Additional ways to make income in your Dog Grooming Business.

Additional ways to make income in your Dog Grooming Business. 

✨ Why Adding More Services Isn’t Always the Answer 

People sometimes think I’m against teeth cleaning, against spa packages, against all the extras. That’s simply not true.

What I am against is burying your head in the sand and piling more on your plate when you haven’t yet strengthened and consolidated the core of your grooming business.

From what I’ve witnessed, both as a groomer and now as a coach — most groomers add services like teeth cleaning or spa packages for one reason: to increase turnover.

Okay… fair enough. But my question is: why do they need to increase their turnover?

There are usually two possible scenarios:

Scenario 1: The Strong Business

• Their core grooming offer is rock-solid.
  
  
• Prices are already at their peak.
  
  
• Branding is polished to perfection.
  
  
• Policies and systems protect them from no-shows.
  
  
• The bills are paid, the wages are good — from grooming alone.
  
  

In this case, add-ons are a choice, not a crutch. They’re fun extras, not financial lifelines. Go for it. I support this 100% and my view is “why not?” 

Scenario 2: The Struggling Business

• Grooming income isn’t enough.
  
  
• They’re working hard but paying themselves a pittance.
  
  
• Add-ons feel like the only way to make ends meet.
  
  

This is the scenario I see most often. And this is where the problems start.

Because if grooming alone isn’t covering your bills, pension, or independence, something is broken at the core. The pricing structure isn’t working. And until that’s fixed, no add-on will save you.

Yes, the novelty of spa packages or teeth cleaning might bring in a little extra. But it will be sporadic. Within months, you’ll be chasing the next magic wand, distracting yourself from the real work:

• Strengthening your pricing.
  
  
• Putting systems in place.
  
  
• Marketing yourself so clients value you more (and pay you accordingly).
  
  

That’s where your energy belongs — not in piling more on, but in strengthening, consolidating, and polishing what you already have.

You’re also unlikely to fully optimise what you could make from add-ons, if you’re lacking the basic business know-how to really maximise what you currently have. 

For example; How will you explain the importance of maintenance teeth cleans if you still struggle to explain the importance of regular grooming schedules? The same communication skills are required. 

How will you get customers to see the value in your £10 Halloween Spa package if you can’t get them to see the value in your full grooms? The same marketing skills are needed. 

👉 And let’s be honest: the industry narrative of “you must add X, Y & Z” is damaging. Instead of raising the bar for grooming prices, we’re told to accept low pay as “normal” and patch over the cracks with add-ons.

My answer? No.

I became a dog groomer because I love grooming dogs. That’s how I want to earn my money — through grooming itself, not by stacking bolt-ons I never wanted to sell.

So before you think about adding, ask yourself: have I truly strengthened my core business first?

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In conclusion.. Are there additional ways of making money in your dog grooming business? Yes, of course. And if you’re in scenario Number 1 above, go for it! You have the business skills to make a success of it. 👍

 However, if you found this blog because you’re struggling financially and searching for a magic wand.. I say this with kindness (& a big dose of understanding from my early years as a groomer), stop! You have work to do first. It’s not as fun, it’s probably a bit uncomfortable… but it is necessary. Plug the leaks in the bucket before you add more water. 

You have time for the extras, your business does have a successful future, but it’s time to strengthen the foundations before you add more. 

Karen.x