“There will never be a right time. Stop waiting and start doing” - Mel Robbins

Starting a dog grooming business from home can be an exciting and rewarding journey—especially if you love dogs and dream of building a flexible career around your lifestyle. But if you’re like most of us getting started, you might be wondering:

“Can I really do this without spending a fortune?”

The good news? Yes, you absolutely can. I did it and you can too! With some smart planning, the right tools, and a splash of creativity, you can start your home grooming business on a tight budget—and grow from there.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Start Small, Grow Smart

You don’t need a fully kitted-out salon on day one. Start with the basics—just the essentials to safely and comfortably groom dogs. You can always upgrade later as your business grows and you start booking more clients.

Start with:

• A grooming table (or even a sturdy table with a non-slip mat to start and grooming arm to start with)
  
  

• Basic grooming tools: clippers, scissors, brushes, combs, nail clippers
  
  

• Pet-safe shampoo and conditioner and finishing perfume spray (a baby powder scent is a good universal, unosex scent to start with)
  
  

• Towels and a dryer (You can find really affordable per dryers on Amazon)
  
  

2. Set Up a Grooming Space at Home

You don’t need to start a big renovation project. Many successful groomers start in a shed, garage, or spare room of the house. I turned my spare room into my grooming room. The key is to make it clean, safe, and easy to clean up.

Keep it functional with:

• A non-slip floor or mat
  
  

• Good lighting (natural light helps, but a ring light or LED lamp works too).
  
  

• Easy access to water (I used the bath in the main bathroom. You just have to make it safe with a noose and non-slip mat)
  
  

3. Buy Second-Hand Where You Can

There’s no shame in starting with pre-loved tools and equipment. In fact, many groomers do! Just be careful with things like blades or scissors or any sanitary items. Always best to buy these things new. Look on:

• Facebook Marketplace
  
  

• Local groomer groups
  
  

• eBay or Gumtree
  
  

• Community bulletin boards
  
  

Just make sure you’re buying from a trustworthy seller and always sanitize equipment before use.

4. Practice on Friends' & Family Dogs First

Get hands-on experience with real dogs. Offer to groom for friends and family in exchange for photos and feedback. This helps you:

• Build confidence and skill
  
  

• Start a word-of-mouth referral chain
  
  

• Build a small portfolio for social media or a basic website
  
  

5. DIY Your Branding & Marketing

You don’t need a fancy logo or professional photoshoot to get started. I used free or low-cost tools like:

• Canva to design your logo, price list, and flyers
  
  

• Instagram & Facebook to showcase your work and attract local clients
  
  

• Google My Business to get found in local searches
  
  

Keep things simple and authentic—clients love seeing real results, happy dogs, and behind-the-scenes moments.

For my FREE 10 Page Guide on Simple Marketing Strategies for your home-based Dog Grooming Business CLICK HERE 

6. Keep Learning—But Don’t Overcommit at First

There are tons of free and low-cost resources to help you learn the ropes of grooming, marketing, and running your business. Look for:

• Free YouTube tutorials
  
  

• Budget-friendly online grooming courses for upleveling your skills
  
  

• Facebook groups for home groomers (You can join the Glossy Pup Facebook Group)
  
  

• Business podcasts and dog grooming blogs (like this one! The New Glossy Pup Academy Podcast - The Barkroom Chat is starting THIS WEEK)
  
  

Investing in yourself is massively important and should always be a high priority but start gradually as your income grows.

Final Thoughts: Start Where You Are

You don’t need to wait until everything is “perfect” to start your home-based grooming business. Starting scrappy is more than okay—it’s smart, sustainable, and builds the kind of grit that successful groomers are made of. As long as your Grooming room is clean, welcoming and appealing you customers will book you and continue to book you because they like and trust you and like your work. You don’t need a big budget to impress people. Just do your best and be you! 

Remember: Every top groomer once started with a borrowed table and a pair of clippers. You’ve got this! One of the biggest and most successful grooming operations I know started with a picnic table and an outside tub! You got this!