Course Catalog

Handling: The Spicy Client

Stephanie Wasser

What We’ll Cover

This fast-paced, hands-on seminar dives into real-world handling skills for dogs that bring the spice to the grooming table.

Breed Knowledge & Group Characteristics
How inherited traits influence behavior and reactions — and why these characteristics have been intentionally preserved in many pedigrees.
Understanding Canine Bias & Communication
Reviewing studies on “doggy to doggy bias” and learning to recognize basic animal communication cues to reduce stress and improve outcomes.
A Little Pseudo-Fun: Eastern Practices on the Table
Exploring using the dog’s anatomy to keep control. Add in pressure point work, energy flow, and qi concepts as a framework creating a more harmonious handling and table manipulation during grooming sessions. Continuous positive rewarding will build improvement over time.
Business Matters
Pricing your worth, staying on schedule are key. There’s a practical guide to explaining boundaries and timelines to clients.
Safety Gear Overview
A quick look at essential tools including belly bands, muzzles, Groomer’s Helper systems, and e-collars — when and how to use them responsibly.

Live Demonstration

After 30 minutes of PowerPoint-fueled lecturing, we move into a live demo.

What breeds on the table? We don’t know yet — and that’s part of the excitement. Follow social media for updates!

Recognize energy shifts
Identify triggers
Adjust handling to this individual dog
Safely and effectively complete challenging areas such as eye debris, ears, forelegs, and nails — on almost any dog

Q&A Welcome

Individual questions are encouraged. Let’s build better, safer, more confident dog-handling practices together.

Put a Pattern on a Poodle

Anne Francis

Live Grooming Seminar with Anne Francis

Ready to poodle up your poodle? Inspired by the legendary Shirlee Kalstone—whose book showcases countless creative patterns—Anne took the plunge and styled her own poodle in a nostalgic, old-school clip. The response from clients? Rave reviews!

Now, she’s bringing that same magic to you.

Join Anne for a hands-on demo dog seminar where you’ll learn:

How and where to set lines for classic and creative poodle trims
Techniques for applying eye-catching patterns
Pet-friendly modifications to bring style and practicality back to your grooming table

Perfect for groomers looking to expand their skill set and wow their clients with fresh takes on traditional styles.

Let’s make your next poodle cut a conversation starter!

Groomsday Preppers: Bather Brusher Course

Donovan Gallagher

Educational Demonstation with Donovan Gallagher

Every good groomer out there will tell you that the Bath, Brush, and Prep Work are the MOST important part to every dog that comes into the salon. Learn how to handle the different types of coat you will be encounter as a bather, the best way to approach the bath of every dog, and how to make sure every puppy that enters your salon will finish their bath and brush looking their absolute best or “competition ready”. Those looking to enter the grooming world, bathers/assistants who want to elevate their knowledge, or even groomers who want a more hands on role will appreciate and learn all the tips and tricks needed to take their prep work- and by proxy their grooming skills- to the next level.

Grooming the Double-Coat

Jennifer Bishop Jenkins -- MA, ICMG, PGC

The Double Coat is the natural coat of the entire biological Canid Family and is the dominant coat type

of most of the world's estimated 900 million dogs. It is the most common coat type groomers will likely

encounter. Yet it is widely misunderstood, and there is not even agreement as to the correct use of the

term "double coat" among groomers. Understanding genetics, dermatology, and the proper grooming of

this most important of all coat types is critical for all in the pet industry. This visually compelling seminar

will make it clear exactly what a double coat is (and what it is not!), how it works and does not work, the

needs of the skin and coat, how the grooming rules change depending on the length of the double coat,

and much more!

Canine Skin and Coat Anatomy

Jennifer Bishop Jenkins -- MA, ICMG, PGC

We pet groomers are essentially “topical dermatologists” that care for the skin and coat of the amazing

dog species, uniquely co-evolved with us humans in a special relationship that has defined us both and

that has shaped the world in which we live. The skin is the largest and most important organ in any

mammal’s body. Groomers have an obligation to care for the skin as well as the coat in the grooming

process. This class will feature vital information about hair follicles, arrector pili muscles, apocrine

glands, cycles of growth of hairs, the layers of the skin, and much more. We will learn the three

dermatological categories of dog skin and coat defined in veterinary medical textbooks. How do we

know what kind of skin a dog has, and what products and techniques are appropriate for each? We will

discuss some of the common myths and misconceptions about bathing, conditioning, and grooming dog

skin and coat. Attendees will take away practical understanding of canine skin and coat with useful

visuals and approaches that will greatly enhance not only your groom, but your discussions with clients.

You will be able to truly send the dog home happier and healthier!

Understanding Structure and Breed Standards

Jennifer Bishop Jenkins -- MA, ICMG, PGC

Understanding and interpreting canine structure is vital for groomers to be able to make styling

decisions that will best display, correct or enhance the dog's appearance. This workshop will help the

pet groomer to understand canine structure, in its many diverse forms, by learning skeletal, muscular,

and regional anatomy. The more we know about their structure, the better we can make artistic decisions about grooming them to look their best. But how do we know if their structure is “correct” or ideal? How can grooming improve a dog’s structural appearance? In recognized breeds there are written breed standards. This class will teach you how to access, read, and apply breed standards in dog grooming. How can the average groomer learn and interpret so many breed standards?

It can be surprisingly easy, once explained and visualized. While the dog is the most physically diverse

single species of mammal on Earth, there are many common themes. How do we do "corrective

grooming"? How can we evaluate and enhance the structure of mixed breed dogs? Join us for a deep

dive into dog structure and standards that will take your grooming to a whole new level.

Future Proof Your Salon

Donovan Gallagher

Educational Demonstation with Donovan Gallagher

Computers and tech are all around us-in our phones, our cars. and our homes-and no matter how you fight it, the grooming industry is incorporating them at a rapid pace. Our pet parents desire convenient and instant access to our businesses. Messaging and "pay ahead" features are in high demand, social media is more important than ever, and the younger generation craves online booking over calling in for appointments. Learn how to simplify the transition from pen and paper to modern salon management and how it can change your life for the better.

From Groomer to Business Owner: What No One Teaches You

Ashleigh Lopez

Running a grooming business takes much more than being great with dogs. Many groomers start their own business out of passion, only to find themselves overwhelmed by staffing issues, client communication, scheduling, pricing, and paperwork. This class will help bridge the gap between grooming skills and business success.

Taught by a husband-and-wife team who combine hands-on grooming and operations with strong financial and administrative expertise, this session breaks down the two sides of grooming business ownership that most people are never taught. We’ll cover the real-world shift from groomer to business owner—how to set clear policies, manage clients and employees, create sustainable workflows, understand your numbers, price correctly, and avoid common mistakes that lead to burnout.

Whether you’re a new owner, mobile fleet, or seasoned groomer looking for stability and clarity, you’ll walk away with practical tools and mindset shifts to help you build a business that’s organized, profitable, and supportive of the life you want.

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