Dog Grooming Assistant Apprentice (Heather's Hairee Hounds)

MISS HEATHER MARIE BURRAGE

BUNGAY (NR35 2TQ)

Closes on Tuesday 9 September 2025

Posted on 7 August 2025

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Summary

Dog grooming assistant apprenticeship opportunity in Norfolk to join a friendly team to train to become a qualified dog groomer.

Wage

£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course
Dog groomer (level 2)
Hours
9am-4.30pm 4 days a week. Occasional weekends and Mondays required. Can be discussed at interview. Paid lunch breaks.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 15 September 2025

Duration

1 year 4 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

A fantastic opportunity to join a friendly team to train to become a qualified dog groomer.

Duties will include, but is not limited;

  • Welcoming clients and their dogs into the salon
  • Customer service with trainee groomers
  • Updating customer records and taking bookings
  • Bathing
  • Drying
  • Nail Trimming
  • De-shedding
  • Completing treatments
  • Teeth Cleaning
  • Cleaning and maintenance of the salon and equipment
  • Once competent, you will progress to basic clipping and styling work.

Where you'll work

EARSHAM MILL
CHURCH ROAD
EARSHAM
BUNGAY
NR35 2TQ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

KEITS TRAINING SERVICES LTD

Training course

Dog groomer (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Develop a dog grooming plan to meet the individual requirements of the dog and owner
  • Carry out a dog grooming plan to meet the individual requirements of the dog and modify as required throughout the groom
  • Identify normal signs of good and bad health including poor skin condition and external parasites
  • Identify when to report abnormal signs of health and advise the customer when abnormal health may require veterinary attention
  • Recognise and adapt to behavioural change indicators and signs of relaxation, fear, aggression and stress in dogs
  • Handle and move dogs, adapting own behaviour to meet the needs of the dog
  • Identify and use relevant dog restraint equipment to move and handle the dog according to temperament, age, breed, and size, and in line with manual handling and lifting procedures
  • Bathe a dog using procedures which account for breed, coat type and anatomical features, including selecting, preparing and using products according to coat type
  • Store grooming and bathing products, including medicated shampoo, in accordance with COSHH regulations
  • Dry a dog selecting and using equipment, methods and products which account for coat type, breed, and anatomical features
  • Handle the dog and use nail clippers and/or scissors to trim dog’s nails.
  • Select, handle, and use coat trimming equipment
  • Identify factors that require the groom to be terminated early, such as illness, zoonotic infections, behaviour, stress
  • Identify and escalate health and safety, and animal welfare concerns
  • Maintain dog records
  • Communicate with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders and use terminology suitable to audience
  • Clean, maintain, store and sterilise products and equipment
  • Clean and disinfect the work area and dispose of waste in accordance with COSHH regulations
  • Develop a dog grooming plan to meet the individual requirements of the dog and owner
  • Carry out a dog grooming plan to meet the individual requirements of the dog and modify as required throughout the groom
  • Identify normal signs of good and bad health including poor skin condition and external parasites
  • Identify when to report abnormal signs of health and advise the customer when abnormal health may require veterinary attention
  • Recognise and adapt to behavioural change indicators and signs of relaxation, fear, aggression and stress in dogs
  • Handle and move dogs, adapting own behaviour to meet the needs of the dog
  • Identify and use relevant dog restraint equipment to move and handle the dog according to temperament, age, breed, and size, and in line with manual handling and lifting procedures
  • Bathe a dog using procedures which account for breed, coat type and anatomical features, including selecting, preparing and using products according to coat type
  • Store grooming and bathing products, including medicated shampoo, in accordance with COSHH regulations
  • Dry a dog selecting and using equipment, methods and products which account for coat type, breed, and anatomical features
  • Handle the dog and use nail clippers and/or scissors to trim dog’s nails.
  • Select, handle, and use coat trimming equipment
  • Identify factors that require the groom to be terminated early, such as illness, zoonotic infections, behaviour, stress
  • Identify and escalate health and safety, and animal welfare concerns
  • Maintain dog records
  • Communicate with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders and use terminology suitable to audience
  • Clean, maintain, store and sterilise products and equipment
  • Clean and disinfect the work area and dispose of waste in accordance with COSHH regulations

Training schedule

  • Full training to be provided by the employer and KEITS at the place of employment.
  • The applicant will be working towards a Level 2 Dog Grooming Apprenticeship Standard
  • The learner will be allocated an industry specific training consultant who will provide both remote and onsite visits throughout the apprenticeship 
  • The apprentice will work towards an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English and maths (grade Grade C/4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness
  • Previous Dog Experience

Other requirements

KEITS Training Services Ltd reserves the right to close the vacancy earlier than the listed closing date should the need arise. The apprentice will be working to build a portfolio of evidence and will be required to pass a knowledge test and an End Point Assessment (EPA) to complete the apprenticeship. Dog grooming can be a messy and tiring job. You will need to consider this before applying.

About this employer

Heather's Hairee Hounds opened in May 2020 and moved to the current premises in 2021. Heather's strongly believe in stress and force free grooming, and their new, large relaxed salon really allows for this.

After this apprenticeship

  • Once you are qualified there may be the option to rent a table from the employer and have your own clients
  • Dog groomer

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

KEITS TRAINING SERVICES LTD

Heidi Clear and Bethany Wylie

recruit@keits.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336123.

Apply now

Closes on Tuesday 9 September 2025

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