How to Become a Dog Groomer in Texas

Pet owners heavily rely on dog groomers for their pet’s health and looks.

That’s because these people are professionals qualified to help their beloved animals.

To make them look perfect.

For those aspiring to become a dog groomer, we recommend that you first get acquainted with what the job entails.

Being a dog groomer has a lot of responsibilities, and knowing them gives you an idea of what your future in this career looks like.

Job Description and Duties of Dog Groomers

Becoming a dog groomer in Texas has never been that easy.

However, it’s an exciting and meaningful profession that offers a lot of career opportunities.

It’s a rewarding career that has competitive pay and high employment demand.

In fact, dog groomers are able to work in numerous animal care facilities, including:

• Dog kennels
• Pet stores
• Animal shelters
• Veterinary facilities

Luckily for you, Texas has various dog grooming schools that introduce students to the profession.

They intend to teach students about terminology, techniques, and proper ways to treat animals.

Skills and Experience

Also, you’re expected to acquire the necessary skills to properly make use of grooming techniques.

These skills are taught to you by experienced dog groomers already taking the array of responsibilities as second nature.

As a dog groomer in Texas, knowing how to bathe, clip nails, cut/trim coats isn’t enough.

You’re expected to know as well the:

• Different breeds of dogs
• Proper grooming methods for each breed

With numerous breeds, it’s highly encouraged that you get prior knowledge and experience to be familiar with them.

You can do this by volunteering at animal care facilities and/or researching online.

When the time comes, employers would like to see that you know your duties and are able to perform them well.

Personal Qualities and Competencies

A dog grooming career is pretty selective.

To take care of dogs well, especially their well-being, you must possess the following qualities.

• Creativity, so that you’ll be able to see what style suits the dog best
• Patience, so that you can keep up with the pet owner’s demands
• Carefulness and cautiousness, so that you won’t unintentionally hurt the dog
• Smart and skilled, so you can make it a friendlier and safer experience for the dog

Requirements to Become Dog Groomer in Texas

Texas, like many states, doesn’t require any particular prerequisites.

It’s enough to have a high school diploma or a GED equivalent.

Still, many decide to attend some training programs in dog grooming.

In it, you’re expected to finish course requirements consisting of written and practical tests.

Certification and Licenses

As of now, there are yet unified certification and licensing requirements recognized by law.

However, many schools offer programs with certifications that you can take.

The National Dog Groomers Association of America is the nationally-recognized body that issues certifications to qualified dog groomers.

In fact, employers prefer that you get NDGAA’s certification as it means that you’re a highly-skilled professional.

And so, it increases your chances of getting hired over other candidates.

Job Prospects in Texas

The job opportunities in Texas are equal for all applicants.

So it doesn’t matter if you only have informal education and training or have enrolled in a dog grooming school.

Your employment will ultimately fall into the potential employer’s hands.

Their decision will depend on three criteria: technical knowledge, skills, and experience.

In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, animal caretakers like groomers would see a 34% growth by 2030.

This means 93,600 more job openings for you!

It’s fortunate that Texas has many animal care facilities dog groomers can work at.

Well-established animal facilities will look for dog groomers ready to meet their daily duties.

Someone eager and driven, especially in advancing their career.

As such, your path to this career would be good and rewarding.

Potential Salary in Texas

People expect to earn higher salaries.

But your salary depends on several factors, such as:

• Social factors
• Number of pet owners
• Region’s development

According to Salary.com, professional dog groomers in Texas earn, on average, $35,001 per year as of December 2021.

However, it can go as high as about $51,000, especially if you’re particularly skilled and very experienced.

The data below shows your average annual salary if you belong to a certain percentile.

In addition, when deciding which Texas city to apply to, it’s good to pay attention to the salary of each city.

The table below shows the salary in some cities in Texas annually.

Regional Salary in Texas

Helpful Resources

We don’t want you to be ill-equipped in your dog grooming path.

That’s why here are some helpful resources that you can visit from time to time.

You can even benefit from some of them in your pursuit of continuing education.

• American Kennel Club, where you can get the latest and valuable information about dogs
• Texas Dog Grooming Directory, where you can search dog grooming facilities in Texas
• NDGAA, where you get to know about available workshops nationwide and other dog grooming information
• Humane Society of North Texas, where you can get information on how to volunteer and on the protection of animals

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