Pet Groomer Job Description
You probably understand the very basic idea behind being a pet groomer, and we’re sure it revolves around bath time, nail clipping, and trimming up pups.
But, do you have a real, honest-to-goodness understanding of what all goes into being a pet groomer?
If not, we’re here to help.
For starters, as a pet groomer, you’ll be working with more than just pups.
Mostly, you’ll bath pets, style and cut their hair, trim their nails, brush their teeth, and ensure that they’re in tip-top, stylish shape before they’re returned back to their owners.
You might be required to provide specific grooming for specific breeds, take special requests, and work with rowdy or uncooperative animals.
Duties
Here’s a general idea of the duties that many pet groomers must be ready to take on:
- bathe, cut, trim, and style pets for their owners
- take specific requests from pet owners
- work with uncooperative animals
- be willing to muzzle animals if need be
- take a passionate but firm approach with pets
- brush teeth and clip nails
- understand the standard grooming requirements for specific dog breeds
- be up-to-date on the latest animal trends and crazes that owners might want their animals to replicate
Let's Talk Salary
If you’ve looked into being a pet groomer before, you probably already have a general idea that people who choose to be pet groomers do so because they have a passion for working with animals, and less because they’ll make a large amount of money in this career.
According to research, animal groomers have an average salary of about $33,536 annually, but can make between the range of $27,391 to about $41,852.
Data from the Us Department of Labor Occupational Handbook states that nonfarm animal caretakers make, on the low end, about $19,610, and on the high end, make around $56,000 annually.
That being said, unless you’re in a unique circumstance with extensive training and opportunity, you’ll likely make around $33,000.
Annually National Average Salary: $33,530
Average Annual Salary by State
| State | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $27,650 |
| Alaska | $36,610 |
| Arizona | $34,730 |
| Arkansas | $30,580 |
| California | $39,710 |
| Colorado | $36,400 |
| Connecticut | $36,140 |
| Delaware | $32,460 |
| District of Columbia | $40,540 |
| Florida | $33,160 |
| Georgia | $29,470 |
| Hawaii | $42,860 |
| Idaho | $31,450 |
| Illinois | $35,690 |
| Indiana | $30,010 |
| Iowa | $32,260 |
| Kansas | $28,050 |
| Kentucky | $30,270 |
| Louisiana | $28,560 |
| Maine | $36,110 |
| Maryland | $35,850 |
| Massachusetts | $37,600 |
| Michigan | $32,860 |
| Minnesota | $34,410 |
| Mississippi | $25,170 |
| Missouri | $30,920 |
| Montana | $32,780 |
| Nebraska | $30,870 |
| Nevada | $31,240 |
| New Hampshire | $33,570 |
| New Jersey | $36,180 |
| New Mexico | $32,340 |
| New York | $38,190 |
| North Carolina | $30,480 |
| North Dakota | $31,000 |
| Ohio | $32,070 |
| Oklahoma | $29,710 |
| Oregon | $38,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,450 |
| Rhode Island | $35,320 |
| South Carolina | $29,820 |
| South Dakota | $31,590 |
| Tennessee | $30,310 |
| Texas | $31,710 |
| Utah | $34,300 |
| Vermont | $35,390 |
| Virginia | $33,090 |
| Washington | $40,890 |
| West Virginia | $28,130 |
| Wisconsin | $31,190 |
| Wyoming | $31,080 |
| Guam | $26,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,240 |
| Virgin Islands | $31,150 |
Annual Average Salary: Top 5 States
The top earning state in the field is Hawaii, where the average salary is $42,860.
These are the top 5 earning states in the field:
Conducted by: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
How to Become a Pet Groomer : Step-By-Step
Step 1Do Your Research
Before you can dive into a pet grooming career, it’s important to research and understand what kind of pet grooming you’d like to get into, how you plan to gain experience, and what sort of knowledge you’ll need to glean before you’re able to start.
Consider reading books about the subject, doing online research to find courses that make sense for you, and understanding what kind of certifications could provide you with the best opportunities.
Step 2Find the Right Pet Grooming Course For You
While pet grooming courses are not required, it’s likely you’ll have a much easier time gaining employment if you’re knowledgeable, have completed coursework on the subject, and have experience in this field.
Find the course that works best for you — remember, if you’re not near any schools that offer this program, you can find an online program to complete.
Try to find courses that cover topics like safety, first-aid, fluff drying, biology, breed recognition, nail clipping, ear cleaning, matted fur grooming, and more.
Step 3Gain Experience
Working through your courses is the first step (and a good one at that), but you’ll need to gain experience in your field before you’re able to land a job.
Try working as a pet grooming assistant, find a mentor, or work as an intern at your local grooming shop.
Can’t land anything just yet? Try grooming your friends’ pets to get your practice in.
Step 4Work Toward Certification
Certification certainly isn’t required, but if you’re hoping to become a successful groomer, you’ll want to work toward this.
Check in with the National Certified Groomer Association and the National Certified Master Groomer Association.
To be certified with these programs, you’ll need to complete workshops, courses, and demonstrate your skills in order to gain the certification.
To keep these certifications, you’ll need to update your education and refresh your certification yearly.
Education Required
No formal education is required in order to land a pet grooming job, but without a doubt having experience, taking a course or two, and being certified will help you get a pet grooming job much faster.
You do not need a high school diploma or a GED equivalency, but either is certainly preferred.
No formal license is required to be a dog groomer, but gleaning experience from experts, investing in courses, and undergoing basic training will take your career a lot farther than no education at all.
Video About The Career
What Certifications Do I Need to be A Dog Groomer?
No certification, license, or education is required to be a dog groomer, but training courses (whether online or in-person) are highly recommended.
You are welcome to become certified with the Nation Certified Dog Groomer and National Certified Master Dog Groomer Association in order to better your career, earn clout, and receive extra benefits, but it’s certainly not required in order to be a dog groomer.
Certification Example:
Average Training Program Duration: 0-6 Months
An average online course or apprenticeship will vary based on the amount of time and energy you’re able to dedicate to the course at once, but most programs take about 6-10 weeks to complete.
Popular Programs
What is the Job Outlook for Pet Groomers?
The beautiful thing about working in an industry that involves pets is that there’s always going to be some kind of demand.
People love their pets, and likely, the human population won’t trend toward not owning pets any time soon, so the demand for their care is going to continue to increase.
The overall job prospects for pet groomers is rated as “good” by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
They project that from 2016 to 2026, the overall employment for animal care and service workers (pet groomers included) will jump by 22 percent.
Employment Growth Projection: 34%
2020
2030
That's a higher than average projected growth of 93,700 jobs.
Pet Groomer: Interest Over Time
Should You Become a Pet Groomer?
Overall Satisfaction: Medium
After reading through all the data, you’re likely heavily considering becoming a dog (or pet) groomer.
You already know that you have the personal skills to handle it, and you relish the idea of gleaning even more knowledge through online courses, in-person apprenticeships, and research.
But as the idea of becoming a pet groomer increasingly becomes more real, it’s important that you’re really asking yourself this question: “should I become a pet groomer?”
Let’s take a final look at some of the highlights to help make your mind up.
Average Salary: Medium
Most people don’t become pet groomers for a high-paying salary, instead, they make their way into the industry because they’re passionate about animals.
The average salary range for a pet groomer in the United States starts with a low point of about $27,391 and reaches a maximum of $41,852.
That being said, some pet groomers have reported making up to $53,000 yearly.
Job Growth Outlook: High
The good thing about this career?
You have a high ceiling. The BLS states that in the ten years spanning 2016 and 2026, this occupation is expected to grow by about 22 percent due to the ever-growing demand for pet care.
Education Duration: 0-6 Months
No education or certification is required for this career, but if you’re interested in online courses, apprenticeships, or in-person classes, these typically take about 6-10 weeks to complete.
Personal Skills Needed
When it comes to skills, you’ll learn most of your pet grooming techniques from on-the-job training or from your online courses, but there are personal skills you’ll need to develop as well:
- patience
- personability
- endurance
- creativity
- compassion
- negative and positive feedback methods
- determination
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How Much Do Dog Groomers Get Paid?
Dog groomers have a relatively low salary when compared to the national average, and are paid anywhere from $27,391 to about $41,852 annually.
Q. Do You Have to Have a License to Be a Dog Groomer?
You are not required to have a license or certification from the state to be a dog groomer, but being certified, attending an online or in-person course, and having some experience under your belt help.
Q. What Does a Dog Groomer Do?
A dog groomer (or pet groomer) is responsible for learning various techniques for cutting, clipping, bathing, styling, and drying animals.
You will also be required to know when to utilize certain techniques for specific breeds and unique situations.
Q. What Education is Needed to Be a Dog Groomer?
No formal education is required to be a dog groomer.
Q. What is a Dog Groomer Called?
Dog groomers are called pet groomers, pet service workers, animal care service workers, and grooming specialists.
If you’ve got endless patience for feisty animals and a big heart for bettering the lives of people and their pets, then grab this opportunity. Note that you might be required to provide specific grooming for specific breeds, take special requests, and work with rowdy or uncooperative animals but be rest assured that the pain is cool.
There’s no much job as a dog groomer. You’ll just bath pets, style and cut their hair, trim their nails, brush their teeth, and ensure that they’re in stylish shape before they’re returned back to their owners. This is Rosemary! Just ensure you get referrals that pay well for the service.
It’s necessary to read books, browse the internet about this subject, do online research to find courses that make sense for you, and understand what kind of certifications could provide you with the best opportunities. This is an amazing career path and everyone in it definitely loves it.
This is exactly what I did. Before I even thought about diving into a pet grooming career, I did my research and tried to understand what kind of pet grooming I was getting into. Gaining experience and knowledge and how to make the money.
Curious as to what “…kinds of pet grooming there is” means.