ABC Grooming Instruction Program Student of the Month– May 2013

Kristin Del Bosco

Kristin Del Bosco completed her externship in Oak Ridge, N.J., with ABC Mentor Groomer Sandra Fitzgerald at Clip Shoppe Groom & Board. While working with her mentor, Kristin performed every grooming task, from bathing and drying to clipping and scissoring. She was hired shortly after completing her externship and continues to expand her learning with her externship mentor.

What animal or person most inspired you to pursue a career in the animal industry?

Every animal I came across inspired me to pursue a career in the pet world. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew my journey was meant to be with animals, no matter what it might be. If you feel so passionately about something for so long, why not make a career out of it, right?

What knowledge and experiences have you gained from becoming an ABC certified pet groomer?

Although the book knowledge did prepare me, I gained most of my knowledge during the externship. Some types of skills I acquired include how to talk to clients, how to work with difficult dogs and how to really dry a dog. Even though all these tasks sound so simple, they really are some of the hardest skills to gain. In order to be successful every task counts, no matter how small.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during your externship and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge was getting comfortable with cutting hair off and how much exactly to cut. Most pet owners do not know exactly what they want so sometimes you need to dig it out of them and ask a lot of questions. I am still working on my cutting lengths. However, it is getting easier due to practice and realizing that you can fix your mistakes. Having a supportive team around me always makes the shop run smoother and each client always leaves happy.

What grooming technique do you hope to master during the next 12 months?

I would really enjoy working on different types of faces. This is a very technical part of grooming and takes years to perfect. There are so many different types of breeds and they continue to come up with more. I hope to really understand and demonstrate professional scissoring on any type of pet.

What are your plans for the future?

I will continue to work with my ABC Mentor at Clip Shoppe Groom & Board until I really feel like a professional groomer and can handle all types of dogs on my own. Once I feel I am ready, I hope to open my own. I will take all the knowledge I gained through ABC and their mentors and make my career out of it. I love everything about grooming and ABC really did provide me with the stepping stones to get there.