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i groom all my dogs myself, and ive grromed plenty for other people, the only thing stopping me from taking the cert course is the fact that its the kind of job my back wouldnt let me do for more than 2-3 hours a day, even with a proper grooming table, standing for that long would kill me...
my biggest peice of advice for anyone wanting to groom thier dogs at home...
INVEST in a good set of clippers and blades...it makes the job quicker, easier and no worries about burnt hands or burnt dogs
the walmart and petco kits LOOK good (and there from good brands) but use em a few times and the blade is dull and run them for more than quick touchups and the motor gets hot.
right now i have a whal arco, love it for my crestie but i dont think it would work well on a standard poodle (youd have to change out the battery a few times as its cordless) my NEXT purchase though will be an Oster A5...
also invest in clipper cool and bladewash to keep your tools in proper good working condition. and go slow with lots of treats, your dog realy doesnt care what he looks like, so take your time, make it FUN and practice makes perfect!
We groom our dogs ourselves, including clipping, nail trimming, anal glands, ear cleaning, and teeth. It's not very difficult if you have the right equipment and you take the time to socialize your dogs. Make grooming time a good time for them with treats, good attention, etc. One cat also gets trimmed, and we clip both cats' nails.
Occasionally we take the spaniel to the groomer for a trim, but no more than 2x a year.
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