How to Fail Your Dog Grooming Class in 5 Easy Steps!

They say that if done through a reputable school, online education is just as informative and valuable as its brick-and-mortar alternative. It stands to reason, then, that your online dog grooming class should be just as challenging, insightful, and rewarding as an in-person dog grooming class. Right?

Yes! The right school will provide you with the same high-quality training, regardless of whether it’s online or in a physical classroom. The key factor is what YOU’RE willing to put into your education.

Now it’s time to paws (heh) and be frank. For or those of you who are here to work hard, study, and truly learn, this isn’t the article for you. Nah, today we’re here to give a big shout out to everyone out there who thinks that since their dog grooming class is online, they can breeze through it with little to no effort.

If that happens to be you, then welcome – you’re going to love the tips we’re about to reveal to you! Because although there are plenty of ways to completely bomb your online dog grooming class, these 5 are especially effective.

5 Steps to Flunking (Majorly Hard) in Your Online Dog Grooming Class

Step 1: Pick an online dog grooming school at random

Sure, doing thorough research into online academies can help you determine which school is the best fit for you… But come on, who actually has time for that?

Don’t worry, we’re sure every school out there is totally legit. Not ONE of them will be a scammer, and they surely won’t be after nothing but your money. In fact, why even get hands-on experience in the first place? Plenty of online dog grooming classes out there can tell you everything you need to know with nothing but multiple-choice quizzes!

Those who try to tell you the importance of hands-on training are just spouting fake news! Feel free to simply practice what you think are the proper techniques over and over in your mind. You’ll be totally fine once you actually try your skills on a living, breathing animal.

Step 2: Ignore your course materials

All those extremely helpful instructional videos are just too tedious to have to watch in their entirety. Go ahead and skip through them, or just not watch them at all! Oh sure, they contain critical information that will help you build your skills and become a better dog groomer. But there’s also that new series on Netflix that’s calling your name, too.

Priorities, am I right!?

On the other hand, maybe you’re not a very big reader. It’s cool; you can learn everything you need to know by watching a few YouTube videos. The people there may not be reputable industry experts, but really, how hard can it be to give a dog a haircut?

Also – and I cannot stress this enough – if you DO decide to try your hand at the practical assignments, do NOT take your time! Throw meticulousness and precision out the window, and race against the clock. The final results may be horrific and the dog’s owner may be furious, but they should’ve known the risks involved when they agreed to let you practice on their pooch. Honestly, you can’t be held responsible for that!

Point is: the sooner you can get the groom done, the sooner you can submit your assignment. The real end goal of your dog grooming class is to get that precious certification. It’s totally, 100%, in NO way about the valuable educational experience and industry skills you’ll equip yourself with along the way.

Step 3: Realize that all dog breeds are the SAME

What’s this nonsense I hear about different dog breeds having different coats, requiring different grooming techniques, etc.? So long as it barks, it’s a dog. Their breed has absolutely no impact on how you should approach the grooming process.

So, when your dog grooming class is trying to teach you about different breeds and why they matter, a really effective method I recommend is covering your eyes and shouting, “LA LA LA LA LA,” at the top of your lungs.

Step 4: Disregard your professional grooming tools entirely

If you happened to have lucked out, and the random online dog grooming class you enrolled in happens to come from a trustworthy school, then you’ve likely been provided with your very own set of high-quality grooming tools. Esteemed dog grooming schools will ensure to teach you all about these tools, and how to operate them properly, throughout your course curriculum.

Don’t be fooled, though – you don’t actually need ‘em. Even though it’s extremely important that you do, there are also craftier, more practical alternatives.

For example, you can find everything you need to groom a dog already within your own home. Those massive scissors you keep in the kitchen drawer? Yep, good enough to cut dog hair! Your personal nail clippers, shampoo, and toothpaste? Boom, you’re good to go!

Yeah, your instructor will probably give you a bad grade for doing this. But don’t worry, they’re just wrong.

Step 5: Leave everything to the last minute

Time management is for nerds. You already have a love for dogs, and you already know how to hold a pair of clippers without stabbing yourself in the eye, so what’s the point in devoting any more of your time to actually studying – let alone at a proper pace?

The best online dog grooming classes will be taught by schools who understand the need for flexibility and self-paced learning. QC Pet Studies, for example, gives you a full 2 YEARS to complete your program, starting on the date when you enroll. During that time, though, there are no deadlines for any of your assignments, quizzes, or units.

You know what this means, right? A FREE PASS to do literally nothing until those 2 years are nearly up! Seriously, how sweet of a gig is that? You’d never be able to get away with that in a physical classroom! Plus, since online tutors probably don’t take their job as seriously as brick-and-mortar instructors, they’ll never be able to tell you difference!

Trust me, it’s cool. For real. Just leave everything until about a week before the final deadline, and then just cram super hard for a few days. With luck on your side, you’ll still be able to get a (barely) passable grade and graduate anyways!

Even if you start your career with little to no useful skills, you’ll easily be able to hide it from your future clients. They totally won’t be able to tell the difference between a great groom and an atrocious one.

Okay, let’s drop the charade…

I’m sure you all caught on pretty quickly that the ‘tips’ recommended in this article should in NO way be followed. Dog grooming should be taken seriously. It requires commitment, passion, self-discipline, and a willingness to properly learn the craft. If you’re truly dedicated to making this your long-term career, you won’t just want to be ‘good’. You’ll push yourself to be EXCEPTIONAL!

Do the necessary research, take your time, and find a well-respected school that suits you best. The honest truth is, so long as these criteria are met, it won’t matter if that grooming school is online or in-person. You’ll receive the same life-changing education, and be truly prepared to take the industry by storm.

It all boils down to what YOU’RE willing to put into it. So always make sure you put in your very best!

Until August 14^th, get a DOUBLE certification through QC Pet Studies! Enroll in our internationally-leading online Dog Grooming Course, and in addition to knocking $150 OFF your tuition, you’ll also get our First Aid for Groomers Course – absolutely free!