Hi. I've been considering this recently too. I worked as a vet tech for 10 years kind of off and on (had a baby in between there lol) and it is WAY different working with other people's animals than your own. I'm not going back to that now only because with having a young child the job just isn't flexable enough (last minute emergencies etc.)The most recent vet office I worked for did basic grooming for their clients, and once in a while if the kennel staff was busy one of us techs would have to do a brush/bath. Of course also as a tech we had to do a lot of clipping for surgeries and we'd get the ocassional matted dog or cat that had to be sedated to shave, so I have some experience.
I liked doing the grooming (unless i was really in a hurry to have to get back to assisting the Dr.) but you just have to remember that it will not be all nice tiny dogs like your own
You're going to encounter some that will not be happy with you and you may have to muzzel them, you're going to have some very large breeds and some really hairy shedding ones (Great Perenese are a PAIN lol). I'm used to this so I know I'm up to that challenge, just something for you to consider
.
My only personal concern for myself with moving forward is that groomers (in my area anyway) tend to be a-dime-a-dozen and I'm not sure how lucrative it will be, so I have to research that. My other consideration (and hopefully a pro groomer here will mention it) is if I were to eventually open my own shop, how expensive and hard to deal with is
insurance on the business?
My plan for now, and I'd suggest it to you also
is to find a job as a grooming assistant and learn as much about the business aspect of it as well as the actual grooming.
Hope it goes well for you
and I hope I wasn't too negative here, but you want to know the good bad and the ugly when it comes to working with animals right? LOL We'd have soooo many people come apply at the vet clinic when we needed a kennel attendant and bather that "wanted to work with animals" that unfortunatly were un-pleasantly surprized to find how chalenging and yes, stressful it can be.
If you think you're up to it then good luck!!