The Course Contents

1: Supplies & Equipment

• What Supplies and Tools You Need
• Where to buy professional equipment
• Setting up grooming stations
• Setting up bathing stations
• Cleaning & Sharpening Scissors & Clippers
• Blade Maintenance
• Blade charts
• Clipper vac
• Grooming attire
• What to wear and why

DVD Film: How to lay out a parlour. What kit to use. Grooming attire.

2: Safety First

• Making your parlour a safe place to work
• Handling Animals Safely
• Disinfecting
• Table and Cage Sanitation
• Handling Fear and Cage Biters
• Which breeds bite the most
• Muzzles
• Dealing with Difficult Dogs
• Aggressive Dogs
• Dealing with Difficult Cats
• Making Bathing Safe
• First Aid for humans
• Fire Safety
• Keeping Animals Separate
• First aid for animals
• Bleeding nails
• Lacerations
• Clipper burns
• Cracked pads
• Shampoo in the eyes

DVD Film: First aid in action, treating humans and dogs. Dealing with aggressive dogs. Tethering dogs.

3: Bathing Dogs

• Bathing Dogs
• General bathing process
• Protecting eyes and ears
• Emptying anal glands
• Removing tear stains
• Safety measures
• Protecting Eyes and Ears
• Drying
• Types of dryers
• Cage drying
• Fluff drying
• Nail Clipping
• Dogs
• Cats
• Nail charts for dogs
• Nail grinding
• Nail filing
• Cleaning the Ears
• Cleaning teeth
• Fleas & Ticks
• Selecting Shampoos and Conditioners

DVD Film: How to bathe a dog. Drying a dog. How to clip nails.

4: Basic Dog Grooming

• Breed Types & Recognition
• Breed chart
• Breed Grooming Standards
• Combing & Brushing
• Coloring
• Grooming Old Dogs
• Grooming Sick Dogs
• Dealing with Matted Hair
• De-shedding
• Shaving Down a Dog
• Short Coated Breeds
• Simple requirements
• Quick Groom
• Mixed Breeds
• Making Bows

DVD Film: How to groom a dog. Dealing with matted hair.

5: Grooming double coated, corded and specific breeds

• Long Double Coated Breeds
• Short Double Coated Breeds
• Brushing Out
• Shaving Undercoat
• Grooming Corded breeds
• Breaking up cords
• Cocker spaniels
• Schnauzers
• Poodles
• Terriers

DVD Film: Dealing with undercoats and outer coats. How to groom a cocker spaniel, a poodle and a terrier.

6. Additional Clipping & Scissoring Techniques

• Feet
• Face
• Stomach
• Rectum and Privates
• Sanitary (Hygiene) Clip
• Mustaches
• Beards
• Scissoring
• Stripping

DVD Film: How to cut facial hair. How to cut around the rectum.

7. Skin and coat disorders

• Recognizing Conditions that Need Medical Attention
• Ears
• Skin conditions
• Anal sacs
• Parasites
• Allergies
• Ringworm
• Bacterial infections
• Lumps
• Hair loss
• Cat problems
• Obesity and overweight

DVD Film: Recognising symptoms and conditions in dogs. Dealing with obese and overweight dogs.

8. Setting Up Shop

• Working from Home
• Mobile Groomer
• Choosing a Shop

DVD Film: Store layout.

9. Setting up a Mobile Grooming Service - Part 1

• Advantages and drawbacks of a van-based service
• Van essentials
• Buying your van
• Becoming a franchisee
• Equipment and facilities you need
• Process of van-based grooming

10. Setting up a Mobile Grooming Service - Part 2

• Running the business
• Finance and insurance
• Marketing a mobile grooming business

11. Running the Business

• Setting Business Hours
• Time Management
• Drop offs and Pick-ups
• Hiring employees
• Management
• Tax Requirements
• Business forms and records
• Processing the work

DVD Film: Procedures and forms

12. Finance and legal

• Selecting a Business Type
• Insurance
• Bookkeeping
• Tax
• Self-Employment taxes
• Licensing Requirements (international)
• Borrowing to finance your business

13. Marketing

• Setting Your Pricing
• What is the going rate in your area?
• What does your competition charge?
• What should you charge extra for?
• Extensive de-shedding
• Giant breeds
• Building a clientele
• The initial enquiry
• Signage
• Promotional supplies

DVD Film: Marketing. Handling clients.