How Do You Become a Dog Groomer? 

The Right Way?

A clear, honest look at today’s grooming industry and the best way to get started.
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If you’ve been asking “How do I become a dog groomer?” you’re not alone.
Most people don’t struggle with motivation;  they struggle with knowing where to start.

The grooming industry doesn’t have one clear entry point. There are many paths, mixed advice, and very little explanation of what actually prepares you for professional pet care.

Grooming Is a Career

Becoming a professional dog groomer is a process, not a weekend decision.

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Most successful groomers spend a year or more building:

  • industry knowledge

  • safer handling skills

  • skin and coat understanding

  • professional habits that protect pets and people

Getting your foot in the door matters,  but how you do it matters even more.

This is where many people get stuck.

Crafting A New Career Guide

 

The Real Path Into the Grooming Industry

What It Actually Takes to Become a Groomer

  1. Exposure to the grooming industry

  2. Foundational education (terminology, tools, safety, expectations)

  3. Observation or entry-level experience, bathing on the job trianing experience

  4.  Continued skill-building and mentorship, on the job training over time or attend a grooming school that teaches in-person skills (YOU MAY HAVE TO TRAVEL to another state for this, limited schooling options)

There is no single “instant groomer” program,  and that’s a good thing.  PennFoster, ABC Schoolof Grooming, and other online programs require you to find a structured hands-on training program, 
Professional pet care deserves structure, education, and steady progress, even if it is hard to come across

What About Hands-On Training?

Currently, WPGA does not offer in-person grooming programs for beginners. We do have a structured apprentice program for bathers who are already employed in the industry and have a mentor to help them advance to the next level.

However, some of our graduates in select areas may have apprenticeship availability.


These opportunities vary and are never guaranteed, but MGP gives you the knowledge base that salons look for when considering entry-level support roles.

Education opens doors. Relationships take it from there.

Your Best First Step: The Modern Grooming Program (MGP)

The Modern Grooming Professional (MGP) was created for people who want to understand the grooming industry before stepping into hands-on work. 

It gives you:MGP-1

  1. a clear picture of what professional grooming really involves

  2. foundational knowledge salons expect

  3. insight into tools, handling, and daily workflow

  4. language and understanding that help you enter the industry prepared

This program does not replace hands-on experience.
It prepares you for it.

Who MGP Is For:

  • Career-changers exploring grooming

  • Future groomers who want direction before applying to salons

  • Pet owners who want a deeper understanding of professional grooming

  • Anyone who wants to enter the industry should be informed

FAQs

Is grooming hard work? Yes. It’s physical, fast-paced, and messy, and that’s why foundation and real training matter.

What’s the difference between an apprenticeship and an internship?

Apprenticeship (what people usually mean in grooming):
A true apprenticeship is paid “earn while you learn” employment with structured on-the-job training, mentorship, and skill milestones (often with progressive wage increases). If it’s a Registered Apprenticeship, it’s formally approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency and comes with specific standards.

Internship (often misused in grooming):
“In the U.S., an internship can be paid or unpaid,  but unpaid internships at for-profit businesses are tightly limited under federal wage/hour rules (the ‘primary beneficiary’ test).” In plain English: if the business is getting productive labor, it often needs to be paid.

How this applies to pet grooming:
Most “internships” advertised in grooming are really unpaid tryouts or unpaid trainee labor, and that’s a red flag. In a grooming shop, if you’re bathing dogs, prepping coats, cleaning, doing kennel work, answering phones, etc.,  that’s typically work, and your safest path is a paid position (kennel tech → bather → groom trainee) with clear training structure.

Quick rule of thumb:
If they call it an “internship” but you’re expected to do production work for free, pause and ask how you’re covered (pay, workers’ comp, liability) and what the training framework is.

How do I know if a training offer is legit?

Look for: written hours, clear skills you’ll be taught, supervision, safety standards, and who carries liability/work coverage. If it’s vague, rushed, or “learn by helping for free,” that’s a red flag.

What should I ask before I pay any school or program?

Ask: Is this program licensed/regulated in this state? What are the total hours? How many dogs will I do hands-on under instructor supervision? What is the refund policy?  If they can’t answer clearly, don’t pay.

What should I look for in a hands-on grooming school?

Look for:

  • clear hour requirements and skill progression

  • instructor oversight (not “self-practice”)

  • safety and sanitation standards

  • theory and classroom time for science, behavior and handling education and knowledge testing

  • transparent costs + policies in writing

If the school is vague, rushed, or can’t explain outcomes, walk away.

How long does it take to become a confident, skilled groomer?

Most people need 1–2 years to become confident with the right mentorship, consistent practice, coaching, and repetition.
Grooming school is often 200–400 hours, and apprenticeships can range from 400–1,600 hours depending on structure, pace, and standards.

Should I volunteer to get training?

NO. Especially not inside a for-profit business. “Volunteer grooming labor” can create insurance + labor-law issues.
A legitimate learning path is paid employment (kennel/bather) or formal hands-on education with clear supervision and policies.  If someone suggests “just volunteer,” ask how you’re covered and what the training structure is.

Can someone legally charge me for training if they aren’t a school?

NO. States regulate private occupational/career schools and require licensing to charge tuition/fees for instruction. Some states include penalties for operating an unlicensed school.
What to do: ask what state agency oversees career schools where you live, and confirm the program’s status before you pay.