Online dog grooming schools often get a bad rap. Most of the negative things we hear revolve around an online school’s ability to give a hands-on education. We’re here to say that it just isn’t true!
These myths you hear about online dog grooming schools stem from a lack of awareness about online programs. Particularly about how online dog grooming courses are structured.
We’re not going to lie—these myths exist because some bad eggs out there created “courses” that are just a series of multiple-choice quizzes. Those “courses”, are absolute scams! Finding an accredited online grooming school takes lots of research—but you will find what you’re looking for.
For now, here are 5 things you will learn in QC’s online dog grooming course that you wouldn’t expect…
Dog behavior and temperament
Dogs are super smart. When they’re pups, they’re impressionable and can quickly learn how to behave. And if your clients adopted an older dog? Well, you can teach an old dog new tricks! This is great news for you as a dog groomer as you’ll be working with dogs from different backgrounds and ages.
Throughout your career in dog grooming, you’ll encounter dogs who’ll be doing their first groom. From bathing to clipping, dogs who are unfamiliar with the grooming process can get anxious or aggressive. Your online dog grooming course will teach you how to handle these situations. This is something many new groomers assume you’ll learn on-the-job, but it’s always better to know what to do before coming face-to-face with an anxious rescue.
You may know a couple of tricks here and there, but every dog is different. You’ll find it difficult to provide a one-size-fits-all solution to soothe all the dogs that’ll get on your grooming table. In your online grooming course, you’ll learn about the sources of aggressive behaviors, and find out how to listen to the dog and watch their body language. Finally, you’ll learn how to help condition them to handle future grooming appointments.
Dog anatomy
When you’re grooming to breed standards, a dog’s anatomy will affect how you approach the groom. Beyond the style of the groom, you’ll also want to know about the physical health conditions of the dogs. For example, if you encounter a dog with open wounds and lesions, you probably won’t proceed with the groom at all!
As a dog groomer, you’ll be the first to know about any skin conditions and issues. It’s invaluable that you know when to get in touch with a vet, and any implications your grooming procedures may have.
You’ll also learn about a dog’s range of motion. Some dogs, such as Dachshunds, won’t be able to climb or jump high. Meanwhile, senior dogs may have arthritis and can’t stand during the whole grooming process. These considerations will affect how you manipulate their limbs to groom tricky areas. Your online dog grooming course will go through the typical dog’s range of motion, with consideration to breed, health issues, age, and lifestyle.
First Aid
Not all dog grooming courses will offer free first aid education, let alone its own course. By learning dog first aid, you’ll be confident in your own abilities after graduation. Nothing takes off the pressure of handling a living, breathing, animal than knowing what to do in case something goes awry!
In your First Aid for Groomers course, you’ll learn how to prevent and respond to accidents. Remember, no matter how much you prepare, there’s always a chance of an accident occurring. You’ll also learn how to identify popular pet afflictions, medical conditions, and their symptoms. And you’ll learn how to care for dogs during an accident, including rescue breathing, CPR, and wound care.
Client relations
This is very important. Dog owners are very particular about their pets. When you’re a dog groomer, you have two types of clients you must serve—the dog and their owner. As the expert, you may make choices that benefit the well-being of the dog that the owner might not want. You may encounter a frustrated dog owner who may leave you your first bad review.
When this happens, you’ll learn how to evaluate the situation from an objective perspective. Did you make a mistake? Or are they being tough and unfair? Whatever happens, you must act professionally. Dog grooming courses with business training will let you in on the secret to keeping clients happy while doing right by their dogs!
Interpreting breed standards
If you ever venture into competitive grooming, you’ll need to know your breed standards. These are the set criteria that define the ideal look of a purebred dog. In a real-world salon, you’ll groom more mixed-breed dogs than not, but breed standards are still important to know.
Your professional dog grooming clients will ask you to adapt the breed standards for their purebred pups. Following a particular standard to the T is quite expensive to maintain. But an adaptation of the general features will allow the dog to look and feel its best. It’ll also be easier and less expensive for the dog owner to maintain.
Your dog grooming course will cover the standards of major breeds. It will then teach you simplified adaptations so you can execute these grooms with ease. Should you decide to enter show grooming, you’ll have the knowledge to back you up!
Did we miss anything? Let us know!
Want to hear from a real graduate? Check out QC graduate Casey Bechard’s honest review of QC’s online dog grooming course!
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