Some influential groups are lobbying in many state capitals for licensing of dog groomers.  Not all states require licensing.   If these groups are successful, it will no longer be possible for individuals to learn grooming from a book and then open up a business. They would first be required to pass a written test administered by the state.

There has been considerable dissatisfaction and uneasiness within the ranks of professional dog groomers for the past few years. This is due in part to the growing number of self-styled, self-taught groomers.

There also appears to be a growing number of “grooming schools”. Established professional groomers are unanimous in their assertion that many grooming schools are not adequately staffed, nor do they provide adequate curriculum to turn out fully qualified, competent, dog groomers.   In many cases, it is argued that these schools are not state-approved and in business solely to make money from unsuspecting students.

Representatives of grooming schools counter with the claim of “professional jealousy”, and add that established groomers are finally feeling the pinch of competition, and that eventually such competition will force grooming prices down.  This is due to the cut-rate fees charged for grooming at schools. The work is done by students and the prices are not in alignment with the professional rates.

Garage Groomers

Another faction infiltrating the industry are the “garage groomers”. These are people who cannot afford to pay rent for a grooming parlor. They set up business in their home as a hobby, charging a fraction of what their professional counterparts would charge, and are not trained in the proper handling of an animal with emphasis on the welfare of the pet.  Without the need to pay employees or rent, and in many cases the IRS, the garage groomer can cut his or her prices considerably.

Regardless of what motivates the various factions to make the accusations they do, one fact has surfaced which warrants the attention of the public: There are many unscrupulous, unqualified; inept and incompetent dog groomers in the industry. The real issue might be dog abuse through ignorance and lack of proper training, as opposed to just a bad haircut.

Legal sources say that there is no recourse to the dog owner in cases of animal abuse at the hands of a self-appointed groomer who may harm your dog due to a number of factors such as drunkenness or ignorance.  If licensing was required there would be protection for the dog owner and dog.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm and is filed under Dog Training & Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.