So You Want To Be A Groomer?

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

26 Jul 2006 05:35 PM

You love dogs. You love cats. You think life would be great if you could work full or part-time taking care of pets... but is life as a groomer right for you?

Grooming can be a financially rewarding career -- in the United States, a professional groomer can earn between forty and sixty thousand dollars annually. Not bad, for handing dogs and cats all day!

What does it take to make it as a professional groomer?

1. Good communication skills. You will be talking to owners with high expectations of you. Customer service and good public relations skills are a must!
2. Good training. Grooming is more than bathing and brushing. You need to know about using clippers and scissors to trim. You need to know the particular "hairstyles" for different breeds. You need to know appropriate blow-drying techniques. There are grooming schools across the country that you could attend; some pet salons are willing to train new groomers.
3. Physical fitness. You will be on your feet most of the day. Who picks up the heavy pets? You do! Bending, lifting, moving, and standing are part of the job description.
4. Patience. Not all the pets you see will be perfectly behaved. They may be nervous or afraid in a strange situation.
5. A good eye for health problems. A groomer may be the first to notice skin problems or health issues. You may encounter fleas or ticks, lice, wounds, and more.
6. Willingness to keep learning. You should always be looking for ways to learn more and do more for your clients.
7. Willingness to do some office work. If your dream is to one day own your own pet salon, you'll need to known business management and accounting.

Do you think you're ready to take the plunge into the world of grooming? Talk to some local pet care professionals to see if this really is the right career for you. A local salon may even let you spend a day observing to help you decide. Pay attention to the physical and mental demands of the job -- heavy dogs, squirming cats, nervous bladders, and more. Expect to see pets that are filthy, matted, and miserable. You may see animals that are not cared for as well as you would care for them if they were your own.

But if you like what you see and get a good feeling about the thought of grooming... you may have found the right job for you!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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