Practicum Requirements - Dog Grooming Course
Below are the hands-on requirements for the JKL Diploma
Course. There are no specific 'required hours' for the
practicum as students generally progress at their own,
individual rate. Some are able to complete portions of
the practicum on their first try, while others might
feel more comfortable submitting work from a subsequent
try.
The early
assignments offer the student an opportunity to get used
to the entire process prior to embarking on more complex
grooms.
If you are setting up your own shop, you can
obtain this experience through your first customers,
while at the same time, developing a very loyal
clientele. They will appreciate all your early efforts,
your honesty with them, and your progression to a
caring, humane professional. They will always remember
they "knew you when"! To many consumers, being able to
tell others they have been with you from the very
beginning of your career is an important factor. They
will often be the biggest promoters of your business!
If beginning your business is not a viable
option at this time, work on your own pets, the pets of
your friends or relatives, or if that is not possible,
contact your local animal shelter or rescue group. Many
unwanted or uncared for animals are in great need of
grooming, and it has been my experience that the
majority of shelter operators are happy to oblige in
such a mutually beneficial situation.
If your community does not have an animal shelter, often
a notice on the public bulletin boards in your community
will bring you all the practice pets you will require to
become proficient in professional grooming.
lf
you plan on seeking salon employment, large corporate
salons often hire JKL groomers in training, so you can
actually train while on the job. Some smaller salons
will do the same, depending on their current needs.
The practicum subjects required are as
follows:
- Smooth Coat
- Short Coat
- Double Coat
- Dropcoat
- Harsh Coat
- Curly Coat
- Teddy Bear Trim
- Cat (optional)
- You and Your Groom
Spot Grooming Photo
Before & After requirements:
(any
coated breed)
- a clipped poodle foot: topside, underside
- a trimmed hock and a catlike foot
- a scissor rounded foot
- trimmed or clipped footpads
- a trimmed tail showing efforts with thinners or
shears
- a clipped undercarriage
- a plucked and cleansed ear
- examples of correct use of shears and thinners
- double coat removal utilizing a dog rake
- dematting showing correct use of a dematting tool
- a photo of you and any finished subject
- photos or videos of you
actually performing
a start to finish groom. (this will require an assistant
to take the photos or videos in sequence)
- pre bath procedures: dematting, brushing, combing,
coat removal with clippers and/or shears
- bath procedures: wetting, lathering, rinsing, towel
drying
- finish procedures: blow drying, finishing brushing
or combing with pin brush, wire slicker combo comb,
scissor and clipper finishing.
Extra Credits:
Photo or video submissions of additional grooms,
procedures, additional tools or equipment used (clipper
vacuums, slings or positioning systems, muzzles or other
restraints, etc.), will help you achieve a higher grade
average, so do not hesitate to submit them all!
A grading consideration is the degree of difficulty of a
particular groom, i.e. a short-coated dog will score
lower than a long-coated dog. A short-coated cat will
score lower than a long-coated cat; Do not hesitate to
submit these photos, just be sure to balance them with
photos of more complex grooms, as well.
Remember
to keep a photo record of your earliest grooms. This
will allow you to see your progress with each completed
groom, and allow you to correct any faults you spot. The
more you practice, the better you will get!
The
best of these photos can also serve as your grooming
portfolio - something you can show to potential clients
when discussing trims, coat lengths, styles, etc.