Agriculture, environmental and animal care

Dog groomer

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Groom a range of dog breeds and coat types.

Summary

This occupation is found in a wide range of pet animal care settings within the animal care sector. The dog groomer will work in a range of environments from departments within large retail pet stores/ garden centres through to independent salons. They will work for day care providers, rescue centres and kennels. There are over 200 recognised Kennel Club dog breeds in addition to hundreds of mixed breeds. Increased popularity of crosses in recent years, combined with the wide range of coat types leads to significant variation in grooming requirements and increased customer demand. The dog groomer will have knowledge and experience of different dog breeds, coat type and health conditions. They will adapt to the needs of the individual dog, for example, life stage, presence of parasites, behaviour.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to complete an end to end maintenance groom on a range of dog breeds and coat types. Grooms include assessing the health, bathing, drying, brushing and trimming a diverse range of dogs. The dog groomer will take into account dogs with wire, wool, smooth, double, silky coats and those with a combination coat. Dog groomers will use their breed knowledge to produce a grooming plan and select appropriate techniques to handle, bath, dry, brush and trim. Nail trimming will also be carried out. A dog groomer will have responsibility for meeting the dog’s welfare needs during grooming. They will recognise signs and symptoms of ill health including those relating to skin, coat condition and hereditary diseases. They will also identify potential causes and indicators of stress during the groom. They will adapt their approach and handling techniques. They select equipment and products to meet the needs of the specific dog. The dog groomer will understand canine behaviour. The dog groomer will provide customer service from the point of drop off through to collection. They will gather information from the client to support the grooming process and provide maintenance advice to the owner following the groom. For example, frequency of brushing to maintain good coat condition or brush type.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation will interact with dog grooming stylists, salon managers and customers. They may work with veterinary professionals, service and product suppliers and manufacturers. They may liaise with other animal care professionals and industry bodies too. Dog groomers may work under the supervision of a stylist or salon manager. They may work as part of a larger team. They will share technical knowledge with peers and will support newly appointed dog groomers or volunteers.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for scheduling, planning the completing the groom and providing a professional service at all times. They will maintain a professional and safe working environment in line with legislation and company policies. They will work autonomously, planning and carrying out the end-to-end groom. They will report and maintain necessary records in relation to the dog, its welfare, and the maintenance of relevant equipment. They will escalate issues to senior staff or customers where appropriate. They will be responsible for handling and storing equipment in accordance with company policy/ safety requirements. They will ensure that equipment is sterilised appropriately, and that cleanliness and bio security are maintained. They will be dispose of waste materials in line with regulatory requirements. A dog groomer will have responsibility for handling confidential data and payments for dog grooming services provided and dealing with standard customer queries. They will adhere to legal requirements. This will include the Animal Welfare Act 2006, Vet Surgeons Act 1966, and Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. They will also comply with Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations and comply with General Data Protection Regulations 2018.

Typical job titles include

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

• Knowledge
• Skills
• Behaviours