So You Want to Be…a Dog Groomer

By Jamie Damato Migdal, CEO & Pet Industry Entrepreneur

There are a lot of things to be said for being a dog groomer – you can set your own hours, work at a variety of places, and gain a lot of very serious dog handling skills. And you can’t really underestimate the job satisfaction that comes from seeing a sweet, clean puppy face at the end of every session.

Job requirements:

• Be able to provide basic grooming services such as washing, drying, trimming, scissoring, ear cleaning, flea and tick bathing, anal gland expressing, and nail clipping.

• Be able to move animals (and merchandise) up to about 50 pounds.

• Be able to spend long hours on your feet.

• Be able to interact with clients in a professional manner.

• Be able to perform more complicated grooming tasks such as hand stripping and shaping, utilizing knowledge of breed characteristics and standards.

• Be able to calmly, safely, and effectively handle dogs who really don’t want to be bathed, groomed, clipped, or blow-dried.

• Be able to purchase and maintain your own grooming equipment.

• Be able to accept that, at the end of the day, you will be very damp, covered in fur, and fragrant with the aroma of wet dog.

Compensation: Groomers can expect to earn around 50% of the list price for services (plus tips), depending on experience. Most salons do not offer benefits, unless you are considered a full-time employee.

Equipment: Pet salons and other facilities that offer dog grooming will have the basic heavy equipment and supplies (such as shampoo) for performing the job; however, you should expect to purchase and maintain your own professional grooming equipment kit. You’ll also need comfortable shoes with non-slip soles and some sort of cover-up, apron, or lab coat (if the salon doesn’t supply them).

Pros: a flexible work schedule, lots of employment opportunities (with salons, doggy daycares, mobile vans, or veterinary offices), and the chance to become familiar with many different breeds and grooming requirements.

Cons: a lot of time on your feet, a fair amount of heavy lifting and dog wrangling, and evening and weekend hours. Many employers will require certification from a professional dog grooming school (which can run $4000 or more) and/or previous experience, and may expect new groomers to complete an in-house training program or shadow a more experienced groomer before allowing them to groom solo.

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