How to Become a Professional Dog Groomer: Choosing the Right Course and Planning Your Career
Thinking about becoming a professional dog groomer? Whether you’re considering a complete career change, looking for a hands-on career working with animals, or dreaming of eventually opening your own dog grooming salon, choosing the right training is an important first step.
There are several different dog grooming courses available, from short introductory 5 courses to more comprehensive 15 or 30 day Level 3 qualifications. You might be asking yourself; what is the right course length for me? There’s a long and a short answer to this. The short answer is this: Every student’s experience, abilities and journeys are different.
Dog grooming is a physically skilled job and takes time and lots of practise to perfect your skills. You may watch people online who make it look easy and that’s because their professionals. They’ve put in countless hours of practice to develop their handling and knowledge around the topic to make it seem effortless.
While we teach all of our students the same fundamental skills, techniques and knowledge needed to complete their qualification and pass their assessment, the level of confidence, speed, creativity and technical ability they develop during their training can vary. Some people are complete beginners and have no experience using grooming scissors or clippers so require more time to develop the fundamentals. Some students have more prior experience of grooming their own dog so have the basics figured out. Others naturally find certain aspects of grooming easier, while some may need more time and repetition to develop those skills. Your motivation, willingness to learn, the time you put into practising and your confidence can all influence how quickly you progress. Ultimately, you get out what you put in. Completing the qualification gives you the foundation you need to start your career, but the level of skill and experience you develop beyond those fundamentals can influence the opportunities available to you afterwards. Some students may feel ready to seek employment in a busy salon, while others may benefit from gaining additional experience before progressing to greater independence or considering self-employment. There is no single route or timescale that is right for everyone — your personality, confidence, aptitude, attitude to learning and commitment to developing your skills will all play a part in shaping your individual journey.
The right option for you will depend on your long-term goals and how much practical experience you want to gain.
At Underdog Training Academy, we train students who want to develop the skills and confidence to work professionally within the dog grooming industry. Here’s the longer answer to what you need to know before choosing your course and planning your next steps.
Which dog grooming course is right for you?
If you have no previous experience and your goal is to pursue dog grooming as a career, we recommend considering the iPET Network Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming & Salon Management. The 30-day course provides a comprehensive foundation in the practical skills and knowledge required to work professionally in a grooming environment and gives you more time to practice those skills on different coat types, breeds and handling.
As well as developing your grooming skills, the Diploma includes additional training around salon management and running a grooming business. This can be particularly useful if your long-term ambition is to become self-employed or eventually open your own salon.
The longer course also gives you more time to practice your skills in a real grooming environment, work with different dogs and develop your confidence.
A Taster Day in our Grooming Academy is ideal for anyone who would like an insight into our courses and what dog grooming entails. Our friendly team will make you welcome and be available to answer your questions during the day where you will get hands on experience, bathing and brushing dogs whilst being in the training environment. The day is designed to assist you in making a decision on whether learning more about dog grooming is for you before making the financial commitment to any length of course.
What to expect on the day:
What about shorter dog grooming courses?
Shorter courses can be a great introduction to grooming and may be appropriate if your goal is to learn bathing and prepping for styling. It is ideal for students who have little knowledge of dogs but who are interested in working as a dog groomer assistant or stylist in the future. During the 5 day course you will learn the skills to safely prepare, style and finish a number of different dog breeds such as short and smooth coats and some basic clipper work and scissor work. In reality this looks like grooming smooth coated breeds such as Chihuahua’s, Labradors and doing some basic trimming on a Golden Retriever for example. It does not include instruction or practice on how to trim different face types or clipping coats. We should add that this is largely dependent on your previous grooming experience as those with no prior experience will be unlikely to move to clipper work in 5 days as it is much more skilled and requires lots of time to develop the basic scissoring skills and handling techniques.
However, if you’re looking to build a career in the industry, we generally recommend looking at a Level 3 Certificate or Diploma, as these provide a more comprehensive professional foundation and give you more time to learn and practice on different coat types and breeds that require more complex trims.
What does a dog grooming course involve?
Our training is designed to be intensive and practical rather than spread over several months. The 30-day Diploma can be completed over approximately six weeks of full-time study.
Students attend practical training in our grooming salon Tuesday to Friday, 9:30am–4:30pm, with a 30-minute lunch break.
Typically, students are involved in grooming one to two dogs each day. This gives you the opportunity to put the techniques you're learning into practice while receiving guidance from your tutor.
There is also theory and written work to complete as part of the online e-portfolio. This helps develop the knowledge and understanding that underpin your practical skills.
Monday is your study day
Mondays are an at-home study day, giving you time to work through the online e-portfolio and complete the theory elements of your qualification.
You'll also receive access to our presentations, videos, guides and teaching materials for each unit, allowing you to prepare for the practical training ahead.
One to one tuition
One of the things we feel is particularly important when learning dog grooming is having access to plenty of individual tuition. We deliberately keep our student groups very small, usually with just one or two students at a time. This means you receive much more individual guidance from your tutor and have plenty of opportunity to practice the techniques being taught.
Dog grooming is a practical skill. Watching someone groom a dog is very different from picking up the equipment yourself, working through a groom and learning how to adapt your technique to the individual dog in front of you.
Which dog grooming qualification gives you the most opportunities?
For someone wanting to work professionally as a dog groomer, we'd generally recommend considering a Level 3 Certificate or Diploma rather than one of our shorter introductory courses.
The Level 3 Certificate provides core professional grooming skills, while the Diploma takes this further by including salon management. However, qualifications aren't the only thing that matters when looking for employment.
Individual salons may have different requirements, and practical ability and experience are extremely important in the grooming industry. Employers want to know that you can handle dogs safely, understand different coat types and breeds, work efficiently and produce a good standard of groom. That's why practical training is such an important part of our courses.
How much practical experience will you get?
A significant proportion of our training is hands-on. You'll work directly with dogs throughout the course rather than simply learning through theory.
Our one to one tuition means you have plenty of opportunities to practice the techniques they're learning while receiving individual guidance from their tutor.
You'll also experience the realities of working in a busy grooming environment, including working with dogs with different:
- Breeds
- Coat types
- Sizes
- Temperaments
- Grooming requirements
- Behaviour and handling needs
Every dog is different, and learning how to adapt your approach is a huge part of becoming a confident professional groomer.
Do dog grooming courses include work experience?
Our courses focus on providing your practical training within the academy, so we don't guarantee an external work placement as part of the qualification.
However, gaining additional experience in a busy professional salon after or alongside your training can be incredibly valuable.
At Underdog, you're training within a busy working salon with four other full-time Underdog groomers, meaning there is always an opportunity to learn from what is happening around you.
You can see different grooming techniques, observe how experienced groomers handle different situations and gain a better understanding of the pace and organisation involved in a professional salon.
We always encourage students to look for opportunities to gain additional experience once they've completed their training.
This can help you develop:
- Confidence
- Grooming speed
- Handling skills
- Experience with different breeds
- Experience with different coat types
- Experience working with different dog temperaments
- Your professional grooming portfolio
What happens after completing your dog grooming course?
Completing your qualification is an important milestone, but it's really the beginning of your career. We're always happy to offer guidance on the next steps, whether that's gaining further experience, developing your portfolio or progressing your qualifications.
We also have lots of former students who have gone on to pursue different routes within the industry, and we're happy to connect students with others where appropriate.
There isn't one single career path for a dog groomer.
You might decide to:
- Work for an established grooming salon
- Rent a table within an existing salon
- Become self-employed
- Eventually open your own grooming salon
- Develop additional grooming qualifications and specialist skills
Passing the qualification is the common baseline, while professional development beyond that is individual.
How much does it cost to start a dog grooming business?
One of the questions we're often asked is: "How much money will I need to start my own dog grooming business?"
The answer is that there isn't one set figure. Your start-up costs can vary considerably depending on how you choose to work. Your career doesn't have to begin with opening your own salon. In fact, there are several different routes you can take.
Option 1: Work as an employed groomer
Working for an existing salon can be one of the simplest ways to start your career.
The salon will generally provide the premises, grooming equipment and other business infrastructure, meaning your initial financial investment can be relatively low.
It also allows you to gain valuable experience without taking on the financial responsibility of running your own business.
Option 2: Rent a table
Another option is to rent a grooming table or space within an existing salon.
This gives you more independence than being employed, but you won't necessarily have all the overheads associated with running an entire salon.
You may need to purchase your own grooming equipment and pay table rent, depending on the arrangement.
Option 3: Open your own grooming salon
If your ambition is to own your own salon, the initial investment can be significantly higher.
You'll need to consider costs such as:
- Premises
- Rent or mortgage
- Salon fit-out
- Grooming equipment
- Bathing equipment
- Dryers
- Insurance
- Utilities
- Booking and payment systems
- Point-of-sale equipment
- Signage
- Website
- Marketing
- Stock and consumables
- Business administration
This is why it's difficult to give one figure for the "cost of starting a dog grooming business". The amount you need to invest depends heavily on the type of business you want to create.
Do you need to open your own salon straight away?
Absolutely not. If your long-term ambition is to have your own dog grooming business, it's worth thinking about your career as a progression, rather than feeling that you need to open a salon immediately after qualifying.
A possible pathway could look like this:
Level 3 Diploma → Gain experience in a professional salon → Build confidence and your portfolio → Consider employment, table rental or self-employment → Decide whether opening your own salon is right for you
Every route has different advantages and responsibilities. Working for another salon can allow you to build your experience without taking on the financial and operational responsibility of running a business.
Renting a table can give you greater independence while still benefiting from an established salon environment.
Running your own salon gives you much greater control over your business, but it also means taking responsibility for the premises, finances, staff, equipment, marketing, customer service and day-to-day operation of the business.
Is dog grooming a good career choice?
Dog grooming can be a hugely rewarding career, but it's important to understand that it's also a practical profession that requires patience, commitment and plenty of hands-on experience.
You'll be working with dogs who all have their own personalities, behaviour and grooming requirements. Some days can be physically demanding, and building speed and confidence takes time.
A qualification provides an important foundation, but experience is what helps turn that knowledge into professional ability.
The more dogs you work with, the more you'll learn about handling, coat preparation, grooming techniques, breed requirements and adapting your approach to individual dogs.
Planning your career in dog grooming
If you're considering dog grooming as a career, we recommend thinking beyond the qualification itself.
Ask yourself: Where do I want to be in three to five years? Do you want to work for someone else? Become self-employed? Rent a table? Or eventually open your own salon?
Your answer can help you decide how much training and experience you need now and what your next steps should be.
You don't need to have everything figured out before you start. Your plans can develop as your confidence and experience grow.
Start your dog grooming journey with Underdog
A Taster Day in our Grooming Academy is ideal for anyone who would like an insight into our courses and what dog grooming entails. Our friendly team will make you welcome and be available to answer your questions during the day where you will get hands on experience, bathing and brushing dogs whilst being in the training environment. The day is designed to assist you in making a decision on whether learning more about dog grooming is for you before making the financial commitment to any length of course.
If you're considering a career change and would like to become a professional dog groomer, our team is always happy to talk through your options.
Our iPET Network Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming & Salon Management combines practical salon-based training with the theory and knowledge required to develop your professional skills.
With small student groups, hands-on training and a real working salon environment, our aim is to give students the practical foundation they need to take their next steps into the dog grooming industry.
Whether your goal is to work in an established salon, rent a table or eventually open your own business, your journey starts with learning the skills, gaining experience and building your confidence.
Ready to find out which dog grooming course is right for you? Get in touch with the Underdog Training Academy to discuss your goals and find out more about our courses.
