I NEED certification
- Thread starter olwebs
- Start date
-
- Tags
- dog grooming
@olwebs Negative. I went through petcos "academy" which was also a fucking joke.
It's actually worse if you try to give someone a certificate. It means nothing. They wanna see you groom. You'll do a test dog and if they like how you groom, you get the job. The piece of paper means nothing. Petco and psmart like to hang them up to make their clients think they're legit certified when in reality, there's no legal certification.
It's actually worse if you try to give someone a certificate. It means nothing. They wanna see you groom. You'll do a test dog and if they like how you groom, you get the job. The piece of paper means nothing. Petco and psmart like to hang them up to make their clients think they're legit certified when in reality, there's no legal certification.
@olwebs I’ve been at this about two years myself, but took the small shop route and I’m currently debating giving it one final go via corporate. I’m sorry, your experience has been so unpleasant. I hate to say it, but I have found this industry to be incredibly toxic and abusive as a whole and it’s unfortunate, because I am so damn passionate about this work.
Honestly, I would attempt to wait it out until January if I was in your shoes (based only on your post). I will say though that I’m shocked you’re putting so much weight on a “certification” at this stage in your career. Certified literally means nothing in an unregulated industry. I have a certificate from Penn Foster in grooming, I am AKC safe certified and Pet CPR and first aid certified and I’m still not hirable as a groomer and for good reason. I learned very quick to appreciate being an assistant and accept that there will always be something new to learn or something to improve. Even 2 years in I still regularly notice how much my skills are improving. This is such a hard job and to be the kind of groomer that I want to be there is a huge benefit to taking it slow and truly learning as much as you can. If you think you’re out of things to learn in your current position then it might not be in your best interest to groom yet.
With that said, Penn Foster was a joke and a waste of money. Just buy Notes from the Grooming Table , it’s the same thing and practically copied word for word. Can’t speak for ABC program or Paragon though.
My biggest issue with still being an assistant is the crap pay. At some point I need the opportunity to earn an actual living. Instead I’m still working for minimum wage pouring my heart and soul into working, literally busting my ass barely making enough money to pay for childcare let alone all of my equipment and tools that coworkers are constantly using and breaking. I’m frustrated by the toxic and abusive work environments and poor pay, not the fact that I’m still an assistant after two years (4 salons total, 11 months at my current salon). Sorry, it’s been a rough couple of weeks here and a day to put those weeks to shame
.
Honestly, I would attempt to wait it out until January if I was in your shoes (based only on your post). I will say though that I’m shocked you’re putting so much weight on a “certification” at this stage in your career. Certified literally means nothing in an unregulated industry. I have a certificate from Penn Foster in grooming, I am AKC safe certified and Pet CPR and first aid certified and I’m still not hirable as a groomer and for good reason. I learned very quick to appreciate being an assistant and accept that there will always be something new to learn or something to improve. Even 2 years in I still regularly notice how much my skills are improving. This is such a hard job and to be the kind of groomer that I want to be there is a huge benefit to taking it slow and truly learning as much as you can. If you think you’re out of things to learn in your current position then it might not be in your best interest to groom yet.
With that said, Penn Foster was a joke and a waste of money. Just buy Notes from the Grooming Table , it’s the same thing and practically copied word for word. Can’t speak for ABC program or Paragon though.
My biggest issue with still being an assistant is the crap pay. At some point I need the opportunity to earn an actual living. Instead I’m still working for minimum wage pouring my heart and soul into working, literally busting my ass barely making enough money to pay for childcare let alone all of my equipment and tools that coworkers are constantly using and breaking. I’m frustrated by the toxic and abusive work environments and poor pay, not the fact that I’m still an assistant after two years (4 salons total, 11 months at my current salon). Sorry, it’s been a rough couple of weeks here and a day to put those weeks to shame
.@billyyank oh no absolutely I agree with everything you said. I know I can learn more without a doubt, I'm just ready personally to be allowed and able to do more. I can't comprehend how im allowed to hold sharp tools on a dog and actively cut, but not run clippers down their bodies. know I have what it takes to groom, I love my job and I'm just ready to do what I got into this field to do and it's so disappointing being told "we'll send you for training this specific month" and then that month comes and I get told "oh just a few more months" like guys I need a house, I have a time limit to get my dog back from my mom and i need a house to do that. and I know if I can start doing more expensive services such as grooms I can make more money. I'm glad I chose this job but damn is it disheartening sometimes. I make okay money in my current position but I can make more if I were allowed to
@olwebs Can I ask what corp you’re working for? Sorry, I feel like a bitter negative Nancy today. I literally watched my boss break one of my combs, turn her back to me and attempt to put it back together and then put it away all without saying a word. Huge shocker, because no one ever puts my tools away when they use them.
I feel like at this point I’ve just been back against the same damn wall as you. I don’t understand how all these salons cry for help, groomers cry about being pushed around and under appreciated and don’t get enough credit.
Can I ask how many dogs a day you’re doing as well? I’m seriously considering going corp or giving up. I can’t keep making crap money either.
I feel like at this point I’ve just been back against the same damn wall as you. I don’t understand how all these salons cry for help, groomers cry about being pushed around and under appreciated and don’t get enough credit.
Can I ask how many dogs a day you’re doing as well? I’m seriously considering going corp or giving up. I can’t keep making crap money either.
@billyyank I'm currently at a small one only in VA and NC called nature's emporium. I've definitely liked it over petsmart in terms work environment and customers but larger company does provide good space and better quality tools (not grooming tools, just stuff like dryers and kennels I do prefer our larger tubs but that's about it plus they're better about fixing broken tools such as again dryers). the first petsmart I worked at was pretty good though, only downfall is they will expect you to be a dog grooming machine, get ready to do at least 6 dogs if not more (usually more) a day, even saw it done to newer people. I unfortunately lack kennel space to stack dogs like that in my new salon though, here I usually do about 5-6 dogs at most but usually only manage to get 4 scheduled (would love to do more, but they don't line up properly to do more in one day). at petmsart I regularly did 6-8 dogs
smithleigh
New member
@olwebs Step out on your own. Take the leap. You can figure out how to groom any type of dog you need to by many resources. You can let your clients know you are still new and fresh. Many clients really wont care as long as their dog is humanly taken care of and decently groomed. The more dogs you handle the more you will improve and it wont take long. I specialize in poodles and poodle mixes.