Frequently asked questions

Q. What is included in the Professional Dog Groomer Certificate Program?
A. The course tuition includes all required grooming equipment, Dog Grooming Guide, instruction, and a Certificate of Completion. Placement assistance upon successful completion of the entire course as well as continued access to instructors for telephone advice in the future.

 

Q. What is not included in the Professional Dog Groomer Certificate Program?
A. Tuition does not include meals, lodging, transportation, expenses related to the student’s dog(s) or any other items not specifically mentioned above.

 

Q. What hours do I need to make available to attend school?
A. Our 420-hour Professional Dog Groomer Certificate Program can be custom designed to your schedule. You can sign up for as little or as much training as you feel your schedule will allow, you can attend from 1 to 6 days a week – it just needs to be consistent from week-to-week.

 

Q. Is financing available?
A. Financial Assistance is not available from the School currently.

 

Q. Do you award grants or scholarships?
A. Clip Shoppe School of Dog Grooming does not award grants or scholarships.

 

Q. Do you honor grants, scholarships, or student loans?
A. We do honor grants and scholarships that our Students have been awarded from outside organizations. We will also assist our Students with obtaining Student loans.

 

Q. How long does it take to complete the Professional Dog Groomer Certificate Program?
A. The Professional Dog Groomer Certificate Program is structured to be completed in 12 weeks; however, the anticipated graduation date and program length can vary according to the Student’s schedule. A Student may enter the School at any time. The date of completion is determined by the date of entrance and the frequency of attendance. Full-time status is considered attendance of 5 or more days per week

 

Q. Do I need any previous experience with pets before I start learning how to groom?
A. NO! What you do need is appreciation, patience and respect for pets and their owners. You can’t be afraid of hard work or getting dirty!

 

Q. Are there jobs available?
A. YES! Probably the number one problem for all salon owners is finding qualified help. Pet grooming is recession proof and pandemic proof! There are so many avenues a new career seeker can look at when entering the field. Some of the areas where jobs are plentiful are in, home-based grooming salons, independent salons, boarding kennels, mobile grooming units, veterinarian clinics, pet superstores, pet daycare centers and grooming schools.

 

Q. How do I know what makes up a quality dog grooming program?
A. In the United States, vocational schools must be licensed by its state organization. This is for the protection and uniformity of the training program and how it impacts the student. Unfortunately, there is no mandatory licensing within our field for pet grooming; however, there are several voluntary things a program can do to ensure their offering the best education possible based on their personal experiences.

 

If you’re looking into a hands-on training center, make sure you thoroughly investigate the professionalism of the facility.

Facilities should be neat, clean and have up-to-date equipment including adjustable tables, raised tubs and high velocity dryers.

 

Here are the key items to look for when deciding on what educational route would be best:

 

1.  If the program being offered is advertising as ‘a school,’ it must comply with all the governing agencies regulating technical trade schools in the state where the facility is located.

2. Most quality hands-on programs are made up of between 400 and 650 clock hours. Some schools will have a little bit more while other schools might have a little bit less. Some schools might break their programs apart into smaller modules yet when they’re strung together, they make a complete program.

3.  Research the reputation experience of the training program and the staff. Look at the testimonials of recent graduates or better yet, speak with them in person. Go online to the numerous chat groups that are out there and ask about the school or program that you are looking into.

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There are some great training programs out there, but it will be up to you to find them and sometimes they’re not necessarily in your backyard. Bottom line - you want to look for the best program that works for your situation but always remember half of the responsibility falls onto your shoulders - no matter how wonderful the program is, we can’t inject information into you. You must work at it by being diligent in your studies and extremely focused on your long-term goals. Even if you opt for a very elementary training program - you can make the most of it by continuing your education well beyond what the elementary program taught you.

 

Q. How do I know your school is the best for me?
A. More than just grooming, we teach an all-inclusive approach to maximize the groomer's relationship with the dog and with the human client, unlike any education you'll find in another school. Our emphasis on both the art of grooming and an understanding of the canine client make our graduates uniquely qualified for a successful career. We stand behind our education, and are here to support our students, past, present, and future.