• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Animal Behavior College

Animal Behavior College

Where Animal Lovers Pursue Animal Careers

Is free education possible?
Live chat
Live chat

Ready to Enroll? Call:

800-795-3294
  • Login
MENUMENU
  • Programs
    • Dog Obedience Instructor
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Certification
      • Success Stories
      • Students Saving Lives
      • Find A Dog Trainer
    • Veterinary Assistant
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Success Stories
    • Grooming Instruction Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Success Stories
      • Find A Pet Groomer
    • On Campus Dog Trainer Program
      • Traditional Classroom Environment in Los Angeles California
      • Enroll Using Your Military Benefits
    • Continuing Education
      • Short Term Programs
    • Cat Management and Training
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Find A Cat Trainer
    • Aquarium Maintenance (online)
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Salary Information
      • What Is an Aquarist?
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Service Dog Trainer Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Career
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Education & Experience Requirements
  • Military Benefits
  • GI Bill® Benefits
  • Locations
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Animal Career Resources
  • About ABC
        • About Animal Behavior College
        • Our Expert Faculty
        • Press, News & Info
        • Press Releases
        • BPPE Disclosures
        • Tuition Assistance
        • Animal Behavior College FAQ
        • Contact Us
        • Why ABC?
        • Students Saving Lives
        • Licensure, Ratings & Approvals
        • Sponsors & Associates
        • Gift Certificates
  • Blog
  • Affiliates
  • Alumni Login
    • Dog Obedience Program Alumni
    • Cat Training Program Alumni
    • Grooming Instruction Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program Alumni
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program Alumni
    • Service Dog Trainer Alumni
  • Student Login
    • Cat Training Program
    • Dog Obedience Program
    • Grooming Instruction Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Service Dog Trainer Program
Home » Courses & Career » Grooming » The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Dog Grooming School for Your Career

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Dog Grooming School for Your Career

Weighing Career Options

Choosing a career path is one of those major life decisions that should be carefully weighed. If you find a career that plays to your particular strengths and passions and is in high demand, congratulations! You’re off to a spectacular start.

Anyone who is passionate about animals, is good with their hands, and has an artistic flair might want to look at a dog grooming career. It allows you to spend your days working with every kind of dog breed imaginable, employing your creative talents to make them look their best.

The Right Path to a Dog Grooming Career

Since dog groomers do not have to be licensed or have a diploma or degree, there are a variety of ways to get started. However, the best way to gain the knowledge needed, acquire skills quickly, and assure clients and prospective employers that you know what you’re doing is to enroll in a dog grooming school.

Dog grooming schools teach the career in a focused, comprehensive manner, as opposed to picking up the trade any way you can–often by a painful trial and error process.

You may think that you’d have to go to school in person to learn a hands-on career like dog grooming. Fortunately, there are online programs that have an apprenticeship component, allowing you to gain plenty of real-world grooming experience once the online learning portion has been completed.

If you are a self-motivated person and you want to be able to start your career as soon as possible, you can complete some online dog grooming programs in about 12 months. Another advantage of online programs is that they are flexible enough to allow you to continue to work full time or take care of other responsibilities while you learn.

Take Your Time Choosing the Right Dog Grooming School

Choosing the right dog grooming school makes a lot of difference in how well-prepared you are to start your career. Never get in a rush or allow an over-zealous program administrator to pressure you into enrolling before you understand what you’re getting into. Do your research.

Here are some questions you should get the answers to before committing to a dog grooming school:

  • Is the school approved by any national organizations?
  • Is there continuing support for alumni?
  • Does the school help graduates find a job?
  • Does the program include all the skills necessary to work as a groomer?
  • Do students get good support from staff or program managers?
  • What is the certification rate?
  • What percentage of students are employed in the field after certification?
  • Does the school have a good reputation?
  • Does the school have a long history?
  • Who authored the curriculum?
  • Is the curriculum up to date?
  • Is there opportunity for hands-on experience in a professional setting?
  • Do former students give the school high praise?

Remember, you are choosing the school that will train you for your life’s work. If you want the best chance to have a good student experience and get the training that you need to succeed, do your homework before you enroll in any dog grooming school.

What Should a Dog Grooming Curriculum Include?

You should expect a comprehensive dog grooming certification program to include all of the knowledge and training necessary to start a career. You may not be ready to specialize, and there may be more aspects of dog grooming you want to explore, but upon getting certified you should definitely be confident in your ability to perform a full groom well.

A good dog grooming curriculum should teach:

  • Basic anatomy
  • Breed identification and body conformation
  • How to use the tools of the trade safely and properly
  • Safe restraint and handling
  • Bathing and drying
  • Nail trimming
  • Ear cleaning
  • Skin inspection
  • Clipping technique
  • Hand scissoring
  • Hand stripping
  • Pet First Aid and CPR

If all of these basics are not included in the school’s curriculum, as well as a means for getting real world experience, do not give it serious consideration; as you may not be adequately trained in such a program.

Consider Animal Behavior College

As the largest pet career school in North America, Animal Behavior College has been certifying dog trainers and groomers for a long time. Since 1998, more than 35,000 students have earned their certification in a variety of animal careers.

Anyone considering a dog grooming school would do well to check out ABC’s grooming instruction program. To learn more, or to speak with an admissions counselor, call 800-795-3294 today.

Primary Sidebar

Tags

educationhumane societystay dog training commandteach dog staytrain a dog to stayteach your dog to roll overtraining a dog to roll overtraveling with petsbenefits of rawhiderawhide bonesaspcadog jumpingtrain your dog to cometrain dog to jumphow to teach your dog to speaktraining dog to speakeasy dog trickshow to train a dog to play deadteach a dog to play deadtraining dog to play deadlick faceshake pawdog flash mobhow to teach a dog to stayteach dog to come when calledrequirementsanimal hospital jobsbest dog trainerchoose a dog trainerdog trainer ratesfind a dog trainerhow to find a dog trainerkeeperkennel attendantsvet assistant programvet assistant schoolveterinary care jobshow to get a job at a veterinary hospitalhow to teach a dog to comework in veterinary hospitalhow much do vet assistants makedog training toyskong dog toyhow to train your dog to sitteach your dog to sittrain dog to sittrain your dog to sitcome when calledhow do you train a dog to come when called every timedoggy dance
  • Main
    • Locations
    • Affiliates
    • Find A Dog Trainer
    • Find A Pet Groomer
    • Find a Cat Trainer
    • Post a Job
    • Evolution of ABC
  • Dog Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Dog Groomer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Cat Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Service Dog Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Education & Experience Requirements

Footer

Feefo logo
bbb logo

Rating A+ The BBB only accredits the business management of a school, not the quality of the curriculum, or training programs.

STATE LICENSURE AND APPROVAL
Animal Behavior College is a private vocational school approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppe.ca.gov) under the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 and Title 5. California Code of Regulations Division 7.5. Private Postsecondary Education. The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education approval means that this institution and its operation comply with the standards established under the law for occupational instruction by private postsecondary educational institutions. Institutional approval is subject to continual review and the institution must reapply for approval every five years.
DISCLAIMER
Please be advised that Animal Behavior College ("ABC") is the exclusive entity authorized to provide certifications and/or degrees from Animal Behavior College. Moreover, such certifications and/or degrees are only conferred by ABC following a student's completion of an ABC-administered program. No other entity or individual has authority to confer certifications and/or degrees on ABC's behalf. Any other entity or individual who attempts to do so is acting without express or implied authority from ABC.
GI BILL® TRADEMARK ATTRIBUTION
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Click here to view Animal Behavior College’s Annual Reports
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
Animal Behavior College, 27509 Avenue Hopkins, First Floor, Valencia CA 91355-3910 Contact Us
© 2000 - 2023 Animal Behavior College. Questions? email@animalbehaviorcollege.com