1. Pet Grooming By: Jane Doe
Hello, my name is Julissa Martinez and I am a senior at Diboll High School and I will hopefully be graduating soon.
By: Jane Doe

2. Job Information Groom and bathe animals.
15% growth and 35,400 workers needed.
$27,812 per year.
High school diploma and certificate.
I chose to job shadow a pet groomer because I love animals and decided being a veterinarian was not the career for me, pet groomer's groom and bathe animals, mainly dogs and cats, though some choose to exclude cats. A pet groomer's day, usually consists of bathing the dog, sometimes using a flea dip or the animals special soap if need due to scalp conditions, if the owner requests for the anal glands to be cleaned out, that is done while the dog is in the bath. After bathing, the animals are dried off and their hair is brushed, in certain cases, a dematting comb is used to brush out the matted hair, while at the drying table the dogs also get their ears cleaned and their nails clipped. Once they are done at the drying table, the dogs are groomed to their owners’ preference. Pet groomers fall under the category of Animal Care and Service Workers, the job outlook is estimated to grow 15% from 2012 to 2022, this means about 35,400 Animal Care and Service Workers will be needed. Typically a pet groomer who manages to groom five dogs per day for fifty weeks could roughly earn about $27,812 per year, so the more dogs per day the higher the salary. To be a pet groomer you must have the ability to handle pets firmly but gently, calm and control nervous pets, and also requires patience. Licensing and colleges are not needed in order to become a pet groomer, most have learned from on-the-job training, but some do choose to seek a certification or college in order to have the necessary skills and knowledge to handle and keep the animals safe.

3. My Mentor Amanda J. Owner/ Groomer The Pet Beauty Shop
My mentor was Amanda Johnson, who owns the Pet Beauty Shop and is also a groomer there, she told me she did not always want to be a groomer, but it was the next best thing to a vet assistant.

4. Job Shadow Busy Being surrounded by animals, handling them.
Aggressive and nervous animals.
My job shadow site was incredible, it was very hectic and busy, on a typical work day they groom about fifteen dogs and occasionally cats, clean kennels and take the boarded animals out. Most of the dogs were calm, but there were some aggressive ones, every groomer had scars from being bitten or scratched, but it is part of the job. I, enjoyed being surrounded by all the animals and seeing how different they looked after they had been groomed some of them were unrecognizable. I also enjoyed helping handle the dogs while they were being groomed, the thing I liked least was handling the aggressive and nervous animals, but they also kept muzzles' nearby just in case an animal was too aggressive.

5. What I Learned Should be creative. Getting attached to animals.
Lifetime customers.
Most groomers start as a bather and learn from on-the-job-training, I also learned you should have an artistic eye and the most difficult thing is getting attached to the animals, but the best thing is making lifetime customers, because you know they trust you with their animals, which are practically like their children.

6. I Wish I Could Have Seen Cat being groomed. Clean dogs stomach out.
If more time would have been allowed I would like to have experienced a cat being groomed, because the groomers agreed the cats were harder to groom and possibly more aggressive. One more thing I would have also liked to have been shown would be how to clean out the dog's anal glands since it will be a part of the job if the owner requests it, but if I had that might have been another thing I liked the least, although the groomers assured me it was not all that bad once you were used to it.

7. Is this job for me?
Yes
Personally, I believe I would enjoy a career in this field because I enjoy spending time with animals and I do not mind being covered, from head to toe in dog hair. Although there may be downsides such as the pay or the minor injuries from the animals, I believe I would enjoy this career.

8. Future Plans Graduate Job Open my own business
In the near future, I plan to graduate and acquire a job at a pet grooming salon and have more experience in order to permanently decide whether or not this career is for me. If all goes well, I plan to open my own business consisting of more than just pet grooming, such as dog training classes, and a pet boarding facility.

9. My Sources www.bls.gov The Pet Beauty Shop My mentor, Amanda
In the near future, I plan to graduate and acquire a job at a pet grooming salon and have more experience in order to permanently decide whether or not this career is for me. If all goes well, I plan to open my own business consisting of more than just pet grooming, such as dog training classes, and a pet boarding facility.

10. Any Questions?