Course Code | BAG106 |
---|---|
Qualification | Statement of Attainment |
Payment Options | Upfront & Payment Plans |
Delivery | Online & Correspondence |
Duration | 100 Hours |
Animals are groomed for a variety of reasons:
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Grooming is Not Just a Luxury for Animals!
Grooming is a natural behavior in animals. It is often considered an innate behavior which means it is behavior that occurs without obvious environmental stimuli. Grooming also serves to establish and cement hierarchies and relationships within animal communities.
Instinctive acts and innate behaviour are considered to be coordinated movements and actions in response to stimuli.
Some examples of natural grooming include cats scratching on posts (or furniture, or trees), licking, preening and dust baths. You will often find animals in herd or group situations grooming each other. A commonly recognised example would be monkeys picking each other’s coats for parasites. Some of these actions serve to sharpen or maintain claws, some to rid coats or features of parasites, some to smooth the coat – but each to maintain the integrity of the integumentary system.
The integumentary system, which is detailed in lesson two, is the system of the animal comprising the skin, hair and nail features and variations. This system is integral in protection of the internal structures, hence regular maintenance of this system will serve to enhance the health of the animal.
Why do humans groom animals?
Grooming is a key component of any animal care regime. It is essential to an animal’s health and welfare and can also provide aesthetic value. This aesthetic value may be used to promote an animal’s genetic potential for either commercial or social reasons. Grooming is widely preformed on pets, livestock and wildlife. People need to perform grooming tasks on animals which do not have direct access to their natural grooming systems and processes.
In essence, by keeping and breeding animals out of their intended environment, we have limited their ability to perform these tasks for themselves. Therefore, in order to maintain optimal health, we must do it for them.
It is assumed you already know animals exist in many different shapes and size, colours and textures. Some have long or short fur while others have scales or feathers. These physical and anatomical variations serve different functions for animals and can be aesthetically pleasing. However, these variations mean humans have to conduct a variety of grooming tasks in order to maintain the animals in their care.
Some services are essential to the animal’s health and wellbeing; while other services (at the opposite end of the spectrum) may be more about marketing than any practical benefit.
While most grooming techniques have been developed to fulfill practical necessity some techniques have been developed for aesthetic reasons. This mostly applies to companion animal grooming especially dogs, as dogs may be groomed to fit a breed standard or in a way to suit their owners taste, for example the classic poodle clip looks very different to the way poodle fur naturally grows. This also demonstrates the psychosocial role of grooming in some companion animals – it reflects on the owner and the value they place on how they are socially perceived.
However, these enhancements are also applied to livestock in show situations, the purpose of which is to demonstrate their suitability for breeding and the superior traits which may be preserved by breeding with this stock.
Grooming is a Booming Business Opportunity
Running a successful grooming business involves more than just being able to groom. You need to decide on the services you will offer, how you will package and deliver those services; what you will charge; and then manage the business itself.
Managing a grooming business involves the whole operation from the accounts and administration, marketing and advertising, customer service and client liaison and of course animal handling and grooming well. Any business needs to make a profit to be successful; as such it involves the balanced integration of all aspects of these businesses.
If you are an Irish citizen you may be eligible to receive financial support, meaning you can defer payment of your course fees. Additionally, if you are a resident of Ireland, you may also be eligible to receive a student grant under the Student Grant Scheme
Student supportWe live in a society where the pressures of daily living are high with financial expenses, personal and work commitments, and mortgage and rental obligations. Then there are the unexpected life challenges that also get thrown our way. With this in mind the thought of taking on study can be daunting for most people. Here at Learning Cloud we understand that life doesn’t run in a straight line it has many ups and downs.
As an enrolled student at Learning Cloud, you are entitled to access a variety of non-academic support services from the Student Services Unit. These supports are designed to walk beside you throughout your studies they will assist you in life’s ups and downs to provide you the best opportunity to successfully complete your chosen course.
STUDENT SERVICES PROGRAMS INCLUDE:
Call our student support today on 041 214 0000 or Email Faculty
Get more informationWant more information about financial and student support? Fill out the enquiry form to the right and a study consultant will contact you with the details you need.
How will this course advance my career?
Learning Cloud programs have been developed in response to industry demand and are specifically designed to equip graduates with work-ready skills. Each participant will be trained and assessed in theory and in practical tasks and Real-world exercises are used throughout the program.
Studies prove, time and again, that college-educated workers earn more than those with only a high school qualification. College graduates often enjoy additional benefits, including greater job opportunities and promotions. Though the proof for greater earning potential exists, some might wonder whether the cost of the education warrants the overall expense in the long run.
College Graduate vs. Non-Graduate Earnings
The National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES) analyses employee earnings data biennially, according to education level. Findings indicate that workers with a qualification earn significantly more than those without. Since the mid-1980s, education has played a large part in potential wages, with bachelor's degree holders taking home an average of 66% more than those with only a high school diploma do. While college-educated workers' wages have increased over the past two decades, those with only a high school education have seen decreases in annual salaries in the same time period (nces.ed.gov).
How else will I benefit from studying with Learning Cloud?