How to hire a dog groomer

How to hire a dog groomer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dog groomer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a dog groomer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dog groomer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a dog groomer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your dog groomer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a dog groomer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a dog groomer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a dog groomer that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of dog groomer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Dog Groomer	Description	Hourly rate
   Dog Groomer	Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more	$10-21
   Kennel Attendant	A kennel attendant is responsible for the daily care of boarded dogs and kennel maintenance. Some of the duties that you will perform will include cleaning cages, scheduling boarding appointments, and monitoring the behavior of these dogs... Show more	$9-16
   Animal Attendant	An animal attendant is responsible for administering high-quality care for the animals in a shelter, clinic, or wildlife preserve. Animal attendants monitor the health conditions of the animals, manage their food intake and medications, maintain the adequacy of animal stock inventories, and report any critical findings and unusual observations to the veterinarians... Show more	$9-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Customer Service
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Coats
   • Animal Handling
   • Front Desk
   • Animal Safety
   • Clipping
   • Dryers
   • Physical Appearance
   • Computer System
   • Health Problems
   • Reminder Calls
   • Allergies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
   • Ensure customer satisfaction by sharing information regarding pet care products.
   • Provide all services in the salon from hair styling, bathing, over all maintenance and care for the pet.
   • Comb, clip, trim and shape dogs' coats to groom dogs, using knowledge of grooming techniques and styles.
   • Assist in answering customer questions regarding grooming, scheduling grooming appointments and maintaining salon cleanliness and safety.
   • Aid veterinarian and professional groomer.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your dog groomer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A dog groomer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, dog groomers' average salary in georgia is 42% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level dog groomers earn 51% less than senior-level dog groomers.
   • Certifications. A dog groomer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a dog groomer's salary.

   Average dog groomer salary

   $15.35hourly

   $31,920 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level dog groomer salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a dog groomer job description

   A good dog groomer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a dog groomer job description:

   Dog groomer job description example

   Experienced Dog Groomer
   Mission Bay
   Full-Time
   Rates Based on Experience: $22-$32/hr
   
   Purrks & Benefits:

   • Medical, dental, and vision insurance (at no cost to you)
   • $1,000 sign-on bonus
   • Amazing discounts on all products and services
   • Tips
   • Monthly bonus program
   • Paid time off
   • Discounted pet insurance
   • Free small dog daycare (not available at all locations)
   • Assigned bather so you can focus on your skill and quality
   • Working with dogs every day

   We are looking for full-time Experienced Groomers to join our high-energy, fun, and customer-friendly teams in our Mission Bay location.
   
   Are you an experienced Dog Groomer, who takes his or her craft seriously? The personal pride in grooming an animal is an absolutely necessary quality that Healthy Spot looks for in a talented Groomer! We provide you with seminars and ongoing training, to be constantly improving and learning new grooming techniques and styles.
   
   If you are the type of person who sees grooming as an art and is ready to be surrounded by like-minded individuals, please apply!
   
   We have very competitive pay rates, and they would depend on which grooming level you test into during your skills test evaluation.
   
   Healthy Spot Grooming Safety Standards
   
   *Professional experience/training required. If you are interested in starting a career in dog grooming, we have apprentice bather positions available. Please visit our website at www.healthyspot.com/careers to apply.*
   
   *Healthy Spot considers qualified applicants with criminal histories.*

   --
   IND123

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find dog groomers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any dog groomers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level dog groomers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your dog groomer job on Zippia to find and recruit dog groomer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit dog groomers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new dog groomer

   Once you've found the dog groomer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a dog groomer?