The interesting thing about working as a professional groomer is that currently, no state licensing or certification is required. However, whether starting a business or planning to work for someone else, the appropriate skills would be required for a job such as this.
There are a number of options to include being self-taught but to build a strong customer base, enjoy job security, and make the most money possible, the best choice would be to complete education through a dog grooming academy.
Best Candidate
Before spending money on any type of grooming program, it would be worthwhile to take inventory of the reasons you are interested in this career but you also want to look at what things you could bring to the table to make grooming a success.
Once you know you would be the right kind of candidate for attending a dog grooming academy the next step would be to locate a school that would serve you best.
- Do you love and respect animals?
- Are you a patient and understanding individual?
- Would you be okay in putting in long hours both attending school but also working as a groomer?
- Can you communicate well with other people?
- Are you willing to follow the recommendations of dog owners, as well as accept any criticism they may offer?
- Does job stability and financial gain interest you?
Minimum Requirements
In addition to looking at your personal situation to identify if you would make a good candidate for attending a dog grooming school, most institutions have minimum requirements. For example, you would need to be a minimum of 18 years of age although there are some academies that accept students as young as 17 but only if a parent or legal guardian were to sign all necessary legal documents.
You would also need to be physically and mentally healthy, provide proof of being current on all mandated vaccinations to include tetanus, and go through an interview process to be officially accepted.
Courses Offered
Although the exact courses would depend on the dog grooming academy, most provide education and training using the same concept. For example, curriculum would remain much the same but actual courses might vary although most cover education to become a professional groomer opposed to an assistant working for a groomer.
The following are some of the typical things a dog grooming academy would offer for both of these career options.
Professional Dog Grooming Career
In this case, curriculum would focus on everything you would need to know to work as a professional in the dog grooming industry. Although you would not receive any official licensing or certification as mentioned, most schools award students that complete the program with some type of Certificate of Achievement or perhaps a school diploma.
In addition, you would complete a number of workshops and seminars, and be required to finish 500 hours of actual grooming experience. Now, while not all academies offer this, we strongly suggest you choose a dog grooming academy that would allow you to take a test offered by a reputable veterinarian to earn a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation certification.
Dog Groomer’s Assistance Career
The other common type of education offered by a dog grooming academy is for a groomer’s assistant. Although you would not be the primary groomer but someone with some grooming ability and knowledge to provide assistance when and where needed, this too is an excellent option.
As a part of being taught the basics of grooming, you would still receive some kind of acknowledgement such as Certificate of Achievement or Diploma and education would include attending workshops and seminars. Just as before, you could still become certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, which again is highly recommended.
Cost of Education
The actual cost of completing your education through a dog grooming academy would also vary but the information below provides an average.
Professional Groomer – Typically, completing courses during the day would last up to 16 weeks for a cost around $5,000 whereas if you were to take evening classes, which would be on a part-time basis, it would take up to 28 weeks to finish but the cost would be a little less, usually $4,500.
Groomer’s Assistant – For this, the average dog grooming academy would require 214 hours of study with an estimated price of $2,200 for day time classes. Then for night classes, the same number of hours would need to be completed and passed but the cost would be reduced to around $2,100.
Regardless if you are interested in working as a professional groomer or a groomer’s assistant, it is common for academies of this type to offer some kind of financial plan.
As an example, you would probably need to put $300 to $600 down but the remaining balance would be spread out over a specific amount of time, allowing you to pay for your education in payments.
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