im interested in starting up my own grooming salon and have small prev experience in this field.  after searching for somewhere to train, i have come across many 'acadamies & colleges'; but can any one suggest the most repuitable.  reading past messages on here, i want to be an excellent groomer for each breed, not just one who 'clipps everything coming thru the doors'! please help!!

I can only recommend that one that I trained at nearly 20 years ago and that is The Oxford School at Charney Kennels.  The first part of their course is to clip (it's the quickest way to teach the basic skills in a relatively short space of time) and then progress to breed standard trimming.  I'm sure that there are other good ones around.

My experience is that general colleges (I have seen/spoken to students of 5) who run a grooming course, don't teach adequate skills to be a groomer.  I hope that my experience isn't typical but the way they are set up.............

My advice would be to do a good basic course and then spend time with exhibitors at Champ Shows after they've been in the ring, and ask about how they prepare their dogs.  Then see how you can almagamate both types of trimming to give a good, quality pet trim.  For example a Westie exhibitor will spend many hours preparing their dog.  In the parlour you will have 2 at the most!  But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't have a quick strip out of the dead coat before you finish with thinners or a snap-on comb, rather than just fire the lot off with a #5!;)

Good luck.  It's the most rewarding career that I found! :)