Dog Grooming Courses

High quality tuition by experienced professionals within the dog grooming industry. City & Guilds courses are carried out by Canine Design staff and externally moderated by Summit Training Group.

Available Courses at Canine Design

Training courses are delivered to suit the needs of the individual. All tuition is to City & Guilds Standards and takes place at Canine Design training school in Evercreech, Somerset. As dog grooming is an unlicensed industry, there is no requirement for you to hold a qualification currently, so you have several course options available to you.

Trimming & Styling Course — Trimming & Styling

**PRICE:** **£3,500**
A 20 day course dedicated to the trimming and styling of dogs. You will receive our own diploma certificate, together with a graded certificate and a certificate in good handling if you have achieved the required standard at the end of this course, together with gaining the experience, skills and understanding to become a professional groomer.

Although you will not receive a City & Guilds qualification with this course, because we are a very highly respected and well established training school, our diploma is highly thought of by many employers and will give you proof of training to display on your wall should you wish to become a self employed groomer. As dog grooming is not currently a licensed industry, this course would give you the grounding and experience to become a professional groomer, although we strongly recommend that you continue with self improvement by attending seminars and educational events and work towards achieving a recognised qualification.

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Level 2 Dog Grooming Assistant Course — City & Guilds Level 2 (7863-02)

The Level 2 Certificate for Dog Grooming Assistants is for anyone who wants to start working in the industry. You don't need any previous qualifications or experience to sign up to this course.

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Level 3 Dog Grooming Course — City & Guilds Level 3 (7863-03)

The Level 3 Certificate for Dog Grooming is aimed at people who already hold their Level 2 certification and looking to progress to the next level. This course is the main qualification upheld in the industry as the badge of a professional groomer. It enables you to join the Groomers Spotlight, a platform promoting qualified groomers in the industry.

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Level 2 & 3 Combined Course — City & Guilds Level 2 & 3 (Combined)

If you are a complete beginner wishing to become a fully qualified groomer, this combined qualification covers your basic training and progresses you through to the main qualification upheld in the industry. You can join the Groomers Spotlight, a platform promoting qualified groomers in the industry.

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Practical Skills

Our dog grooming courses are tailored very much to meet your individual needs and are geared towards your own learning speed and requirements. Whether you are a complete beginner or looking to develop your dog grooming skills further, we can work with you to provide tuition suited to you.

During your training you will spend a great deal of time doing practical work on ‘model dogs’. The range of breeds used will be as wide as possible with you being responsible for the grooming and trimming of these dogs from start to finish.

You will learn how to deal with various coat types, correctly undertake a health check, clean ears and trim nails.

Once you have completed your training, you will receive a certificate and we are always on hand to offer advice if needed.

What Our Students Say

Course Testimonials

“The Canine Design team are friendly, welcoming, engaging and have an amazing wealth of knowledge on grooming all breeds and coat types. Tutoring is a bit daunting at first, but Lesley puts you at ease through every step and even if you’re unsure she’ll show you again and again until you have it just right. It’s an entire learning process that Lesley guides you through to take a complete novice and turn them into a competent, confident groomer like myself. Carl works in the background but you’ll see him around especially during your exams. With his cheeky smile and relaxed approach, it takes the stress out of the exam process. The whole setup is flexible and with excellent communication by Lesley, each student can work to their own speed of learning. They’re an amazing group, salon and school. It’s a fun environment at all times, plus you get to meet loads of different breeds and make new friends in the process. I’m 3 years in to running my own business which is bursting with customers. None of this would have been possible without Canine Design.”

— Sara Hayes

“Training at Canine Design was the best decision I've ever made. The teachers are amazing, they are so helpful and supportive with everything - even after the course finished! I've now completed my level 2 and 3 City and Guilds Diplomas and couldn't have imagined I'd be at the stage I am. I couldn't have done it without them! I'm planning to set up my own business and they have given me the confidence to compete in competitions. I have achieved more than I could have possibly wanted from the course.”

— Rebecca Kirby

“Lesley is not just an incredible teacher, but a lovely person. I was struggling a lot before I found Canine Design; and now with the help of the teachers, dogs and fellow students, I am achieving things I never thought I would be able to.”

— Alice Corlett

“Canine design is a friendly, calm place and the teachers are with us every step of the way. They are patient and take a personal interest in our development. Their support is ongoing. They offer flexibility to suit everyone. The training is intense and fun and we get to groom many different breeds of dogs. I am learning so much about the industry and enjoying every minute. It’s a great place to learn and develop dog grooming skills.”

— Joanna Katsimberi

“Training at Canine Design was such a pleasure. Lesley and her daughters have so much experience and knowledge of dog grooming and offer endless support both technically and emotionally throughout the course. The training was hands on within a supportive and friendly environment. Their ethos and genuine love and care for animals is such that I wish every professional had. Such nice people and a fantastic place to start what I hope will be a fantastic career.”

— Melissa Francis

“Canine design came highly recommended to myself and after completing my qualification with them I can see why. From start to finish, I received endless amounts of guidance and support from all the tutors. They were very knowledgeable and took the time to share their wisdom and experience. I would highly recommend Canine Design to anyone considering this profession.”

— Hannah Powell

“I absolutely loved my time at Canine Design and I was sad when my course was coming to an end. Lesley, Julie and the team gave me the best mentoring and I now own my very own successful grooming salon, my lifetime dream! I can’t thank them enough.”

— Emily Greenland

“An established groomer recommended Canine design to me when it crossed my mind that I might like to train as a Dog Groomer. I booked a taster day with Lesley and I never looked back. Not only was Lesley informative and knowledgeable, her passion for animals just spoke to me and I knew this was the place for me. Lesley is a great teacher with plenty of patience and experience and she really educated me and helped me work on my confidence. Lesley always got back to me if I had any questions, and helped me develop in the areas I felt I was struggling with. Julie, Lesley and Lottie shared so much knowledge and showed so much passion, they were all just great to have around and I soaked up so much from them all.”

“My advice to anyone who is considering becoming a Dog groomer would simply be to train at Canine Design, with their friendly team and like me, you’ll never look back.”

— Lisa Slaymaker