you can keep your grooming business cost low, especially if you operate from home. However, the costs increase once you begin factoring in the cost of premises, equipment, and supplies as well as running costs. Set Up costs vary depending on the scale of the intended business. Set-up costs can be as cheap as needed, from as little as £2,000 for equipment and insurance.

How Much Does Dog Grooming Business Make a Year In the UK?

This is all dependent on whether they choose to become an employee of a business or start up their own dog grooming business. If you’re wondering how much dog groomers make, then on average they will earn pay of around £11 per hour or around £20,000. This is the kind of wage you can expect if you work for a company, but if you decide to open your own business, then you can earn anything from £20,000 to £35,000 running a single one-man band salon.

How Do Groomers Get Paid?

Dog groomers get paid either per hour or by the price that they charge for specific treatment if they are self-employed. So, an employee will get paid an hourly rate as part of their wages while a business owner will get paid per job.

How Long Does it Take to Train to Be a Dog Groomer?

To become a dog groomer, you will need a dog grooming qualification. Initial beginner grooming courses can take just a few weeks, but ongoing learning and training will be needed to continue to develop your skills. After completing a beginner’s course, further teaching can come in many forms such as 1-1 training with experienced groomers, grooming shows and workshops, or online seminars.

Things Needed to Start a Dog Grooming Business

✓ A business plan 

✓ Plan how you will operate 

✓ Give your business a brand identity 

✓ Take out insurance and licences 

✓ Purchase tools and supplies 

✓ Undertake training and obtain certifications 

✓ Determine pricing 

✓ Promote your business

Becoming a dog groomer can be extremely rewarding, especially if you are a dog lover and love working with animals. Once you have obtained the right qualification, you can then opt to start your own business or work for a business that offers dog grooming. Either way, you have the scope to earn good money and do something that you enjoy.

If you would like to train as a Dog Groomer and need some advice we recommend British School of Grooming for all your training needs. Contact them on 07487 25 88 14 or via email info@britishschoolofgrooming.com 

www.britishschoolofgrooming.com 

The post How Much Does a Dog Groomer Earn in the UK appeared first on Saving Strays Animal Rescue.

As a pet owner, we all want to ensure that our animals are safe and healthy, which is why we have made this guide to help you to identify the plants that you should make sure your pet stays away from.

Lily of the Valley

This flower is a popular garden favourite but it is extremely toxic to both cats and dogs. If you suspect that these beautiful flowers are growing in your garden – watch out for the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Decreased heart rate
• Seizures

Foxglove

Foxglove is a popular plant that grows wildly in gardens, but again can be toxic to cats and dogs. If your pet shows signs of any of the following, contact a vet immediately:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Lethargy
• Tremors

Rhubarb

Whilst it may seem perfectly safe on the surface, consumption of this plant can lead to rhubarb leaf poisoning which shows in the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite.

Daffodils

We all associate daffodils with spring, and we all enjoy looking at these bright vibrant flowers. However, these pretty plants can lead to catastrophe for your beloved animal – in the form of:  

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Gastrointestinal symptoms
• Respiratory and cardiac issues in extreme cases

Bluebells

Bluebells are a common flower often found within the woodland but can be toxic to your pets if digested. This can result in the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Heart and breathing problems in extreme cases

Prevention is Key

Prevention is the key to keeping your pets safe so be sure to research any plants that you bring into your home or garden.

By supervising your animals when outside and ensuring that they are not eating any plants on our list, you may be saving your animals’ lives, ensuring that they stay healthy and save yourself a costly trip to the vets.

Other prevention methods include:

• Keeping any known toxic plants out of reach
• Visiting the toxic plants for cats or toxic plants for dogs website to learn more about additional life-threatening vegetation to avoid

If you suspect that your pet has ingested a poisonous plant, please contact your vet immediately.

Other plants which could be hazardous to your pet

This list is by no means exhaustive, and we would encourage you to do further research to ensure your pet stays safe this summer.

Some additional flowers to watch out for are listed below:

• Foxglove
• Lily
• Crocus Autumn
• Fritillaries
• Peonies
• Begonias
• Carnations
• Buttercups

Additional Resources:

Symptoms of dog poisoning: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/the-common-signs-and-symptoms-of-poisoning-in-dogs/

Symptoms of cat poisoning: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/poisoning

List of toxic plants for cats – https://www.cats.org.uk/media/12932/outdoor-plants-may-2023.pdf

List of toxic plants for dogs – https://www.petmd.com/dog/emergency/poisoning-toxicity/e_dg_poisonous_plants

The post Keep Your Pet Safe – Five plants to Avoid this Summer appeared first on Saving Strays Animal Rescue.

Since then, Molly has secured a loving foster home, who are working very closely with Saving Strays Animal Rescue to ensure that she gets the treatment needed to help her become healthy!

Molly’s History

It has been made known to us via the opinion of two vets that Molly has been mistreated and used continuously for breeding, a consequence of this is that her nipples are very sore and enlarged. However, since being placed in her foster home, they have shown slight improvement.

Molly’s first day

When Molly first came to her foster home, it was clear to see that she hadn’t received the proper care that she needed as she was constantly itching, making herself bleed and unable to settle. With numerous vet visits, she has been medicated with antibiotics and steroids, but her skin condition will be an ongoing battle for her for the rest of her life and she will require medication for life. Molly is also prone to ear infections, and she needs her ears washing twice a week to reduce the swelling and eliminate any further infections, again this will be a medical cost and condition for the rest of her life.

Unfortunately, the problems don’t stop there for Molly, she has been diagnosed with psoriasis in the folds in her skin that has to be bathed twice a day which has resulted in her being continuously itchy and consequently has had dire effects for her other diagnosis of Cherry Eyes, as she has scratched the lumps on her Cherry Eyes which has caused them to bleed. Molly also has limited eyesight, and the ball of her eye continues to be sore for her, which is why she will be undergoing surgery soon to remove the Cherry Eyes.

This is why we NEED YOUR HELP, as a registered charity we rely on public donations to help and support animals within our care and the vet bills they accrue. Due to Molly’s ongoing conditions, she needs to see the vets on a fortnightly basis, which means accruing more cost for the charity.

Our mission has always been to help animals get the medical help and treatment that they need for a second chance at life. Molly is the most robust character with a fight for life which is why we are desperately seeking your help to get her healthy and allow her to enjoy a new peaceful and pain free stage of life.

HOW YOU CAN DONATE:

You can donate directly to Saving Strays Animal Rescue Charities bank account, any donations big or small is appreciated as it goes a long way to helping Molly seek the medical treatment she deserves.

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 426640468

SORT CODE: 30 – 90 – 90

Thank you from the Saving Strays Animal Rescue Team and Molly

The post French Bulldog Molly Needs Your Help – Donate Today appeared first on Saving Strays Animal Rescue.

By continuing to fulfil its mission to help ‘every pet finds their fur-ever home’ the small but dedicated team has been helping hundreds of animals since SSAR was established in 2019 by Hayley Egan, charity trustee.

The charity says it is ecstatic to have obtained registered charity status and feels that this is a reflection of the hard work of the team of volunteers, and the ambition of Hayley, who all want to see the charity continue to thrive to help animals in need of rehabilitation and rehoming.

Hayley said: “The team and I have been working incredibly hard over the past four years to gain a registered charity status. It’s important to us as it has helped SSAR gain legitimacy and now our hard work is recognised throughout the community; this status helps increase our exposure and strengthens our voice as a charity.”

The charity continues to emphasise their aim to rescue strays and unwanted animals in Bolton and the surrounding areas; whilst never allowing a healthy animal to be euthanised.

With the growing help of volunteers and fosterers, all animals are accommodated in loving homes and receive the necessary veterinary treatment required.

Jorden Parton, marketing manager at Saving Strays Animal Rescue added: “Saving Strays Animal Rescue has been growing exponentially as a team of volunteers as well as rescuing more animals in need. Although this growth is great, it has increased a need for more volunteers to keep up with the demand of the services we provide. At SSAR, we are very passionate about rescuing animals in need and supporting them. We are grateful for adopters/fosterers and would love to increase our network of volunteers to continue to provide care and support for all the animals in our rescue.”

The post Saving Strays Animal Rescue: A Registered Charity appeared first on Saving Strays Animal Rescue.

THE TRUTH BEHIND PUPPY FARMS

Puppy mills were first introduced in World War 2 in response to failing crop yields in the Midwest, today there are over 2000 legalised puppy mills in Wales alone, with over 80,000 dogs sold in this industry which is designed on profit rather than animal welfare.

DID YOU KNOW?

Puppy mills continuously use dogs to breed, standardly in poor conditions, the dogs and puppies are often placed in small and restrictive confinement and subject to long lasting trauma and fear. The animals in their care often do not have access to the basic essentials such as nutrient rich food and are habitually separated from their mothers before the recommended time. Puppy farms are an inhumane practice and to close down these illegal and disgusting places, anyone looking to add a pet to their family should look at adoption and providing an animal, who hasn’t had the best start to life a second chance.

A great example of how adoption can help animals is Tilly, the Jack Russell has been striving since being adopted over a year ago:

‘We adopted Tilly (originally named moo-moo), just over a year ago from saving strays animal rescue, she was very malnourished and weighted under the recommended weight for a jack Russel, she was very shy, scared, and standoffish due to being used for breeding. Since adoption, she has developed a great, fun, and sweet personality and always seeks love and attention. It has been amazing to see the change In her and her confidence grow, she is a great addition to our family and is extremely loving to her sister border collie, we would definitely recommend anyone looking for a pet to choose adoption over visiting puppy farms, it is a great feeling knowing that you are proving a better life for a dog that hasn’t had the best start’ – Patrick Green and Jorden Parton

ADOPTION IS BEST

To end this continuous cycle of mistreatment, people can choose more ethical methods such as adoption which helps prevent dogs being euthanised due to overcrowding, limited resources and ill health as shelters often are unable to provide adequate healthcare or treatment due to a lack of funds. Sadly, by being kept in shelters, some animals have a tendency to display characteristics of aggression, nervousness and depression. However, with love, affection and adoption these behaviours can all be reversed, not only will you be providing a safe and loving environment for an animal but you will be investing in their future and improving their quality of life.

Adoption also helps the shelters and other animals who need urgent care, as it will solve the overcrowding issue and offers relief to their resources which can then be used on an animal that may need a little extra time to come out of their shell and find a forever home.

Another reason to consider adoption, is because it may be better for your bank balance, it is notoriously well known that if you were to purchase a new pup, it could cost you on average between £1000 – £2000 (dependant on the breed of dog), this is excluding any additional vet bills or visits that may occur. By offering a new home to an older or any animal in need, you will be saving yourself a lot of money, for example, here at Saving Strays Animal Rescue and other shelters, they ensure that animals are fully checked by the vets, are spayed, and aid fosterers by supplying them with donated food.

YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS

There’s a misconception surrounding the idea that you can only find older dogs at rescue centres when there are puppies found in shelters all over the UK. There are various shelters all over the UK, with a variety of ages to suit each owner depending on your different situations and lifestyles.

There is a myth that you cannot teach an ‘old dog new tricks’ and it is easier to train new pups, this is simply not true, each animal comes with its own challenges whether that is toilet training, aggressive behaviour or unwanted barking. All animals need time, patience, and a firm authoritative leader to correct any behaviour. By providing a safe environment, plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, any dog of any age will strive.

This can also be beneficial for those that are looking to engage with more active lifestyle and offers health gains such as burning calories, weight loss, reduce blood sugar and decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases i.e. coronary heart disease by 19% – if you choose to invest in any animal, you can also help reduce anxiety, depression, and other negative moods. 

By adopting just one animal, you can save the life of two, stop the cruelty in puppy farms, prevent unnecessary deaths, and help shelters by reducing their resources. Help older and unwanted dogs feel loved and youthful, and the change you can see within them is a great reward. You can support Saving Strays Animal Rescue today by looking at the wonderful animals that we have currently looking for a forever home HERE.

The post Chose Adoption; Chose the Ethical Option appeared first on Saving Strays Animal Rescue.