Before you can land a job, you’ve got to learn how to do things right! You know this from attending elementary and high school for over a decade! So if you want to know how to be a dog groomer… you already know what you have to do.
Sure, typical dog grooming job descriptions don’t ask about formal education, but that doesn’t mean you should write off all animal grooming schools! Learning from industry professionals who are doing the work you want to do will give you valuable insight into what a career in dog grooming is all about. You’re still going to make mistakes along the way, but at least you’ll be corrected and guided by instructors who has plenty of experience and know what they’re doing!
Deciding on which dog grooming academy to attend is a feat on its own. Since there are so many to choose from, we’ve narrowed down a quick guide to finding the ideal school for your lifestyle. Read on to find out how to choose a dog grooming school that’s right for you!
Write Up a Schedule
Maintaining a busy life is hard enough as it is. Once you add education into the mix, you could be heading straight for a breakdown.
Never fear, you have plenty of options when it comes to dog grooming courses. First, look into how many hours per week you can *honestly* commit to the course. You can even write up a rough weekly schedule if it helps you visualize your time! Second, decide if you want to factor in travelling to and from a campus. If you’re willing to do it, know that it might eat up a good chunk of time from your other commitments.
If you’re on a tight schedule and don’t want to stress about making it across the city to your grooming class every week, consider your online options. Online dog grooming schools allow you to learn at your own pace, meaning you’ll be able to build a personal schedule that can be adapted as you go.
One thing to note here: online grooming courses are for go-getters, so be sure you have a good motivating factor!
Research Potential Dog Grooming Schools
Research is one of the most important things you’ll do at the start of your dog grooming career. Not only will you be doing research about the job itself, but you’ll also need to research potential training programs and what you need to get started. Finding your ideal school can be as easy as typing in “dog grooming schools” into Google. Since Google usually uses your current location as a guide, it will provide you with schools in your area, or courses that are accessible to you.
Make sure you write down a long list of potential schools. Compare accredited online grooming schools – you don’t want to choose from 3 options only to find that you’ve been ripped off by a greedy campus!
Make a Short List
Once you have a list of accredited and reputable dog grooming schools, it’s time to narrow it down. We advise plotting all the schools and their pros and cons in a spreadsheet or table. You’ll then be able to see what each school offers, and, more importantly, what they don’t!
- Would you rather learn dog grooming online and at home, or in class?
- Who will be teaching you?
- How does the cost compare to the quality/quantity of course materials?
- What designation will you receive once you graduate?
- How much is tuition for the course(s) you’re required to take?
- What do the assignments look like?
Now, you may have to do this over a period of time—say a few days or weeks—in order to narrow down your final choices. This is fine! You should never rush your education, especially for a career where proper knowledge and techniques are so important.
Find a Career Path
Most people choose to attend a dog grooming course because they are looking to start a career in the industry. If that’s not your goal, then continue onto the next section.
The career you ultimately want to end up in will have a slight impact on your choice of dog grooming course—you need to know you’re getting the proper education for what you want to do!
You’d be surprised by how many jobs there are for pet groomers. From mobile grooming to working in a pet salon to helping out at animal rescues and shelters, there are a million different things you can do with a dog grooming certificate. In the famous words of Roxette, listen to your heart – find what’s calling you to be a groomer and make a career out of it.
- Types of animals you’ll work with
- Grooming skills and techniques you’ll need
- Grooming tools you’ll need
- Level of experience
- Knowledge of behavior or anatomy
- Knowledge of first aid
Ask About Resources
Look at the level of support and availability of resources from each school. Just as every brick-and-mortar school has their own library to support their students, so should online schools. To take your dog grooming career to the next level, you’ll have to build on the lessons taught in your dog grooming classes. A lot of it is independent work, but your chosen school should have the resources to help you on your journey.
Resources can come in a variety of formats:
- Professional dog grooming kit
- Reference guides
- Grooming tips and career resource blog articles
- Dog grooming equipment discounts
Really, you want to be sure of two things:
1) That you’re getting what you pay for, and
2) That you’re getting a proper education and resources for your course AND career.
All in all, choosing a professional dog grooming school can take time. When in doubt, feel free to reach out and contact them! After all, if a school doesn’t provide you with good information and customer service, then why would you want to learn from them?
Check out these 4 rules you MUST follow when grooming a dog from a professional dog groomer!
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