Before enrolling in a career program like dog groomer training, it pays to learn everything you can beforehand. How long does it take to prepare for a career? Is there a dog training school near me? Can I afford it? Will there be jobs once I complete my training? How much money can I expect to earn?
Animal Behavior College has been preparing students to work in rewarding animal careers for over two decades. To help you make this important career decision, we’ve answered a few of the most frequently asked questions about dog groomer training.
Dog Groomer Career Earning Potential
*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Salary.com, Zippia & Indeed.com 2024. Hourly rates may vary in your area.
-
How Do I Become a Dog Groomer?
If you want to know how to become a dog groomer, one of the best ways to attract clients or to get hired in a salon or other grooming facility is to prove that you know what you’re doing. Earning your grooming certification through the Animal Behavior College Grooming Instruction Program is an excellent means of doing that.
During the first stages of the program, you will complete coursework online. Once the online stages of the curriculum are behind you, you will be paired with a local mentor for an externship. This is an opportunity to practice your newly acquired grooming skills and gain valuable real world experience.
-
Can You Groom a Cat?
Yes, and cats should be groomed! Brushing removes dirt and loose hair and keeps a cat’s coat in better condition. It allows you to check for sores, bumps, and dry skin. In the case of long-haired cats, grooming is essential. If not regularly brushed, their fur can become matted. Matting leads to all sorts of problems; in extreme cases, it can result in amputation of a limb.
Bathing a cat is a rare requirement, fortunately, as most felines famously hate getting wet. Since they groom themselves daily, unless a cat is muddy or otherwise truly dirty, you actually shouldn’t have to bathe your pet.
Nail trimming, however, should be done regularly. The Humane Society recommends doing it every couple of weeks, in fact, to protect people and furniture.
-
How Do I Become a Cat Groomer?
Being able to groom both cats and dogs will make you a more marketable professional groomer. To that end, the Animal Behavior College Grooming Instruction Program focuses on cat grooming as well as dog grooming. You will learn basic feline anatomy, grooming practices, and how to work with cats safely. After you complete the online coursework, your externship will give you an opportunity to work with cats and dogs under the watchful eye of a mentor groomer.
-
What Skills Are Covered in Our Dog Grooming Program?
The ABC grooming curriculum gives you a solid education in all aspects of the career. Starting with an introduction to grooming, you will continue on to study:
- Tools of the trade
- Health and safety
- Cat grooming
- Dog grooming
- Bathing, brushing, and drying
- Clipper use and scissor control
- Breed profiles and mixed-breed styling
- Pet CPR and First Aid
The ABC Grooming Instruction Program also includes a helpful stage on career building. Whether you want to work for a salon or open your own grooming business, this part of the curriculum offers lots of professional help.
Of course, before you become a groomer you should have lots of real world experience. The externship will pair you with a local professional, giving you the opportunity to work with animals under an experienced mentor.
-
What can I do with a Pet Grooming Certificate?
Dog and cat grooming is a wonderfully flexible career. You can learn it to use as a profitable side gig, or you can make it your full time profession.
There are opportunities for pet groomers to work in a variety of facilities. Big national chains always need groomers. Local grooming salons are another option. Your local animal shelter or rescue society may also hire groomers.
If you dream of starting your own business, pet grooming is the ideal career for that. You can operate out of your home, start a mobile grooming service, or open a salon.
-
How long does it take to become a dog groomer?
It will typically take you about 12 months to learn the academic foundations and gain preliminary experience. Once you have a strong foundation, the more you groom the better you are likely to get. This is particularly true if you are able to work with an experienced grooming mentor after graduation from a grooming school. Depending on your commitment, talent and the amount of time you groom, it could take you 3-7 years to become a good groomer and 10 years to become a great one. The best groomers never stop learning and practicing.
-
How much do dog groomers make a year?
The average hourly wage for a dog groomer in the United States is $17 per hour or $35,059 annually (according to Ziprecruiter). As you might expect, the salary varies depending on where you live, with groomers in urban areas generally commanding higher wages. This means that groomers in some major population centers can earn more than twice the median hourly wage. Experience and a strong foundation of grooming knowledge also equates to higher pay. Nationwide, the job outlook for the profession is strong. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 22% growth in animal care careers over the next few years.
-
What qualifications do you need to be a dog groomer?
No state requires licensure for dog groomers, but common sense should tell you that you need more than a set of clippers and a bottle of shampoo to call yourself one. Some groomers learn through an internship with a professional. Many who are more serious about the profession choose to earn certification through a trade school or distance learning program. Such certification serves as proof of knowledge and experience in the field.
-
Is pet grooming a good career?
If you are an animal lover with an artistic flair and like to work with your hands, pet grooming might be a great career. Grooming can be challenging work, but there are typically opportunities for dog groomers all over the country. This is a viable vocation for animal lovers to consider.
-
Is there a dog grooming school near me?
That depends. If you are looking for just a brick and mortar school a quick google search will give you an answer. Just make sure the results are giving you schools and not simply grooming salons. Online programs eliminate the need to find a school you can travel to but online programs are limited and not generally recommended for a hands on profession like dog grooming. Instead consider hybrid programs that allow you to learn the academic aspects of grooming online (anatomy, different breed cuts etc,) while still requiring some hands on in an actual grooming salon. Hybrid programs such as Animal Behavior College grooming program are available in all 50 states and Canada.
-
Is Animal Behavior College an Accredited School?
The Animal Behavior College Dog Groomer Program is not accredited because no such accreditation exists. Accreditation boards oversee schools and colleges offering degree programs, such as biology, Medieval history, or English lit. Dog grooming is a vocation and not part of a degree program, therefore, no board accredits programs that train groomers. While accreditation is not a requirement for dog groomer programs, Animal Behavior College holds itself to high standards. The International Association of Canine Professionals, which promotes excellence among those in careers working with dogs, recognizes ABC’s fantastic program. You can be confident that by choosing ABC you will be getting thorough training in the dog grooming profession.
-
What Is the Average Salary for Pet Groomers?
The current average base salary for pet groomers in the United States is approximately $45,206. As with any career, your salary will depend on where you live. Cat and dog groomers in large urban areas like Los Angeles or Chicago demand the highest salaries, as much as 50K per year. In rural areas, expect to earn a little less than the average base salary.
