Mobile vs. Fixed Location Dog Grooming
Now that you’ve known the importance of grooming your dog regularly, it’s time to decide whether to hire a mobile dog groomer or pet salon (storefront) to handle the task. Mobile dog groomers are professional pet groomers that come to groom your dog at your home instead of you taking your pet to their premises as in the case of pet salons. Each of the options come with their pros and cons.
Mobile Groomers
Mobile groomers give you a one-on-one experience unlike the case of a storefront. Mobile grooming comes in two different forms i.e. Housecall or In-Home Grooming and Mobile Van Grooming. Both of them bring their grooming services to your office or home. In-Home grooming is where the groomer performs the service inside your home. They come with all the required equipment and supplies. Mobile Van Groomers often drive their pet salons to your home and do the task inside their vehicles.
Pros of Mobile Grooming
- It is Convenient
- With mobile groomers, you don’t have to worry about taking your pet to the groomer’s salon. This means you won’t stress yourself and your dog driving to pet salons and coming back.
- It is Faster
- The biggest benefit of mobile grooming is the quick grooming time. Depending on the breed of your dog, grooming can 1-2 hours. This is great, particularly for the anxious, senior or rescue pets. Besides, most of them use high-velocity dryers that speed up the grooming process which is a plus in case your dog has a de-shedding problem.
- You get one-on-one Attention
- There are no major distractions from frequent check-ins and out in mobile grooming. The groomer only deals with your dog or pets.
- Less Stressful to your Dog
- Mobile dog groomers are ideal especially if your dog is suffering from arthritis or other health problem. Taking out a dog with health issues can be very stressful and can worsen their health. Moreover, your dog enjoys a stress-free environment since there are no dogs barking around. This may make them feel scared.
Cons of Mobile Grooming
- Pricey
- Mobile groomers tend to be pricier compared to a grooming salon. This is because they have to factor in the cost of gas and travel time
- Limited Scheduling
- Most mobile grooming services are available only on specific days of the week. Additionally, most of them confine themselves to particular locations to keep travel expenses low.
- Confined Grooming Space
- In mobile grooming, your dog is cleaned in a confined place. This limits you from monitoring the cleaning process of your pet.
Pet Salons or Fixed Location Groomers
You may also consider taking your dog to a pet salon. Most grooming salons are equipped at chic pet grooming boutiques with all the necessary grooming equipment.
Pros of Pet Salons
- Affordability
- Unlike mobile groomers, grooming salons are much more affordable. They can clean more pets in a day. This is why their prices are a bit low. Most of them do offer run promotions, coupons and discounts.
- Multiple Groomers
- Salons are preferable if you want to groom more than one pet. For instance, large dogs require two or more specialists for proper grooming. Multiple groomers also mean no canceled schedules or appointments because there’s an additional set of hands.
- Added Visibility
- Pet salons have large spaces. Dogs can move freely and you also monitor the grooming process. In fact, it is even possible to have your dog back at certain times in the course of the grooming.
- Cage Drying
- If your pet is too sensitive to loud noise, pet salons would be ideal since they don’t use velocity dryers like mobile groomers. Cage drying is safe and noiseless, especially for the aggressive dogs.
- Flexible Scheduling
- Storefronts have multiple groomers which allow you to make an appointment with ease or even do rescheduling if needed.
Cons of Pet Salons
- Time Consuming
- The grooming time is the biggest drawback in pet salons. Although some provide quick grooming services, most of them take too long to complete the process. Pets can even stay at the salon for hours or even the entire day. Cage drying also contributes to longer groom time.
- There's a lot of Distractions
- Groomers in most pet salons, particularly those with no receptionists have to clean as well as answer phone calls from customers. Distractions also result from frequent check-ins and out, noises from barking dogs and more.
- Multiple Groomers can be Ineffective
- Having different groomers for every groom can affect the quality of the services and comfort level of your dog. It is better to have a single groomer to handle the task. Some salons may accomodate your request to use a the same groomer every time.
Bottom Line
While both types of dog grooming services have their benefits, there are drawbacks associated with each service. It is vital to take time before deciding on the right type of grooming for your dog.
