How to Become a Dog Groomer in Connecticut

Many people find the occupation of a dog groomer to be a rewarding one.

With more and more people bringing pets into their households, it doesn’t seem like there will ever be a shortage of demand for these professionals.

If you want to know what you need to do to become a dog or pet groomer in Connecticut, read on!

Requirements and Ideal Candidate

It should come without saying that animal lovers are among the best candidates for the job.

They should also like taking care of them and ensuring they look their best at all times.

The ideal candidate will:

• Interact mostly with dogs and cats
• Their owners
• Be well organized
• Maintain a clean and tidy workplace

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Each job has specific duties and responsibilities.

These are the main duties you’ll have to perform as a pet groomer:

• Bath, trim, shear and clip the animal’s coat
• Style the fur of the animal
• Trim their nails
• Clean their ears
• Clean their eyes

Pet groomers must inform the owners if there is something wrong with the animal such as cuts, bruises, hair knots, or other issues.

By doing so, they can prevent serious health problems from developing.

As a dog groomer, you’re expected to know the order of procedures to perform, to obtain the desired pet look.

The look can be the standard one for the breed or a special one requested by the animal’s owner.

Dogs are generally the most common customers of a pet groomer, but occasionally cats and even rabbits may also enter the salon.

Training and Licensing

Just like most other states, there’s no need for you to become licensed to enter the dog grooming field.

You also don’t need to have a high school diploma or even a GED.

Dog and pet grooming is an occupation for everyone, from all walks of life.

There is also no age restriction either.

You’re advised to earn a certification if you want better employment prospects and the chance of better pay.

There are a few institutions offering such training, and they include the Connecticut Humane Society and American Kennel Club.

The training programs these organizations offer is just the basic knowledge you need for this future career.

The basic training program can sometimes be completed in just a couple of months.

Some of the societies even offer online learning.

Most groomers continue to perfect their skills well after they start working in the field.

Some of the advanced skills many dog groomers must know are hand scissoring and hand-stripping.

Employment and Salary Information

Finding a job in this field is relatively easy no matter your experience.

These are the businesses in need of pet groomers:

• Vet clinics
• Pet stores
• Humane societies
• Shelters
• Pet grooming salons

While experience is an important factor in how much you’ll earn, the city you live in may also have a say.

It’s also possible to earn more if you specialize in a single breed since the hair texture can differ greatly from breed to breed.

For instance, in larger cities like Stamford, Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Greenwich, dog groomers earn the highest median salaries.

Regional Salary in Connecticut

Dog Grooming Schools in Connecticut

Additional Information

As mentioned, everyone can become a dog groomer with the right training.

You’ll see many professionals in this field working as freelancers, grooming dogs and cats either as a paid hobby or as a second job during the weekend.

Dog Grooming by State