How to get started as a groomer

Would training as a bather/brusher be a worthwhile start?

I think it's an excellent idea starting as a bath/blow dry person.  This will give some basis such as roughing in etc. 

Also a worth while investment is the book "Notes from the Grooming table".  My Sister purchased this book for her 2 newest groomers.  It gives them an idea in an easy to understand diagram of proper trims.

Notes From the Grooming Table: An All-Breed Grooming Guide for the Professional Pet Stylist (Spiral-bound)  by Melissa Verplank 
 

Bather/brusher is definitely the way to get started. (I'm in that weird limbo space we like to call groomer tech, somewhere between bather and groomer.) If anything, it gives you a good basis for learning grooming from the handling/sizing-up of dogs, to the way a proper bath, blowdry and brush out really affect the outcome of groom. Eventually, you might get some more tasks ceded over to you. Like what's been reiterated before, people are more willing to train someone they trust more than someone who waltzes in without any proven experience.

And let's not forget the problematic clients or as I like to call them, crazies. You learn to handle them if the groomers have their hands full, something they likely won't teach you in school.[]

Finally, if it can come out of the dog (pee, poop, vomit, barking, unmentionables) then it will most certainly happen in a grooming shop.

(The more and more that I reread this, the less it seems to answer any of your concerns. Hopefully, I did.)

Thanks for the positive vibes, I needed that. Kennel Keeper had me ticked because they ASSUMED that I don't know what the job entails. I've done alot of reading and seeking and I know that I cannot become a groomer in a few weeks. I was asking about different schools. Where I live has no groomer and I am hoping to fill a need in my community. There are many hurdles to overcome, the first of which is to get some training. Since my current job is paying the bills, I would like to find a good course for 2-4 weeks to start since that is all the time I can afford to miss. Once I have a feel for the physical aspects of bathing, brushing and drying (what is needed most in my area), then I could allow more time and money to continue training.
No job is perfect, every job has challenges (most of those human customer based) and I am not a child. I have noticed in several articles about groomers and schools that there are many groomers who bad mouth any other groomer and put down anyone who tries to get started. Luckily I don't have any groomers in the area, so I hope not to have to deal with the mean-ness.
 

Kennel Keeper had me ticked because they ASSUMED that I don't know what the job entails. I've done alot of reading and seeking and I know that I cannot become a groomer in a few weeks.

 
I did not intend to offend you in my reply, merely answering your question on the 2 week time frame for learning the basics. I do appologize if my words did not come across the way they were intended.
However, your posts did not indicate your previous experience with pets. You also said twice your "real" job, which indicated to ME you weren't really taking grooming as seriously as it could be.
I deal with people all the time that say, "I would love your job! You get to play with the dogs all day long." The comment made in my original post was NOT pointed at you, but JQP who think that is what we (groomers) do. The job is not taken seriously and many uneducated people think that we really are just dog babysitters that give them baths and play with their fur [] Also, I was trying to NOT sugar-coat grooming. At the end of the day, I'm BEAT! Just trying to create a true picture of the work involved.
I think it's great that others want to help the animals by getting into such a rewarding career and don't/won't begrudge ANYONE wanting to groom. I also agree that there are MANY groomers who are less than willing to help others and can be quite nasty to their competition, but I think that is becoming a thing of the past with the new generation of groomers. A sign of this is the grooming associations that are now forming and organizing. It may be of some help for you to look into a couple of them to see if they have some schools that would be convienant for you. [linkhttp://www.nationaldoggroomers.com/]NDGAA [/link](national dog groomers association of america), [linkhttp://www.ipgcmg.org/]IPG[/link] (international professional groomers, inc.) are just a couple you could look into.
 
I wish you all the best in your search and again, appologize if I offended you or seemed mean.

Thank you Kennel Keeper. I guess that I am up against so many barriers that I was hoping for more encouragement. I will certainly check out the groomers orgs. There are no schools in my area (Caribbean), not too many groomers and I plan to go stateside so time and money are critical. Because I am planning to go stateside, anywhere, any ideas of a good bather/groomer school?

There are all kinds of schools in Florida, but I would also like to recommend going to [linkhttp://www.petgroomer.com]Petgroomer.com[/link]  and check out ALL the resources that are available. There are even online grooming schools where you can get all the basic's, with the exception of the hands-ons stuff, and at least you would have the foundation skills to begin doing a bit of bathing and such on your own. There is an awsome forum there as well, but the whole site is just a wealth of knowledge []

There is an awsome forum there as well, but the whole site is just a wealth of knowledge

 
To say the least!  That forum is nothing short of amazing. So many fascinating eople there w/ experience and stories to share.  A wonderful place for beginners, such as myself.  The entire everything of the forum is moderated, so it's all kept very low-key. 

I think that forum dispells the myth that all groomers are mean and don't want to share info with fellow groomers []
 
 

island girl, you should join the groomers bbs forum.  There are some wonderful groomers on that forum who would be more than happy to help you out. 
 

have you contacted a private groomer for some advise.  I live in chambersburg and it is hard to find a place to get my dog groomed when i need him done as they are alway booked and petsmart is a no go for me that was the first place i went and was charged over 40.00 when i got my pup back he was covered in hair that was my first experiance with a groomer and thought it was normal, boy was i wrong.  i think if you get the practive you need and start your own buisness you could do a great job

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