Which Dog Grooming Course is Best for You?
Which of the many dog grooming courses you end up choosing very much depends on your immediate goal.
For example, you may be wishing to save money and time by grooming your own dog yourself. Alternatively you may be looking at dog grooming with a view to starting your own business.
Interestingly enough, quite often the latter aspiration, starting a dog grooming business, often springs out of the 1st goal of simply wanting to be able to manage your own dog grooming yourself. Either way, there is a course for you.
Why Learn How To Groom Dogs?
There are several reasons that make sense for a dog owner to master this skill.
For example:
- Grooming your own dog is usually less stressful on your dog.
- It should be cheaper. A visit to the dog salon every 4 to 6 weeks certainly mounts up cost-wise.
- You don’t have to fit in with times that your groomer is open.
- You are not restricted by whether or not there is an available appointment at the time that you are also free. Many a time I have been caught out close to Christmas or before holiday times just when I have wanted to book my dog in for a clipping only to find that all available time slots were already gone.
- Grooming provides a chance for you to examine your dog more thoroughly yourself. It’s an additional assurance that there are no hidden surprises such as a little lump or grass seed etc.
Why Use a Dog Grooming Course?
Whilst there are many reasons for learning how to groom your own dog, it is not necessarily easy unless you know how. There’s nothing like watching how it is done via a video to get it down pat. Sure, you can watch the professional groomer who has been washing and cutting your dog’s hair up until now, but it is not the same. Usually this would be discouraged anyway by your groomer and if it is not, you still feel in the way trying to peer over the groomer’s shoulder. Furthermore, there are so many areas that come under the heading of grooming. For example, you need to take care of:
- Shampooing
- Clipping
- Blow-drying
- Cleaning ears
- Cutting nails
- Cleaning eyes
- Different styles
- Etc.
Preview This Online Grooming Course
The Psychology of Dog Grooming
Dog Pyschology
If you are learning this as a business, then you will need to know how to handle a wide range of dog breeds, temperament types, sizes, weights etc. If it is your own dog, then you will already know his/her temperament. However, it is still good to know how to minimize any stress levels that might be present in your pooch. For example, I don’t know how many times I have given my Shih Tzu a bath but he still finds it quite stressful. I have learned over time that the stress levels skyrocket if he can see me preparing his bath and the shampoo etc. So I have learned to get everything ready beforehand which means that before he has had a chance to build up a negative expectation, he is already soaking in his warm soothing bath.
Owner Psychology
If you are just learning grooming for your own purposes, then this consideration is a no-brainer. You only have yourself to contend with. If, on the other hand, you intend to turn dog grooming into a business then it is just as important to be able to read the owner as it is the dog. You will want to have a happy owner customer as well as a happy dog when all is said and done.
The Business Side of Dog Grooming
If you are learning grooming with the intention of setting up a business then there are the usual business considerations to contend with. You will need to cover aspects such as:
- Time-management
- Making bookings
- Handling money
- Keeping track of appointments
- Keeping track of supplies and when you need to reorder etc.
Dog Grooming Courses Available
There are many different types of dog grooming courses to consider, such as face-to-face instruction at a salon, study at an educational institution, distance learning mode or via online courses that allow you to learn at your own pace in your own time. There are courses that cover the business side equally as well as the skills required to do a good grooming job. There will be one type of Dog Grooming Course that meets your specific needs in particular. With this in mind, I will be outlining what each has to offer so that you are in a better position to make the correct choice.
~ DGCO ~
