A fast growing industry as more pet parents are finding they just don’t have time to do their own grooming, getting a job as a dog groomer is competitive. In order to make a true career out of this job, you need to be dedicated, willing to put time and effort into practicing your craft, and be good at client relations. Many groomers get a dog that requires a high level of grooming, such as a poodle, to practice on. Really good professional groomers have a lot of job options, however, and many make a good living wage.
The First Step
There are several paths you can travel on to become a dog groomer. Each them will take dedication and time, and depending on what your career goals are, one might be better suited than the other. So, your first step is to decide what your career goals are: do you want to groom at a grooming salon (or own your own), work for a mobile dog groomer (or own your own), groom show dogs, work at a pet retail store that offers grooming (like Petsmart or Petco), work as a groomer at a vet’s office, and/or be a competitive dog groomer. There is going to be a large range in pay for all these jobs, which is something to consider.
Education
There are a few ways you can learn how to be a groomer professionally. One choice is to go to a trade school and get certified. There are a few dog grooming schools, these three are particularly well known.
You can find a larger list at Wag N Tails.
While schools can be helpful to teach you about grooming tools, basic animals handling, and some business tools such as how to start your own business, accounting, and tax prep, be sure the school has a hands-on portion. You cannot learn to groom dogs without actually grooming dogs.
Another option, and probably the most popular, is to apprentice under a professional groomer. The knowledge you can gain from someone who has been in the business for years is priceless. You may even be able to go into business with them if they like your ability and you have common goals. Novice groomers usually apprentice for a 1-2 years before going out on their own.
Finally, you can try and get a job at a big box store, mentioned above, where they will put you through their training program. Taking this route means you will get paid right away, but you will only learn basic grooming, nothing fancy and you will not learn about starting your own business. They will also make you sign a “non-compete” contract, meaning if you ever do decide you want to leave and start your own business, you will have a timeframe you have to wait after you quit and there might even be stipulations about service area.
Networking
Regardless of your career goals and the way you get there, start networking immediately. If you plan on starting your own business, start by offering to groom your friends’ dogs for an inexpensive rate or even for free, just to get your talents known. There are plenty of free or relatively cheap ways to get your name out into the pet community.
- Start a Facebook Page where you post pictures of your latest grooms – even if you are just practicing on your own dog
- Go to dog events and talk to the owners, and hand out business cards.
- Create a linkedIn Profile and start connecting with dog owners and people in the industry.
- Attend trade shows and get to know the supplies and the costs of starting your own business. At the bare minimum, you will most likely need your own grooming kit, regardless of where you work.
- Subscribe to trade magazines such as Groomer to Groomer and Grooming Business
- Attend dog shows and talk to the owners about grooming tips. You can learn a lot from these pros
So will I make Money as a Dog Groomer?
