iPET Network creates training qualification for Pets at Home
iPET Network, an awarding organisation that creates qualifications in the animal care and veterinary science sector, has created a bespoke dog grooming qualification for Pets at Home.
The iPET Network Level 3 Diploma in Professional Dog Grooming, which is regulated by Ofqual, has been launched to help ensure The Groom Room teams in Pets at Home’s pet care centres across the country continue to provide the best grooming and welfare for puppies and dogs.
As part of the programme, there are 12 units that colleagues will need to learn and demonstrate their skills to complete the qualification. The units include Health and safety in a Dog Grooming Environment, Customer Journey within the Pets at Home Ecosystem; Canine Emergency First Aid; Canine Care, Health and Welfare Within the Grooming Environment; Preparing Dogs for Styling, Equipment and Maintenance, Canine Behaviour and Handling for Groomers; Planning and Techniques for Completing a Range of Dog Grooming Styles; Style and Finish and Range of Dog Breeds for Commercial Styling; Style and Finish and Range of Dog Breeds for Traditional and Advanced Scissor Styling; Canine Anatomy and Physiology for Groomers; – Adapting the Grooming Process to Meet the Individual Needs of the Dog; and Successful Running of a The Groom Room Salon.
The first 400 Pets at Home employees will be enrolled into the programme in September, with hundreds more planned over the next two years across its 355 Groom Room salons.
Karl Atkinson, Head of Grooming at Pets at Home, said: “Grooming is an essential part of our pets’ health and welfare, and that’s why providing our colleagues with the very best training is so important to us.
“We’re proud to be leading the way and empowering our grooming teams with the best knowledge in the industry, ensuring we can continue to deliver the best possible care to every pet we meet.”
Sarah and Fern Gresty, iPET Network founders, added: “We always find that owners are surprised to learn that formal qualifications, including first aid training, aren’t a legal requirement for dog groomers.
“That’s why it’s great to see the UK’s largest pet care specialist taking action to raise awareness and drive real change across the industry to deliver the highest standard of practice and care for pets.”
