Looking for a rewarding career working with animals? Been tossing around the idea of becoming a pet groomer? Dog and cat groomers are generally animal lovers who enjoy what they do and take pride in making pets look and feel good. If you have a passion for animals, a creative flair, good attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to be patient and calm under stressful conditions, grooming may be a great career fit for you.
Do Your Homework Before Committing to a Pet Grooming Career
Before jumping into any career, it’s important to learn as much as you can about it. How much do pet groomers make? Do I need to get a license or pass a test to work as a groomer? Is there a demand for pet groomers? Is there a pet grooming school near me? What skills do I need to master to be a groomer?
It’s a smart idea to do a little research into the career to find out what groomers need to know. Of course, every groomer needs to know the proper way to bathe a dog, trim nails, clean ears, and use the tools of the trade as well as how to card, strip, and thin various types of coats. A quick online search reveals dozens of breed styles and cuts that groomers should be able to execute. There’s a lot to know if you’re going to be a successful groomer!
You can learn a lot by watching grooming videos online. You might also seek out a professional groomer and ask to shadow him or her in order to see what their working days are like. Some might even take you under their wing and teach you some basic skills.
How to Become a Dog Groomer
While you do not have to be licensed, attend a pet grooming school, or earn your grooming certification in order to work as a groomer, it is recommended that you do so. For one thing, savvy pet owners are not going to turn their fur babies over to just anyone. Prospective employers look for qualified people with credentials. Proper training, education, and certification are important.
Groomers should also be well-trained because they fill an important role in a pet’s life. Clean, well-groomed animals feel better, look better, and smell better. Regular grooming helps keep an animal’s coat and skin healthy, nails at a proper length, and ears clean and infection-free. Learning how to perform these grooming tasks properly matters.
A dog grooming academy is a great way to master the skills you’ll need to succeed as a groomer, but not everyone has a grooming school nearby.
Among the best options for learning the necessary skills is to enroll in an online dog grooming program. As long as you have a reliable internet connection, you can take grooming classes no matter where you live, and you can do so without leaving the comfort of your own home.
Can I Really Learn How to Be a Pet Groomer Online?
As you might imagine, grooming is not something you can master just by sitting through online classes or reading books. You have to dig your hands into a dog’s fur, get up to your elbows in suds, and wield the clippers yourself in order to learn. There simply is no substitute for hands-on learning.
So how can you learn how to become a pet groomer through an online course? Find one that combines online learning with real-world experience.
The Animal Behavior College Grooming Instruction Program does just that through their externship, which pairs each student with a mentor groomer in their area. The externship provides a minimum of 150 hours of experience working with a professional groomer. In order to complete the certification process, students must demonstrate the ability to perform a full groom.
That sort of education and experience are invaluable in skill-building and instilling confidence.
If you think pet grooming is the right career path for you, visit Animal Behavior College to learn more. Founded in 1998, ABC has a long history of helping people start animal careers. Call 800-795-3294 to take the first step toward becoming a professional groomer!
