Dog Groomer
Dog groomers wash, dry, clip and style dogs, checking skin, ears and nails along the way so small problems are noticed early.
- Median salary
- $66,400
4.1%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 5,700
1.8%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +11%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Dog groomers work in salons, mobile vans, or a grooming room attached to a pet store or veterinary clinic, moving from one appointment to the next through the day. The work is distinct from veterinary nursing: groomers look after coat, skin and nails rather than treat illness, though they are often the first to notice a lump, a matted patch or an ear infection and pass it on to a vet. Most groomers work in a small team or on their own, with regular clients who book their dog in every few weeks.
How much do dog groomers earn?
The median full-time salary for a dog groomer is $66,400 per annum, before tax, up $13,900 since 2018.
What you earn depends heavily on how you are paid. Employees in salons are usually covered by the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award or an enterprise agreement, and an experienced groomer in a busy salon can earn above the award rate, sometimes with a share of each dog's fee. Running your own mobile van or salon changes the picture again, because your income then rests on how many dogs you book, what you charge and what the van, insurance and equipment cost you.
What does a dog groomer do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Bathing, drying and clipping several dogs back-to-back through a working day
- Reading a nervous or reactive dog's body language and adjusting handling to keep it calm
- Shaping coats to a breed standard or to what an owner has asked for
- Checking skin, ears and nails for problems and flagging anything a vet should see
- Cleaning and resetting the grooming space between appointments so it stays calm and free of loose fur
What skills do dog groomers need?
Employers look for animal care and handling, backed by electric clippers fluency and strong attention to detail.
Specialist skills
- Animal care and handling
Software and tools
- electric clippers
- grooming shears
- dog dryers
- grooming tables
- nail grinders
General skills
- Attention to detail
- Customer service
- Physical stamina and dexterity
- Empathy and interpersonal care
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 5,700 people work as dog groomers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 11% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become a dog groomer?
Here's the path most dog groomers take, step by step.
- 1Start as a bather or salon assistant
Many groomers enter this way. It is paid work, and it teaches you how to handle dogs, dry a coat properly and keep a salon running before you touch clippers.
- 2Complete a grooming qualification
A Certificate III in Animal Care Services with a grooming focus, or a shorter grooming course through a private college, covers clipping, breed styles and animal handling. Check that the course includes supervised time with clippers on live dogs, because that is the part employers ask about. The current workforce is mixed: 46% of groomers hold Year 12 or below and learned much of the trade on the job.
- 3Build supervised clipping and styling experience
Dog grooming is not a licensed trade in Australia, so there is no registration to apply for. That means your skill, speed and the range of coats you can handle are what get you hired, and it usually takes a year or two of steady salon work to get comfortable with difficult coats and anxious dogs.
- 4Specialise or go out on your own
From there you can focus on breed-standard styling, hand stripping or large and difficult coats, or set up a mobile service or your own salon. Working for yourself needs public liability insurance, a vehicle fit-out or premises, and a check of what your local council requires.
Ready to apply as a dog groomer?
Whether you're working toward becoming a dog groomer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a dog groomer move to?
Moving into Veterinary Nurse typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $20,300 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Nurse Animal handling and client care carry into veterinary nursing, but a certificate and clinical study are required.Known move | +$20,300 | 14% | reskill |
| Dog Trainer Handling skills from grooming carry into dog training, with a short course adding behaviour and training.Known move | +$0 | 46% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a dog groomer?
The typical dog groomer is 38 years old; 87% are women, 35% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 38
- Median age
- 87%
- Female share
- 35%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a dog groomer?
The day is physical and repetitive in a way that suits some people and wears others down: standing, lifting, bending over dogs of very different sizes, and holding a clipper steady while the dog wriggles. Much of the skill sits in reading the animal and keeping it calm, so the job rewards patience more than speed. Groomers who enjoy it tend to like working with their hands, seeing a result by the end of each appointment, and knowing the regulars and their dogs.
What people like
- A finished dog at the end of each appointment. The result is visible, and often within an hour or two. That suits people who like work with a clear finish rather than projects that run for months.
- Time with dogs rather than at a desk. You spend the day handling animals, which is the reason many people come into the job in the first place. It helps to like dogs of all temperaments, not just the easy ones.
- Repeat clients and their dogs. Regular bookings mean you get to know both the owner and the animal, and you learn how a coat grows and what handling each dog prefers.
- A skill that travels. Grooming knowledge moves between salons, vets and mobile work without needing a new qualification each time, and it is a common starting point for people who later run their own business.
What people find hard
- The physical toll. Long periods standing, bending and gripping shears build up in the wrists, shoulders and back. Groomers who stay in the trade for years often cut their daily dog count or move towards owning or running a salon.
- Dogs that do not want to be groomed. Scratching, biting and thrashing are part of the work, and some dogs cannot be groomed safely without a vet and sedation. Reading the warning signs early is what keeps the appointment manageable.
- Owners who leave a coat too long. A matted coat often has to be clipped short for the dog's comfort, and explaining that to an owner who wanted a trim is one of the harder conversations in the job.
- Bathing and cleaning are a large part of it. Clipping is the part people picture, but washing, drying, sweeping and dealing with bookings and payments fill a good share of the week.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ dog groomers?
Other Services employs the largest share of dog groomers, followed by Retail Trade.
Top employing industries
- 1Other Services
- 2Retail Trade
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 46.4% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 25% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 10.1% | |
| Bachelor degree | 8.2% | |
| Postgraduate | 1.8% |
Will AI replace dog groomers?
Dog grooming is a low-exposure job. The centre of it is handling an animal that will not hold still, and no software does that, whatever app is managing the diary. Booking systems, reminder texts and card payments have taken over the admin side of a salon, and clipper and dryer technology keeps improving, but neither changes what happens on the table.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Handling nervous and reactive dogsJudging when a dog needs a break, a muzzle or a vet visit comes from watching the animal, and that read cannot be automated.30%low
- Clipping and styling to a breed standard or an owner's requestFollowing a pattern on a moving dog, working around mats and sensitive skin, needs hands on the animal and constant adjustment.30%low
- Checking skin, ears and nailsNoticing a hot spot, an ear infection or a lump during a groom is a hands-on judgement, and the groomer then sends a photo or a note to the owner or vet.25%low
- Bookings, reminders and client recordsOnline booking, text reminders and digital card payments already run much of this in many salons, so less of the day goes on phone calls.15%moderate
Common questions about becoming a dog groomer
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do dog groomers earn?
Dog groomers earn a median of $66,400 per year before tax, for full-time workers. Pay in this job swings with how you are paid and how busy you are: an hourly rate in a salon, a share of each dog's fee, or charging per dog in your own business. An experienced groomer who can handle difficult coats and keep a full booking sheet will sit towards the top of that range.
How do you become a dog groomer?
Most people start as a bather or salon assistant, then add a grooming qualification such as a Certificate III in Animal Care Services (ACM30122) or a shorter course through a private college. You then build speed and range under supervision in a salon, which is where most of the real learning happens. No licence or registration is required to groom dogs in Australia.
Are dog groomers in demand in Australia?
Dog groomers are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 11% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. Because grooming is booked locally, the useful question is what salons and mobile groomers in your own area need, so it is worth calling a few before you commit to a course.
Will AI or automation replace dog groomers?
Not the grooming itself. Software has already taken over bookings, reminders and payments, and clippers and dryers keep improving, but none of that changes the fact that a dog has to be handled, calmed and clipped by hand. The exposure sits in the admin side of running a salon rather than in the work on the table.
What can a dog groomer move into?
Dog grooming carries into dog training, where canine handling and behaviour knowledge transfer with a short course. Veterinary nursing is the better paid option at around $20,300 more, but it needs a certificate and clinical study. Many groomers instead build towards owning or running a salon or mobile business, which is often where earnings grow.
What hours do dog groomers work?
Full-time dog groomers average 42 hours a week. Salons often open on Saturdays because that is when clients are free, so weekend work is common, while mobile groomers and business owners set their own schedule around the bookings they take.
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