Dog Groomer

Typical Salary

£13,000 To £20,000

Typical Hours

38 to 40 a week

evenings / weekends as customers demand

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 / University

You could take a course in dog grooming like:

Level 2 Certificate for Dog Grooming Assistants
Level 3 Certificate in Introductory Dog Grooming
Level 3 Diploma for Dog Grooming

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in animal care.

Routes into this Career

You could start as an assistant with a qualified and experienced dog groomer and learn on the job.

Other Routes

You could take a private training course to get some of the skills and knowledge needed in this job. The Pet Industry Federation has accredited some organisations to deliver professional training.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to use your initiative
to be flexible and open to change
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to work well with others
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
customer service skills
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties might include:

shaping a dog's coat with electric clippers or a stripping knife
shampooing and drying the dog's coat
giving a final trim with scissors

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.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

You could get experience by doing voluntary work with dogs in kennels.

The Dogs Trust and Do-it have more information on volunteering opportunities.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a dog groomer from the Pet Industry Federation.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.