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Service workers not classified elsewhere

How to become a Pet Groomer

Also called: Groomer, Dog Groomer

Takes care of pets such as dogs and cats, including washing and trimming their coats.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say vocational college (senmon gakko) is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but people usually get a job after graduating from a senmon gakko (vocational college) or similar with a grooming course. Several organisations issue grooming qualifications, and most groomers gain one of them. At vocational colleges and similar schools, students learn not only trimming, grooming and cutting but also many other things, such as dog breeds, anatomy, public health and disinfection methods. Dog cuts follow fashions too, so as well as basic cutting methods you need to keep up with trends. Grooming and trimming dogs for dog shows requires further study and a lot of practice. The job suits people who like dogs and want to know a lot about them. You need communication skills to build trust with owners, and reasonable fitness because you are on your feet for most of the work.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Pet Groomer?

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but people usually get a job after graduating from a senmon gakko (vocational college) or similar with a grooming course. Several organisations issue grooming qualifications, and most groomers gain one of them. At vocational colleges and similar schools, students learn not only trimming, grooming and cutting but also many other things, such as dog breeds, anatomy, public health and disinfection methods. Dog cuts follow fashions too, so as well as basic cutting methods you need to keep up with trends. Grooming and trimming dogs for dog shows requires further study and a lot of practice. The job suits people who like dogs and want to know a lot about them. You need communication skills to build trust with owners, and reasonable fitness because you are on your feet for most of the work.

How much does a Pet Groomer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,026,700 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other service workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Pet Groomer?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 28% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Vocational college (専門学校) course: Animal care.

Will AI change the work of a Pet Groomer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026