Is Dog Grooming a Stressful Job – Dog Groomer Work Conditions
What’s the ideal job?
If you are a dog lover, chances are very high that you will yell, “Dog grooming!”
It really feels like the ideal job, doesn’t it? You would be surrounded by dogs all day and you’d be paid for it! It doesn’t get better than this – wait.
Is Dog Grooming a Stressful Job?
Before you start dreaming about happy, furry dogs who can’t wait to spend time with you, think a little more. Dog grooming is about shampooing terrified dogs, clipping their nails, cleaning their ears, and taking extremely good care of them. In other words, it is about doing things that pets don’t like at all.
Of course, dogs are amazing and we are taking nothing away from them. But when you put yourself in the shoes of a dog groomer, will you see frantic dogs, overenthusiastic dogs, and aggressive dogs. A well-behaved dog comes in every now and then, and that’s like a little surprise for the groomer.
So, is dog grooming a stressful job? We’d say it is. Let’s elaborate so that you understand in detail.
The Work Conditions of a Dog Groomer
Dog groomers need to have mental and physical fitness as well as patience to handle different types of dogs. Physical fitness is also necessary because grooming services see all sizes of dogs. And, even small dogs suddenly become powerful when it is nail clipping time (ask a pug owner).
- Groomers have to be on their feet during the most part of the day.
- They have to work in tight schedules especially when an appointment is late or a dog is more work than expected.
- They can never put off something for the next day.
- They have to deal with fleas, ticks, matted hair, physical issues in pets, aggressive behaviors, etc.
- They have to have patience throughout the day.
- Their work hours are usually such that they easily accommodate the dog owners’ schedule. This can make things tighter, making them work during the weekends and holidays.
- They often have to train dogs so that they are comfortable during the grooming process.
The Skills Required For Dog Grooming
A dog groomer needs to be skilled in multiple areas. Here are some mandatory skills:
- Basic grooming skills
- Dog behavior
- Dog health knowledge
- People skills
- Dog training knowledge
Is Pet Grooming a Good Career?
This is the actual million-dollar question. Many people want to know if they can earn good money as a dog groomer. The answer is yes, especially if you do not fancy the idea of being a vet but still want to work with animals.
The catch here is that you must absolutely love dogs to look forward to each day in your career. Like every other job, dog grooming can also be stressful but working with dogs and realizing that you are helping the owners in one way or the other can bring a lot of happiness. For dog lovers, grooming is a very rewarding experience despite the stress (which is a part of all careers, to be honest.)
If you plan on taking up pet grooming as a career, we urge you to research and understand the requirements as much as possible. It is an excellent idea to start as an intern to see what the job entails. Nothing beats practical experience. If you find that it doesn’t bring you happiness at the end of the day, the safest thing to do would be to switch careers early on.
Having said all this, we would like to end with the universal fact – dog grooming may not be the perfect job but it is definitely an excellent choice for anyone who loves animals (and is patient.)
