Salon Talk: Groomer Wellbeing - Why Your Health Matters Most During the Busy Season

The holiday rush in New Zealand’s dog grooming industry is no small thing. December hits and suddenly it feels like every dog in the country needs a pre-Christmas tidy. Schedules get tighter. Days get longer. And groomers (who already give so much of themselves) start giving even more.

But here’s the truth, you cannot pour from an empty cup.
And the grooming community needs you. They need you healthy, supported, and functioning at your best.

As an online retailer dedicated to supporting NZ groomers, we want to take a moment to focus not on tools or techniques, but on you. Your wellbeing. Your limits. Your mental and physical health. Because you deserve to feel good about the work you do, and you deserve to feel good outside of work, too.

This blog is here to remind you of that, especially as we head into the busiest time of the year.

Learning to Say “No” & Letting Go of the Guilt

Every groomer knows this moment:

A client wants “just one more dog” squeezed in. You’re already exhausted. Fully booked. Over capacity. But that little voice says, “If I don’t help, they’ll be upset… or they might go elsewhere.”

Saying no is difficult, especially in service industries built on relationships and trust. But “no” doesn’t mean you’re unreliable or unkind. “No” can also mean, I want to protect my health. I want to provide quality work, not rushed work. I want to still love this career next year.

If you catch yourself feeling guilty after saying no, remember: A boundary is not a rejection, it’s an act of self-respect.

Healthy boundaries keep your business strong, your work consistent, and your stress manageable. The clients who value you will always understand.

Recognising Signs of Physical and Emotional Burnout

Burnout rarely arrives suddenly. It creeps in quietly and shows up in ways many groomers brush off as “just a busy week.” But the earlier you recognise the signs, the quicker you can protect yourself.

Common burnout signs for dog groomers:

• Persistent aches in your wrists, shoulders, or lower back

• Feeling emotionally drained before the day even begins

• Irritability with clients or pets you normally adore

• Dreading certain types of grooms

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Feeling overwhelmed by tasks that used to feel manageable

• Losing joy in your craft or creativity

• Trouble switching off when you get home

If these feel familiar, you're not failing. You’re human, and your body is calling for rest.

Respecting Your Personal Limits

Every groomer has unique limits based on a number of factors, including experience, physical health, workspace setup, number of difficult or large dogs on the schedule, mental load, and life outside of the salon. Sometimes it can feel like pushing through pain or fatigue is treated almost like a badge of honour. The truth is:

Limits aren’t weaknesses, they’re essential to sustainability.

Taking fewer dogs doesn’t make you less professional. Taking breaks doesn’t make you less committed. Finishing early doesn’t make you less hardworking. If anything, honouring your limits is what allows you to groom well and still enjoy your life outside of grooming.

Caring for Your Body: Breaks, Food, Water, Movement

Groomers in NZ are notorious for putting pets' needs above their own. Some days you realise you’ve been grooming for five hours before you’ve had a sip of water. This season, try practising small habits that make a big difference:

• Schedule your breaks as if they’re appointments. And don’t skip them.

• Drink regularly. Keep a bottle at your table and sip between dogs.

• Eat real food. Not just a muesli bar at 3pm. Proper meals = stable energy.

• Stretch your hands, shoulders, and lower back. A brief moment between dogs is all it takes.

• Alternate heavy and light grooms if possible, so your body gets micro-recovery.

Your body is your most important grooming tool. Treat it like one.

Give Yourself Grace

The grooming community in New Zealand is full of incredibly hard-working, compassionate people, and sometimes those same people are the quickest to judge themselves harshly.

You’re allowed to:

• have an off day

• run behind schedule

• take time to rest

• turn down a client

• not answer messages after hours

• prioritise yourself

Give yourself grace. You’re doing your best in a demanding profession that requires strength, creativity, patience, and resilience every single day. Remind yourself, and your co-groomies, that you're doing amazing just by doing your best. 

Why Groomer Wellbeing Matters 

Your wellbeing isn’t just personal, it affects the entire grooming community.

A healthy groomer delivers better grooms, stays in the industry longer, builds stronger client relationships, maintains safer practices, mentors others with patience and positivity, and contributes to a thriving, sustainable grooming environment in New Zealand. 

We want that for you. Your clients want that for you. Your fellow groomers want that for you. And most importantly, you deserve that for yourself.

A Final Message From Us to You

As the holiday season ramps up, remember:

You matter just as much as the dogs you care for. Your health matters. Your limits matter. Your energy matters.

We’re here to support you not only with the tools and products you rely on, but with community, encouragement, and industry-wide understanding that groomers are humans first.

Take care of yourself this season. We’re cheering you on, and we’re grateful for the incredible work you do for New Zealand’s pets and their people.