Hi

If any of you have done this course I wonder if you could tell me what you did on it, was it just brushing, combing, bathing and drying or did it include the complete pet groom using clippers and scissors as necessary. My friend and I were due to start this course in september but she is dropping out because she believes it will be a year of just bathing and drying dogs ...

any experiences you care to share would be very welcome,

thanks

Maxine

Have you not had a prospectus?  They describe it in some detail here, if I have got the right one.

You will need to check with individual college just what they are covering because if you have a look at the handbook on the City and Guilds site the core subjects are just bathing and preparing.

thanks Isabel - that site does seem to suggest that.  I'm hoping that you get to do the whole groom but the pass/fail of the leve 2 is based on bathing/preparing etc  I cant imagine if the parlour is run as a commercial grooming salong that the dogs that come only get bathed and brushed.   I shall try to contact them today,

thanks

Maxine

I did a 2 year course, though it started out as a 3 year course. The first year we brushed, bathed and dried dogs like Golden retrievers, Rough collies and Malamutes, dogs which only need minimal tidying and trimming, no real styling. The 2nd year we started styling Westies, cockers, Shih Tzus etc. I believe the 3rd year would have included more difficult breeds like schnauzers, poodles, bichons, bedlingtons, but they had to try to squash the 2 years together so it was all a bit of a mess really.

Thanks Lucy and Isabel,

I got through to the college yesterday - we will be doing basic styling - including trimming, clipping, stripping, facial, thinning and blending - but just general basic not the proper styling like poodles/pom poms/show cuts.  The exam however is only based on the prepaparation bathing etc  - so I'm happy.

My only problem is that to do the level 3 where you do the advanced/show cuts you have to have a two day placement - but I shall try to deal with that when the situation arises.

 

Where will you be training? I'm starting the same course at Shuttleworth in September. It's quite scary going back to college aged 44!

Good luck!
Karen

hello there.
ive just passed this course.
i did bathing drying styling and everything you can possibly imagine in only 15 weeks.
the thing is it doesnt matter what you do on this course the exam is only on safety in the working environment and bathing and drying.
with the nvq level two the course i done was misleading i thought,the certificate qualifys you in bathing and drying and NOT styling.
level three is about styling and more in depth about parasites.unfortunatly ive been told i have to have two years experience in dog grooming to apply for level three.annoyed i was.
this is at hadlow college in kent.
all colleges are different though.

Pedlee - Hi I will be training at Shuttleworths sister college which is Writtle Animal Care College in Chelmsford.  My daughter is intending to start at Shuttleworth college in September 2009 to do the BTEC Outdoor Sports course - so I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about the college in general - and obviously the dog grooming course.

Tamara - What a shame to say you have to have two years dog grooming experience - writtle college say you have to have a two day a week placement to get on to level three and certainly people that have qualified in level 2 this year are moving straight on to level 3...

Are you both looking to start up on your own or do you both want to work in parlours

i would like to start up my own business eventually
i have applied for writtle im waiting a reply.the only thing is i cannot for love nor money get a placement in any salon i have tried.no one in my area has a place.

I found that when I was asking around for a voluntary placement - but I have got one now in the East End - nobody local would give me the time of day.  Are you looking for voluntary or paid?  I tried a place in kent - I cant remember the name for the minute - but it was a grooming parlour/training centre inside a garden centre - they were interested on a voluntary basis but they were just too far away from me.  Maybe try outside of your local area and you might be lucky....

Hi Maxine

I am hoping to run a very small scale business from home, alongside my "proper" job, which, to be honest, I'm getting a bit fed up with. I just wanted to get some hands-on experience with different breeds and understand all the health and safety side of things and learn how to do things properly. I already groom some friends dogs, and have 6 of my own, so am not a total novice, but you can never have too much knowledge me thinks!

Hi Pedlee

Looks like you feel the same way I do and have the same sort of plans (must be in the age - you 44 me 43) - we can compare experiences as we both start in september,

good luck with it all