Two ways to start: a half-day taster to see if grooming is for you, or the Level 3 Diploma to qualify. Both at our training room in Fleet, Hampshire.
Our training runs from half-day tasters to the Level 3 Diploma, taught to the same standards as our busy salon. Beginner or already grooming, you’ll learn hands-on with real dogs: styling, first aid, customer service and the business side of grooming.
Learn it properly from day oneNo grooming experience neededWeekdays that fit round your lifeEasy to reach in Fleet, HampshireAvoid the mistakes self-taught groomers makeTry it for half a day, or qualify in forty.
For anyone thinking about grooming
£140Paid in advance
Thinking about grooming as a career, starting your own business or joining a team? Spend half a day behind the scenes and find out if it’s for you.
For beginners and working groomers
£6,100Or pay a 20% deposit, then spread the rest over 30 days to 4 months.
Forty days of hands-on grooming across real breeds and coats, the business know-how to set up on your own, and a recognised qualification.
Trusted by industry associations and professional bodies
When you finish your Level 3 Diploma with us, we want you to leave with more than a certificate.
So every diploma student receives our Business Starter Package: practical guidance, resources and information to bridge the gap between finishing your training and stepping confidently into the industry.
Professional insuranceBooking and salon-management systemsPricing and service costsEssential salon policiesClient forms and record keepingCustomer serviceMarketing and social mediaBusiness administrationFinancial organisationHR and people managementProductivity and time managementThe everyday running of a grooming businessIt won’t turn you into an accountant, an HR specialist or a marketing expert. It makes sure you know these areas exist, why they matter and, most importantly, where to begin.
Thinking of starting your own dog grooming business? Our free course walks you through every step, from choosing your setup to writing a business plan, with the full guide to download.
Start the free courseStart with a half-day taster if you’re not sure yet, or go straight to the Level 3 Diploma. Beginners and working groomers looking for a qualification are both welcome. Send us an enquiry and we’ll help you choose.
The Level 3 Diploma is 40 practical days, taken 1 to 4 weekdays at a time, plus home study. The taster is half a day.
Not properly, and we’d be wary of anyone who says you can. Grooming is hands-on, so you train in person at our training room. Our online library adds the theory, the business side and confidence alongside it. If you’re already an experienced groomer working with your own dogs in a salon or home set-up, ask us about our fast-track Level 3: most of the practical work happens at your own location.
Not by law today, though that’s likely to change. A professional qualification like the Level 3 Diploma builds your confidence and credibility, which helps win clients.
We think so. Training gives you the foundations to start your own business or join an established salon, and skilled groomers are in demand across the UK. Grooming has its challenges, difficult breeds, high hygiene standards, welfare and first aid, and the training prepares you for all of them.
It varies a lot with location, experience and whether you work in a salon or for yourself. Ask other groomers for current figures, and we cover the business side on the diploma.
Yes. Our training covers the business side, from setting up at home (space, equipment, insurance and local rules) to pricing and finding clients. Our free online course, Starting a UK Dog Grooming Business, is a good place to start.
Practice. The more breeds and styles you groom, the quicker you get, and the training gives you the foundations to build speed safely.
Yes. After a 20% deposit you can pay the rest over 30 days to 4 months.
Still have questions? Get in touch
A modern training room in the Hampshire countryside, next door to our working salon in Fleet. Our instructors teach the way they groom, and training fits around what you want next: a career change, a business of your own, or a qualification for the skills you already have.
Five students, five starting points, in their own words. Pick the one closest to yours.
Lois
From dog walking to grooming
“I feel confident to go out and do what I need to do now.”
Ten years as a self-employed dog walker in Andover. “I just got a bit sick of the bad weather in the winters and wanted something a bit more comfortable.”
An in-depth first phone call gave her the confidence to commit. “I just wanted to make sure if I was committing that the course would give me what I needed to set up.”
She started with fewer days and built up to three a week as her confidence grew. “It’s really nice, big and open… some places can feel crammed but here it flows nicely.”
Ears. “At first, I started cutting them too short, but then I learned from that mistake. I feel proud of my ears because that was tricky to fix and now I feel confident with them.”
Building her client base from a table in a friend’s salon, where she’s already grooming.
Jodie
From Tesco manager to groomer
“I remember picking up scissors and thinking I’d never get the hang of it, and now I just do it without thinking.”
Six or seven years as a Tesco manager. “I’ve always grown up around dogs… I just always knew I wanted to work with animals.”
She visited other training centres first. “It felt really personal and welcoming here. You can tell that you actually care about the dogs, the students, and the course.”
Three days a week, with time to work afterwards. “It’s a good amount of time. You don’t feel rushed, but you’ve got time to digest what you’re learning.”
“Probably being able to groom a dog from start to finish on my own. At the start, I thought I’d never get there.”
She’s grooming from home now, planning a space in the garden or somewhere to rent, and already talking to a local café about working together.
Elvene
From aerospace sales to grooming
“I wanted to restart fresh and finally pursue something I had loved since I was little, working with animals.”
Five years in aerospace sales. It was stable and professional, but after maternity leave she began thinking differently about her future.
With a toddler at home, she needed training she could shape around family life. Choosing the days that suited her made it manageable.
She found she loved scissoring, especially Schnauzers and a Pomeranian called Sandy. “It felt stylish and rewarding. I’m actually quite proud of myself for sticking with it.”
Making her own decisions during a groom. “The moment I started working more independently, I felt so proud of my progress.”
Finishing her theory work and setting up a home grooming business that fits around her family.
Lily
From nursing to grooming
“I’d rather spend my days with dogs than nursing.”
Studying nursing at university, until she realised it wasn’t the right path for her.
“I’m a practical learner, so having the hands-on days really helped me.” No very early starts or long days made it balanced.
“Working with other students was actually really nice because we’re all at different stages. I can look back now and think, oh my god I’ve come a long way.”
Grooming Tia, later in the course. “I did it almost completely independently and even tweaked things myself.”
Her own salon in the garden at home, with a couple of bookings already and more dogs as her confidence grows.
Vicky
Finally following her dream
“I’ve always wanted to do dog grooming. I just decided it was time.”
Nine years working in a school, doing baking, with grooming always in the back of her mind.
The schedule fitted around the school run. “It really works for managing life around your dreams.”
She’d trained as a barber years before, and the scissoring came back. “It never leaves you. I just had to switch my brain. You get to know people and you learn from each other.”
It came in stages. “There’ve been lots of times I’ve finished a job and thought, yeah, that’s a really nice groom.”
Her home setup is nearly finished, her first Labrador is booked in, and her new scissors are ready. “I absolutely loved it. I’ve made friends, learnt so much and I’m ready to get going.”
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