Monday, July 12, 2010

Animal Groomer-A Rewarding Career That Pays Well

Becoming an animal groomer might be one of the smartest career moves you make if you enjoy working with animals and would like to be your own boss. The demand is definitely there. Close to three quarters of U.S. households own pets and last year spent over $45 billion on their care and up keep. The average family spends $70 a year on grooming alone. So what is your potential as an animal groomer? While many variables will come into play if you were to become say a dog groomer here is what you might expect to make. The average groomer will do 6 dogs a day. Owners of smaller dogs are usually charged about $35. Larger dogs average around $80. These are rough estimates but you can see the potential for some very good money in this field. You can work for an established business or you can start your own grooming service. The choice is yours.

If you do decide to become an animal groomer you are going to need some training. You have a couple of options. You might be able to find a dog grooming school in your area. As with other types of schooling you would attend classes on a regular basis and complete the required course work to receive your pet grooming certificate. This option will cost you on average about $5000. You will also have to travel to the school and will have to adjust to their schedule. But if you have a school close to you this might be the way to go.

Another option you might want to consider is receiving your training from one of the online pet grooming schools that are available. The Internet has changed how we learn and one of these ways is by providing online classes which provide degrees or certification without ever leaving home. One of the biggest benefits of attending an online school is the cost involved. You can receive pet grooming certification for under $250 in as little as 12 weeks. In fact many pet grooming schools let you learn at your own pace. There is no travel involve as you can take classes anywhere a computer is available.

A career as an animal groomer can be a rewarding one. You must enjoy working with animals and be conscientiousness in the care of the animals in trusted to you. Animal grooming can be a full time occupation. Many people look upon their pets as an extended member of the family.

If you think a career as an animal groomer might be something you would want to consider check out some of the schools in your area. If money is tight and you want the quickest route to becoming a animal groomer there are online schools that offer a quality education at a fraction of the cost.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Pet Grooming Schools-Conventional vs Online Pet Grooming Schools

Thinking of turning your love for animals into a full time career? One of the quckest ways to go about this is by becoming an animal groomer. A career as dog or cat groomer is the most popular choice but other options are also available. One quick fact. Over two thirds of pet owners have their animals groomed anually at an average cost of about $60 so there is defintly a need for this service.

You are going to need some training if you want to become an animal groomer. You basically have two choices. You can enroll in a conventional pet grooming school and physically attend classes. Another option is enrolling in one of the online pet grooming schools. There are pros and cons to each. Only you will be able to decide what is the best course of action to take.

Pet Grooming Schools:

Pros: Conventional pet grooming schools are like any other school most of us grew up attending. You will travel to a physical location, there will be an instructor who will teach you how to become a animal groomer. The animals you will be grooming-usually dogs and cats-will be provided for you. You will get immediate feedback on how you are progressing and will be able to ask questions as you go along.

Cons: One of the big drawbacks is the cost involved. While it is not as expensive as say getting a degree from a college or university attending a pet grooming school will set you back about $5000 athough this figure could be higher or lower depending on the school you attend. There is also a specific schedule that must be followed. If you have a family or other obligations getting to school everyday can be a challenge. And finally unless you are within walking distance you are going to incurr transportation costs getting to school which can be substantial.


Online Pet Grooming Schools:

Pros: You will be learning in the comfort of your own home or anywhere else you choose as long as you have access to a computer. No driving to classes. There is no set time frame. You study when you can and finish the course on your schedule. The cost is probably the biggest benefit to learning pet grooming from one of the online pet grooming schools. Depending on the online school you choose you can get a quality education for under $250. You can then began working for someone else or open your own pet grooming business.

Cons:
The biggest objection mentioned concerning online pet grooming schools is that the instructor is not physically present to answer you questions and give you feedback. However legitimate online schools are very good about answering questions and providing feedback. They provide phone numbers or email contact information in which students can receive a quick response to any question or concern they have. Another frequent critism of online schools is that they do not provide the animals for you to work with. This is really a non issue as you can start with your own animals if you so choose then ask family or people you know. Very few people will turn down a free grooming session for their pet. You can even began to build your client base this way.

In the end only you will be able to decide which is the best choice for you. If you are motivated to began a new career and enjoy working with animals you can receive a quality education online quickly and at a fraction of the cost of attending a conventional school. You can then began making a full time living doing something you love without the worry of paying back thousands of dollars in student debts.

Learn Dog Grooming And Make A Living Doing What You Love

If you don't like your present job but love dogs you could learn dog grooming and set yourself up in a career that rewards you financially for doing something you love. One key ingredient that happy people seem to share is that they enjoy their job. In fact when ask, many of these people say they consider what they do for a living not a job but something they love to do. A large portion of your time is spent "earning a living". Find something that you truly enjoy that pays and you'll have a much happier and rewarding life. If you love dogs and enjoy being around them here is some information that can help you turn your love for dogs into a full time income.

Dog Groomer Salary:
While many factors will come into play to determine how much you will make as a dog groomer here are some general guidelines that you can follow. An average dog groomer can do about six dogs a day. The fee to groom a small breed dog will usually be $35 and up. For a larger breed of dog the fee will run $80 and up. Location and how hard you want to work at it will be key factors in how much you make but keep this in mind. Over 70 million households in the U.S. own pets and each household spends an average of $65 a year on grooming their pets so there is definitely a demand.

Online Pet Grooming Schools:
The Internet has changed the way we do many things and one of these is how we get an education. It is now possible to receive a degree or certification in many different vocations online. You can get certified as a pet hygienist and receive a pet groomer certificate from an online pet grooming school for under $250. Educations that used to cost thousands of dollars in a regular classroom setting can now be achieved online. A couple of days of grooming dogs and your education is paid for instead of owing tens of thousands of dollars in student debt that you could be paying back for years to come. Something to keep in mind. When searching for an online pet grooming school look for one that offers video courses, requires you to take tests and show proof of your work, such as sending in pictures of dogs you have groomed. This indicates a school that is serious about teaching all there is to know about dog grooming.

Dog grooming can be a very rewarding career if you love working with dogs. There are multiple ways you can go. You can work for someone else or open your own dog grooming business. Another option is to start a mobile dog grooming service. People are very busy these days and many of them will pay extra for the convenience of having you come to them. Your success as a dog groomer is up to you. Treat your clients with respect and lovingly care for their dogs and a very rewarding career can be yours.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Your Local Animal Shelter

Animal Shelters across the country are facing cutbacks due to the tough economic times. Animal shelters are usually suffer because there is not strong public opinion backing the funding of shelters. This is where you as an animal lover must step up to the plate and speak for animals that are often abused and neglected. If you have never visited an animal shelter one trip will convince you of the need for these facilities and the constant struggles they must contend with regarding lack of funding and shortages of help at these shelters.

If you are an animal lover you know the situation in your community better than anyone and are well aware of the problems facing your local shelter. By becoming involved you can help alleviate the problems at you local animal shelter.
YOU CAN Make a big difference if you so choose and help out many animals in the process.

Education is the key in our battle to protect animals in out society. There are millions of unwanted cats and dogs around the country simply because people are unaware of how many cats and dogs can be produced by one female in a single year. Please if you have a pet have it spayed or neutered unless you really want little ones running around and you can afford to take care of the properly or have good homes picked out for them. Control of our pet population is one of the keys to reducing animal neglect.

Volunteering at your local animal shelter or supporting the shelter financially can make a big difference. Many times the workers at these shelters are overwhelmed and by volunteering even a couple of hours a week you can lighten the load that the workers are under. Plus the animals would probably enjoy seeing some new and friendly faces around. Especially yours:)

Financial help will always be appreciated. If you don't have any cash to give consider brainstorming with some fellow animal lovers. As a group you might be able to think of some fund raisers that could bring in hundreds if not thousands of dollars in support for your local animal shelter.

Whatever you decide to do at least do something. There is a great need to take care of those that bring us so much joy and happiness. Do your part. The animals will thank you.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

So Your Pet Has Fleas

Fleas and pets just naturally seem to go together. Some climates are more conducive to fleas (humid and hot) as well as seasons (summer and fall). It is best to take a preventative approach when dealing with fleas. If you have done everything possible to prevent you pet from getting fleas and still you find fleas on your pet or worse in your home then a course of treatment to rid your pet and home of fleas will be required.

To prevent fleas in the first place try to follow these rules of flea prevention:

*Remember the saying "you're known by the company you keep"? The same is true for your pet. It will be near impossible to keep your pet free from fleas if they are around other pets that are carriers of fleas.

*Keeping your home or the place where your pet lives clean will go along way in preventing fleas from invading your home. Vacuuming on a regular basis will make your home a unattractive place for fleas.

*Keep your yard clean and mow your grass on a regular basis especially near your home. Fleas have a much harder time gaining a foot hold in a sunny climate. Tall grass and leafy bushes are just what they are looking for.

If you have tried your best and still find yourself with a flea problem here are some treatment options you can use to get rid of fleas:

*Try the simple things first. Give your pet a bath if possible and use a comb that is specially designed to remove fleas from your pet.

*Your pets bedding is a prime place for flea infestation. Wash your pets bedding regularly.

*You might have to enlist the aid of flea powder or a flea collar for your pet.

*Talk to your veterinarian about other treatment options who might recommend a monthly pill or salve for control of fleas.

Unfortunately dealing with fleas is something most pet owners must contend with. Fortunately there are ways to prevent and control fleas. As animal and pet lovers we realize all the joy and meaning our little friends bring to our life. Controlling fleas on our pets and keep them happy and healthy is the least we can do for them.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Animals Are Love

Most everyone has had a pet at some time or another. Many people cherish their animals and treat them as if they were a member of their own family. Taking care of a animal requires a lot of attention and work but the rewards are great and it is something you will never regret doing. If you do not have a pet you may want to consider adopting one from your local animal shelter. They usually have plenty of animals to chose from and they deperately need your help. Even if you cannot adopt a pet you can always give financially to a animal shelter. You might consider giving of your time.

Please, Please, Please before you consider getting a pet take into account the costs and time commitment required to give whatever pet you choose the life that it deserves. I see so many animals abused and neglected it breaks my heart. Of course their are many responsible pets owners. I'm not sure if it's the economy or just the callousness of people in general but I seem to have noticed a upswing in the number of animals not only not getting the proper care and attention that they deserve but being abused. Maybe it just because their are so many of them but dogs seem to be a major source of problems at least in my area. Packs of dogs are allowed to roam free causing problems in the neighborhood. People are actually afraid to go for a walk for fear of being bitten or having their own canine attacked and mauled. I love my dogs. Each of them is unique and brings a special happiness to me which I hope I am able to return to them in some form. But remember not controlling your dog in itself is a form of animal abuse and sets your dog up for harm from those who feel they must control your dog using some form of dog repellent devices which is not good for any dog in general.   

Pets are a part of growing up for most children and it teaches them how to care and love for another living thing. Many people who abuse animals end up being a threat to society later on in there life. Abusing animals is a terrible thing to do and is something which we must all work to put a stop to.

Pets can range from a goldfish to a horse. Each animal has it's own distinct needs and wants and she be taken care of accordingly. Before allowing a child to have a pet try and determine if the child is capable of taking care of the animal in a responsible and humane way. Animals need more than love to survive and it is important to know this. Proper feeding and regular trips to the vet will keep your animal healthy and active for a long time.

Just remember that animals have feelings and need to be treated with compassion and respect. Whatever pet your have take care of them as if they were a member of the family and they will reward you with years of loyalty and love.