snappy2

[snapple63]

Hi from Southeast Alaska

I am going to be attending grooming school in the spring, have worked in the government secter for many years and am looking forward to retirement and starting a new career as a dog groomer.

Is there anyone else out there starting over as a groomer?

[PoodlePal]

Welcome to the board.

Many of us have changed careers. I was a paralegal in Washington, DC (13 yrs @ Shaw Pittman (400+ lawyers)) (World Bank 5 yrs.). When I moved to CA, went to grooming school and started my mobile grooming business. Best thing I ever did!!!!

Michelle

[Angie]

Not just starting out, just wanted to say welcome. Been grooming for 11 ys.
You'll love it.
I saw an interesting show the other day about the Alaskan pipeline. Very neat. So do you live where it gets really cold? How warm does it get in the summer? How long is your winter?
Sorry for the questions LOL

[Wisconsin]

Hi from Southeast Alaska

I am going to be attending grooming school in the spring, have worked in the goverment secter for many years and am looking forward to retirement and starting a new career as a dog groomer.

Is there anyone else out there starting over as a groomer?

Hi Snappy,

I've been in the insurance industry for 25 years...still am. I groom part-time after graduating from grooming school in 2003.

Still learning some tricks of the trade that I didn't in school and plan on opening up a business some day. I'm not in a hurry at this point.

I hope you love grooming like everyone else here. Everyone has so much experience on this board. All different aspects of life. A new perspective is always nice.

Welcome!!!

Lisa

[Kim in SD]

I have relatives in Ketchikan, do they have other dogs besides wolves and huskys?..lol I used to run a fishing resort for 22 yrs. I have just startedin the Mobile industry, and love it!!! This is my first year but have worked for someone else mobile grooming before I started my own. As you'll probably hear its tough work, but so rewarding. Good Luck, and welcome to the board.

[snapple63]

Thanks for the welcome from you all, your comments are very welcome and reinforces my confidence to make this change.

We have all breeds of dogs here, we have long days in the summer gets dark around 10:30 pm then starts to lighten up at 2:30am, but in the winter it starts to get dark around 3:00pm then lightens up around 9:00am.

I am very excited to get going on school, there is a grooming shortage here, also interested in moblie grooming will look into that later.

Snappy2

[sheilabgroomer]

Hi Snappy and welcome to the wild world of pet grooming...lol.. I grew up in the opposite side of the US in South FL, not too many terribly cold days down there. What is the coldest temp you have been in? Coldest I have delt with is upper teens here in SC where I live now. Anyway I just wanted to say hi and ask a few silly questions

[bow_wow_wheels]

Yes, I think many of us here are on our 2nd career I have always wanted to go to Alaska-maybe someday!

[toomuchfunbnme]

Welcome

Hello Snapple63, I hope that you love your new career as a groomer! I started out to be a groomer, but then took management jobs in other industries as well as owning other types of businesses. I've kept informed in the grooming industry all these years and am finally following my heart, switching careers, and officially becoming a groomer. I think that the grooming industry offers lots of opportunity for those seeking a career change, not to mention all the great doggy kisses!

[Gracy Rose]

I became a groomer a couple of year ago after being a teacher.

[snapple63]

Southeast Alaska is considered a rain forest and consists of islands that can be accessed by ferry and air, we get a lot of rain, the coldest I can remember is 2 above which combined with wind facter can get really really cold.

[Pawsitively Purrfect]

Seems to me a lot of groomers were in a different career prior to grooming...I think we have all had a love of animals all our lives and we were destined to be drawn in to it at some point.....

[plushpuppy]

Hi from Southeast Alaska

I am going to be attending grooming school in the spring, have worked in the government secter for many years and am looking forward to retirement and starting a new career as a dog groomer.

Is there anyone else out there starting over as a groomer?

OH Yeah
I think you will be surprised at the number of us that have Started Over
I was in Retail and Hospitality for 30 years as it was fairly easy to get a job while my husband did 23 years in the Navy and we moved around. 2 months after my 50th Bday I had a short ( a couple of hours) mid life crises and decided that I wanted to be a groomer. I'm a stubborn aries and moved forward to reach my goal quickley. Within 5 months I quit my job, started school and prepared to open an in home grooming salon. BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. Oh but the best part is I'm at home and I have met some great groomers from this site.
Where are you going to School at? You will love it
Good luck

[doggiegroomer]

I gues I am one of teh lucky ones who always knew I wanted to be a groomer. My aunt owned a grooming school and I always begged her to let me help however I could. AT 13 I was in there cleaning and helping with paperwork. At 15 she started letting me bathe dogs. At 16 I was allowed to take classes because I was enrolled in an animal science course in high school, and did was required to do half my hours working at an animal type job. Most kids in my class worked for vets...not I. By 17 I was working full time in the grooming industry and finishing up my high school diploma. I had enough credits to go to school half a day and work the rest of the day. I graduated school and enrolled ini college and worked grooming part time to pay my way through college. I graduated college with a degreee in wildlife biology (about 5 years ago) and I am still groomig dogs. I love it though I wouldn't thin k of doing anything else. Thats my story in a nutshell!!!