Animal Grooming Degree Programs

Animal groomers and pet technicians ensure hygiene and good presentation of animals. It requires trimming their hairs and nails, bathing animals and brushing their hairs and teeth. This profession is more suited to the ones who love animals and have interest in caring and maintaining their health. It requires patience and dedication to perform the important tasks of looking after animals with a certain level of care.

Overview

Animal grooming focuses on maintenance of animals in order to make them presentable and acceptable. An animal groomer has to take on the responsibility of checking on animals’ hygiene level and making sure that they are not at any risk of disease. This includes detecting skin infections, tooth decay or fleas. Their main concern is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness levels of each animal they manage. They have to keep a clean environment where they groom animals and ensure that any equipment they use is sterilized. Groomers can be among the first individuals to detect health issues in animals they care for and could provide appropriate advice regarding the treatment. Grooming animals requires certain skills to prepare them for a contest, exhibition or sale. Grooming an animal usually takes up to two hours and requires functional skills such as, cutting, brushing, cleaning, blow drying, clipping and bathing.

Degree Programs

There is no specific degree program offered in this area. Certain courses are taught through various modes in certain vocational schools or online programs that increase the knowledge and awareness of ensuring hygiene of animals. This is a profession that requires on-the-job training experience. A pet groomer must have expertise in hygiene maintenance standards in various animals and they must know about each animal’s anatomy. One needs to be aware of the symptoms or changes in animals’ behavior which could be a signal of illness. As a prerequisite an animal groomer must complete their high school or have GED equivalency. Traditionally, this area of study has been explored through a process of apprenticeship within a certain amount of time. Vocational education institutes offer two weeks to several months’ long training programs.

Career Opportunities

Animal groomers could be employed at boarding kennels. In different situations in which owners leave their pets in the care or trust of another, these experts look after these animals. They perform various functions and duties at veterinary clinics. They prepare an animal prior to surgery in order to make sure of all the pre-requisites and sterilization of tools. They work as examiners who check overall health of animals. Animal groomers also try to maintain the hygiene of a sick animal. They aid in making animals more attractive such as, pets for potential adopters. In various pet supply stores clients leave their animals to be groomed as well as supervised, and pick them up at the end of the day. An animal groomer might work freelance, join animal care centers, veterinary hospitals and provide services by being part of an animal groomer’s team at a shop.

Salary Prospects

The median annual wage for animal groomers in the United States is $30,777 as of 2012. The top 10% figure is $45,357 per year. (salary.com)

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