Who buys what??

Question
Hi. I am a newly certified dog groomer. I took all my classes online and I am the only groomer in my workplace so I am not sure about what I am supposed to buy. I make a base pay because I work as a dog handler also ( I groom at a dog daycare). I only get 30 of my grooms. I am curious if this means that my boss should be buying all of my supplies or if I am supposed to do that. I have bought everything so far and my boss seems to like it that way. What do you think?

Answer
Shawna, I am not sure what your experience is as far as the grooming school. If you took it online does this mean you do not have any hands on experience? This all makes a difference in pay. I pay 60% to the groomers and the groomer pays %10 to the bather or they can bath their own dogs and make the full %60. They do supply all of their own equipment except nail polish, cologne and bows.
This pay scale is pretty common for the middle of the country. This pay is based on a groomer being competent enough to complete a full dog to the owners specification with no assistance form anyone.
Most shops will have a groomer come in and complete a full scissor poodle before they will be hired.
If your fresh out of school and have no hands on experience I feel the boss is being fair.
The best thing you can do at this point is to communicate with your employer and when you get the basics down pat then ask that they increase your percentage. Hang tough, this is not an easy career you have chosen but it has the potential to be the best. Even after 23 years of grooming I still love what I do and have fun each and every day.
Good luck and talk to your employer, they remember starting out at the bottom. Happy Grooming