Time to throw in the towel?

[Le Woof]

I've been unhappy grooming for awhile now. I'm not exactly sure what the problem is and, I suppose truthfully, I've never been entirely happy doing it (wasn't exactly a self-chosen career path). But now it's getting to the point that I dread going to bed at night because I don't want to work in the morning, I break down in tears regularly at work (I'm not really a person that cries very often) and I've just had that general 'I can't take it anymore' feeling hanging over my head.

Now I'm well aware that burn-out isn't uncommon but I think it might be beyond that point now. I've had several days off in a row on more than one occasion and it doesn't make me feel any differently. I'm happy when people don't show up or cancel and irritated when appointments are made (done by someone else, fortunately).

The only real things that have been keeping me where I am is that it's closer to me than I've ever worked before, it's relatively flexible which works well with being a single parent and, the big and, I don't really know how to do anything else.

Is it time to bite the bullet and try to do something else? I was thinking about trying to go to school this fall but that seems really far away at the moment.

[brownlikewoah]

Can you pinpoint what it is exactly that makes you feel like this? Grooming in general? dogs? clients? where you work? stress? Grooming isn't for everyone, if you still enjoy being around dogs maybe there is something else in the pet industry you can do. I wouldn't suggest going to college until you have an idea of WHAT you want to do.

[pooh13]

Being a groomer is not like most jobs, you are meant for it or you are not. Not everyone in the field is meant to be so,Many groomers fall upon it just by chance, others are just meant to be and are fortunate enough to have the chance to become a groomer.This is not a job for anyone and everyone.If you feel this isn't your lifelong career path then by all means find the one meant for you.You know if you are meant to be a dog groomer when you cannot see yourself ever doing any other job.

[arlaede]

Have you been going to grooming events and seminars? I think these, at least for me, help one perk up.

[Gracy Rose]

This is a job that you either love or you hate and unfortunately when you hate it accidents can happen because your heart and mind aren't there.

Have you thought about doing some work line to learn a new skill. Pennfoster offers some great classes and skill training.

[celebpet]

One thing you might want to do is go see your doctor. I know that might sound odd, but you could have some chemical issue. My wife has what they call seasonal depression. It comes this time of the year due to the lack of exposure to sunlight This time of the year the hours of daylight are not as long. She has to take a small dose of prozac and all is good. When summer comes she doesn't have to take it.

However if its just plain burn out you might want to take a break. Would have to see a good groomer give it up, but if you reach a point of not caring it could you to get careless. Not saying you would, but you never know.

[Le Woof]

Can you pinpoint what it is exactly that makes you feel like this? Grooming in general? dogs? clients? where you work? stress? Grooming isn't for everyone, if you still enjoy being around dogs maybe there is something else in the pet industry you can do. I wouldn't suggest going to college until you have an idea of WHAT you want to do.

That's basically why I haven't gone yet. But even fresh out of high school (so many years ago) I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I do enjoy being around animals. I've only ever had one job that didn't involve them somehow and I've been grooming for about eight years now.

My best days are with good, few dogs, easy-going clients and not a lot of interruptions. I've wondered if I might be more comfortable being my own boss but I really don't have the sort of personality to stand up for myself in that situation even if I didn't have a non-compete to deal with.

[gonegrooming]

It could be that your just not meant to be a groomer.

BUT

I used to feel the way you do back when I worked for a vets office. I didn't like it because people were always scheduling things I didn't want to do, like 3 standards in a day, or just an enormous dog. I HATE doing big dogs. I would cry at work sometimes because I just felt overwhelmed. I thought I was going out of my mind. I took 6 months off and then when I went back to work I made sure it was a situation where I had control of how many and what I did. All those wierd feelings went away. Hope you figure it out.

[Admin]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your feelings. In fact, we are fortunate as a profession that there will ALWAYS be a need for groomers. Just today I talked with employers in the Middle East, Australasia and Europe that would love American groomers to move there to groom. How many professions are like that with a basic background in great pet care, but not college degrees etc. OK, now back to you, inside. There is nothing wrong with another career and giving it a try. But here is my very very best advice. The careers that provide the income somehow are the ones we have a PASSION for. Just going back to school, no. First find the passion, then what is the schooling required. I cannot stress that enough. You never shared anything more than 'school' well OK, we don't have to defend grooming, we support you, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PASSIONS? There's a lot of BORING professions (to us groomers) that require school, and thousands and thousands that go to school thinking school will tell them their passion and what they should be learn they finish school and didn't follow their passion. Before you go to school start a new career plan. What thrills you, what would make you fulfill you? Only you know.

Spend some time in quiet and find out what are your passions beyond grooming, write them down, and is there a profession? You can then get the training, keep grooming, and go for it, and always come back to grooming by choice, or realizing it was OK. There's a wondrous big world out there. Follow your passion but don't move impulsively, stay grooming as you develop a stable new career for your family.

Grooming is not the problem most likely, but an emptiness inside you. Cool, that is your adventure and you are lucky that grooming gives you so much flexibility to come in and out of the profession at least for most groomers.

[Debbiedogs]

Been there

Burnout doesn't go away with a few days off. Yes, you may need another career.

But you also say that others are making appointments. Therefore it seems to me that you may not have the control you would like over your workday. Is there a way to gain more control? Can you decide not to do certain dogs that get you down? Can you decide to do shorter, easier days? Sounds like you are working for someone else and don't have that control.

Maybe you can take a couple of classes and work a bit less? I don't know, but there WILL be a way when you figure out what might work.

I know it is a terrible, gut-wrenching, hopeless feeling when things get so bad that you are crying at work. Maybe it is also money stress? I wish you all the best in going after what will work for you. Be creative and think your way out of this "stuck" feeling and into your future.

[CurbsideCuties]

I had the same thing!

I have been grooming for 25 years and I have had that feeling a few times. I even quit grooming twice and once worked as a nanny and another time at my fathers brokerage office. I was really having a hard time. Same as you crying, feeling overwelmed and problems with boss and coworkers. I did go back to grooming after a few short leaves of absence and as my own boss. If you truly love grooming maybe it's the enviroment not the job. I am mobile now and I love it..... I do what I want when I want ... and if I don't want to do something I just tell people I'm booked. Works for me.
Also I'm not sure how old you are, but I found I had trouble around my early to mid twenties.... When everyone thought I should quit playing with dogs and get a real job....

[Hello Kitty FTW]

We're going through the same thing

Like you, I didn't have much of a choice entering this profession because it started as my mother's grooming business and me helping her. I went to college, my job got outsourced on 2 occasions, so I came back to grooming.

I've decided to switch to cosmetology and groom my favorite clients on the side. It took a year to figure it all out; an injury sealed the deal. Grooming and hair styling are very similar, but a human client isn't going to bite me. Everything else I can handle, and it sounds like a fun change.

I personally don't think it's smart to go to school without any idea of what you're going to do. While looking at UConn's programs, I came across animal science, speech pathology, environmental sciences, and mortuary sciences. I volunteered a little bit for each profession, and just narrowed it down to where I was choosing between speech pathology and cosmetology. I also looked at nursing and teaching, but immediately ruled those out because of applicant saturation. I made my decision based on time spent in school, cost, job outlook, and opportunities to advance. If it weren't for the fact that the speech program was a 3 year master's program, I would have considered that. However, with you being a single mom, some programs are immediately out of the picture because of clinicals and internships that will affect your schedule drastically.

Sometimes once you start looking at other professions, volunteering, weeding certain things out, you get a better idea of what you really want in life. I also think the act of actively searching gives you more control, and helps you feel better while you're in your current situation. Good luck!

[shammu]

You might want to get a blood work up done. Also it could be very simple as a lack
of a certain vitamin, and somtimes hormones. Many people go through life and dont love the job. Even the foods you eat or dont eat can effect you in strange ways. And maybe
you feel a little trapped in the dog grooming job, if your body is out of sink it will effect
you in ways you dont realize.If you are in tears and you have a feeling you cant take it
anymore that is not good. Going back to school and job changes are not always the
answer.

[baddog]

I can't honestly say I love it, I am good at it and own a successful mobile business. I donot aspire to do competitions or show or any dog related activity other then grooming and making $$

[Dawn125]

I think you need to find something that makes you wake up happy to go to work. For me its grooming but for you maybe its something else and theres nothing wrong with that. I have told many people what I do and how much I love it and I can see the doubt in there faces. It's just not for everyone. Take some time to think about what might make you happy and go for it. You only live once.