Survey Results - Grooming Business Owner Survey for 1998

132 questionnaires were completed. 97% completed all questions. Pet grooming business owners from 22 states replied, as well as some Canadian pet grooming business owners.

The original survey did include questions about prices for grooming services. However, the results of these are not presented here in order to prevent their abuse by those persons who would use them to calculate their prices for pet grooming services. However, you can read general results of these questions in the press release noted above.

All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number in percentage form.

How long have you owned your pet grooming business?

A.  Under 1 year - 15%
B.  1 to 3 years - 31%
C.  3 to 7 years - 15%
D.  7 to 12 years - 15%
E.  Over 12 years - 23%

Are you sole-proprietor business (no partnership), or do you have partnership or corporation with shareholders other than yourself?

A.  Sole-proprietor - 92%
B.   Partnership or corporation with shareholders other than yourself - 8%

Did you open your business as a new startup, or did you purchase an existing pet grooming business?

A.  I opened the business as a new startup - 92%
B.   Purchased existing pet grooming business - 8%

Which category below best characterizes your past work experience prior to becoming either a pet groomer or pet grooming business owner?

A.  Non-Office Worker / Laborer - 23%
B.  Sales - 0%
C.  Office Worker - 31%
D.  Management - 0%
E.  Medical (non-veterinary) - 8%
F.  Self-Employment - 15%
G.  Technician - 8%
H.  Military - 0%
I.   Government - 0%
J.  Pet care (non grooming) - 15%

What is your present, or most recent, annual wage net earnings from your business employment (prior taxes)? Your answer should reflect your personal net income before taxes that you earned from the business, not the gross revenue of sales or services earned by the business.
(figures are in United States dollars)

A.  Under $10,000 - 15%
B.  $10,001 to $20,000 - 38%
C.  $20,001 to $30,000 - 31%
D.  $30,001 to $40,000 - 8%
E.  $40,001 to $50,000 - 8%
F.  $50,001 to $75,000 - 0%
G.  Over $75,000 - 0%

Were you ever employed as a pet groomer before you became a grooming business owner?

A.  Yes - 62%
B.  No - 38%

The ratio of men versus women business owners in the pet grooming industry is important. Please let us know your gender.

A.  Female - 92%
B.  Male - 8%

Also important is your present age bracket. Please select one of the following age brackets.

A.  Under 25 - 0%
B.  25-35 - 38%
C.  36-45 - 54%
D.  46-55 - 8%
E.  Over 55 - 0%

How did you hear about the PetGroomer.com Career Center?

A.  Internet search engine or newsgroup - 85%
B.  Friend or family member - 0%
C.  Career counselor or career organization - 0%
D.  Referral from someone in pet industry - 8%
E.  Magazine or newspaper article or review - 0%
F.  PetGroomer.com advertisement - 7%
G. Other - 0%

How did you first learn to groom pets?

A.   Attended a school of pet grooming - 46%
B.   Apprenticed under another pet groomer - 54%
C.   Correspondence or video course, or self-taught - 0%

How many pet grooming trade shows do you attend in a calendar year?

A.  None - 77%
B.  1 to 2 - 23%
C.  3 or more - 0%

Do you groom...?

A.  Dogs only - 38%
B.  Cats only - 0%
C.  Dogs and cats - 38%
D.  Dogs, cats, and other animals - 23%

Which description below best describes your operation?

A.  Home-based business - 38%
B.  Mobile grooming business - 8%
C.  Commercial location shop or salon - 54%
D.   Leased operation from a retailer or veterinarian or similar - 0%

Do you have any employees?

A.  None - 31%
B.  1 to 2 employees - 54%
C.  3 to 5 employees - 15%
D.  6 to 9 employees - 0%
E.  10 or more employees - 0%

Do you provide scissor only finishing?

A.  Yes, all finish work is scissors only - 38%
B.  Scissors only optional, and often requested - 54%
C.  Scissors only is optional, and rarely done - 8%

How many other pet grooming businesses are in the same general market area of your business?

A.  None - 8%
B.  A few - 38%
C.  Several - 54%

Do you ever hire student graduates of a school of pet grooming?

A.  No - 62%
B.  Yes, but not often - 31%
C.  Yes, often - 8%

Do you use all natural shampoos, de-flea agents, and conditioners.

A.  No - 15%
B.  Yes, almost exclusively - 77%
C.  Yes, exclusively - 8%

Do you sell retail pet products?

A.  Very small selection or none at all - 92%
B.  Average selection - 8%
C.  Wide selection - 0%

Do you plan to sell your business someday, for either a career change or to retire?

A.  No - 23%
B.  Yes - 77%

What is the average gross revenue your business earns from pet grooming services only in one year (before taxes or expenses)? Do not include retail sales amount.
from pet grooming services only in one year (before taxes or expenses)? Do not include retail sales amount.

A.  Under $10,000 - 15%
B.  $10,001. to $20,000 - 15%
C.  $20,001. to $30,000 - 23%
D.  $30,001. to $50,000 -15%
E.  $50,001 to $75,000 - 15%
F.  $75,001 to $100,000 - 15%
G.  $100,001 to $150,000 - 0%
H.  $150,001 to $250,000 - 0%
I.  Over $250,000 - 0%

What is the size of your client base? We ask that you only consider those pet owners that use your services at least twice a year as a "client."

A.  Under 500 - 54%
B.  500 to 999 - 31%
C.  1,000 to 1,499 - 0%
D.  1,500 to 1,999 - 0%
E.  2,000 to 2,999 - 8%
F.  3,000 to 3,999 - 7%
G.  4,000 to 4,999 - 0%
H.  Over 5,000 - 0%

Are there many veterinarians or superstores with pet grooming in your area?

A.  Both veterinarians and superstores with pet grooming services - 54%
B.  No superstores with pet grooming, but yes, veterinarians with pet grooming - 15%
C.  Neither - 31%

How do you feel about state licensing of the pet grooming profession?

A.  No interest - 8%
B.  Against - 15%
C.  For - 46%
D.  I don't know enough about the subject to have a strong opinion - 31%

Which pet grooming business books (not how-to groom - but how to run and manage) do you already own? More than one answer is acceptable here.

A.  The Art and Business of Pet Grooming by Dorothy Walin - 38%
B.  From Problems to Profits - The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming Businesses by Madeline Bright Ogle, Hon. PhD. - 38%
C.  Other - 24%

What percentage of your new customers are referrals?

A.  1/4 or less - 8%
B.  Up to 1/2 - 31%
C.  More than 1/2 - 62%

What percentage of your clientele brings you mixed breed pets to groom?

A.  10% - 0%
B.  11 to 20% - 23%
C.  21 to 30% - 15%
D.  31 to 40% - 31%
E.  41 to 50% - 15%
F.  Over 50% - 15%

What percentage of your overall services are bath-only pets instead of complete bath and trim pets?

A.  10% - 31%
B.  11 to 20% - 23%
C.  21 to 30% - 46%
D.  31 to 40% - 0%
E.  41 to 50% - 0%
F.  Over 50% - 0%

Is any of your pet grooming staff paid by commission?

A.  Yes - 54%
B.  No - 31%
C.  Not applicable. No employees - 16%

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