Not sure if I have put this question in the right area  - here goes...

I think that a few of our members here are dog groomers..
would appreciate some advice..
Looking at a career change
I work full time and can't afford to give that up just now, but
I have found a 2 day 'starter' course that offers practical advice and hands on experience(with your own dog) on clipping nails, anal glands and so on (pretty much stuff that I tend to do myself anyway).  This then leads onto a 10 week, one day a week course..
I don't think I'm going to be able to do the 10 week course if it's a week day sadly because of work :-(
I've also looked into doing a distance learning course, but then that doesn't offer any practical experience....

I have a few contact details for local groomers near where I live, and was going to contact them to see if they would let me either assist them or just watch and learn...

Any idea's?
thanks!

Going to some local groomers to have some "work experiance" sounds like a great idea.
So to become a groomer is it something you'd like to do working at someone else's premises, or do you want to do it from home? Obviously doing it from home means you having to buy everything to use and getting insurance etc, plus publicity to get the business up and running but gives you the opportunity to do a couple days a week at hom as well as another job. means you can also do extra work "on the side" but depends if you have a spare room to set up in, and if you and your family are happy to have dogs being cleaned in your bath every day???
I would aviod any course that doesn't offer you practical experiance. With a hands on job like grooming you need as much practical practise as you can get. My groomer did a course up North (which meant staying away from home for a few weeks) but meant she achived the qualification really quickly because they were in the classroom and hands on, all day every day. Befriend the lcoal groomers and see how they did it.
Hope that helps....and good luck. It's very brave to change careers but often worthwhile!!

thanks Fred'sMum, some valid points there..

I'm emigrating before too long, so the idea being is that I either go into this part time (what a joy not to have to work full time and have time with the furries!!) OR I buy into my own franchise over in Australia once there and settled...
I will have to look into the residential intensive course - didn't even think of that!
And yep, definitely next step is to speak to the local groomers..
thanks again!

You're welcome.
If you're doing the qualification here i would check that it is recognised in Australia, you dont want to get there and have to re do it all.
Sounds like a great plan :-)

I think they have a lot of mobile dog washing vans in Australia so that could always be something to look out for when you get there.

Hi, You really do need to do a practical course which will teach you the different cuts for different breeds. I did a 6 week, full time intensive course which was brilliant and gave me the opportunity to work on different breeds of dog every day. I now work from home in my own salon and i have yet to come across a breed that i didn't get some experience of or which is similar to a cut for another breed. could you not take some time off unpaid?? Thats what i did, i took 6 weeks off to do the course, they even knew what i was doing and were fine about it, though im sure a lot of employers wouldn't be. I did have to pay out a lot to get my premises right and all the equipment but with dogs yourself its not something thats ever going to go to waste as i use it every week for them too as well as my customers. What area are you in???
mel.

How many holidays have you got left with your employment at the moment?  Just asking as I've got loads to take before the year end so I'm having every Friday off couldn't you do the same and do the course?

Hi Mel...
I'm in Essex.  Work in Canary Wharf...
Not sure that I'd be able to afford to take 6 weeks unpaid leave!   Add to that the fact that our visa's could be through any day - really need to be at work (though it pains me to admit it!)

I am hoping to set up as georgepig suggested.. they have some great mobile units in Oz that just hook up to your car and you're off!

I have one day's leave left perrodeagua!!  I'm useless and use it all too quickly - plus we visited Australia at the end of summer last year and that used 3 1/2 weeks worth of leave!!
Thanks for all suggestions so far though.. I'll keep looking into it