Are you skipping grooming visits because it’s stressful to get your pet into the car, or are you just looking for a more personalized experience? In-home grooming is one of the newest trends in the pet grooming industry, offering many of the perks of mobile grooming with a bit of a twist.
Fast growing in popularity, many pet owners are opting to have their groomers work with their pets directly in their home - as opposed to a mobile grooming van. Both offer similar levels of convenience, but in-home grooming offers a new level of low-stress care where the pet parent can not only be sure where their pet is being groomed, but also that their pet is in a safe and comfortable environment familiar to them. This is not only great for anxious or senior pets, but for animals that get overstimulated in new environments. It works out well for cats and small to medium sized dogs.
1. TRAVEL
In the case of high-anxiety dogs, cats, or senior pets, it's sometimes hard to get them in and out of the car or out of the house in general.
If you’ve ever had trouble getting your cat from point A (the living room) to point B (the carrier) and then over to point C (the groomer) - I think you can assume what a difference having an in-home groomer can make.
2. SAFETY
Senior pets or pets with pre-existing health conditions are often times a lot more susceptible to stress or environmental related illnesses. If your pet is a senior, or immunocompromised in any way, being in an environment with other pets can put them at unnecessary risk. In-home pet grooming allows for you to control every aspect in your pet’s grooming environment. This means no unfamiliar pets, no potential for transfer of communicable pet diseases, and overall low stress levels as they can be comfortable and relaxed in their own familiar environment. It also means your pet is getting the groomer’s full attention, meaning less time that your pet needs to be on the grooming table.
3. ENVIRONMENT
If your pet is already sensitive to the grooming process, sometimes even a little excitement can mean less chance of success for the groom. This doesn’t just mean the distraction of being at a shop with other pets - but could be as simple as putting the leash on to go outside to a mobile van. Skipping that middle step and having them groomed at home where the sights, sounds and smells are familiar - may increase the chances of a positive and comfortable grooming experience.
4. TRANSPARENCY
While in most situations you can meet your groomer before they work on your pet, in-home grooming is a lot more personal. You not only meet your groomer, but over time you get the benefit of working with your groomer on every aspect of your pets health. You see their full salon setup, you see what products are being used on your pet, you see what kind of handling techniques they use. There’s no mystery as to what actually goes on during your pet’s appointment. While many in-home groomers will suggest that you give them space while working to keep the environment safe for your pet (it’s a lot harder for them to put sharp grooming tools near your pet if they are wiggling with excitement to see you) - you still will get the benefit of knowing where your pet is being groomed and that they are safely getting the spa treatment in the next room over.
5. CONVIENIENCE
If you work a busy schedule, it’s hard to have time to get your pet groomed (or even remember to). Most in-home groomers will offer latch-key services. This means while you’re away at work, you can have your groomer come right into your home, groom your pet, and clean up when they are finished before you even get home. If you have a fairly consistent schedule, you can even request that your groomer come on a regular basis so you don’t even have to think about it. This means every week, few weeks, or every couple of months, your pet can be clean and groomed without you having to lift a finger or inconvenience your schedule.
In-home grooming is particularly helpful for those who live in areas where there isn’t any parking accommodation for a mobile grooming van. In-home groomers tend to keep their setups as portable as possible, so they can make it to your home with no trouble.
(Adapted article by Lauren Rowell, Groomer, 2018)
