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Level I:
Bather / Dryer of Excellence (7701)
Level II:
Licensed Groomers Assistant (8801)
Level III:
Licensed Groomer of Achievement (9901)
-Enrollment Info
-9901 Forms
Level IV:
Licensed Master Pet Stylist (2001)
Level V:
Licensed Pet Stylist Teacher's Assistant (3001)
Level VI:
Licensed Master Instructor (4001)

GIC CODE OF PRACTICE
Visit the National Agency of Pet Grooming Schools NAPGS
Grooming Institute of Canada
1100 Queen Street West Unit 2
Mississauga, Ontario
L5H 4J4
Tel: 905 278 2866
Click Here for Enrollment Info.

GUIDELINE FOR LICENSED GROOMER OF ACHIEVEMENT (9901)

The following information is a guideline to help candidates understand the points the examiners will be observing in the practical test.

  • Good planning for the practical examination is important. The search for suitable dogs can take time. Choose dogs on which you can demonstrate your best work. Avoid where possible using dogs with eye, ear or skin problems or have these corrected prior to the examination. The examiners will note your choice of dog as being in a suitable condition and of sound temperament. Should you have an unavoidable condition or problem with your dog always point this out to the examiners before each relevant component. Animals must have at least six weeks growth of hair.
  • The examiners will watch how you handle and control your dog and see that you move the animal's joints correctly, that you work gently and with care and talk to your dog. How you handle yourself and your tools will be noted.
  • When planning for your examination it is important to note the time it takes to carry out each stage of your work.
  • Your examiners will understand if you are a little nervous and will try to reassure you.


PRACTICAL TEST 1: MINIATURE POODLE IN A BLENDED LAMB TRIM
With at least six weeks growth of coat.
Time allowed: 2 hours, 30 min.

  1. All preparation, including bathing, drying, ear and nail care, clipping and scissoring to completion.
    The Poodle component differs from the other sections as all preparation work must be carried out at the Test Center and this forms part of the examination. The examiners will mark you on the way you carry out this work. You may choose to rough trim your poodle prior to bathing. Alternatively you may bath your dog first.

  2. Nails, Ears and Pads
    Trim the nails to an acceptable length. Do not forget dewclaws. Make sure you clear the external ear canal of hair. You may use ear forceps or fingers. Ensure that the pads of the animal have been cleared of hair. You may use either a #30 or a #40 blade to complete this task.

  3. Bathing
    Shampoos and towels will be at the Test Center but if you prefer you may bring your own. While you are bathing the Poodle an examiner will test the water to ensure it is at the correct temperature. This should be cool to the touch. You will be observed expressing or asked questions about the anal glands. You will be observed placing mineral oil in the eyes and ensuring no shampoo goes in the dog's eyes and that no water goes into the dog's ear canal. An examiner will check that you have rinsed all shampoo from the coat. Creme rinse may be applied at your discretion. If applied, an examiner will check that you have rinsed all creme rinse from the coat.

  4. Drying the Coat
    An examiner will check that you towel dry and hi-velocity dry your dog so that no water can be squeezed from the coat. Your correct use of the slicker brush will be observed. Your brush should be working where the warm air is blowing when finishing your fluff dry. You should work efficiently to ensure the coat is dried quickly and is straight all over with no curls in the coat. An examiner will check your work at this point to ensure that the coat is clean, dry and knot free.

  5. Fine Clipper Work
    This will be checked for clean, clear, neat clipping lines.

    5a. The Face
    The examiners will look at the clipper lines for the face and note a clear line from the top corner of the eye to the outside corner of the ear, that the line at the throat is correct i.e. to the adams apple, that you stretch the skin where necessary to give a clear clean clipped face. Any hair trapped in the canine tooth area must be removed. If there is a moustache and beard both sides should be balanced and even. No full faces are allowed.

    5b. The Feet
    The examiners will expect to see cleanly clipped feet with no tufts of hair left anywhere on or under the feet. The height to which you clip is important. This should be above the first toe joints and below the dew claw. Anywhere in this area is acceptable.

    5c. The Tail
    Clipped to the correct length to give good balance. Undocked tails should be scissored in balance with the dog.

  6. The Back
    With a suitable blade, clip the back to give a neat even finish. Remember you are doing a blended lamb trim so do not clip too far down the legs. Leave an area to blend to the body with your scissors i.e. no shoulder pads.

  7. Scissor Work
    The examiners will observe that you hold your scissors correctly and work in a safe and routine manner. It is important to achieve a clear and crisp outline to your scissor work. The shape must follow the contours of the dog's body and be well balanced. The legs must be shaped correctly, with no tapered bottoms and all legs the same size. Blend the legs into the body where clipper work and scissoring meet. Do not leave shoulder pads. Check to see that the legs, top knot and tail all balance with each other.
PRACTICAL TEST 2: THE SHORT LEGGED TERRIER (CAIRN, WESTIE, SCOTTISH, OR SEALYHAM)
With at least eight weeks growth of coat.
Time allowed: 1 hour.

The short legged terrier is a choice of West Highland White, Cairn, Scottish or Sealyham Terrier. The following description of preparation work applies to all of the short legged Terrier breeds that can be used for the examination. Your terrier should have all preparation carried out prior to arrival at the test center. The cleanliness and good order of your dog will be noted by the examiners, so care in preparation is well worth while. Your dog should be clean, well brushed out with no knots. Nails, ears and pads will have been completed. You may clip, scissor or thin the back of your short legged terrier or use any combination of these procedures. At the end of your test the examiners will check all the points detailed below, and will observe the overall balance and shape, following the correct lines for the breed.

WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER / CAIRN TERRIER
  1. Head and Ears
    When looking at the finished head of your dog the examiners will check that you clip and tidy the top third of the ears and that they show above the head furnishings, that the inside corners of the eyes are lightly trimmed to remove any excess hair. The finished head is scissored or the ends thinned to give a rounded appearance maintaining this important characteristic of the breed.

  2. Body
    For this you may clip, scissor or use thinning shears, but note that you will be assessed for an overall even finish keeping within the breed clipping lines. These should be from behind the ears on the neck with the direction of hair growth to the start of the tail, and down the side of the body. Make sure you leave no trimming lines by crossing the direction of hair growth. Back brushing may be necessary to achieve this look. Blend the chest into the neck and drop to same level as the skirt commencement. The skirt should be slightly sloping towards the groin.

  3. Legs and Feet
    Blend the top of hindlegs and top of forelegs so that the clipped area flows naturally into the leg furnishings. Scissor underneath the pads to ensure a clean pad line, remembering that the pads have been shaved prior to arrival at the test center. Scissor around the feet to give the foot a neat rounded appearance. Scissor and shape legs. The foreleg should slope towards the commencement of the skirt. Trim the hocks neatly with no independent straggly ends, but blend in, following the body line.

  4. Tail
    The tail should be trimmed in a carrot shape in proportion to the size of the dog's body. Make sure that no straggly ends of hair protrude from the underneath of the tail and that the anal area is clean of hair. The genital and groin areas should be free of any excess hair.


SCOTTISH TERRIER

  1. Head
    The examiners will look closely at your clipping lines on this terrier so make clean, clear lines. With the fine blade clip the top third of ears inside and out and tidy edges. The outer edges should be clear of any excess hair. The ears should have tufts of hair left in front of the ear to the center head side. With a fine blade trim the cheeks to the corner of the mouth, top of head, and throat, leaving a beard and eyebrows. These should be tidied with scissors or thinning shears as necessary.

  2. Trimming the Head
    The examiners will look to see that you scissor lightly between the eyes and remove hair from inside corner of eyes. Comb the eyebrows and face furnishings forward. Remove the hair from the outside corner of eyes. Tidy the eyebrows. Thin and tidy excessive hair on the foreface and chin whiskers. Ensure that the beard is trimmed to give a straight line from the outside corner of the mouth.

  3. Clipping the Body
    This can be done with a medium blade, by scissoring or using thinning shears. The examiner will look to see that you achieve a neat and tidy finish to the coat. There should be a close trim from under the chin to the breast bone and from the top of the foreleg. Back brushing may be necessary to achieve this look. Trim down the back from behind the ears to the start of the tail, and down the sides of the body, leaving a curtain or skirt of hair round the body.

  4. Trimming Legs and Feet
    Trim round edges of the feet making a large round foot and trim under pads to remove untidy hair. Tidy the leg hair to give a neat appearance. Trim the hair on the skirt to give a balanced appearance with the leg furnishing. Trim chest hair to skirt level. Trim hair on hindquarters short underneath the tail to blend with muscular part of the thigh. Tidy hair from the back of the foot up to the hock, and tidy ends of leg hair to blend in with the skirt. The anal area should be clear of any hair and genital and groin area should be free of any excess hair.

  5. Tail
    Trim with scissors, shaping the root of the tail to be broader at the base than at the tip, forming a carrot shape. Trim off any long hairs, with more hair on the topside than underneath.


THE SEALYHAM TERRIER

  1. Head
    The examiners will look closely at your clipping lines on this terrier so make them clean and clear. The clipping lines from the outside corner of the eye to base of ear, the line approximately 6mm (1/4in) from behind the eye socket, and the line from the eye corner to the corner of the mouth will be noted. The ears which should be clipped clean and very neat round the edges are another important check point for the examiners. Your correct trimming of the face furnishings is another important point.

  2. Body
    For this you may clip, scissor or use thinning shears, but note that you will be assessed for an overall even finish keeping within the breed clipping lines. These should be from behind the ears on the neck with the direction of hair growth to the start of the tail, and down the side of the body. Make sure you leave no trimming lines by crossing the direction of hair growth. Back brushing may be necessary to achieve this look. Blend the hair into the body at the shoulder and forechest if necessary. Ensure the anal area is free of excess hair and looks neat and tidy. The genital and groin areas should be free of excess hair.

  3. Legs and Feet
    Blend the top of the hindlegs to anus level so that the flow looks natural. Scissor around the feet creating a large round appearance. Scissor underneath the pads to ensure that the pad line is clean. Scissor or thinner-trim feathering on the legs. Trim the feathering on the hocks, neatly leaving no straggly ends. Trim the skirt to a neat appearance.

  4. Tail
    Trim with scissors, shaping the root of the tail to be broader at the base than at the tip. This should resemble a small, thick carrot shape. Trim off any long hairs, with more hair on the topside than underneath.


At the end of the test the examiner will check all these points and observe your overall balance and shape following the correct lines for the breed.
PRACTICAL TEST 3: THE AMERICAN COCKER SPANIEL
With at least six weeks growth of coat.
Time allowed: 1 hour.

  1. Your American Cocker Spaniel should have all preparation carried out prior to arrival at the test center. The cleanliness and good order of your dog will be noted by the examiners, so care in preparation is well worth while. Your dog should be clean, well brushed out and with no knots. Nails, ears and pads will have been completed. You may use thinning shears, clip or handstrip your American Cocker Spaniel or use a combination of these three methods.

  2. Head and Ears
    You may clip, handstrip or use thinning shears. The choice of a crown is optional for the American Cocker. Regardless of which method you choose for working on your Cocker, the head and foreface should be clear of any excess hair. Pay particular attention to the small pocket or flew on the lower lip. This should be cleared of hair. The top 25mm-50mm (1"-2") of the ears need to be trimmed clean on both the inside and the outside, and the edges scissored to give a neat finish. Shape the ear feathering as necessary.

  3. Neck
    Trim and make clean and tidy the area under the chin to the breastbone. Blend your work from head to body and check that the neck area is clear of loose ends. Lift the ears and check that the base of the ears at the neck is clear of untidy ends.

  4. Body and Tail
    Clip or handstrip from the base of the skull to the base of the tail. Clip or handstrip the entire tail. The examiners will look to see that you do not leave any heavy clipping or handstripping ridges. Back brushing and re-clipping may be necessary to achieve this look. Using the same method, clip or handstrip down each side of the neck to the shoulder blade, using this mark as a guide to clip or handstrip to the hipline in the rear. Clear under the anal area to meet on both sides.

  5. The Feet
    Using scissors, trim to a round appearance. Remember to remove excess hair from inside the pads (this can be done prior to testing). The hock should be trimmed all round to remove any excess hair. You should take into account the relation to the overall balance, i.e. is it too narrow or too heavy.

  6. Trimming
    Trim the stifle to correspond with its shape and blending into the skirt. When trimming the feathering make sure there is no excess to impede the natural flow of the coat. Trim to give a soft natural appearance. The feathering on the front legs should be graduated from short at the back of the foot to longer at the elbow and blending at the skirt which should be trimmed to comparable length. Trim the chest area to skirt level. Check that the groin area is clean of any excess hair.


On completion the examiners will look at your overall balance, to see that your American Cocker looks square and compact, with the body coat and feathering flowing as naturally as possible.