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“ Wh e n d o g s a r e considered a luxury, or ‘just something nice to have,’” Rheya says, “people are less willing to spendmoney for their well-being. Today, they are family members— and people will do what it takes to take care of family members.” This iswhere groomers come in. Dog grooming is

Pet care workers, such as this dog groomer, often report high levels of job satisfaction.

the process of hygienic care and cleaning of a dog. It “is an important part of dog care,” Rheya says. Regular grooming helps tomake sure that a dog is healthy and comfortable. “Depending on the breed, age, and health of the dog,” she continues, “grooming can be required daily.” Many breeds, however, require significantly less grooming than this. A dog breed is a group of closely related and visibly similar dogs. The many breeds of dogs that we know today—Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, and golden retrievers being the three most popular examples in the United States—were developed through years of breeding. Labrador retrievers, for example, get their name from the purpose for which they were originally bred. Retrievers are a kind of hunting dog, typically used when hunting for birds such as ducks and geese. Retrievers were bred to fetch the birds once a hunter shot them.

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