My Confession---(LONG)

[Luvkitties]

Here is a little bio on me. I went to college for nursing, was 1 year from getting my BA in Nursing and decided it wasn't for me. Not b/c I didn't like working with the patients and poo, LOL but it was the early 90's with the nursing shortage and I knew that I would always be second guessing myself at home as to whether I gave Mr.Jones his meds---I was seeing this all over the floors at the hospitals I was rotating through. Nurses were way overworked with too many patiets and they were so stressed out.

Once I dropped out and was thinking of going back for business, I got married, had 3 kids. We struggled at first financially with 1st home, child etc...but I was lucky enough to stay home with all 3 kids.

My youngest is finally in school---hallelua!!! And I don't have to work. My husband has done very well in his profession. We own a very large home and I want for nothing. But deep down inside, while I stayed home with kids for 12 years, I yearned to have a job that I would enjoy and was good at. I had talked to my husband about opening certain businesses, but they never materialized for one reason or another. I knew that I loved animals and had even worked in vet office for a year while in college, but had never thought of grooming until I saw an ad on online for a grooming school.

So hear I am in grooming school. My husband is sort of supportive, but he is busy with his corporate career and he thinks I am doing this for fun. (He has not said that, but I know him.) I told my mother about it and after dead silence she says "Oh my, I never would have guessed a grooming career for you. I hope your planning on opening a business." (her way of saying "At least make this little grooming hobby look respectable.")

I have not told my husbands family...I just don't want the akward silence...I haven't even told my friends or neighbors. I guess I am afraid that they will all be laughing behind my back.

Just b/c I live a nice lifestyle does not mean that I want to have a lifeof playing tennis with lunch dates to follow. I want to be successful, I want to contribute to the family financially, I want to do something for ME!

I love animals, I am enjoying the heck out of grooming school, I dream of how great it would be to open my shop in the future. I am also realistic...this is hard work, I will not be able to open a shop right after graduating b/c I will need experience to build up accuracy and speed.

I guess I am just frustrated with my family...sometimes family can suck. I realize that a lot of groomer do not have it as good as me...and I don't mean to complain. Its just I have no one to share my excitment with but this board and I am greatful you are all here!

Thanks for listening....

[dogsr4luv]

Luv Kitties don't worry about what your family thinks. Do what your heart tells you to do. I have a BS in Zoology and have acheived a lot in my life. But here I am as a dog groomer and I am so happy. I love my job. How many people can say that. I say it everyday. I just started my own mobile business and I Love every moment of it. Yes some days can be rough but all in all I wouldn't trade what I do for anything. I have had many jobs and I was never happy until I started grooming. My parents and husband have been very supportive and without them I couldn't have started my own business so I am very greatful to them but years ago when I brought up the idea of me being a dog groomer my parents wanted me to get a college education. So I did and I always came back to the dog grooming idea. So after 6 years of wanting to be a dog groomer I became one and I haven't looked by since. So do this for yourself and you will be happy. Good luck.

[HoundLover]

oh boy...i know how you feel...
my fiance' and i basically live pay check to pay check...he makes 9 dollars an hour working 40 hrs a week...and we both want to move out. he has a cell phone bill to pay, his own groceries to buy, cat food,cat litter, car insurance, gas for the car etc etc...basically he has more bills to pay than i do. he is 22 and im 21...a decent time to move out on our own. i dont have that many bills to pay really...just my cell bill and contribute towards gas as i dont own my own car. well.....he will complain to his mom about living with his dad and his dads g.f...and she will go well...why dosnt she (meaning me) get a better paying job? even making 7 dollars an hr you guys could cut it with an apartment etc etc...well i dont WANT to make just 7 dollars an hr...i want to be able to make MORE than that. i know he understands the best he can...but there are times he complains about how much i make. if you only made more...etc etc...and i get so sick and tired of hearing well if she worked full time or whatever...you two could afford to move in together. but hey im being REALISTIC here! i know i can make great money grooming! his mom dosnt understand unfortunately...its a shame...but hey thats my future MIL LOL! my parents support me regardless...if this is what i want to do then more power to me! my mom wanted all her kids (3 of us) to go to college...my older sis didnt graduate HS (shes going for her GED), i graduated and really didnt want to go to college...so i figured out how to make a career choice that dosnt require college...and my brother is going to go to college. so...she isnt angry that i didnt want to go to college...just not for me. my fiance' dosnt know what he wants to do...and he wants to live together, get married and then go to school. hey i dont care...i told him it would more than likely be easier for him to go to school after we are married than it is now because he has to cook his own dinner, buy groceries, etc and when we are married i will be contributing towards the bills, and i can cook,clean and help him study with whatever he wants to do. i know how men are...and how people are. they think that because some people have money that they dont have to do anything. my fiance' told me that if he made enough where i didnt have to work that it was my choice wether i worked or not. but i know me...i would get bored! and i told him the same thing...if i earned enough for him not to work he didnt have to. i would tell your Parents in law what your planning on doing...and if you want to open your own shop then go for it! you know that you need experience before opening your own shop first...this way you can learn what type of shop you want to own....be it a home based shop, mobile, or a stationary shop. you also should work in the two diffrent grooming environments....cage drying and all dogs coming in at once, and hand drying every dog and the dogs coming in at scheduled appointments. personally i like the second version...its alot calmer and less stressful. i too, plan on owning my own shop one day....and i do believe it will be a stationary shop...but thats way way in the future. i am lucky to have a wonderful boss who is willing to train me and saved me the thousands of dollars to go to school. basically i wish you good luck with your grooming career and dont let anyone dampen your excitement and happiness! if you wish to just make grooming a hobby go for it! if you wish to make it a career then go for it! eventually you might want to just hire other excellent groomers who follow your standard of grooming and cleanliness and handling of the animals as you do and just groom a select few dogs either a day/week/month. if your shop really takes off you then have the option of either owning one shop or owning a whole fleet of shops. you can then expand into either a wash only shop...a doggy daycare, a elite boarding kennel...pet sitting, home style dog boarding...cat only grooming...stationary shops along with mobile units...etc etc. there is a whole slew of options here...the main thing is have fun, enjoy what your doing and dont let anyone get you down!
Good Luck!!!
Hound

[furrybestjob]

I am sorry that your family isn't as supportive as you hope they would be. Believe me, down the road, when they see how successfull you are and how HAPPY you are grooming, they'll change their toon. My husband was very supportive from the beginning (actually he's the one that convinced me to go for it), but he still amazed, to this day, how happy I am to go to work everyday. How many people can genuinely say they look forward to going to work?

I think you'll find that many on here made a drastic career change to go into grooming. Many received negative reactions from those around them as well when they first revealed their new path.

If this is what you truly want to do, forget about what others may think. Learn as much as you can, and follow your dream. You won't regret it.

[astrordog]

BooHoo

I suppose you always had maid service, since your hubby was very well off. How do you expect to work in dog poo and spit.

[DAPER DAWG]

I understand how you are feeling although my husand and my mom were very supportive of my decision to leave the corporate world and do something I love altough not as financially prosperous they were very supportive and said good for me. My sister who makes a lot more doing computer progamming as well as does her husband who both only see things in terms of $$$$ value and not being happy in your work/life acted like I was out of my mind, but I don't really care what they think as long as I know I am doing the right thing for me.

[Luvkitties]

Astrorodog----Perhaps you did not correctly read my post. My husband and I struggled in the beginning, we had one car between the two of us, I had major surgery----lost 35% of my hearing and all sense of balance and had to learn to sit up and walk again through 6 months of physical therapy.

My husband did not come from money, it is just the opposite. He has worked very hard as he has climbed the ladder and I have supported him 100% of the way.

I also went to nursing school and worked for 3 years in a nursing home where I cleaned up human waste, took care of colostomies and oh old people spit too!

So I have no problem cleaning up after animals!

Perhaps you should rethink your posts before you hurl insults without knowing the whole story!

[Luvkitties]

Oops I forgot to add to my last post. Yes, I have always had a maid, cook, chaeuffer, lawn care, and nanny------ her name is ME!!!!! LOL

[keachy18]

umm, you dont need to defend urself, lol. You already DID say all that in the beginning. You already said you felt bad for complaining as you know that you might have it easier than others. I was shocked when I read that comment from whoever was being extremely unkind!!! You just want some EMOTIONAL support right now. Everyone needs and deserves that no matter what else they may have. You will do great. I have 2 small kids, me and hubby married 3 yrs. I think we are still starting out, and it is hard, but actually you ENCOURAGED me!!! I just know I can do this no matter what anyone says becuz you proved to me that with work and patience and determination, I can do this!!! And so can you!!! Keep up the hard work!!

[diamienono]

Well, here is one for you. I stopped at a diner for lunch today. One that I used to frequent when I was a route manager for Schwans frozen foods. The waitress asks me if I still work there and I said no. she said oh what are you doing now. I said I own my own business and I am a mobile dog groomer. She started laughing. HELLO. You are a waitress and you are laughing at me. Well, I will laugh all the way to the bank. Cauze some good days I make more in a day then she does in a week. I think what we do is very respectable. But some see it at a dirty blue collar job that only poor people do. Yes, right now I am poor lol, but give me a year and I won't be.

[misscatahoula]

I've always been an unconventional type of person, so nobody was surprised I've chosen what is considered to be an unconventional career. When I was younger, the non-dog interested members of my family would wonder aloud about when would I find myself a real job instead of just working with animals all the time. They'd say I was going to end up with a life like my aunt's, who bred dogs for many years. I"d think to myself, I sure hope I do!; she's been immensely happy, she always had a houseful of dogs, and I don't think she cares what anyone in the family thinks. I have my own grooming business now, and even though I am still paying down some considerable debt and must put long hours into making it fly, it is my dream and I'm determined to make it happen. If grooming dogs makes you happy, then I can't see anyone in your family not being happy for you. Good luck.

[toomuchfunbnme]

Don't be discouraged Luvkitties. Your family may not be aware that there are many highly successful groomers and grooming businesses in operation today who make very substantial incomes. Not to mention the many lucrative businesses who service the grooming industry. I think that this is a great time to be entering the grooming field because there have been many advances made in the grooming industry over the last 30 years, yet there is still a lot of opportunity for the savvy business person who has a talent for working with and loves animals. I just recently changed careers to be a groomer and am already very successful and planning to expand. I think that how we present ourselves can make a big difference in how others percieve us, so I say be very professional and be very proud of your new career whether you intend for it to be big or small. Congratulations on a great career choice and Best of luck!

[pamperedpups]

I think it's nice that you want to do something for you and try grooming. Try to be proud of your decision, regardless of what your extended family may think.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

BooHoo

I suppose you always had maid service, since your hubby was very well off. How do you expect to work in dog poo and spit.

WOW. That was rude. And I think you missed her point, read it again.

The point I got out of this is that she wants to groom, but that her slightly uppity-up in-laws (or should I call them out-laws?) think they're too good for this "dirty" grooming job.

Tammy in Utah

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Here's what I think:

If you act professional, learn about dog's skin, handling, and so forth, your family will see more than a groomer, but a small business owner. Make sure you learn well, work hard, give the customer's their money's worth, and make sure you CHARGE what YOU are worth. Then you'll have the paychecks that go along with it.

Tammy in Utah