After working in an office for 6 years I have decided I would like to become a dog groomer, the thing is I cant find out to to train, and do not have a clue what qualifictaions I would need to get, how long is the course and how much would it cost.  I live in North Northumberland, I have contacted Northumberland college but the dont do a dog grooming course.

Any info greatly appriciated.

Sheli

You don't actually need any qualification to buy a pair of clippers and put an advert in your local paper, but those without any training don't last long!
Having run a busy parlour for 16 years, I would recommend that you train at a grooming school (do try to get a recommendation as with all things, the quality varies!) rather than a general college that runs a grooming course.  My experience is that they don't provide a good enough level of training.
My other recommendation would be to trim to the breed standards, rather than just clip a coat off for the owner/groomer's convenience.  There are already plenty of people doing that out there.  Most just don't have the knowledge and skill to do any different.
Go to general Championship dog shows and look at each of the common breeds.  See what they should look like, and then you can adapt that look for a practical pet trim.
Having had a colourful working life it is the only way that I found to make a good living working with animals.  And the job satisfaction of watching a well trimmed dog walk down the path, and then come back in 8 weeks well groomed (a very important part of the job is to teach the owner to groom properly!) is very rewarding.  Have fun and enjoy!

well said val

I keep meaning to ask you val, while I'm on this thread, how do you go about teaching the owners to groom properly?  My people skills aren't exactly brilliant and I come across as quite acerbic at times; but a lot of my customers' dogs usually come in very knotty.  Two that come to mind are a pair of wheaten terriers - they come in matted solid every time, and have to be shaved right off, but so far I have not managed to egt the owner to even attempt to groom them - she just says "they don't like it, they won't let me", never mind that the male is in such pain from knots underneath that he went for me last time he was in.

It's broaching the subject that troubles me - having lived with my brother for over 2 years who gets defensive or blanks me every time I mention walking his dog (he doesn't), I find it very difficult not to skip past calm and reasonable and go straight to having a go!!

I'm packing it in soon anyway - moving 300 odd miles away, and it's not something I want to continue doing - but I do want to see these two wheatens happy and hairy before I go!

Wheaten coats are difficult!  I used to work for a lady who bred them, before I started grooming, and she would only let me have a dematting comb and a metal comb - no other equipment!  But it taught me to use a dematting comb!
If you keep clipping them off then the owners will never learn.  Having clipped them off, I would show them the matts, including any clipped out between the pads, and ask them to imagine what it would be like to walk with pebbles in their shoes!  I would ask if they allowed their children to go to school without combing their hair?
I would insist that the dogs came back in 8 weeks, then groom them out.  When the owner came to collect them, I would show her the dogs standing on the table quietly (they will be by the time you have finished!) and show her how to use a slicker brush and a comb to check.  There will be no knots and the dog will be well behaved!  I would tell her that she needs to start grooming them the following day, before they develop knots.  The dogs only don't like grooming if they are constantly having knots pulled out!  If the owner starts to groom daily, as they become more skilled, they will be able to only groom for 15 minutes twice a week to keep their dog in good condition.
I would explain that grooming is an important part of caring for the dog, both from the hygiene point of view and to develop a good relationship between dog and owner.  An owner will know every part of their dog if they groom regularly and will spot any changes much sooner than an owners that doesn't groom.
I can count on one hand how many owners in 16 years have not preferred their dogs with well groomed coats and have not been prepared to learn how to groom their dogs when the importance has been explained.  Those few I have sent to the untrained 'sheep shearer' down the road, who is happy to do once a year clip offs!

Everything Val said!  Do try and look round any potential school though.  I started a month-long course at a school in Scotland (I won't name it in case that's not allowed, btu I don't think there are many up there!!), and ni the end I was only there for a week: the groomer training me and 4 other people (1 left by the end of that first week) was very brusque, certainly not a people person; she would readily criticise me but not praise correct work much.  I also remember a particular incident when she had a go at me for using blunt scissors (which she gave me), only to give me a better pair - which were also blunt.  I also had to be sure to ask what shampoo to use - she woudl jsut say "it can go in the bath now" with no further instruction, beyond 5 minutes on the first day on how the shower worked.

The parlour itself was unpleasant - a constant smell of pee, not helped by a very cramped, humid environment.  The dogs waiting for grooming were kept in small cages with no water, and you can imagine the noise.  Also, she was not nice to dogs that didn't behave - the one that sticks in my mind was a toy poodle.  Nasty little dog anyway, but I lsot my temper with it - shouldn't have, my bad, I know - and tapped it with a brush; she called me on that, fair enough.  But later in the grooming, she came over to it to show me something and when it started to struggle around and try and nip, she - literally - picked it up by the *neck* and shook it.  Not nice.

Okay, that got longer than it should have!  But, all I'm trying to say, is do check out any school thoroughly.  As it was, one of the other "trainees" was actually a professional groomer from my own county who wanted to see if there were any other techniques that could help improve her work; she left first, but not before giving me her card, and in the end she taught me to groom properly in a clean, airy parlour with very well-behaved dogs and a wonderful atmosphere, and friendly staff.  If only I'd known she existed, I'd have gone there in the first place!  Sadly she's miles from you or I'd recommend her!

Oh, one last thing - I consider impeccable patience to be the cornerstone of a good grooming business; chances are there will be some dogs that will take some time to get used to you and allow you to groom them without making too much protest.  Most are okay IME, but there the odd one or two.

Hi Nikita, would you mind PM me with the name of the grooming school, a lot of people ask me where they can get training to be a groomer and as you say there aren't many places up here and I would hate to think I was advising anyone to go to a place like you described, though I do make a point of saying to people that I've never seen the places and have no idea how good the training is.  I quite understand though if you don't want to say.

Hi Sheli,  Have you tried Kirkley Hall, the agricultural college?  Someone mentioned they were offering grooming courses as while back.  Houghall (Agric College in Durham) does them.  However, I do agree that a private course may be better.  I saw a brochure for a grooming course in Newcastle, but have no idea how good or not the salon is.  I know severla groomers (including a girl who worked for me) who trained in Scotland, at the grooming school connected to Technogroom/Northern Groomers, and know that Agnes and Bobby Murphy are knowledgable in their field.  Certainly Claire's training was excellent.
bye

Thank you everyone for you replies,  i have always wanted to work with animals, I wanted to work with horses firstly, but decided that there is not much money to be made, plus i have horses of my own to look after and if I were working with them and looking after my own, i think i probably would end up being sick of the sight of them lol.

I did not think about Kirkly hall,. I think i will give them a ring and see if they do a course, but in the mean time I will have a look elsewere, I have a car so distance would not be a problem.  I might also go around groomers in my area and see if they would give me some work experience, or advise me on were to train.

Thanks again
Sheli

Hi Shelli
I realise that you're not a school leaver, but my daughter learnt dog grooming on a YTS scheme.  She trained at a local shop and went one day a week to an acredited City & Guilds grooming parlour to get her qualification.  I would suggest you ask around at your local dog grooming parlours.  You could also try City & Guilds direct to see if they can point you in the right direction.