# I Want to be a Dog Groomer



## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

I REALLY want to become a dog groomer...does anyone here have any advice on how to go about getting started? I LOVE to pamper my dog and everyone else's lol! I'm in NJ-do I have to go to a school? Do I just ahve to go around begging for like an apprenticeship? Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

I was a dog groomer for a while in my early twenties. It was fun! I went around to the different grooming shops and found one that would run an apprenticeship type thing.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Are you SURE? I have trained a fair share of students, and most of them give it up within a couple years when they find out how hard it is on their back, wrists, hands, etc.

There are two ways to learn dog grooming: go to a dog grooming school, or apprentice under a seasoned professional. I did the latter, and I'm glad I did--I got much more hands-on training.

How old are you, if I may ask?


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

i just turned 25 and i'm SURE i want to do this!! i'm currently a dental assistant so i'm used to leaning over/bending down, being uncomfortable, being bit (lol), having wrist/hand cramps/pain...i'm completely expecting to be scratched, bit, yelled at my obcessive dog owners, etc....but i dunno i just love being around animals particularly dogs, i'm a very hard worker, nothing gets me down, i'm always smiling, i'm friendly, dogs LOVE me-even the viscious ones, i'm ok with being a mess and dirty at the end of the day. i'm motivated, i love pampering dogs-i volunteered at an animal shelter for about 6 years and on top of regular duties i used to give the dogs little paw/leg massages. i appreciate the advice! i think i'm going to go around to local groomers and see if they'd be willing to train me .


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

LissG said:


> i just turned 25 and i'm SURE i want to do this!! i'm currently a dental assistant so i'm used to leaning over/bending down, being uncomfortable, being bit (lol), having wrist/hand cramps/pain...i'm completely expecting to be scratched, bit, yelled at my obcessive dog owners, etc....but i dunno i just love being around animals particularly dogs, i'm a very hard worker, nothing gets me down, i'm always smiling, i'm friendly, dogs LOVE me-even the viscious ones, i'm ok with being a mess and dirty at the end of the day. i'm motivated, i love pampering dogs-i volunteered at an animal shelter for about 6 years and on top of regular duties i used to give the dogs little paw/leg massages. i appreciate the advice! i think i'm going to go around to local groomers and see if they'd be willing to train me .


With your enthusiasm I would hire you  Emphasize time management - grooming and actually making money is understanding how to work the dogs in an order that allows one to be washed while another is drying and another one is being blown out and brushed and/or cut. 

I thought the best part was learning to hand scissor - like fancy poodle cuts, terriers, etc. I considered buying a Standard Poodle just so I could practice hand scissoring  Then I realized that was not the best reason to get a Poodle.

Good Luck!!


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

woooo thanks!! im good at multitasking/time management!


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

LissG said:


> woooo thanks!! im good at multitasking/time management!


Excellent! And as my supervisor sister says about job interviews - dont just say it, give examples of your time management skills!


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I've been grooming since I was 22 - that was 34 years ago! 

If you can find a GOOD shop to apprentice with, then that's definitely the way to go. Grooming schools typically won't give you the hands on experience you need, especially learning scissoring skills.

I was lucky to apprentice with a shop that was run by a couple of guys that showed dogs. We had a groomer that showed standard poodles, so I learned a lot from her. The key is to find a shop that can actually groom! There are many shops out there that aren't very good.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Animal Behavior College has a groomers program you can look into. I believe you can also find groomers who are in your area who mentor grooming students and get in touch with them. Sometimes they'll accept an apprentice outside of ABC.


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## VonKromeHaus (Jun 17, 2009)

I am a groomer. I love my job but some days..ICK. You can see the bad end of dog owners as well the ones that neglect etc. 

I started under my grandma who was a Certified Master Groomer and then went to work for PetsMart and later Petco,then private shops now I am back at a private shop and love the environment.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Well I'm glad you have youth on your side--when I was 25, I was an unstoppable force--I could and would groom anything! Nowadays in my 40s, I've had to slow things down a bit and enforce a weight limit. Practice ergonomics and get regular massage, and you'll be light years ahead.

Find a GOOD grooming shop with a good reputation and offer to work there for free, cleaning cages, bathing dogs, etc. in exchange for grooming lessons. If you can't find any takers, offer to pay them to teach you. Training people takes time, and time is money.

Whatever you do, don't waltz into a grooming shop and say "I want to be a groomer; I just love animals!" (the other groomers on the forum are snickering as they read this). You can't just "love" animals. You have to understand animals, how to read them, how they think, and how to handle them. Half of grooming is animal handling skills. The other half is people skills. And you still have to learn how to do the different breed clips, how to scissor, etc.

I personally love my job and couldn't imagine doing anything else. Most people think I am crazy.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

JanaeUlva said:


> Wi
> I thought the best part was learning to hand scissor - like fancy poodle cuts, terriers, etc. I considered buying a Standard Poodle just so I could practice hand scissoring  Then I realized that was not the best reason to get a Poodle.


Haha! I've often thought the same thing! I've also thought about getting a Schnauzer so I could practice handstripping. 

I also thought it might be fun to get a demo dog to practice color and crazy haircuts on... but I get enough crazy requests from my clients! Here is one, this little dog is a rescue, she's supposed to be a Bichon but she has terrible hair that never grows quite right. I've put her in a Bedlington clip, given her mohawks, etc. When I colored my own hair purple, the client wanted that exact color on her little dog, so I blended some food coloring and obliged. This isn't the type of thing I normally do, but I have to admit it was fun!


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

hahahahahahaha that's sooo funny!! i've never seen a purple bichon before! 
thanks for the tips  i REALLY appreciate it!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I haven't seen the dog since I did the purple, so I'll be interested to see how long the color lasted on the dog. I actually bought some Pet Hed hair color, so I'll try that one next time.

People will have bizarre requests for their pets' grooming sometimes, and some haircuts can make a dog look horrendous or silly. Sometimes I have to fight every nerve and fiber of my being as my body is telling me "NO! Don't leave a hula skirt on that Cocker!!" But as long as it doesn't hurt the dog, I will comply with the owner's request no matter how silly, and just pray that they don't tell anyone where they got their dog groomed.

But... I actually kind of liked the purple Bichon clip.


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

hahahahaha  i like the purple too! it gives the dog a little extra spunk! i bet you get all sorts of crazy requests! the things people do to their poor dogs hahaha....if only the dogs could talk!


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

After you've groomed for many years, you can get more selective on what you will and won't do. 

I won't do poodle feet on a schnauzer, or the dreaded hula skirt on anything. I won't hand strip either. No more cats or big dogs, though I seem to be stuck with a couple of labradoodles and a standard poodle. After they die, no more. NO biting dogs. I'll muzzle the occasional schnauzer over toenails, but that's it.

I'd love to say no more bichons, but I'm not sure I could get away with that! I scissor way too many dogs, but not as many as I used to back in the 70's and 80's. 

And, no, don't go into a shop and say you "just love animals/dogs", and that grooming looks like fun. I love it, but it's not always easy. 

I hope you can find a good shop that is willing to teach you!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> I'll muzzle the occasional schnauzer over toenails, but that's it.


LOL I'm not a groomer nor I profess to be one but I get pressed into service over my parents dogs!
I do muzzle to do their nails!


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

dogfaeries said:


> After you've groomed for many years, you can get more selective on what you will and won't do.


That's where I am!! With every birthday I find myself getting more and more selective. For my 50th birthday I set the limit at 50 pounds. 



> NO biting dogs. I'll muzzle the occasional schnauzer over toenails, but that's it.


No biting dogs EVER. I work alone in a small space (grooming van) and I won't deal with dogs that have serious aggression. Someone else can play that game.

I almost never muzzle....but I do use the Cone of Shame! it's quite effective.....the dog can't get to you, heck they can't really even see what you're doing, so they just stand still.



> And, no, don't go into a shop and say you "just love animals/dogs", and that grooming looks like fun. I love it, but it's not always easy.


That's exactly what everyone says...."OH that looks like fun and I just love dogs, I can be a groomer!" There's a lot more to it than loving dogs, especially if you have your own business. Dealing with dogs is easy, dealing with dog OWNERS is a whole 'nother story! 

As a mobile groomer, I have seen (and heard) some CRAZY things.....


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

groomers, what would say was your worst experience with a dog? what would you say was your worst experience with a owner?


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

I have groomed for over 40 years and just recently quit. My shoulder is destroyed and my thumb is so bad that I can't bend it anymore, grooming was just causing more problems than it was worth. I did start last year only grooming dogs 30 lbs and under, which helped for awhile.
Grooming is a nice profession. But just starting out, be prepared to have all the nasty dogs, the ones that nobody else will groom. Biters, poopers, peers you will get them all. The ones with green gross teeth that the owner has no problem letting it kiss them on the mouth, while you are puking just smelling its mouth. 
It is hard work, you come home with fleas, ticks, etc. no matter how careful you are. Just part of the business. But it is a good feeling to take a nasty dirty dog and turn it into a clean groomed dog. Makes you feel good. It makes you feel good that the dog feels good. 
Find a groomer that will work with you, you will probably start out bathing dogs and drying them, then maybe work up to brushing out as you learn.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

I groomed out of my home, had a shop set up downstairs, but you had to walk through the house to get there. I had some people call me wanting their cocker groomed. Said it hadn't been groomed in about 6 months, so I was expecting a matted mess, but have dealt with them plenty of times,so it was no big deal. They arrived and I walked outside to get this dog and there was a cocker tied in the back of the truck. GREEN.... I had not even walked close to the truck, but could smell the cow poop on it. It was dripping off the dog, its feet were matted with manure,its ears and coat was matted and packed with cow poop. I told them there was no way I was taking that dog through my house and they would have to find another groomer. It was awful.
I also was grooming a "ranch" dog one day and it had a horrible odor. As I was clipping it, I found some blood and a sore spot. It was a cut that was festering and had maggots crawling all over it. That was almost enough to make me quit grooming.
My worst owner experience was the husband brought me the dog, it was a springer spaniel. Well brushed and groomed regularly, I did it about every 6 weeks. The husband told me to stip him down, he was hot.I asked him " are you sure"and he said" Oh yes, that is what we decided" . Okay, so I stripped him down, bathed and dried him and had him all ready and the wife came in to get him.She about fainted when she saw him stripped down and started yelling at me and screaming at me, "I'm going to sue you" blah blah blah. Well, I told her the husband had said to strip him down and she called him and he said" no I didn't". She refused to pay me and left, yelling and screaming all the way. I got a call about an hour later, when the husband finally fessed up to wanting the dog stripped.She sent me a check in the mail and was very apologetic. Oh well, day in the life of a groomer.


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

WOW those are AWFUL experiences!


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Bad grooming experience that makes you want to kill someone? How about this sweet cocker spaniel:









Yes, those really are his ears, somewhere deep in that mess. 










His ears were so heavy he couldn't lift his head!!!

2 hours later, we were both exhausted:


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

oh my god how could someone let that happen to that poor little thing!? he looks GREAT after that, but he does look tuckered out! poor baby!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I have some professional clippers and we've gotten in some doozies. 
One looked like that cocker, complete with big poop dredlocks.
As I clipped, I found a tick crawling up my arm! So gross.
If I can, I get the dogs to a groomer, but if it's a weekend or evening, I just whip out my clippers and go to town.

At barely a year of age, this kiddo probably never saw clippers. This is one of the better ones. 

Before









The "rug" I clipped off him (part of it)








The worst part is there's weeds, burs, fleas, etc. embedded in these mats, digging into the skin constantly, so like the cocker, above, they'll have sores all underneath.

He hugged the upside-down tote bin that was my table, the entire time









Poor kiddo was so frightened of everything. He'd never been free of that fur his whole short life, and just feeling air on his skin was new to him.


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

awwww poor thing! do the owners blame you for the sores? or do they understand that they should've taken the poor little guy to the groom forever ago??


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## VonKromeHaus (Jun 17, 2009)

Here is a silly cut that a customer has me do on their Standard Poodle. They like body short and pom poms. 










A cocker with a mohawk, not quite done as the mohawk wasn't standing yet!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

LissG said:


> awwww poor thing! do the owners blame you for the sores? or do they understand that they should've taken the poor little guy to the groom forever ago??


Oh these are rescues, not owned dogs. We have a rescue and get dogs in like this often. I blame the previous owners 
And thank God they are no longer the owners!

Was going to add -- I only fiddle with grooming insomuch as to be able to have the dog in the house, because they come in this way and stink usually and are miserable and God-knows-what is lurking under that fur mat, from fleas to even dog lice!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Ah yes... fleas, ticks, caked-on poop, cow manure, open wounds, maggots, barbed wire, rubber bands, fishooks.... seen it all. Haven't seen an embedded collar yet. Usually animal control takes care of that before the dog comes to me.

Biters? I'll take a thousand biting dogs over a nasty client any day. I don't mind biters because, well... I don't know, we seem to have an understanding. I can usually predict when they're thinking about biting, and I'll use a muzzle if I have to, but I rarely have to... I just alter my approach if I can see the dog getting upset. I have had very few truly aggressive dogs on my table. Most of them are just big babies, and if I can calm them down and console their fears, we get through the process in one piece. Communication is key.

Cats--LOVE 'em! If I could get away with having an all-cat grooming business, I'd do it in a heartbeat. They are not dogs and cannot be reasoned with the same way, but I can almost always groom the grumpiest cats without getting hurt. I do make use of the cat muzzle, as it covers their eyes and so calms them. I guess cats and I have a sort of understanding. 

Shaved feet on Schnauzers, you'd be amazed how many people want me to do that. I HATE doing it almost as much as I hate shaving Cocker feet, but as I said, I'm a mercenary groomer. I'll do anything the client wants as long as it doesn't hurt the dog, and I tell the owner "If anyone asks where you got your dog groomed, be sure to tell them this is a CUSTOM clip that you specified." 

In my days as a groomer I've been bit, scratched, peed on, pooped on, thrown up on, anal glands expressed on, just about anything a dog can do to a person, they've done to me. When I first started I was young, bold, and had a can-do attitude, but almost no experience, I took a lot of risks and got bit a lot. It will happen, just be prepared. Cat bites are the worst--in the case of a deep puncture from a cat, drop everything and go to the doctor. Do not finish out the last couple hours of your shift and then go, or you won't be able to move your hand for a couple of weeks.

Nowadays I don't get as many matted strips as I used to, mainly because most of my clients are regulars, but I do get rescues that are in pretty bad shape. The worst ever was a persian cat, she was matted down so close to the skin I could barely even get a surgical blade under the mats... it was like a turtle's shell. Of course, it took hours to get the hair off and the cat looked awful afterward, her skin was in awful shape, sores and lesions everywhere. Of course I got blamed. 

I can groom bad dogs and cats all day long, but I still have a hard time with bad clients. Though I've weeded most of them out, I still have a few that I cringe over. But honestly, 95% of my clients nowadays are awesome, and I consider myself lucky when I hear other groomers' horror stories!


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

hahaha i like the poodle pic that's funny! i appreciat everyone sharing advice and experiences with me! even with the bad, i still have a strong desire to be a groomer! tomorrow i'm going around to local shops to try my luck out getting an apprenticeship. wish me luck:fingerscrossed::thumbup:!!!


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