I happily groomed Newfoundland’s, St. Bernards, Irish Wolfhounds, and the like for the first thirty years of my grooming career. I experienced all the fun these giant dogs can offer, like trying to lift them when they pretend they have no legs and do a pancake imitation, or when they decide to drag you from place to place. I spent hours washing, conditioning, drying, brushing, and trimming, and to be honest, I loved it. Seeing a huge, clean, well-groomed dog wag its way to greet its owners always made me happy.
In my mid-50s, I transitioned to a home-based grooming studio. Because of the way my space is configured, I had to put in a fairly small tub. It was then that I decided it was time to give up grooming the big dogs and scale back, not just because of my new space but because I wasn’t twenty anymore. It made me a little sad.
Now, I groom a fleet of little and medium-sized dogs, a bunch of cats, and the occasional very well-behaved bigger dog that still fits in my tub. Implementing this plan was easy for me because I was starting a new business, but what if you currently groom large dogs and, for whatever reason (your aching back, perhaps?), have decided you are not up to handling giant breeds anymore?
I can think of three ways to make the transition:
1. Start a brand new, fresh business with brand new rules. This option is not for most of us.
2. Finish grooming the large dogs on your immediate schedule, but let the owners know that you will have to make some changes and can no longer accommodate their pet. In an ideal world, you will have a trusted groomer friend or acquaintance to whom you can refer them.
3. Stop taking new giant breeds, but continue on with the ones you have until they move away or take that sad trip to the rainbow bridge.
There will be customers who try to convince you to keep taking care of their pets' grooming needs. Maintaining your resolve to scale down can be hard, especially if you are fond of their dog. You might find it helpful to take a little time and write down a sentence or paragraph that explains why you are making this choice. For me, it was, “You are not getting any younger, and if you want to keep grooming, you have to make changes.” Yours might be, “My back can’t handle another Mastiff trying to hurl itself off the table.” Maybe it will be, “I can groom three Yorkies in the time it takes me to groom that Malamute, and I’d make more money on the Yorkies.” Whatever your reasons, write them down and keep them near your phone and appointment book to remind yourself why you have made this choice.
Implementing a weight limit can be emotionally trying, but it can also benefit your body and your bank account.
