Grooming confidence, with heart
Charge what your grooms are worth, handle difficult dogs and owners calmly, and run a business that doesn’t burn you out. Short lessons from a working salon, for every groomer.
Opening to the waiting list first. Open to every groomer, wherever you trained.
Top three groomers in Hampshire, England’s Business Awards 2023
Learn from a salon that grooms every day
- A working salon
- Everything is filmed and tested at the Upper Hound salon in Fleet, Hampshire, on real dogs and real clients.
- Groomer trainers
- The same team teaches the Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming, through AIM Qualifications, with over 30 years of grooming experience between them.
- Award-recognised
- Named one of the top three dog groomers in Hampshire at England’s Business Awards 2023.
Filmed on the table, not in a studio
Watch Inside the SalonReal dogs, real grooms, at the Upper Hound salon in Fleet.
Scissoring a leg Nail clipping A tear-stain facial Brushing out
Which groomer are you?
Just qualified You can groom, but pricing, policies and difficult owners feel like guesswork.
Plan your own business
A few years in You’re busy, tired, and quietly undercharging. Something has to give.
Fix your prices and policiesThinking of training You love dogs and want to know if grooming is really the job for you, and how to train properly.
Start before you train
Running a salon You want your team handling tricky dogs and tricky owners the way you would.
Confidence & Situations
Take a free course
Everything below is free, for everyone on the waiting list. No card, no catch.
Starting a UK Dog Grooming Business
Free · 15 lessons · 26 min
Choose between home, mobile and high-street, name your business, and write a business plan section by section.
Start free
Inside the Salon: Calm, Happy Grooming
Free · 17 lessons · 24 min
Short clips from the Upper Hound salon: bathing, brushing, drying, feet, nails and ears, filmed on real dogs.
Start free
Before You Train: Is Grooming Right for You?
Free · 5 lessons · 11 min
What groomers really do, why hands-on training matters, and how to choose the right course.
Start free
The Hound Table
Free · 1 lesson · 25 min
Upper Hound’s podcast: real talk from the grooming table.
Start free
Taught by groomers who still groom
Kate, Lauren and Faye
The team who run the Upper Hound salon and teach the Level 3 Diploma, with over 30 years of grooming between them.
“Building a business that makes a positive impact on dogs and the community is my driving force. I adore grooming, and it’s a privilege to see new groomers flourish in the industry.”
From groomers who trained with us
All student stories1 of 6 · from the student stories
“It wasn’t just grooming. It’s been everything… all the tools I need to run this as a functioning business at home.”
Carina
From retail to running her own salon
2 of 6 · from the student stories
“When I did my first dog completely by myself – head, body, everything, that was it. It all just slotted into place.”
Sammie
From vet nurse to mobile groomer
3 of 6 · from the student stories
“When I groomed my 18th dog, Rodney the hound, I felt really time-efficient and confident, and it gave me confidence for my future grooms.”
Cassie
Planning one-to-one work with anxious dogs
4 of 6 · from the student stories
“I’m a practical learner, so having the hands-on days really helped me.”
Lily
Now grooming from her own garden salon
5 of 6 · from the student stories
“Finishing today, I’m very proud of me because at the beginning I thought it might be too much, but I managed.”
Ingrid
Launching a mobile grooming business
6 of 6 · from the student stories
“There’ve been lots of times I’ve finished a job and thought, yeah, that’s a really nice groom.”
Vicky
From nine years in a school to her own home setup
Carina, Upper Hound graduateSammie, Upper Hound graduateCassie, Upper Hound graduateLily, Upper Hound graduateIngrid, Upper Hound graduateVicky, Upper Hound graduateNever be the only groomer in the room
Grooming can be lonely. Membership gives you a room full of groomers who get it, a live Q&A with the Upper Hound team every month, and someone to ask before the tricky groom, not after.
Every course and template in the members’ library- A live Q&A every month, with every replay
- A friendly community, looked after by the team
- Member discount on single courses
- Join the waiting list
Questions groomers ask
Do I have to have trained at Upper Hound?
No. The academy is open to every dog groomer, wherever you trained, and whether you work from home, a van or a salon.
Can I learn to groom from scratch here?
No, and we’d be wary of anywhere that says you can. Grooming is hands-on: you need to practise on real dogs with an experienced groomer beside you. The academy is for groomers who already groom, and for anyone deciding whether to train. To learn from scratch, start with our taster session or Level 3 Diploma, in person in Fleet.
Is the advice for UK groomers?
Yes. Prices, policies and the law around deposits and cancellations are all from a UK salon’s point of view.
How long are the lessons?
Most are 5 to 15 minutes, so you can watch one between dogs. Every course works on a phone.
Want to train as a groomer?
Our Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming is taught in person at the Upper Hound salon in Fleet. Diploma students get their home study here, and membership included while they train.
See the Level 3 Diploma