Learning to be a groomer?

Lovemytessapoo · 02-07-2008, 01:15 PM

Hi. I was wanting to know how you learned to be a groomer. Were you taught by an individual who was a groomer or did you go to a school? Thanks.

Love's_Sophie · 02-09-2008, 10:29 PM

I basically apprenticed.

For as long as I can remember, my mom has been a groomer; so when I was old enough, I would go to work with her in the summer, and on school breaks, and bathe dogs for her...basically started picking up as much as I could along the way.

When I graduated from High School, I started grooming full time; mainly starting with bath and brush outs, and shave off dogs and cats...the groomer that oversaw the business taught me a ton along the way, and eventually I was up to scissor cutting and patterened dogs... I am not grooming currently due to a recent move, but may wind up grooming part time again in the near future.

kobedog · 02-21-2008, 03:38 PM

i was planning on going to a private grooming institute but it was just too expensive, it would have taken 4 months, 40 hours a week so i wouldn't have been able to work.

what i ended up doing is going to one of the large chain pet stores and they sent me to grooming academy for a month, i was paid the entire time. once i was out of academy, i was in 'field training' at my store until i groomed 100 dogs, took a final test, submitted before/after photos of 5 different trim types. after submitted all of this material, i 'graduated' and became an certified groomer. i feel very comfortable with the training i received and recommend this method. it is much cheaper than a private school.