Hi there, I would like to open my own dog grooming business, I live in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. I have tried to find courses available and have hit a stumbling block. There is a basic college course which I'm going to do just to give me a bit of knowledge, however I did ask if this could be used to start a business and by the sounds of it, its not enough I need real training, I want to make a living out of this as I love animals so I really want to learn how to do it properly. I would really like some hands on experience with someone who knows what they are doing, I've read on other posts that there is training available so if anyone could help it would be most apprecaited

I have no knowledge about Scotland but would always suggest that you find a grooming school rather than a general college that has a grooming course as in my experience, the standard taught and achieved by students is far superior from a grooming school.

Scotgroom in Carluke do courses of varying lengths.  I haven't been myself but from what I hear they are highly recommended.  P.M me if you want the phone number, alternatively they have a website

http://www.scotgroom.co.uk/grooming-tuition.html

How about going via the petcare trust?  The list of accredited training centres on this link (list opens in Word) might be useful to you.

http://www.petcare.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=502&Itemid=85

Being a member used to mean just paying your money - I don't know if it's changed.  Just having achieved C&G or teaching to that standard doesn't necessarily mean that they have good teaching skills.  I can see at least one on the list that I wouldn't recommend ........ :(

Hi there thanks v much for all your help, I had a look at the scot groom link and that looks quite good I had a look at the word doc and there is no Scottish ones on there but thanks anyway, so do u think doin the basic course at scotgroom and then the 20 day one would b the beat way forward? :-)

Looks like it but if that will be your only training then I think that you'll need plenty of practice between the 2 sessions of the monthly course before you actually start on your own but it certainly looks like a good foundation.  The Bichon and the Poodle both look good - not so sure that the shaved Schnauzer is the way forward........
My parlour was successful even though I was surrounded my other groomers (who did what the owners wanted and shaved everything to within an inch of its life!) because I trimmed to the breed standard.  My owners would travel many miles and bring their dogs every 8 weeks because they wanted their dogs to look like the breed that they'd bought and so I was fully booked throughout the year.  The other sheep shearers in my area could fit a new dog in the following day! :)

> doesn't necessarily mean that they have good teaching skills.  I can see at least one on the list that I wouldn't recommend ........ <img alt=":-(" src="/images/default/sml_neg.png" class="sml" />

Yes.  Good point.  I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that the course I did was not from this particular list, but I thought it might be the right way to go regards a 'governing' body so to speak.

I guess recommendations is probably the best way to go.

Best of luck OP in finding a course :)

but I thought it might be the right way to go regards a 'governing' body so to speak.
You would think so wouldn't you? :( 
I wouldn't join when I started on my own because they just asked me to pay the money and they would put me on their list and that didn't seem right to me.  But that was many years ago and so of course, they may have changed. ;). 

Thanks for all of this! How do u train to groom the breed standard as I would luke to be good at it I don't just want to shave the hair off lol, I rang Scott groom
it sounds quite hood the only thing is the 20 day course is only through the week no weekends and I work full time she said that this would be enough to set up a business then whilst working do my city and guilds has anyone heard of this, this course is 2 grand and by the looks of it I would have to quit my job to do it so I don't really know what to do.... Do u think if I found a groomed near me and they would train
me up this would be enough, it might take longer just doing nights and weekends and the odd full day but I cant really pack my job In... Argh I want this sooo much I wish it was somehow easier

http://thurness.co.uk/

She may be able to help you, Chris used to teach at a Aberdeen College.

How do u train to groom the breed standard
Do you show your dogs?  If not then go to Championship Shows on the days for the most popular breeds, maybe  Westies, Yorkies, Shih Tzu, Lhasa, Cockers etc and get you eye in to how they should look.  It'll take a while as to start with they will all look the same!  Also explain at Scotgroom that that's what you'd like to do as from her website she certainly knows what these breeds should look like! :)  A good pet trim will be an adaption of the show trims - not as long, not as full but certainly similar.

the 20 day course is only through the week no weekends
First lesson.  A good groomer earns enough not to have to work evenings and weekends! :)  Could you use your 4 weeks holiday to take the course?  Then go back to work and start trimming evenings and weekends until you've got enough regular clientelle to be able to give up your day job. :)  This will happen if you do good work and give all of your clients their next appointment in 8 weeks. That's what I used to do and if they didn't want to come in every 8 weeks, then they weren't the sort of clients that I wanted!  I would explain that in the phone call when they called to book their first appointment.  You need good regular owners to make a good regular living as a groomer. :)
And the cost of the course per week is certainly achievable earnings per week once you've built up your client base, IF you choose your clients carefully. :)

Thank you very much :-)

That's a really good idea about the shows so I will look into this, thanks so much!

Yes I thought about using my 4 weeks holiday but they run from December to Jan so I've already used quite a lot as I went to India for 15 days but the cost is ok  not well off bit I know it would be a good investment,

Thanks much for your help, and least I have a better understanding of what I need to learn, one more question sorry! This may sound silly buy would I need to practice on each of the popular breeds, I would be worried if I was asked to groom a breed I hadn't dine before, did this ever happen to you? How did u manage to get really good? Sorry for the questions but you sound as if you have priceless experience and knowledge that could help me, I want to make sure that I can do the best I can. My grandma has had her dog groomed and they took het whiskers off and nicked her belly which cost her £30!

I started by training for 2 weeks at The Oxford Training School with no intention of grooming for a living and ended up giving in my notice and working there!  I was there for a few months before I started up on my own.  I lived in a bungalow and started in my small 3rd bedroom and used to put a piece of carpet in MY bath and bathed the dogs there!  After just 3 months I had too many dogs to be grooming indoors and I'd earned enough to buy a parlour (shed! :)) for the garden, insulated with water and electrics. After those 3 months I didn't need to advertise again for the next 16 years, I always had a waiting list of clients wanting to come regularly.  But then I remember all the things that I was taught eg 'the customer ISN'T always right and you need to train them as to what is best for them and their dog longterm' and 'Once you clip off an OES or Shih Tzu, they'll expect you to do it every time'.  Your average groomer will tell you that they HAVE to do what the owner wants for the dogs' sake! :)

Your basic 4 weeks will cover all the popular breeds and the only way to improve is practice and not be tempted to take the easy option - it takes little skill to clip a dog, anyone can do that!

Shame you didn't think about this a few months ago before taking your leave. :) :)  How about taking 2 weeks leave and 2 weeks unpaid?

Once you've trained, I'll happily share with you my "Welcome" letter, explaining in writing to new clients the way that I worked etc. and how to start and proceed. :)

The School that I worked/trained at is still going - now in the hands of my tutor's daughter.  The training rates are cheaper but you'd have accomodation and travelling which would probably take up the difference. :(

Hi there, thank I much, I'm goin t contact the lady on the link as she lives near me, Ill ask her to train me up as I know that she does the breed cuts properly I don't think there's any way I could do the 20 day course without quitting my current job, I would actually love to walk out and not look back! I'm going to have a think about what I should do, mybe I should just save up book the course and leave my job and whilst  building my business up just do temping work, but if I could find someone good near me who would be willing to train me I think that would be a good option, there is a few parlours near me but I would research into it properly there is a basic 3 day course at scot groom which I could definately go on first, so least that's a start

I wish i had done this last year ive been thinking about it for ages but guess I've been too scared to start anything :-)

Thanks v much for your help with this and it would be most appreciated if you could show me your welcome Letter when I'm trained, it's nice to know there are supportive and kind people out there! I'm determined to do my best in this and put 110% effort in, I understand what you mean about doing the groom/cut properly, by clip do you mean using the shaver... I wondered if you are supposed to use the shaver at all? I've got so many questions rattling around my head at the moment!

I had a look at the place you trained at it looks excellent! It's a shame there isn't one like that near me! 

Hello. I know this is very old now but I was just wondering if you found something? I also live in Aberdeenshire and want to become a dog groomer and I can’t find anything near me. I found a training centre about a 4 hour drive from me but the course is Monday to Friday for 4 weeks so that’s impossible for me as I have a 3yr old and also work part time