Dog Grooming School in St. Louis
Learn to groom on real dogs, six students to an instructor, and leave ready to work in a salon, run a van or open your own shop.
Programs
Every program is taught hands-on, on real dogs, with a grooming kit included. Tuition and start dates are shared on your school tour.
Learn On Real Dogs
You can't learn to groom from a video. Our students work on real dogs from the second week, in a working salon, with an instructor for every six students watching every cut. We keep classes small on purpose, teach safe handling before speed, and finish every program with a portfolio of your own grooms and help putting together your first job applications or business plan.
- ✓Six students per instructor
- ✓Real dogs from week two
- ✓Grooming kit included
- ✓Portfolio and job-search help
Twelve Weeks, Start To Finish
The Professional Groomer Program, week by week. The evening program covers the same ground over thirty weeks.
Weeks 1–2: safety, handling and bathing
Reading dog body language, safe restraint, bathing, drying and brush-outs.
Weeks 3–5: clippers and blades
Blade lengths, clipper patterns, sanitary trims, pads and nails.
Weeks 6–9: scissoring and breed trims
Hand scissoring, teddy faces, terrier, poodle and spaniel outlines.
Weeks 10–12: salon speed and business
Timing a full groom, client consultations, pricing and your portfolio.
Everything You Need To Start
Your own kit
Clippers, blades, shears and combs that are yours to keep.
Real dogs
Hundreds of supervised grooms before you graduate.
Pet first aid
Pet first aid and CPR taught in every program.
A portfolio
Before-and-after photos of your own grooms for employers or clients.
A Working Salon, Not A Lecture Hall
Where Our Students Go Next
I'd watched grooming videos for a year and still couldn't scissor a leg. Six weeks in, with an instructor at my elbow on real dogs, it finally clicked.
The evening program let me keep my day job while I trained. I opened my own mobile grooming van eight months after graduating.
Small classes mattered. I never waited around for help, and every dog I groomed was checked before it went home.
I came in as a kennel attendant and left as a bather at a busy salon. The four-week course was exactly the right size.
My doodle gets a student groom every six weeks for a fraction of salon prices, and the instructor finishes every face.
The cat course taught me handling I never learned working in a dog salon. I now groom cats two days a week.
Student Grooms
Supervised students groom in our public salon at a discount — full grooms from $35, baths from $20. An instructor checks and finishes every dog. Grooms take a little longer; allow three to four hours.
Where A Grooming Career Can Go
Salon groomer
Most graduates start at an established salon, building speed and a client list.
Mobile groomer
Run your own van and set your own hours.
Your own shop
Our business module covers pricing, booking and your first clients.
Specialist
Cats, doodles, show trims or hand stripping, with our continuing education.
Before You Enroll
How much does dog grooming school cost?
In the US, full grooming programs commonly run a few thousand to around ten thousand dollars depending on length and hands-on hours. We share current tuition for each program, with payment-plan options, on your school tour.
Do I need experience with dogs?
No. You need to be comfortable handling dogs of all sizes and on your feet for most of the day. We teach everything else from the start.
Do I need a license to groom dogs?
In most US states groomers don't need a state license, though a few states and some cities have their own rules. Check your local requirements; our program gives you a certificate of completion and a portfolio.
Will you help me find a job?
Yes — we help with your portfolio, résumé and introductions to local salons. We can't promise a job, but most students who want salon work find it.
How do student grooms work?
Supervised students groom your dog at a discount, and an instructor checks and finishes every groom. They take longer than a salon groom, so plan for three to four hours.
Can I tour the school first?
Please do. Tours run weekdays; you'll see classes in session and talk to an instructor.
See The School In Session
Tour a class, meet an instructor and get current tuition and start dates. Tours run weekdays.
Tours, Enrollment & Student Grooms
Tell us what you're interested in and we'll reply the same business day.
- Visit us3400 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63118
- Call us(314) 555-0162
- Email usadmissions@shearpointgroomingacademy.com
- Opening hoursMon: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Tue: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Wed: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Thu: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Fri: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Sat – Sun: Closed