How long?

[Live2Groom]

I've been grooming for a couple of years and I found myself to be more slow than other groomers in my shop. Most of my coworkers praise my work and I have some very loyal clients, but I'm worried that time will be an issue when I go mobile. If you dont mind me asking, what are your average times for:

Small( maltese, yorkies, shih tzu, poms, etc.)?

Medium(Am Esk, Shelties, etc.)?

Large(Collies, Aussies, Std Poodles, etc)?

Extra Large(Great Pyrenese, Newfies, Malamutes, etc.)?

Thanks for your time =)

[sittingpretty]

I do not worry too much about being slow, I am much more concerned with doing it right! I too am a slo-poke. My small-mediums take 60-90 minutes depending on coat condition. My St.P's are 2 1/4- 2 1/2 hrs. I've tried to do it in less time and I can't. I have to bathe and dry by myself. I use good products and use them correctly.

I have been grooming for a long time I assume I'm slow because I am just slowing down...
But I am also a nit-picker and can't put the shears down!


sittingpretty

[tmenne]

I'm not moblie but I would think you can be a little slower being moblie. You don't have to do as many dogs per day and you charge more. But moblie groomers could tell you more. I'm a slow poke and I like it that way 4-5 a day is enough for me. Most all my grooms take two hours some easy dogs are 1:15-1:30,
Small 1:30-2:00 depending on how much a poke around
Med 2:00
Large 2:00 for collies st poo 2:30-3:00 depending on it its a shave down or something more
Giant 2:00-2:30 depending on coat condition
I'm all on my own no help. I find if more then one dog comes in at a time I'm faster but most of my dogs come in one at a time. I would rather be slow and sane then busy and insane

[arlaede]

I am fussy about quality, but I'm lucky enough to get most dogs done in an hour to an hour and 15 min. Some yorkies or maltese I get done in 45 min, cockers are 1.25 hours. Goldens - an hour, St. Poodles, pet clip - 1.5 hours. St. Poodles w/hand scissoring 2 hours. Schnauzers, Havanese, Cottons - full hour.

[nuk]

I am slow, especially in a salon. Talking, distractions, phone, naughty dogs. I tend to get side tracked or zone out. If I get interrupted I forget where i was and it takes me a minute to get going again. And I pick pick pick.

When I went mobile i was actually faster, the dogs behaved better, I knew exactly where I was on the groom, and had no distractions.

In the salon I know I have 3 or 4 hours to get a dog out and I can juggle 3 or 4 at a time. Mobile I knew what time my next appt was and how far away so it kept my energy and 'sense of urgency' going that I lose in a salon (esp on slow days)

For something that gets a full haircut whatever size runs between 1-2 1/2 hrs. Something small like a yorkie on a reg schedule I can do 45 mins or so. A newfie for a bath and demat is 2-3 hrs. A GP with a comb cut is hell

I really sometimes just have to say I've spent enough time on the dog and deem it finished. Especially the bad ones, I get 95% of them cause "they respond better to you" I feel your pain on being slow. but, I too was the one with the most customers and compliments

[Mamabearwith2]

I Too Was Slow Until......

I started watching my time and stayed OFF the cell phone while working. Just like driving, you think you can do it efficiently while talking on the phone, but it slows you down. Look at the clock when you first get the dog in the tub. Then, see how long it's taken you to bathe. Then notice what time it is and see how long it takes you to dry. I put cotton in the ears, then wrap the dog's head with a towel and secure with clips. This not only helps to muffle the sound of the dryer, but it also helps to dry the head. Just watch your time with every step nd try to beat that time for every groom. Also, try not to be TOO perfect. Learn when the groom looks neat and well trimmed, and put your scissors down. You'll get better the longer you groom, and remember, time really IS money.

[Shasti333]

I don't know my exact times for the different breeds, because at the salon I'm usually working on 2-3 dogs at once (letting one kennel dry while I bathe or finish cut another). But when I do express grooms, and work on a small dog start to finish, including bath, dry, nails, ears, and an all over cut, it takes me 45 minutes if its a tiny quick-dry yorkie or puppy, an hour if I am "in the zone" uninterrupted on a shih-tzu, and 1 1/2 hours if its a golden. A goldendoodle or a standard poodle straight through I would think is more like 2-2 1/2 hours. I do know that in a salon invironment (customers asking questions, phones ringing) its a lot harder to focus, and on some of my regular dogs that always get the same cut, if I am couting time from when I put the clean fluffed out dog on the table to when I put its bows in, it can range from a 30 min finish to an hour 15 min depending on the distractions...and that is for the same dog, same cut!

I think mobile will be easier...less distractions, and less switching out of dogs which takes a little time, also, if you are like me and can't stand to leave a customer waiting, I check in other peoples dogs and answer the phone a lot in the salon...it will be nice once I'm mobile when I only have to answer calls that are for me and check in my own dogs! : )

About speed and quality...don't worry so much about speed. When you groom "for speed" instead of for quality you end up missing little things, and are more likely to cut a dog. Especially once you go mobile and your prices are higher, good quality will keep you in business I would think : )

[apitalia]

I am fussy about quality, but I'm lucky enough to get most dogs done in an hour to an hour and 15 min. Some yorkies or maltese I get done in 45 min, cockers are 1.25 hours. Goldens - an hour, St. Poodles, pet clip - 1.5 hours. St. Poodles w/hand scissoring 2 hours. Schnauzers, Havanese, Cottons - full hour.

How do you get a cocker done in 1.25 hours??

[Live2Groom]

lol I agree

How do you get a cocker done in 1.25 hours??

I've never been able to get a cocker with a breed clip done in less 2hrs. Their coat has a supernatural ability to hold water lol

[Live2Groom]

Thank you everybody

I feel a lot better now. I'm a strong believer in slow and steady wins the race, but I was worried that people with that belief are in the minority. Everyone in the shop I work at call me the resident perfectionist lol. They always tell customers when they book there dogs with me that I take a little longer on my grooms, but the more time I spend the better their pet will look. I love my coworkers lol. I'm just worried about getting some of the crazy customers when I go mobile and not have a manager to sofen the blows. I had a Std Poodle once that was getting a mostly hand scissored Town n Country and the owner called after an hour an a half. She went ballistic when I told her that I had only just finished blow drying and straightening and that it'd be another 60 to 90 min. I work in a shop where there are tons of interruptions, and you have to wait for a tub or dryer sometimes. She is paying under $65 for a Std Poodle with the works! What did she expect?
Anyway...lol i got off subject...
Thank you all for the encouragement! We tortoises have to stick together right lol

[Starshan]

Starting out I was averaging 2hrs a dog. I don't do the super big dogs. I do Lab, Golden, Aussie size. Most were taking me 2hrs. Now that I'm in my 3rd yr. Most are small to med dogs are taking me 1-1.5hrs. Big bath dogs like Aussies, Goldens & Labs take me 1 -1.5hrs. New dogs tend to take me 15 - 30 min more but once I know the dog & get the routine down I get faster. My cockers take me 1.5hr for the breed head & short #5f body. Big GoldenDoodles take me 2 - 2.5hrs if they are on a reg schedule 7wks or less. I do a huskydoodle that has a very straight hair so he doesn't mat hardly at all. I get him done in 2hrs even if its been 4months (they sometimes go that long). I can do a big Boston in 20 mins. 15mins if its not raining out

I like to use microfiber towels, happy hoodies which help dry the head, vents blowing in the van to get the moisture out while drying & a good finishing spray to help with drying.

I don't charge by the hour since I was pretty slow at first but even when I did the math its pretty close to what I would charge if I was charging by the hr.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy mobile