You have always loved dogs. Now, you are considering various potential career paths. If you are thinking that a potential option is dog grooming, then you will need to put in a lot of research to find out what you need to do to succeed in your education and employment goals. Well, with this guide, you will find all of the information that you need in order to take your first steps toward becoming a Massachusetts professional dog groomer. Here is what you need:
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Salary and Potential Pay Ranges
The salary of a dog groomer can vary wildly depending on location and experience. Especially in states with incredibly affluent cities such as Boston, where clients are willing to pay more for a good result, you may find a much higher earning potential. In larger cities such as Boston, a groomer can earn about $56,000 for good dog grooming work. In smaller but still wealthy cities such as Acton, a groomer can earn as much as $80,000. Choosing to work for a chain or for smaller boutique will also affect your earning potential.
What to Expect from the Job
A dog groomer plays an incredibly important role in the life of a dog. As a groomer, you are responsible for keeping a dog clan and fully healthy. There are many things that a dog can get into in its daily life that will result in dirty or unhealthy conditions. As a dog groomer, you will be responsible for examining the dog to make sure that there are no visible health issues such as ticks or skin irritation. If the dog is healthy, then you will clean its fur, ears and nails, and offer trimming options for its fur and nails. Owners might also request certain fur and nailing styling options such as coloring.
Requirements
To become a dog groomer in Massachusetts, you must first check out potential education options. For some, formal schooling proves to be the best choice. Alternatively, you can opt to apprentice with dog groomers in your chosen location. This will provide you with in-depth knowledge that you might not find in a classroom. However, most potential groomers who take classes ultimately end up apprenticing at some point as well.
Resources
Once schooling is finished, if you do not end up working at the place that you apprenticed, you will need to find a job. This link offers many locations for potential groomers in the Boston area: http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Dog+Grooming&find_loc=Boston%2C+MA.
You will also find that individual shops offer websites that you can check out, such as this one: http://www.groomtownpetspa.com/.
Massachusetts Human Society: http://www.masshumane.org/
National Dog Grooming Association of America: http://www.ndgaa.com/