Become a Pet Groomer: A How-to Guide

Jan 12, 2023 | Business Insurance

Are you fond of pampering your pets? Do you want to become an expert pet groomer that can pacify them? Our insurance agency in Denver, Colorado, wants to share ideas for properly grooming our clients’ pets. It is a great experience to bring pets to spas and salons. However, it is wiser to learn techniques and skills to pamper them. On the other hand, you may discover some skills to take good care of your pet’s more practical needs. We have gathered these tips that will help you become a pet groomer.

Learn Grooming Techniques Online 

There are a lot of videos on the internet that will teach you how to do these skills. You will learn how to clip their nails, cut their hair and bathe them. A better way to improve the procedures is to find a course online if you need more time to go to a pet grooming school.

There are also online programs that offer lectures through video and also a format that will help you apply what you have learned. Ask a professional pet groomer to allow you to witness the actual grooming of pets. You can also learn these skills through experience if you had to work as a pet groomer. 


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Sign Up For A Pet Grooming Program

However, seeking programs or courses in a school would give you more knowledge on how to do it correctly and confidently. Different breeds have their characters, so it would be best to learn from comprehensive training. Some of the skills you would learn from this training are:

  • Other breeds’ characteristics and how to control their behavior
  • How to practice safety
  • Recognizing skin disorders and parasites that affect their bodies
  • How to bathe, brush, comb, and cut their hair
  • Where to purchase grooming products and how to use them
  • Different tools like brushes with its used for a different breed

The training is advantageous if you want to open up a pet grooming business. It is not just additional knowledge; your pets will benefit from it.

Work As An Apprentice To An Expert Groomer

After training and watching different pet grooming techniques, you should put them in real life. After all, applying those skills is the best way to learn them. You can use it as an apprentice to work in a grooming facility. You will then know and appreciate what you have studied. Your employer might give you the assistant’s position, so you to learn some duties like bathing the pets. 

Becoming a volunteer in animal shelters is also a beneficial experience. The opportunity to bathe and groom them would show you the different behaviors of animals and real-life situations of how to deal with them. You can gain experience from this, and it’s your first step in managing your grooming salon. Their impression of you might be your record of how good you are at grooming animals. It might help you find the same job, or they may hire you for that. 

Your Patience With Pets Matters

Being naturally passionate about pets comes when you love animals. Patience and affection with them are essential. It may be stressful and put you at risk from bites, so that it would test your patience here. Animals have different moods. That’s why you need to learn how to read their body language.

It is a hard job as it is not easy to communicate with an animal. Your patience matters because it conveys your desire to care for them. Pets have the character to pick up the mood and the attitudes of the people around them, especially dogs. Connecting with pets is a unique skill you will learn in the process.


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Improve People Skills

A pet grooming business requires people to learn skills in dealing with clients. It is not just the animals you will deal with but also their owners. Some clients can hardly leave their pets to the groomers because they treat them as children. That is why it is essential to let them know that you can take care of their pets. Ensure them with your best services to ease their worries.

Always perform good customer service. Even if you would or wouldn’t build a pet grooming business, you should also build rapport with people. Servicing other pets requires listening and being attentive to clients’ requests. It includes recommendations for haircut styles and thoroughly treating their beloved pets. You should also improve your negotiating skills regarding rates, dissatisfied customers, and imploring continuous business.

Study Standard Cuts and Discover New Hair Styles 

The US American Kennel Club has a grooming profile that keeps up-to-date on dogs and their owners. Be updated with these grooming profiles to be familiarized with their character. The training you went into should include this in their lessons. Learning this technique has been very popular, especially with high-maintained breeds.

People need haircuts to feel and look good. It’s a refreshing state, too, for pets to experience hair grooming. Not regularly grooming their hair results in some health problems. Groomers with good skills find out the trouble beneath the hair or fur of the animal aside from cutting their hair.

Hair mats, for example, can hide the ticks and fleas living there. It also suppresses blood circulation, which leads to amputation when it becomes severe. Simply put, pets suffer if not brought to grooming salons for a regular haircut.


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Learn Proper Brushing Techniques

Brushing a pet’s hair is very important as it helps stimulate blood circulation. This action helps in producing new fur. You can also check the presence of parasites such as fleas and ticks. Prevention of spreading wounds can be done once detected upon brushing its hair. It would help if you did it regularly to remove dead hair. 

Each breed requires a different frequency of brushing. Long-haired animals need brushing once a day, while short-haired ones are once a week. There are also variations of brushes, such as:

Rakes

It has one or two rows with pins that are tightly spaced. Intended to be used with slight pressure, this looks like a razor. It is built to penetrate the thick coat and remove the tangles and the dead undercoat. The breeds with thick hairs are German Shepherds, Chow Chows, and Malamutes, and they usually develop dead undercoats. Make sure to purchase the rake that fits the length of your pet’s hair.

Bristle Brushes

It is used on smooth-coated pets that constantly shed hair and short-haired ones. Its natural bristles are tightly packed to remove loose hair and revitalize the skin. It is used on breeds like Italian Greyhounds, Boston Terriers, Pugs, and Jack Russell Terriers.

Pin Brushes

It looks the same as the brushes that people use. Mostly they are oval-shaped and have loosely-arranged wires that are flexible. It also has pins on top. A good tool in finishing the grooming process as it is used to brush the already well-brushed coat.


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Bring Them To The Veterinarian For A Regular Check-Up

Regular check-ups from the veterinarian will save your pet’s life from future harm. They know the whole anatomy of an animal. Although pet groomers do their jobs in checking the pets’ bodies, such as possible parasites and infections, it is a must for a regular check-up. The situation will only worsen if the veterinarian sees the pet often. The vaccinations they offer would improve and boost their health.

The good thing is that if the pet groomer is knowledgeable, they will find out the problem immediately. They can do some, but still, the best thing to do is to keep a schedule of your pet’s regular check-ups to avoid future sickness. Vets may prescribe medicines that are good for old pets who experience arthritis and joint pains. They can also give some for longevity and good health.

In Case Needed, Advise the Client To Take Pet To Veterinarian

There may be instances when a pet brought in for grooming does not seem well. And as a pet care professional, you should know by experience or certification if a dog or cat needs medical attention more than just a wash and trim.

A groomer can do first aid, but the best thing is to let the pet owner know they need to take their beloved pet to a veterinarian. Vets may need to prescribe medicine or run tests. They can also give some for longevity and good health.


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Create A Lasting Relationship With Your Clients

Satisfied customers will surely return for the excellent service you have rendered. The perks of being a pet groomer are the friendship and trust it would build between you and them. Aside from being professional, it works best to build friendships with them. Their trust in your services would mean business growth for you because clients that keep coming back would be the life of your business. 

Attain Certification

Some states require their pet groomers to be certified and licensed. Associations like the National Dog Groomers Association of America and the International Society of Canine Cosmetologists are the ones that teach and train aspiring groomers. Being certified is different from just watching videos about it and gaining skills. A lot of information needs to be considered when handling pets.

Learn To Groom Different Pets

It might be uneasy for you at first, especially if you are not used to grooming other pets. But remember that the versatility of your services would attract customers mainly because not all groomers prefer to groom other pets, such as cats. Being different from other grooming salons because you groom other pets aside from dogs would be your advantage. 

Dogs, for example, have different breeds, so you have to study each breed to handle them according to their characteristics. Most pet grooming businesses cater to grooming for dogs only. The need for cat grooming services is hiking, so it would be good to try other kinds of pets. Proper training will do the work. You can boost your branding once people notice your various services.

Know How To Recognize The Problems Arising

As an expert pet groomer, you will eventually learn the skill of recognizing the signs that a possible health problem would come out. Yes, you are not a veterinarian, but your concern and learning the proper regular grooming would teach you how. You must check every part of the pet’s body to see the problems of bad health conditions that might arise. If that happens, suggest the client seek the help of a vet.

Skin Condition

You must check the skin to see if there are cuts or swelling and parasites living in the skin. Notify your client if you see skin infections so they may schedule a visit to the veterinarian. See if they have injuries and open sores because they may have encountered things that pierced their feet pads. This may lead to infection if not treated right away.


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Temperament changes

When their temper or mood changes, especially if the activity level decreases, it must signify illness. Sometimes a pet is not ready to be groomed, making them hyperactive. This could affect grooming because they wouldn’t calm down and might cause an injury. Your assessment would tell if they are ready to be groomed and then apply your knowledge to calm them.

Ears and eyes

Check their ears for possible infection before plucking hair from them. See if there are discharge or swelling and dead hair accumulation. If so, tell the client to have a proper check-up by a vet. For the eyes, look for discharge, redness, swelling, and irritation because these would lead to eye problems.

Teeth

It is crucial to check the oral health care of the pets. Trained eyes get to find dental problems before proceeding to groom. You can implement oral care, but the vet is still the one who will clean the gums and teeth. You should not move in oral care if the pet has a dental condition. If the pet is harmed, you might be liable if you continue brushing its teeth.

Mistreatment

You should check, too, if the pet’s body has indications of being mistreated or abused. It is not an excuse to ignore the well-being of the pet, even if the client is the one who pays for the costs.

Your expertise from the training would be of immense help when judging the pet’s situation. Keep your client well-informed about the pet’s condition so they can relay it to the vet.

Make Sure You Are Insured

Every business needs insurance to protect its profit and employees. The same goes for the pet grooming business, as you cannot avoid injuries while handling the pets. Even the most careful pet groomer can not prevent that because some scenarios need to be put in hand. It might cause harm to the animals, and the owner might file claims if ever the worst happens.

The liability coverage protects the pet groomers and the business from possible lawsuits due to unexpected injuries. It would be an advantage worth investing in if you purchase insurance. The main reason is to avoid problems that would ruin your brand and cause profit loss. Consider the coverages that fit your business.


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Benefits Of Learning Proper Grooming For Your Pets

Keeping a pet well-groomed not only helps them look and feel good but also keeps them healthy. It is also clean without any foul smell and avoids shedding hair. These are the following benefits of pet grooming to show you how important it is.

  • Early detection while grooming may prevent disease progression.
  • Early therapy and intervention may heal pets them.
  • Frequently brushing your pet’s hair keeps it healthy.
  • But brushing is. It stimulates their epidermis, releasing natural oils that keep hair healthy and knot-free.
  • Nail trimming minimizes joint discomfort in dogs.
  • Uncut nails curl and harbor bacteria.
  • Excellent grooming helps pets behave well.
  • Who wouldn’t when it feels terrific afterward? It improves mental health and encourages positivity.

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Finding Reliable Professional Pet Insurance

To become a pet groomer, we need these skills to ensure a better return on investment. Finding reliable, professional pet care insurance doesn’t need to be complicated. Advantage Insurance Solutions in Denver, CO is what you need if you’re planning to own your own business and hire an employee or more. It covers pet boarding, pet grooming, pet walking services, and more.

Call or text (720) 221-8168 to know more, and get a quote today!

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