Our History
Vocational educational Grooming schools in the United States began to appear as early as the 1960’s. Grooming text books and later videos allowed groomers, no matter where they lived and worked, to learn from industry leaders. Early visionary groomers in the 1970’s and 80’s began to encourage professional organizing and training for the industry as a whole, and companies that manufactured tools and products groomers were using helped in organizing and promoting educational opportunities for groomers. Some of the greatest advances for groomers, such as the series of competitions that results in the selection of Groom Team USA that represents us in international competition, have been made possible by not only hard-working volunteer groomers, but also by significant support from manufacturers of grooming equipment and supplies.
In the early 1980’s the first ever grooming conference was held in Chicago – more later on this. The idea of conferences for groomers was greeted with gratitude and excitement by groomers everywhere. Barkleigh Productions began to offer over a dozen conferences in different regions of the USA each year. At these conferences groomers can attend workshops led by industry experts, grooming competitions, and trade shows help us learn more and access the best in tools of the trade.
Most people in the public are not aware that the pet grooming profession in the USA is almost entirely unregulated. No required training or monitoring of skill or conditions, such as exists with, for example, the cosmetology field. No state at this time requires groomers to be licensed. We have heard grooming clients react with shock and even some fear to hear that this is the case. Currently, the public operates with the pet grooming industry under the caveat emptor principle – let the buyer beware.
While currently no groomer licensing exists and there are no requirements nationally or in any states in order to be able to charge for one’s services as a pet groomer, this may change in the near future. One county in New York recently adopted groomer registration (not licensing). Two states, California and New Jersey, have seen recent legislative efforts and difficult conversations around some form of state licensing for groomers, but none have been yet finalized or have become law. Still it appears that licensing and regulation, which many of us believe could be a good thing if done correctly, is coming – not “if” but only “when”. Groomers in every state are being urged by pet industry professionals such as PIJAC and WPA to plan to make sure our voices are heard in policy discussions that affect our work.
In the absence of governmental regulation, leading groomers began to encourage us to “regulate” ourselves – voluntarily. Several important national and international organizations now test and certify the competence and skill of groomers, and professional associations for groomers like IPPGA now exist to help groomers learn best practices in the industry. These certifications are entirely voluntary credentials that many good groomers now seek in order to improve themselves – and without state law mandates.
Groomers that are certified with IPG, NDGAA, or ISCC, the major grooming certifying organizations, will proudly display their certifications that they earned through rigorous voluntary testing and training in their businesses. New ways to certify groomers are even begin explored by the American Kennel Club, the AKC, which is the largest dog organization in the world.
The public is encouraged to ask questions of their groomers about our training, protocols, etc. Interview us as you would anyone you might hire to take care of members of your own family.