Dog Groomer Apprentice (Bird Dog Grooming)
BIRD DOG GROOMING LTD
LONDON (SW6 7LL)
Closes in 6 days (Tuesday 19 August 2025)
Posted on 4 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Training with a highly experienced, awarding winning groomer who has worked at the best salons in London. You will learn all aspects of dog grooming during your apprenticeship.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Dog groomer (level 2)
- Hours
-
Tuesday - Saturday, 08:45 - 17:30.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 22 August 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
Duties will build up to include, but not limited to:
- Welcoming customers to the salon
- Learning how to handle and style dogs
- Provide professional, high quality, hygienic and empathetic dog grooming assistance
- Support the salon manager in day-to-day running of the salon by providing relevant administrative and operational support
- Assist in ensuring excellent salon presentation is maintained and high standards are kept through cleanliness, safety and good standards of housekeeping
- Accurately record all relevant customer information, including grooming regimes and behavioural temperament, during pre-grooming health assessment and the grooming process, complying with GDPR and the company Data Protection Policy
- Provide professional preparation of dogs prior to grooming, including controlling, moving and restraining dogs safely, appropriate washing and drying of the coat, carrying out basic trims and supporting the dog groomer as required
- This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate apprentice dog groomer to join our team to progress onto becoming a full time stylist. The salon is a friendly and fun place to work and would suit any hard working individual who loves all dogs!
Where you'll work
311 LILLIE ROAD
LONDON
SW6 7LL
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 Groomer Apprenticeship
- The learner will be allocated an industry specific training consultant who will provide both remote and on site visits throughout the apprenticeship
- The apprentice will work towards an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Attention to detail
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Patience
- Physical fitness
About this employer
Bird-Dog Grooming was born of the shared love of dogs held by its founders Susana and Philip and the desire to create a pet business that would allow them to care for animals in an ethical and sustainable way. Based in Fulham, our salon is run by our salon manager, Emre. Emre’s journey began in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, where his love for animals led him to pursue a career in dog grooming. After graduating as a veterinary nurse in 2012, Emre worked as a dog groomer in leading animal hospitals in Turkey until 2018, when he opened Turkey’s first independent dog grooming salon in Ankara. In 2020, Emre partnered with Başkent University to provide grooming education, training a new generation of pet groomers. His passion for the craft and deep love for animals brought him to London in 2022, where he continues to refine his expertise. With over 12 years of experience, Emre is known for his mastery in Asian style grooming and breed standard trims. To Emre, every groom is a carefully crafted work of art.
After this apprenticeship
Possibility for future employment for the right candidate should a position be available.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
KEITS TRAINING SERVICES LTD
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000335233.
Apply now
Closes in 6 days (Tuesday 19 August 2025)
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