A successful career as a dog groomer starts with the right training. Online dog grooming classes are becoming more and more popular, as they allow students to complete hands-on assignments, receive feedback from professional groomers in the industry, and work at their own pace. If you have a full-time job and other commitments, this could be the best possible choice for you!
So how do you ensure that you get the most out of your dog grooming class and prepare yourself to enter the industry? Read on for our tips on acing your dog grooming course, and get ready to shine!
Set your own pace
There’s no way around it — becoming a professional dog groomer is no easy feat! It requires a great deal of practice, patience, and attention to detail, not to mention a serious passion for animals and the duties of the role itself. There are many reasons why an online dog grooming class is an excellent choice for aspiring groomers, but a major one is that it allows the educational journey to run much more smoothly due to its self-paced timeline.
You’re a busy individual, and while you know that some priorities will require shuffling in order to accommodate a training program, you also can’t move commitments such as a full-time job and family activities to the side. We get that! An online dog grooming course will allow you to maintain your current lifestyle while adding some hours of study and practice into the mix each week. While the flexibility is fantastic, it’s also important to know that enrolling in a course is a commitment, no matter how easy the pace. You’ll still need to allocate a couple of hours each week (or more, depending on your availability) to your studies, and you’ll need to be self-disciplined in order to set time aside specifically for reading your course texts and actually grooming dogs. After all, this is a learning experience!
In order to excel in your dog grooming course and hit the ground running in a professional capacity, setting your own pace is key. Before you enroll, be honest about how much time you can realistically devote to your studies, and even create a schedule to keep you on track. Once you get into the groove of your new student lifestyle, you’ll be able to tweak certain times here and there, but you’ll know how much of your week can be spent becoming a groomer.
Use the forums
Just because you’re enrolled in an online course doesn’t mean that you’re alone! When you enroll at QC Pet Studies, you’ll be provided with access to an Online Student Center that will connect you with other students in an online forum. Using the forum to share your approach to the dog grooming assignments, personal insights, and grooming experiences with others like you is an invaluable part of the student experience. Not only this – it will also help you ace your dog grooming class! If you’re bouncing ideas off of your peers on a regular basis in the forum, you’re much more likely to be engaging on a deeper level with your course texts, and taking your assignments very seriously. You’ll also make important connections with other aspiring groomers and who knows – you may even help them achieve an A in their class, as well!
Go the extra mile
When you’re working as a professional dog groomer, going the extra mile could mean taking extra time to calm a dog or working long hours to accommodate all your clients. But as a student in an online dog grooming class, going the extra mile means completing the optional assignments! You’ll want to complete all of your assignments, of course, but your grooming class will actually provide you with some assignments that won’t be graded.
Practice, then practice some more
The practical component of your dog grooming course is extremely important. In order to truly understand the ins and outs of grooming, and how to work with different types of dogs, practice is vital. Your dog grooming course assignments will require you to groom certain kinds of dogs in order to become comfortable with particular breeds and master specific grooming skills, so you’ll want to actively seek out a variety of furry friends to work on, as this will only help you develop your skills.
In order to ace your course (and become the best dog groomer you possibly can), we recommend not submitting your first assignment attempt. You really want to take your time and groom a number of different dogs in order to nail certain skills and truly understand what you’re doing, because only by practicing can you become confident and comfortable. Your tutors will also appreciate the effort you’ve put into your hands-on assignments and will notice the level of dedication behind each task.
Think of it this way – once you’re a certified dog groomer, you’ll be spending your days working on different breeds and navigating a variety of different situations. Developing your skills as much as possible throughout the duration of your online dog grooming class is time well spent, and will get you much closer to an excellent grade!
Stay positive
Enrolling in any course is a commitment, and will require discipline and ambition in order to stay on track. While working on your assignments and spending time grooming dogs, don’t be too hard on yourself! The feedback you receive from tutors, although it can be tough at times, is meant to help you along and push you to become the best possible grooming professional you can be. Instead of beating yourself up for not getting an A on an assignment, apply your tutor’s notes to the next task.
Keeping your mind open to learning as much as you can and working hard will help you ace your dog grooming class. If you find yourself struggling at any point, reaching out to your tutor for help is an excellent way to let them know that you need clarification, and will allow them to get to know you on a more personal level as well.
Wondering if a grooming career is right for you? Check out 8 signs that you’re meant to be a groomer!
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