JKL Dog Grooming Course
Practicum Hands-On Requirements
Practicum Requirements - Diploma 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. Since our focus is on coat type, no
purebred dogs are required, mixed breeds can
be used for all practice grooms.
How is the
Practicum Done:
Students provide
photos / videos of specific grooms outlined
in Practicum Requirements and
feedback/support is given by email from a
JKL Professional Grooming Instructor.
Tools
Required to Complete Practicum:
Pin Brush
Soft Slicker Brush
Rubber
Curry also known as Shampoo Brush
Carding
Tool
De-matting Tool
Dog Rake
Combination Comb
Nail Clippers
Nail
Scissors
Hemostats - Locking
Straight
Shear
Curved Shear
Thinning Shears
Professional Animal Clipper
Blades - #3 3/4, #4F, #5F, #7F, #10,
#15, #30
8 Clipper Comb Attachments
A Tool Kit can be purchased at course
sign-up
You can find similar tools on Amazon should you decide to purchase only a few tools at a time. Be sure to read the reviews on each tool, then carefully select.
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.
How to Find Dogs to Groom:
If
you are concerned about being able to find
the dogs to groom for your practicum, a
list of where many of our students have
found dogs for their practicum are below:
You can use your own dogs, dogs of
relatives, dogs of friends, your local
animal shelters, rescue groups, community
bulletin boards, facebook groups, local
social media groups, dog parks.
For Students Looking to be Employed at a
Salon:
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.
For Students
Looking to Start Their Own Shop:
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!
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.