Apprentice Dog Groomer

Dog Hairs Grooming Room

DERBY (DE73 8FE)

Closes on Saturday 11 April 2026

Posted on 20 February 2026

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Summary

You'll learn to safely groom different dog breeds and sizes to a high standard within a supportive team. Training is hands-on, covering products, equipment, handling, styling, dog behaviour, canine first aid, and modern grooming techniques.

Wage

£15,470 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Dog groomer (level 2)
Hours
Tuesday - Friday 09:00-17:00. Saturdays 09:30-13:00. One weekday would be your college day. One Saturday off per month. 20-minute paid lunch break per day.

35 hours a week

Start date

Monday 4 May 2026

Duration

1 year

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

On an average day you will be (once training in each process has been undertaken):

  • Bathing and drying dogs ready for a qualified groomer to complete their groom
  • Prepping to include pads and hygiene trim
  • Clipping nails
  • Cleaning ears
  • Learning to use clippers and scissors and follow grooming lines on different dog breeds
  • Ensuring the salon is cleaned and tidied during the day and also at the end of each day
  • Maintaining equipment (cleaning/disinfecting clipper blades for example)

Where you'll work

34 DERBY ROAD
MELBOURNE
DERBY
DE73 8FE

Training

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

Training provider

DCG

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

Dog Groomer Level 2.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 2/E or above)
  • Mathematics (grade 2/E or above)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Team working
  • Physical fitness
  • Hard working
  • Confident in animal handling
  • Keen to listen and learn
  • Loves dogs (and other animals)

Other requirements

  • We groom all sizes/weights of dogs, and they can be unpredictable. Whilst we employ all available means of manual handling methods, working in pairs and using equipment that can be height adjusted, it is a very physical job
  • We use blasters and driers as part of the grooming process and these generate noise. PPE is obviously provided but doesn’t eliminate all noise, so this position may not suit someone who is noise sensitive

About this employer

Dog Hairs Grooming Room is based in Melbourne, South Derbyshire.

We have been open since 2017 and have a large clientele of dogs and now also offer cat grooming.

We work as a team of 3, including Sacha the owner, Katie a full-time groomer who did her apprenticeship with us (finishing over 3 years ago), and Mia who will soon be sitting her apprenticeship end of placement exam.

https://www.facebook.com/doghairs.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

  • Staff discount for shop products
  • One Saturday off per month
  • Statutory holiday entitlement is paid

After this apprenticeship

If the apprentice shows that they can perform full grooms to a high standard by the end of the apprenticeship, there may be a position available at Dog Hairs Grooming Room, but it depends on the business needs and staffing levels at that time.

Alternatively, on completion of the apprenticeship, the candidate could gain employment within another salon or set up on their own as a dog groomer.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

DCG

Niall Nanson

niall.nanson@derby-college.ac.uk

01332387420

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000016936.

Apply now

Closes on Saturday 11 April 2026