The Hiring Crisis in Pet Grooming

Why Good Groomers Are So Hard to Find

I get calls and emails every single day from business owners struggling to hire and keep good groomers. This isn’t a new problem—it’s been happening for years. And yet, I keep seeing the same grooming shops in regional Facebook groups posting the same “Now Hiring” ads over and over again.

It makes me wonder… What’s going on behind the scenes?

On paper, these job postings look great—good pay, flexible hours, a “drama-free” work environment. But if the position really is that amazing, why can’t they keep employees? What’s missing?

If you're feeling stuck in this cycle of hiring, losing employees, and starting over again, you're not alone. The entire grooming industry is in distress—not because pet grooming isn’t a valuable career, but because old habits, misinformation, and a lack of professional guidance are holding it back.

A Career More People Should Want—But Don’t

There’s no shortage of pets in need of grooming. The number of pet-owning households continues to grow, and people are willing to spend money on quality care for their animals.

So why aren’t more people entering the profession?

The answer is layered:

• Lack of professional career pathways – Unlike other skilled trades, grooming doesn’t have a universal education standard, making it hard for new talent to know where to start. And there is very little support from inside the indusrty to want to elevate it. 
• Toxic work environments – Many grooming businesses operate with outdated employment structures, leading to burnout, underpayment, and high turnover. This is going to lead to more corporate shops becase they can offer stabliity, benefits and higher pay structures that small private business can not. 
• Misinformation overload – Instead of learning through structured education and mentorship, many aspiring groomers are getting conflicting advice from social media, leading to skill gaps and unrealistic expectations.

This isn’t just a hiring problem—it’s an industry-wide identity crisis that’s keeping great people from seeing grooming as a viable, long-term career.

Grooming Needs a Professional Standard

The pet grooming industry is decades behind when it comes to formal education. While other trades require structured training, many groomers still enter the field with little more than on-the-job learning and YouTube tutorials. 

I would not seek out a massage therapist without a license working on my muscles, especially if they just started practicing from their home and labeled themselves as a professional. Same with a hairdress working on my hair roots with chemical dye. I hope they know what they are doing to not burn my scalp. 

Pets are dying in grooming shops and that is a huge problem. 

Without real education, the industry ends up with:

• Inconsistent skill levels – Some groomers master techniques through professional education, while others rely on outdated, ineffective methods.
• Lack of business knowledge – Many groomers dream of opening their own salons but have no foundation in pricing, employment laws, or sustainable business practices.
• Few career advancement opportunities – Without recognized credentials, it’s harder for groomers to negotiate higher wages, specialize in advanced techniques, or grow in their careers.

Business owners who want to hire reliable, skilled professionals need to start advocating for education within their own salons—because without it, the hiring crisis will only get worse.

Misinformation Over Mentorship

Another major challenge? The grooming industry has turned into an online free-for-all.

Instead of business owners and educators guiding the next generation, much of the industry’s “training” is happening in Facebook groups, influencer videos, and unverified online forums. While social media has its place, it has also led to:

• Groomers prioritizing popularity over professionalism – Likes and follows don’t equal skill, yet many aspiring professionals are chasing social media validation rather than real education.
• Bad business advice running rampant – 

  Rather than consulting with experienced business professionals, many new salon owners rely on freely available online advice for their pricing, hiring, and business strategies, often to avoid the cost of expert guidance. Business fundamentals are universal across industries. Consider utilizing resources like SCORE, your local chamber of commerce, or enrolling in business courses to gain a solid foundation before venturing into the industry.

• A culture of division instead of mentorship – Instead of lifting each other up, social media has become a battleground for debates, misinformation, and unproductive criticism. Need I say more? I cringe inside reading the bad replys and responces in so many of these groups. You have no idea who those people are, even if their intentions are meant for good...It saddens me greatly.  

For the industry to move forward, business owners, you need to take back the narrative and create workplaces that focus on professional education, ethical employment, and long-term career growth.

Why Do Groomers Keep Leaving?

Even when businesses do manage to hire groomers, keeping them is a whole other challenge. Many grooming salons operate on outdated employment models that don’t support long-term careers, leading to:

• Unsustainable wages – Business owners who don’t fully understand their overhead often underprice their services, which trickles down to low wages for employees.
• Lack of benefits or stability – Many salons still rely on outdated commission structures rather than offering proper wages, benefits, and career development.
• Burnout and frustration – Groomers are leaving the field because they’re overworked, underappreciated, and financially struggling.

If grooming businesses want to retain talent, they need to run like real businesses—with fair pay, structured career growth, and a positive work culture that makes groomers want to stay.

How Do We Raise the Industry Standard?

The hiring crisis in grooming isn’t going to fix itself. If business owners want to attract and retain skilled, ethical professionals, they need to be part of the solution by:
1. Advocating for real education
Encourage structured formal learning, apprenticeships and certification, not just informal OJT or weekend seminars.

2. Running sustainable businesses – Price services appropriately, offer better wages, and create employment models that allow groomers to thrive.

3. Mentoring the next generation – Instead of relying on social media for advice, seek guidance from real industry experts who have built successful businesses.  

It’s not just business owners who need to make changes—groomers also have a responsibility to clean up the industry and build sustainable careers. If you want a future where skilled professionals are valued and paid fairly, it’s time to level up.

Get Away from Commission-Based Pay

The days of expecting 50% or more commission in small businesses need to disappear.

• Commission-only pay models are unsustainable for most salons. If you want job stability, benefits, and a thriving business to work in, hourly wages are the future.
• You are not entitled to half of a business’s profits—you are part of a team that needs to keep the doors open, cover overhead, and pay employees fairly across the board.
• If you truly want to earn more, develop specialized skills, increase efficiency, and contribute to the success of the business you work for.

The businesses that survive will be the ones moving to structured wages, fair pricing, and long-term sustainability. If you’re still clinging to outdated commission expectations, you might find yourself struggling as the industry shifts forward without you.

Refine Your Work Ethic 

There is a growing “give me, give me” mindset that is killing career growth in this industry.

• Being present and doing your job well is the bare minimum. If you want higher pay, prove that you bring more value.
• Show up on time, keep your tools and workspace clean, and stop acting like basic workplace expectations are oppression.
• Grooming is a skilled trade—if you want to be treated like a professional, act like one.

If you constantly feel like you're being "taken advantage of" at work, ask yourself: Am I actually giving my best effort? Or am I expecting the business to carry me without taking responsibility for my own growth?

Turn Up the Professionalism

The grooming industry will never be taken seriously if groomers don’t take themselves seriously.

• Stop client-shaming on social media. If you wouldn’t say it to a pet owner’s face, don’t post it online. You are not going viral for the right reasons.
• Stop asking strangers on Facebook for business advice. Get a real mentor, learn about financials, and start treating your career like a profession—not a hobby.
• Level up your skills, attitude, and workplace presence. You want to be treated with respect? Then act like someone worthy of it.

The industry needs to be shifting. If you’re serious about grooming as a career, this is the time to evolve. Because those who refuse to change will find themselves left behind.

If you’re tired of the hiring struggle and ready to build a stronger, more sustainable grooming business, it’s time to do things differently. The industry won’t change unless we change it.