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Professional Master Canine Stylist™

$2,000.00

Become a Certified Pet Stylist

Program Overview - Open Enrollment

Earn your Master Canine Stylist Diploma online in just 3 months! This program is tailored for experienced pet groomers (with 5+ years of experience) who want to validate their skills, advance their careers, and stand out in the pet grooming industry. The program aligns with IAPEG certification standards and does not require show trims.

Program Duration

  • Total Duration: 3 months (12 weeks)

Weekly Time Commitment

  • 2-3 hours per week (flexible to fit a busy professional’s schedule)

Learning Objectives

  • Validate grooming expertise by meeting the requirements for the Master Canine Stylist Diploma.

  • Gain advanced grooming knowledge to build customer trust and employer recognition.

  • Strengthen understanding of industry best practices and ethical grooming standards.

  • Learn how to effectively showcase skills to clients and employers for professional growth.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will:

  • Receive their Master Canine Stylist Diploma.

  • Be fully prepared to achieve IAPEG Certification as a grooming professional.

  • Possess a professional portfolio showcasing their skills and techniques.

  • Demonstrate advanced styling techniques to clients and employers.

  • Enhance their professional reputation and attract higher-level career opportunities.

How to Enroll:

  1. Click “Enroll Now”

  2. We’ll help you set up your payment plan

  3. Enroll and get access to the global campus and free courses till your program starts.

Enroll Now

Enroll Now

Become a Certified Pet Stylist

Program Overview - Open Enrollment

Earn your Master Canine Stylist Diploma online in just 3 months! This program is tailored for experienced pet groomers (with 5+ years of experience) who want to validate their skills, advance their careers, and stand out in the pet grooming industry. The program aligns with IAPEG certification standards and does not require show trims.

Program Duration

  • Total Duration: 3 months (12 weeks)

Weekly Time Commitment

  • 2-3 hours per week (flexible to fit a busy professional’s schedule)

Learning Objectives

  • Validate grooming expertise by meeting the requirements for the Master Canine Stylist Diploma.

  • Gain advanced grooming knowledge to build customer trust and employer recognition.

  • Strengthen understanding of industry best practices and ethical grooming standards.

  • Learn how to effectively showcase skills to clients and employers for professional growth.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will:

  • Receive their Master Canine Stylist Diploma.

  • Be fully prepared to achieve IAPEG Certification as a grooming professional.

  • Possess a professional portfolio showcasing their skills and techniques.

  • Demonstrate advanced styling techniques to clients and employers.

  • Enhance their professional reputation and attract higher-level career opportunities.

How to Enroll:

  1. Click “Enroll Now”

  2. We’ll help you set up your payment plan

  3. Enroll and get access to the global campus and free courses till your program starts.

Enroll Now

Become a Certified Pet Stylist

Program Overview - Open Enrollment

Earn your Master Canine Stylist Diploma online in just 3 months! This program is tailored for experienced pet groomers (with 5+ years of experience) who want to validate their skills, advance their careers, and stand out in the pet grooming industry. The program aligns with IAPEG certification standards and does not require show trims.

Program Duration

  • Total Duration: 3 months (12 weeks)

Weekly Time Commitment

  • 2-3 hours per week (flexible to fit a busy professional’s schedule)

Learning Objectives

  • Validate grooming expertise by meeting the requirements for the Master Canine Stylist Diploma.

  • Gain advanced grooming knowledge to build customer trust and employer recognition.

  • Strengthen understanding of industry best practices and ethical grooming standards.

  • Learn how to effectively showcase skills to clients and employers for professional growth.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will:

  • Receive their Master Canine Stylist Diploma.

  • Be fully prepared to achieve IAPEG Certification as a grooming professional.

  • Possess a professional portfolio showcasing their skills and techniques.

  • Demonstrate advanced styling techniques to clients and employers.

  • Enhance their professional reputation and attract higher-level career opportunities.

How to Enroll:

  1. Click “Enroll Now”

  2. We’ll help you set up your payment plan

  3. Enroll and get access to the global campus and free courses till your program starts.

Enroll Now

“ I love that I had the opportunity to choose a program that highlights my strengths as a groomer as well as makes sure I’m up to WPGA standards. This is how we create a baseline for grooming and safety! I’m so excited to be a Master Canine Stylist! ”
— Annette Baker - MCS Scholar 2025

How It Works:

  1. Apply Online: Fill out a simple application form to get started.

  2. Prepare: Utilize our comprehensive study materials and join our online study groups to ensure you're ready.

  3. Schedule Your Test: Choose a testing date that fits your schedule.

  4. Take the Online Test: Demonstrate your grooming expertise through a challenging, hands-on assessment on dogs of any coat quality.

  5. Earn Your Diploma: Receive your Master Canine Stylist diploma upon passing the test.

Why Earn Your Master Canine Stylist Diploma?

  • Recognition of Expertise: Demonstrate your advanced skills and knowledge as a pet stylist

  • Career Advancement: Increase your opportunities for higher-paying roles and prestigious positions.

  • Client Trust: Enhance your credibility and build greater trust with pet owners.

  • Trade Licensing: If you work in the grooming industry, you should be ready for state or country licensing. Demonstrate your commitment to education by having a diploma from a Licensed post-secondary trade school in New Hampshire, USA.

Program Advisors

Featured
Bullet Brown, MTPAe
Bullet Brown, MTPAe

Bullet's lifelong dedication to animal care, coupled with diverse experience, makes her an asset to veterinary medicine and animal rescue. Her passion for pets and wildlife drives her tireless work to positively impact countless animal lives. Her journey from kennel help to licensed vet tech highlights her unwavering commitment to animal welfare and making a difference.

Her involvement in creative grooming competitions led her to establish the International Association for Pet Esthetics and Grooming (IAPEG). Under IAPEG, Bullet initiated programs for scientific knowledge and professional development for groomers worldwide.

Driven by her relentless pursuit of excellence, Bullet knew other niches within the grooming industry needed attention. Many groomers sought professional education in pet esthetics, amalgamating artistry science and a deep understanding of pet well-being. This realization led to a pivotal turning point in the organization's trajectory.

Recognizing the broader needs of the grooming industry, Bullet transformed the NAPCG into the International Association for Pet Esthetics and Grooming (IAPEG). Under her guidance, IAPEG has become a leading institution for professional development in pet esthetics, providing groomers with scientifically grounded information and empowering them to deliver exceptional care.

IAPEG provided scientific information to grooming professionals about the most volatile products available. The goal was to empower groomers with research and knowledge, so they could make informed decisions and provide exceptional care to their clients. Thanks to IAPEG, groomers no longer have to rely only on trial and error.

Bullet's global impact includes delivering workshops and lectures worldwide, notably becoming the first dog groomer to speak in Moscow, Russia. Her current focus remains to educate professional groomers enrolled at the WPGA, emphasizing premium service for their clients, and prioritizing safety.

Chrissy Neumyer Smith MGBS, MCS, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CPG, FFCP
Chrissy Neumyer Smith MGBS, MCS, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CPG, FFCP

Grooming became a passion quickly in 1986 when I was just starting in the pet industry. I was able to jump into the grooming industry through an apprenticeship in 1992 with Lori Charette at Aintree Kennels in Boxford Massachusetts. Due to not being able to find a suitable grooming position, I stayed on as a veterinarian technician till 1995 gaining many years of veterinarian skills that have been a tremendous help in both dog training and grooming. I had the joy of working with Lynn Travers, a well known Standard Poodle breeder in the New England region, where I learned all styles of poodle grooming for pets and shows.

I was one of the first housecall groomers and opened Happy Critters in 2000. I love grooming small, as I like to call them “my little behavior cases” and thrive when working them through fears, stress and anxiety. In October 2018, I started my podcast Creating Great Grooming Dogs that is hosted weekly on Tuesdays about where grooming and dog training meet. My show allowed me the opportunity to get noticed as an educator and opened doors to speaking for Barkleigh at grooming expos. I love teaching and look at dog training as logic puzzles and grooming is the art. As much as I love teaching, I love learning and geeking out with other dog professionals. The more knowledge I possess, the more I can give back to those I educate. One of my current hobbies is strong passion for Flyball with my current Border Collies Brok and Po. Flyball started for me with Isa in 2005 and over the years have been awarded numerous titles with my other dogs.

Dara Forleo, B.A. in Business
Dara Forleo, B.A. in Business

President and Founder

Dara Forleo is the founder of multiple entrepreneurial businesses.

She started The Whole Pet Grooming Academy, an arts and sciences school specializing in training professional pet stylists. She and her husband, Lee, created Come What May Racing, a Thoroughbred racehorse syndicate operation based in Kentucky and the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Dara has been recognized as Educator of the Year, Emerging Business Leader, and a Pet Age Icon Awards honoree for her experience and long-term contributions to the pet industry. She recently was top in her Executive Education Women's Leadership Program class at Yale University and had a B.A. in Business from Ottawa University. Her insights have been featured in multiple publications, and she often shares her expertise, speaking at conferences nationwide.

Dara has honed her education and experience over the last two decades culminating in her mentor program for business owners nationwide. Having experienced firsthand how being a successful business owner can give life to your dreams as with her Come What May Racing passion, she is uniquely suited to help any entrepreneur do the same.