Dog Grooming School

[lisahumphreys882]

What kind of requirements do you need to approach this career. Do you need to have taken all sciences and what other cources do you need? I'm interested in getting a career working with animals but I'm pretty sure you need to have taken bio in high school or university to get into those types of careers. I have a problem...I didn't take bio and I'm not very good at science in general so i don't think I'd be able to get a career (with animals) without that. Anyhow I'm just rambling on now...so if anyone could knows the requirements that would be great.

[wolfsoul]

I got into grooming by taking work experience through highschool at a grooming parlor. I was offered a job there before I graduated, and that's where I am now. It takes alot of time to learn when you do it this way -- you pretty much have to spend the first year or two working as a bather for minimum wage and doing grooming inbetween before you can groom fulltime. My coworker has been there for over two years and she only just got a .50 cent raise and is still bathing

Grooming schools usually don't require you to have taken anything. One of my coworkers only got up to grade 11 and she was accepted into grooming school no problem. I prefer not to do it this way though, because every shop does things differently, and a school will not teach you how your shop likes things done. Working as a bather is also much harder than grooming and makes you appreciate your job alot more once you start grooming fulltime. It also helps you learn about dog behaviour before you start handling scissors and clippers around dogs. Grooming schools are also too much money for me, I haven't found an 8 week course for under $6000.

I really recommend getting in to dog grooming. It was the best thing I ever could have done. It got me to move out, it gave me my dog, it got me into different sports, and I've learned alot and met alot of great people. Just remember the downsides --- Hair constantly in your eyes, nose, mouth --- Dogs biting and scratching you --- Angry owners complaining that the groom was not what they had wanted or that their dog was most certainly NOT matted or that their dog is a perfect angel and would never do anything to make a groom difficult (my boss actually told a lady that she'd meet her in Hell hahah) --- Dogs shaking water all over you --- Anal glands squirting on you --- Sharp hairs getting stuck in your skin and being more difficult to get out than slivers --- Hair entwining itself into the fabric of your clothes and being impossible to remove --- Coming home from work looking and smelling like death. It is also extremely physical, something most people don't realise. The chiropractor next door says we have the worst backs of anyone he's ever seen. And working around dogs who bite and scratch and who've been God knows where, we're always getting sick or getting infections (my coworker right now has a huge swollen pussing infected cat bite, my other coworker suffered a severe concussion a few months ago when a dog pushed her into the wall and had to get stitches when a rottie scratched her leg). We all have scars on every part of our bodies (especially arms, some dogs will scratch when you hold their beards), we rip tendons from using scissors so often, etc. The job is great for some people --- terrible for most!!!

There is one mobile dog groomer in town. I hear that she doesn't make alot of money. I personally wouldn't do it, I don't know how anyone could fit the proper things in such a small environment. I would find ot much too cluttered and difficult to clean.

Hope that helps, feel free to ask any other questions.