RV living and grooming on the road

[mobilegirl]

Is there anyone out there that does RV living full time while bringing their grooming business with them? I would like to hear from you or if you know of anyone who is doing this. We are seriously considering this in the next 3 years when my husband retires.

[Debbiedogs]

Sounds like fun

Seems to me there may have been someone on here who does that, but I can't remember if they already did it or were just asking about it.

Sounds good, and I'm sure that with the contacts you make with other RV'ers you could have good business at your stops!

[lightning]

Before you decide to do the RV'ing and grooming business combo, make sure you find out all the legalities of each campground/ rv park you plan on staying at. Also, you may need a license/permit to operate in each county/state. The reason I am addressing this is because I manage a mobile home & rv park here in Central Florida. Our park prospectus/ park rules DO NOT Allow you to operate a business within a business. There are too many legality issues involved for the owners to allow such. So, that being said..... make sure you do your homework befor embarking in this endeavor.

However, the concept of the whole package is Great and Doable if you are able to afford all the legalities of it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

[Kittypaw007]

When I drove my Wagntails cross country, from Indiana to California, A couple of truckers saw my van and called me. They said that many of them take dogs with them when they go on the road. They were hoping Iwould stop at a truck stop to do a few. It sounds like a good Idea, I had just purchased the van and wasn't prepared at the time, but thought it could be a good way to travel.

[Smart-n-Pretty]

When I drove back from Wisconsin people were asking me at the gas stations if I could do their dogs now. I don't know that there would be enough of them to live on but, there is some business out there.

[celebpet]

My parents are retired and every year they go south for the winter and stay at many different campgrounds. They have told me nearly every other camp site has a pet. I'm sure if you retire and work arrangements with certain campgrounds when you are staying there to offer grooming they would be ok with it. My parents have told me that many of the campgrounds they stay at offer a book to their camp members about area offerings and they say there are several grooming businesses listed in them.

[Pixie]

Before you decide to do the RV'ing and grooming business combo, make sure you find out all the legalities of each campground/ rv park you plan on staying at. Also, you may need a license/permit to operate in each county/state. The reason I am addressing this is because I manage a mobile home & rv park here in Central Florida. Our park prospectus/ park rules DO NOT Allow you to operate a business within a business. There are too many legality issues involved for the owners to allow such. So, that being said..... make sure you do your homework befor embarking in this endeavor.

However, the concept of the whole package is Great and Doable if you are able to afford all the legalities of it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

I've thought of doing this too when we both retire. But I never thought of what you mentioned lightning. Of course I'm the type of person that doesn't think all the way through on some projects. Just figure if I'm not bothering anyone it should be all right to do. It's something to really consider.

[Joannev71]

I live near a rv resort and groom a lot of dogs in there but I know that they don't allow anyone to work out of there if they live there, in fact a groomer lived in there and she ended up opening a shop about 20 miles away because of the resort rules. I have very loyal clients there, some live there full time only leaving a couple times a year for a month or two at a time and most of the time will wait till they get back to me rather than let anyone else groom there dogs. Others live elsewhere and plan there trips to the resort around there grooms, and I have had people get really upset when another groomer came into the park. I think your idea would be a lot of fun I meet a lot of great people but I think I would miss my loyal clients.

[mobilegirl]

thanks for the input

Before you decide to do the RV'ing and grooming business combo, make ...
However, the concept of the whole package is Great and Doable if you are able to afford all the legalities of it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

I really appreciate your input and certainly consider all the pros and cons. Do you know if most parks have this rule? And what exactly are the legality issues I would have to be concerned about? Last I knew you would have to be registered in that cty/state but I do not think a license is required. I would definitely check this out and do my homework first.

[Joannev71]

I'm pretty sure you have to have a business license in every city you work in.

[Mamabearwith2]

I'm pretty sure you have to have a business license in every city you work in.

You sure do!

[Stylin Stella]

How many of you

Could be profitable without repeat business?

[Meesh]

Okay, you didn't hear this from me

It may be difficult to get licenses in all the places you want to go, especially if you just want to be "footloose and fancy free" but if you wanted to groom just for some extra money and not necessarily enough income that you were depending on it to live on, I don't see the harm of doing it informally. People tend to be friendly at those camp grounds and if you were chatting up someone with a dog you could casually say something like "oh, I'm retired now and on the road, but I was a dog groomer for many years. In fact, I like to keep my hand in it and have my equipment in my RV. If you needed Muffin there I groomed I'm sure we could work something out." If you stay at the campground for a little while you may do enough business to last a few weeks and then move on. And if they kick you out, they kick you out, it's not like there aren't other RV parks.

I'm a firm believer in "it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission."

[lightning]

It may be difficult to get licenses in all the places you want to go, especially if you just want to be "footloose and fancy free" but if you wanted to groom just for some extra money and not necessarily enough income that you were depending on it to live on, I don't see the harm of doing it informally. People tend to be friendly at those camp grounds and if you were chatting up someone with a dog you could casually say something like "oh, I'm retired now and on the road, but I was a dog groomer for many years. In fact, I like to keep my hand in it and have my equipment in my RV. If you needed Muffin there I groomed I'm sure we could work something out." If you stay at the campground for a little while you may do enough business to last a few weeks and then move on. And if they kick you out, they kick you out, it's not like there aren't other RV parks.

I'm a firm believer in "it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission."

YIKES!! That's kinda like saying " it's ok to break the law, just don't get caught at it"!

[Meesh]

YIKES!! That's kinda like saying " it's ok to break the law, just don't get caught at it"!

Okay now, fair enough ... normally I am a firm believer in following all the rules, but the rules were not designed for people who are full time RVing. Just for daily life they have to manage to find workarounds. A true fulltime RVer doesn't even have a fixed address and if they want to be able to register to vote anywhere they have to find friend or family willing to let them call the friend's or family member's home the fulltime RVer's "fixed address."

If you want to live an unconventional lifestyle in the US you need to be prepared to figure things out as you go along. My business, run out of my fixed address, in a stare where I reside and am able to register as required for all the licenses and tax applications that apply is fully compliant. But if I ever got the chance to be a fulltime RVer (DH and I differ on our ideas of a great retirement) you can bet I wouldn't let paperwork get in my way.

Meesh