Groomer Certification - What Does It Mean?

My New License Plate

ICMG. Okay, so you might wonder what are those initials and why would I put them on a license plate?  These initials designate that I am an International Certified Master Groomer with International Professional Groomers, Inc. as the certifying organization. I achieved this in 2007, after 30 years of grooming.

Certification is optional in the pet grooming industry.  In fact there is no testing or licensing required of professional groomers.  NONE.  As in many trades, all it takes is a hammer and nails to hang out a shingle and declare oneself a groomer.  There is something very American about this, but there are drawbacks as well.  The biggest one being that the pet owner has no way of knowing the skill level of the groomer to whom they are handing their pet over.

There are several ways a groomer can learn the trade.

• Apprenticeship. This was the original model of learning.  The grooming apprentice is taught one-on-one by an accomplished groomer as a part of an employment arrangement. It is usually a long-term relationship of at least two years.  This is how I learned.  I apprenticed for four years under the rigorous tutelage of Bill "Scissorhands" North, a grooming artist, show handler and kennel owner.  This model served well for decades while pet ownership remained on a slow growth curve.  
• Schools.  Grooming schools began to spring up in the 1980's as pet ownership mushroomed and the demand for groomers exceeded the supply.  The average program is 12-16 weeks.  Figuring a 40 hour week, this would range from 480-640 total hours of teaching/training.  Compare to the average of 1500-2100 hours for a cosmetology program. The beautician or hair dresser must then pass a State licensing exam before they can work.  The groomer is handed a diploma or certificate and can open up a shop.  A few grooming schools offer post-graduation education/training, but this is the exception.  It is up to the individual to further their training.
• In-house training. With the arrival of large-scale corporate grooming salons (PetsMart, PetCo, etc.) the strain of supplying qualified groomers became even greater.  Corporate stores began their in-house training of their employees.  A senior groomer, or groomer with a few years of experience is assigned as a teacher.  This kind of training has the advantage of having an unlimited supply of dogs on which to learn, but the fatal flaw is that the value of the training depends entirely on the skills of the teacher.  The corporate stores do not always draw the most talented or skilled groomers.  Excuse me, but I call this training the blind leading the blind.
• Self-taught.  Although I've known a few self-taught groomers who achieved success, this can be a rough start, especially when venturing from grooming one's own pets to working on other people's "babies".  It is in the first six months that most grooming accidents occur and the thought of someone working with clippers and scissors without an experienced person looking over their shoulder makes me shudder.  Fortunately, there are many online video supports that are providing demonstrations and instructions to groomers. 
• Competition Grooming.  Grooming competitions offer opportunities to have one's work assessed and judged by top groomers in the industry.  Most grooming judges are at least Master Groomers themselves, or have undergone special training for judging credentials.   

Because of the different learning paths for pet groomers, the average pet owner has no way of assessing the skill level of the groomer.  National certification provides a level of confidence and validates the professionalism of the certified groomer.  In the USA, there are three certifying organizations: National Dog Groomers' Association of America (NDGAA) which leads to a NCMG (Nationally Certified Master Groomer),  International Professional Groomers, Inc (IPG) which offers an ICMG (Internationally Certified Master Groomer) designation, and International Society of Canine Cosmetologists (ISCC) which designates a MPS (Master Pet Stylist) degree.  All three organizations have post graduate opportunities and degrees.

Although the exact requirements of the three certifying have some distinct differences, the process is similar.  The applicant must a number of written tests as well as rigorous practical testing on four dogs.
Written exams require knowledge of breed identification, AKC breed standards, safe handling of animals, safe use of pesticides, canine anatomy, and much more.  Practical exams grade the groomer's ability to bathe and prepare the coat, interpret a breed standard on a pet, scissoring skills and how animals are handled.  Grooming of different types of dogs is required, such as a sporting breed, a non-sporting (usually a poodle or a bichon), a terrier and a mixed breed.  Testing is usually broken into segments relating to AKC groups (terriers, non-sporting, sporting, and others), and groomers work their way through the different segments.  Once all written tests are passed with sufficient scores, and the practical exams are complete and scored sufficiently, the degree of "Master" is awarded.  Groomer certification also carries a responsibility to maintain a high level of professionalism and a commitment to continuing education and learning.  All three national organizations have a Code of Ethics to which members pledge that include promises for the care of animals in our care and respect towards clients and other grooming professionals.

 National certification is not to be mistaken for school graduation certification.  Not to belittle a school certificate, it is certainly a mark of accomplishment, but few in-house diplomas rise to the same standard as do the national certifying organizations.  The path to certification is arduous, time consuming, and can be expensive.  It can involve traveling to testing sites, borrowing dogs, seeking out critiques from colleagues, and any number of twists in the road. One of my twists was that the Cocker Spaniel I had been working on for years and was to use in my certification died just days before the testing.  Instead of the lovely "Lady", I tested with an unruly Springer Spaniel brought off the ranch in New Mexico to fill in at the last minute.  I passed my Sporting Breed practical - barely.  In my mind, however, my Sporting Breed dog will always be Lady.  Certification requires the groomer to really work on achieving perfect breed trims. Lady was a willing a cheerful partner in this process and she helped me learn to groom cockers.

After 30 years of grooming, I did not really NEED to become certified.  But I wanted it for my own inner professional validation.  And there was no better way to take my own grooming up another level.  Certification pushed me yet again to critique my work and strive to improve.  I am very proud of this achievement.  So proud that I put it on my license plate!

Lady Andriole, forever in my heart. 

Links: to see NDGAA groomer certification program click here.
For IPG certification program click here.
For ISCC certification program click here.

The author, Barbara Bird, ICMG, is owner/operator of  Transformation Pet Center, Tucson, Arizona, where she practices the art  of pet grooming by appointment only.  She can be reached by email at petpals@dakotacom.net, or phone at 520-795-5743.