Groomer Education & Lessons

Greetings, Fellow Groomers!

Before directing you to my educational offerings, let me encourage every professional pet groomer to attend the trade shows and seminars of our industry. The trade show experience is a total package that cannot be duplicated: a chance to get away for a few days (vacation value), meet other groomers (networking/support value), see products presented by knowledgeable company reps (product education and SHOPPING value), and attend fabulous seminars (educational value). A trip to a show is totally WORTH IT! Go, okay?

Private lessons at the salon

Private lessons are available for professionals and pet owners who wish to groom their own. Topics include:

• Better Bichons
• More Style for Terriers
• Customizing a mixed-breed style
• The Miniature Schnauzer, examined
• Techniques of Hand Stripping

Fees range from $60–$100 per session. Topics such as Cat Grooming, Customer Relations, Groomer Survival, Chemistry for Groomers and Home Grooming are covered in my seminar programs.

From the seminar catalog

Barbara has written and given seminars for pet groomers in the U.S. as well as the U.K. — several pieces of that teaching are preserved on this site in the BBird articles: shampoo chemistry myths, scissoring technique, fluff drying, dematting, shear selection and care, grooming efficiency and home grooming.

A note from the 2002 archives

When this site was first published, the salon calendar listed events such as the All American Grooming Show in Chicago, the U.S. Pet Pro Classic in Dallas, CanGroom West in British Columbia and Groom Expo in Hershey, PA — and Barbara was pioneering email-based classes with her “Chemistry for Groomers — Going Beyond Suds & Scent” course. Two decades later the advice still holds: get out there, take a class, meet your peers. Your grooming career grows in rooms full of other groomers.

Hairily yours,
BBird