Dog groomer
Dog groomers bathe, brush and trim dogs' hair, and give their owners advice on coat care, diet and general health for their pet.
- Starter salary£15,000 a year
- Experienced£23,000 a year
- Typical hours30 to 37 a week
What you'll do
As a dog groomer, you could:
- assess the dog's general health and temperament
- check for skin conditions and parasites
- prepare the animal for bathing
- shampoo and dry the dog's coat
- trim and shape the coat with electric clippers or scissors
- manage the dog's behaviour during a grooming session
- answer pet owners' questions and advise on grooming and coat care
- handle payments and update work records
- keep work areas clean and tidy
Working environment
You could work in a salon, at a client's home, at a store or at a veterinary practice.
Your working environment may be dusty and physically demanding.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to use your initiative
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to work well with your hands
- the ability to work well with others
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a dog groomer
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- specialist courses run by private training organisations
College
Colleges offer a wide range of dog grooming courses from introductory level to advanced.
Introductory courses cover basic coat care and grooming methods and are suitable for beginners.
Higher level courses tend to be longer and teach more advanced subjects, for example:
- canine behaviour
- professional styling for different breeds
- managing a grooming business
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You could apply to a dog grooming business for a place on an apprenticeship, like:
- Dog Grooming Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
- Animal Care and Welfare Manager Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship - if you plan to become a supervisor or manager in a business
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements but it may help you to get in if you have:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Work
You could start as an assistant in a kennels or grooming business and learn on the job from a qualified and experienced dog groomer.
Volunteering
You can get experience by doing voluntary work with dogs in kennels and rescue centres, which can help when applying for courses and jobs.
You can find opportunities with organisations like:
- Dogs Trust
- Blue Cross
- RSPCA
- PDSA
Other routes
You could take private training courses to learn some of the skills and knowledge needed for this job. The Pet Industry Federation has accredited a number of organisations to deliver professional training.
Career path and progression
With experience and qualifications, you could become self-employed and work from home or become a mobile dog groomer, visiting owners' homes.
You could also open your own salon or teach dog grooming classes.
Guides for this industry
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