Making the Most of Your Online Dog Grooming Course

Because of your love for dogs, you’ve decided to enroll in a dog grooming course – an online dog grooming course, to be specific. And we applaud your choice! This is the best way to prepare yourself for a rewarding career, as it will provide you with all the tools you need to keep your furry friends healthy. And you can even start your own dog grooming business if your heart desires!

So now that you’re a student, how can you be sure that you make the most of this opportunity? Learning and practicing are keys to success (obviously), but what else should you keep in mind to make sure you’re ready for your career?

Simply read on for our guide to making the most of your online dog grooming class, and you’ll be set!

Set your schedule

Let’s face it – work, family responsibilities, and other commitments can be extremely time-consuming. If you’re keen on pursuing a career as a dog groomer, it can seem nearly impossible to make time to attend classes on evenings and weekends. This is precisely why online dog grooming courses have become so popular over the past few years! Learning and practicing on your own time is a huge advantage of online courses, and you’ll be able to maintain your current job (and keep up quality time with your family) while you make your grooming dream a reality.

But you’ll need to put in a bit of work first to get organized.

If you’re serious about making the most of your online dog grooming course, and by this we mean reading your course materials closely and completing your practical assignments, you’ll need to manage your time. The best way to do this? Be realistic about how many hours per week you can devote to your course, and carve that time out in an agenda to keep you on track. By devoting a couple of hours per week to your studies, you’ll have your dog groomer certification in hand sooner than you think!

As well, if you can follow a realistic, self-made schedule, you’ll stay on track instead of becoming overwhelmed by your course.

Stay connected

With so many advantages to online learning, it’s hard to imagine any real drawbacks. You can go at your own pace, save money, and learn on your terms – it all sounds perfect! However, because you have so much freedom as a student and can complete your course from home, you won’t be able to get to know other students (face-to-face, that is).

But don’t fret! Just because you’re enrolled in an online dog grooming course doesn’t mean that you’re alone. Quite the opposite, actually – when you enroll at QC Pet Studies, you’ll be provided with access to an Online Student Center that connects you with other students in an online forum.

These are individuals that likely have full-time jobs, like you, as well as a multitude of other responsibilities, but are pursuing their dog grooming career at the same time. Through the Online Student Center, you’ll be able to connect with these like-minded individuals and share your approach to assignments, as well as grooming experiences and personal insights!

Participating in the online student forums is an excellent way to make the most of your online dog grooming course. You’ll get to engage with your course texts on a deeper level, get to know fellow grooming students, and have a much better chance of actually acing your course as a result.

Don’t isolate yourself simply because you’re learning independently!

Practice, practice, practice!

Did we say practice?

This is really the most effective way to make the most of your class. As an aspiring dog groomer, you need to fully understand the ins and outs of grooming, how to work with different breeds, and master specific skills. After all, once you’re a certified groomer, you’ll be spending your days working on different breeds and facing a number of situations, so you really need to develop your skills during your course (this is the definition of making the most of your dog grooming class!).

When it comes to practicing, our recommendation is to not submit your first assignment attempts. By grooming a number of different dogs and dedicating yourself to each assigned task, you’ll truly understand what you’re doing, and become more confident and comfortable. The beauty of online courses is that you don’t need to rush, so you can take your time and really cultivate your skills.

Not only will practice make perfect when it comes to dog grooming, you’ll also set yourself apart as a student. Tutors will undoubtedly notice and appreciate the effort you’ve put into your hands-on assignments, and the level of dedication behind each task. This is important, as your tutors will provide you with feedback based on the quality of your assignments, which brings us to our final point…

Take feedback seriously

While every dog grooming course is different, receiving feedback on your assignments from your instructor is usually a common feature. After all, you need to learn, and mastering your practical assignments is what will ultimately prepare you for the industry. In an online dog grooming course, personalized feedback is given to students so they can understand where their strong points are, as well as where they can improve.

While it may be difficult to find out that your pad trimming assignment got a lower grade than you expected, embrace this opportunity to receive detailed feedback! This is how you learn proper techniques and best practices, so soak up your tutor’s advice after each of your assignments – what do they think you need to pay more attention to, and how can you get a higher grade on your next assignment by following their instructions?

Your tutor is will be a highly skilled, experience dog groomer – so don’t miss your chance to really absorb everything they share with you. This includes their constructive criticism! Dog grooming can be tricky, and there are very specific ways to trim, bathe, and care for pups that won’t be learned overnight.

Stay positive, work hard, and really try to understand where your tutor is coming from with their feedback on your assignments. Once you can apply it to future assignments, you’ll find that your grades will improve and you’ll be much better equipped for your career as a dog groomer.

Now that you know how to make the most of your online dog grooming course, find out how to get an A!