Becoming a Dog Groomer: A Comprehensive Overview of Grooming Dogs Professionally

Not everyone can groom dogs properly, then again there are many who consider grooming dogs as their passion. Just having the right tools won’t ensure your success in this field though.

You need the right skills, knowledge, and passion, to be an amazing dog groomer.

But before you decide that this is your dream job, you need to do a proper homework on dog grooming.

Knowing the Job

Getting Acquainted With What You Have to Do as a Dog Groomer

Dog grooming is not as easy as many people might think. Brushing the fur of the dog and clipping its overgrown nails is just the beginning. Often times you will find yourself having to wash a dirty hand.

But those who really love it as a passion will happily take on this job as a challenge. The daily job schedule is going to consist of, but not limited to the following tasks:

• Discussing different styling plans with the dog’s owner
• Looking for any health issues that the dog might suffer from by thorough examination
• Examining the dog’s eyes, ears and nails looking for any potential problem
• Examining and brushing the dog’s fur
• Bathing the dog. Remember, not all dogs enjoy this process
• Cutting the dog’s hair and styling it
• Repeating the whole process all day

Grooming a Dog

This step is vital for those who have never groomed a dog before. But for those who want to take this responsibility seriously, getting a hands-on grooming experience is necessary. This will allow you to decide whether you are right for the job or not.

Try grooming your own dog or the one kept by your neighbor. It is natural that you won’t be able to groom a dog satisfactorily the first time you try it. But with regular practice and perseverance, you can develop some vital skills for the job.

Joining an Animal Shelter as a Volunteer

An animal shelter offers you the opportunity to work with a variety of animals. There is always a need for a volunteer dog groomer in most animal shelters. You can join there as they can be the perfect place to develop your dog grooming skills.

The dogs in a shelter come in a range of breeds, shapes, and sizes. Even if you do not have to groom dogs as a volunteer, you will gain valuable skills in dealing with different breeds and temperaments. It will also give you a clearer picture of dog grooming in practice.

Assisting a Professional Groomer

This is another step you might consider in order to know more about dog grooming. Try finding work as an assistant to a professional groomer. You might be assigned to do tasks like bathing. You will also be able to observe finer work like trimming, cleaning etc. These will be done by the professional groomer.

Working as an assistant allows a direct route to training programs. These programs are designed for turning you into a professional dog groomer.

You can take guidance from a local groomer too. You can opt to work under him to learn more about the profession.

Receiving Job-Related Training

Your First Stop for Training Related to Pet Grooming – Pet Grooming School

You can be a casual dog groomer. And working professionally in the field will require some training certification. That is why formal training is so important. It will just make you a better dog groomer. A pet grooming school can offer you with that.

Grooming schools should always be your first priority for training. These schools are always better than online courses that offer no practical instruction.

You should always choose a comprehensive course if you are going to a school. The course should focus on different techniques, hands-on approach and in-depth knowledge about grooming dogs.

An ideal training program should consist of at least 400 hours.

Recognizing the Grooming Needs of Different Breeds

In the US, standards are set rigidly by the American Kennel Club for each dog breed. By studying the profiles set by this organization regularly, you get to know about the standards of each dog breed.

This will help you a lot while grooming any particular breed. An effective training program will teach you about the different breeds.

Learning About the Health Issues of Dogs and the Symptoms

You not only increase the overall beauty of a dog by grooming it, you are also looking after its overall health. The temperament, visible body conditions and activity all point towards the health of the dog.

Often times the body might send a hint that there might be something wrong. You should be able to identify it as a groomer. A good training program will definitely help you in knowing about the symptoms.

Benefits of Being Certified

As stated before, certification is not always necessary to be a dog groomer. But you can make a lot of connections with groomers and clients by having one. You can attain shows and conferences. The certification also allows you to have a strong position in the dog grooming industry.

Starting Your Career

Deciding Your Workplace

There are a lot of options like working in pet megastores or from the comfort of your home. You can also operate from a van. Just make sure you have a flexible work schedule with low overhead costs.

Promoting Your Service

You’ll want to build a loyal customer base to make sure your business runs well. Even if you are employed under some large company, maintaining clientele is important. Use business cards and other promotional tools to advertise the service you are providing.

Having Dedication and Staying Motivated

Always put priority in the overall well being of the dog. While grooming a dog, it is important to avoid any harm you might cause unintentionally. You should maintain a good relationship with your clientele to help your reputation grow in the industry. Making sure of these will spread your name as a good dog groomer.

Conclusion

Grooming dogs professionally is not for everyone. But for those who have passion and diligence, this is a great career option. It is a challenging job that will come with its own set of surprises every day.

With the right grooming tools, skills, and experience, you can certainly be the best dog groomer in your locality.