June is the beginning of the busy season for pet stylist. BBQ’s, Graduation parties and vacation all mean that pets must look their summer best. Its also the busiest time of year for graduates of AGA. Whether it’s their first summer on their own, or they are getting ready to graduate, moving out into the big, wide world of the pet industry is no small accomplishment! This month we are celebrating an amazing graduate.
Melissa Macdonald wasn’t your average candidate for pet grooming. She always loved animals but it was the love for one very special animal that made her think about pet styling. “Tonino” Melissa’s high energy English Cocker was… you could say a handful. After being banished from multiple Grooming facilities, Tonino’s mom did the unthinkable, she started grooming him herself!
“Well as you can imagine, it was not as easy as I thought without having the knowledge and experience as a professional pet stylist. Needless to say, he looked horrible! So it was at that point that I decided to attend AGA and become a pet stylist.”
So big, bad Tonino caused the spark that would make one of the best we have seen in years! Melissa came to AGA just like all other potential students. She realized that the hands on time was extremely important, and that AGA had a variety of learning methods that she could work with. Best Part? “Tonino” was welcome for her to practice on!
Melissa was not only hard working, but kind and had a feeling about her that animals reacted too. Calm and gentle, even the wildest dog was soothed by her. She is just a natural, her love for animals shines through her face. Melissa describes her best day at school which, we on the outside, realized was not the dogs, but the understanding calmness of Melissa herself.
“ I had a technical exam and it turned out to be with the best dog EVER! He stood there like a statue. The best kind of client! And the other two grooms I did that day were just as great. The day was fun and went smoothly, I received a lot of positive feedback. It’s amazing how fun and stress free a work day can feel like when grooming well mannered dogs.”
The staff and students had to chuckle at this comment, because it seemed all of Melissa’s pets were well mannered. Grooming “Tonino” her muse proved to be a challenge she rose to. Melissa quite literally conquered her little English Mountain! As a Graduate of AGA we are very invested in our students not only while enrolled but also many years after they graduate. Melissa, like so many of AGA’s graduates had job offers before she even graduated! She has decided to work for a company for a few years gaining more knowledge and advancing her skills through workshops and seminars. Melissa was amazing at our three day Cat seminar. This seminar takes place at the American Grooming Academy campus and is taught by Professional Cat Groomers Association of America! She is well on her way to becoming a Certified Feline Stylist as well as an Advanced Professional Pet Stylists! Melissa hopes to open her own successful salon when the time is right for her!
Many of our students are surprised at how much they have to learn to be a successful part of the pet industry. Breed knowledge, angles, anatomy, infectious diseases and pet stylist health are only some of the key topics we teach our students. When we asked Melissa what surprised her most about the different things she would be learning she had this to say,
“I was surprised to learn about parasites and infectious diseases. I guess I figured it was more geared towards a veterinarian but after learning about them and the different stages of parasites and diseases I understand that a pet stylist are the first eyes that will see any potential problem and will then recommend seeing a veterinarian.”
All of this knowledge is essential for pet stylist because all of these things are seen in the pet industry. Dogs and cats suffer from parasites, they suffer from disease. We as pet stylist see it every day, which is why we, at AGA, believe that it is essential for all our students to know as much as possible, making them better qualified, safer and more productive individuals! Melissa, like so many other students understands that when choosing a school, making sure her priorities came first, is that institutions number one goal. Melissa like so many others choose AGA because she felt it was right for her. We are very proud of our students, what they accomplish and what it means to be the educational facility that takes them on their journey. There was one thing we did not guess, Melissa’s favorite breed to groom is not “Tonino”, its curly coated dogs, and Schnauzers, basically anything that is not “Tonino”!
Would you like more information on how to start your career? Visit us at www.americangroomingcademy.com!
Come in this month for our for our Ice Cream Spa package! This summer fun package includes: Citrus Blossom Ice Cream Shampoo & Conditioner, Blue Berry Facial, tooth brushing, Citrus Blossom cologne plus FREE Puppy Scoops Ice Cream or Ice Cream Sandwich Treat! All for only $11.99 while supplies last