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HAPPY TAILS PET STYLING ACADEMY

A Dog Grooming School in Great Falls, MT

Is it time for a career change? Have you had it with the same old grind? Are you looking for a career rather than a job? Do you enjoy dogs? Maybe it’s time to consider becoming a professional pet Groomer/Stylist.

Groomers are in high demand here and around the nation. The Happy Tails Pet Styling Academy is the premier pet grooming school in Montana. Students learn hands-on in a modern, full-service grooming salon. The curriculum follows the Golden Paws Pet Styling Program created by Master Groomer Jacqueline Rauch. Ms. Rauch used and refined this method of instruction with thousands of students over the last 40 years.

The instructors at Happy Tails Pet Styling Academy are professional stylists who are proficient with this training program. Under their professional supervision, the student learns the skills and techniques that are required in today’s pet grooming industry. 

Upon the completion of the course, you will have the skills to be able to start your own business, or work in another salon. Come see our wall of graduates and hear their stories!

For information or to schedule a tour, please call Katy Duncan at 406-727-8387 or email at katy@happytailslodge.com
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Our Approach

Choosing the Career

Choosing a career in the dog styling profession will give you the choice of being self-employed or becoming an employee. The choice is yours. This profession offers opportunities and flexibility nationwide. These opportunities are possible because the demand for well-qualified pet stylists is greater than the supply. This short supply is the result from the profession being somewhat hidden and almost obscure from the public as a career choice. This relative obscurity has created exceptional opportunities for people who love animals and who want an exciting and rewarding career in the pet care profession. If working with animals has always been your dream – now is the time to make it come true.



Instructional Program

The instructional program videos complement the instructional manual and they work in conjunction with one another. The composition of the instructional material is arranged and organized to develop quality styling skills, outline shaping, blending, balance and proportion, and how to apply those skills to breed design, control methods, proper handling, and speed techniques.


Our course is 90% hands on. Our comprehensive program is designed for the student to master all of the basic grooming skills with an emphasis on the fine finishing skills. The student will begin the program by learning about the various tools, their usage, operation, and maintenance. The next areas covered will be control methods, safety procedures, proper handling, pet oral hygiene, cleaning and sanitation. The skill development portion of the program is taught in three parts. Part one is the bathing and blow drying skills, part two is the prepping skills, and part three is the styling and finishing skills along with the breed designs.


You will also learn about the dog grooming business if you desire to do so and in addition how to increase your income through “add-on services” such as toothbrushing, the sale of supporting products and de-shedding. Toothbrushing and de-shedding are two of the most requested optional services and you will learn that by offering these and other optional services, you will increase your grooming income substantially with a minimum of extra time and effort.

Professional Dog Grooming Program

Prepping 101

  • Professional Dog Grooming ProgramsPet Oral Hygiene
  • Clipper Techniques
  • De-matting Techniques
  • Curly Coat Cutdown
  • Pet Psychology
  • Dog Anatomy
  • Control Positions
  • Shaving Skills
  • Tool Usage and Maintenance
  • Blade Lengths
  • Toenails
  • Ear Cleaning

Bathing & Drying 102

  • De-shedding Skills
  • Drying Techniques for optimal results
  • Brushing & Combing
  • Shampoo
  • Anal Glands
  • Flea/Skin Treatments
  • Sanitation
  • Bathing Technique
  • Blow Drying/Fluff Out Brushing
  • Skin and Hair
  • Safety Techniques

Styling 103

  • Professional Dog StylingCPR and other subjects of importance
  • Pleasing the Customer
  • Creating Individual Styles
  • Skimming Techniques
  • Cut Down Techniques
  • Curly Coat and Straight
  • Outline Shaping
  • Fine Finishing/Balance
  • Blade Skills
  • Breed Design
  • Thinning Shear Techniques
  • Blending / De-bulking
  • Camouflaging Faults by Styling
  • Add-on Services
  • Job Counseling

Tuition and Fees

PROFESSIONAL DOG STYLING PROGRAM

(INCLUDES PROFESSIONAL DOG BATHING PROGRAM)

TUITION $5400.00

REGISTRATION FEE $100.00

EQUIPMENT COSTS $1000.00 (subject to change due to manufacturer price increases)

TOTAL FEES $6500.00


Students may incur additional costs of blade sharpening of approx. $40.

The Professional Dog Styling Student  will also need to pay for the costs associated with the portfolio.

Full and part time classes available.

Job placement assistance.

*Financing may be available for those who qualify.

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