Today we are excited to feature Stephanie Zikmann, the visionary founder of the Holistic Grooming Academy and holistic dog grooming expert in our ‘Ask The Expert’ series. Stephanie is a pioneer in the world of pet care, advocating for a more gentle and comprehensive approach to grooming that considers the whole well-being of dogs.
Her holistic methods have not only transformed grooming practices but also inspired a community of pet professionals to adopt a more mindful and compassionate approach.
In this blog, Stephanie shares her invaluable insights, experiences, and the pioneering techniques that have set the Holistic Grooming Academy apart.
Join us as we delve into Stephanie’s philosophy and discover how it’s shaping a new era in pet grooming, one that promises health, happiness, and harmony.
Hi Stephanie, please share with us the story behind your journey to becoming The Holistic Dog Groomer® and what motivated you to take this unique approach to dog grooming.
My Level 3 training was surprisingly stressful. I decided to attend a local training centre that operated as a multi-grooming establishment. It was fast-paced and very focused on how many dogs could be groomed in a day. Because of this, I witnessed many questionable short-cuts that often compromised a dog’s basic animal rights but when I confronted the head trainer with my concerns I was told I was “too soft” and “too emotional” with the dogs, and that “this was how a successful grooming salon was run”.
I started publishing honest blog posts on my observations which led to many more students reaching out to me with their own experiences and concerns from all over the UK which unfortunately proved that this wasn’t just an isolated case.
While I’m not saying that every groomer or establishment takes shortcuts to the detriment of the animals they are entrusted to look after, there is not enough emphasis on the importance of the experience a dog has during a grooming session, and I felt that this needed to be addressed.
Over the next few years, I dedicated time to learning more about other topics including safe handling, positive training and canine behaviour. I obtained various certifications through reputable organisations and began to utilise the skills I was learning in the work I was doing with dogs through my own high-street salon.
I started off quite conventional, using physical restraints for example but I quickly transformed my approach based on everything I was learning and in doing so, began to see such a positive difference in the way dogs were behaving.
How do you define holistic dog grooming, and how does it differ from traditional dog grooming methods?
Holistic grooming is simply looking at the bigger picture rather than merely assuming that grooming is an isolated, methodological task – everything is connected and there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” approach.
Holistic grooming is about acknowledging that every experience a dog has during a grooming session will contribute to their overall health and well-being not just today but throughout their life, and also about understanding that grooming has to be adaptable to suit the individual needs of a dog so that they are less likely to find the experience stressful.
Styling and grooming are not the same though they are two sides of the same coin – basically, conventional grooming is more aesthetically influenced and holistic grooming is more health and wellbeing-based.
While both are required in today’s modern world of domesticated dogs, I believe that by implementing a more holistic approach to grooming we can help prepare a dog positively to more demanding styling tasks.
Why is adopting ethical practices in pet care important to you, and how do you ensure these practices are upheld in your grooming salon?
It’s important to acknowledge the need for a more holistic and cooperative approach to grooming because we have countless scientific studies to prove just how emotional dogs are. Understanding this means acknowledging that any traumatic experience has a negative influence on a dog’s emotional, physiological and physical state.
When we better understand how a dog feels and subsequently behaves our entire perspective changes, including our perception of safety.
Holistic grooming strives for emotional safety, just as much as physical safety, and from my experience (as well as the experience of hundreds of the many other groomers I know who also work as I do), it is only by respecting a dog’s need to feel emotionally safe in an environment that we can truly expect and achieve safety.
For example, various studies have shown that the more an animal feels physically restrained against their will the more likely they are to resist and fight. Yet in conventional grooming practices, students are often taught that physical restraints are mandatory tools to keep everyone safe.
I guess to answer your question in one sentence, adopting ethical grooming practices is important because failing to consider the emotional needs of a dog is failing to do our jobs competently.
In what ways do you believe holistic grooming impacts the overall well-being and health of the pets you work with?
I could write a book based on this question but to cut a very long explanation short – grooming is a primitive activity whose original purpose is to heal.
Like many other things, humans have humanised and bastardised the term ‘grooming’ into something completely different.
Grooming is now a lucrative market that appeals to our neotenous and anthropomorphic urge to look at cute things and nurture them – we love to dress them up and we love to make them look fluffy and puppy-like.
But in its truest sense, grooming has been used by all animals of the Animal Kingdom to preserve health and well-being by removing parasites, cleaning skin/fur/hair of dirt, blood and debris, strengthening family units, pacifying and comforting young and healing wounds – there is plenty of evidence to prove just how therapeutic grooming behaviours can be.
Grooming helps to reduce cortisol levels and induce the loving hormones Oxytocin and Serotonin, and there have been observations collected by Zoologists that show an animal forgoing food even when hungry to self-groom when in a state of emotional stress!
Grooming, therefore, is a therapy above all else, and should not be confused with professional styling.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in advocating for holistic pet care, and what have been the most rewarding aspects of your work?
The biggest obstacles have to be shame and a fear of change.
I genuinely believe that all professional groomers love and care for dogs – I don’t think any of us ever intend to do intentional harm and I think it’s because of this, that many are afraid to admit that things need to change.
When I spoke on Whippet Media Podcast a few years ago, hundreds of my peers took to my inbox to call me all sorts of names, it was incredibly hostile!
If I use myself as an example – I look back at some of my earlier videos and photos from 2018 and cringe because I can see that many dogs were stressed when I thought they were maybe just being silly or a little bit naughty.
Change is uncomfortable but it is necessary.
As the late civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said
“Do the best that you can until you know better, and when you know better, do better”
Maya Angelou
This is my mantra.
What is the philosophy behind the courses you offer at the Holistic Grooming Academy, and what makes the courses at the Holistic Grooming Academy stand out from other grooming training programs?
To support professional groomers in their professional development and raise the bar of professional grooming industry standards.
The Holistic Grooming Academy is passionate about supporting professional groomers through their transition from conventional grooming to holistic grooming processes, to make the industry a more ethical and animal-centred place.
I work closely with other pet care sectors and have formed amazing alliances with some of the world’s leading animal welfare professionals and organisations including the amazing ethologist and author, Dr Marc Bekoff and founder of the Hierarchy of Dogs Needs®, Linda Michaels. I am trying to bridge the gap between various pet care sectors to encourage synchronised care across the board.
My signature course, the Holistic Grooming & Behaviour Diploma is an advanced online educational framework that teaches students everything they need to begin achieving a more cooperative and safe grooming environment that takes into consideration the individual needs of a dog. I have worked hard to make it eligible for iPET PDR approval as well as accredited through UK Rural Skills.
What sets it apart from other similar courses is that it is a fluid and constantly reviewed curriculum supported by leading scientists, ethologists, zoologists and behaviourists.
It is not as simple as taking part in a multiple-choice assessment and groomers are encouraged to dedicate time to researching various concepts and theories before putting it all into practice – it has a good combination of theory, practical tasks and assessments throughout to ensure students are competent.
The support I provide every student who enrols also sets it apart from other online courses – the academy is very much community-led which means all members, students and graduates have a say on how the courses are conducted. We are an inclusive and safe space of learning that champions one another’s success while providing emotional support in times of struggle. Self-care is a huge part of the curriculum and we have just recently finished a confidence-building workshop with confidence coach Linda Wood.
I have worked incredibly hard to have the academy considered a reputable and credible, global educational entity that students and graduates can be proud of!
Could you share a memorable success story of a student or business that has benefited from your courses?
Many of my students and graduates have been featured in various press and media outlets as well as, won business awards for their approach to grooming – I am proud of every single one of them for doing their bit to make our industry a better place.
Most importantly, the real successes are in the differences we are all making to the experience dogs have with grooming because that is why we do what we do.
Every single dog who benefits from our holistic approach is respected and safe.
Seeing a dog go from incredibly traumatised and fearful to relaxed and comfortable is the biggest achievement we could ever hope for as holistic groomers and the best part is that we achieve this every single day!
Have you noticed any significant trends in pet care and grooming that excite you or raise concerns?
I entered the industry with a love for aesthetics and a dream of entering grooming competitions, but that was before I knew anything about canine behaviour, emotions and needs. I now find it difficult to watch many grooming shows and competitions where a dog groomer’s handling is outdated.
To me, it’s about being able to recognise when our wants as humans compromise an animal’s needs because there are too many scenarios where welfare is compromised for vanity – not always but often.
For example, I believe that the introduction of various types of poodle mixes is a concern for all groomers, not just holistic ones because their coats demand a more strenuous approach that makes cooperation more difficult to achieve.
What’s more, irresponsible breeding also means we have so many more dogs coming into salons with genetic conditions, including skin disorders that we are not qualified to address as groomers.
It’s also important to mention that professional groomers can often feel under pressure due to the unrealistic expectations of dog carers as well, so it is not enough that professionals speak out about holistic grooming. Dog carers should also be educated and encouraged to learn more about holistic grooming and be willing to invest the initial time involved in helping their dog feel comfortable with more demanding grooming tasks.
As a business mentor, what key lessons or principles do you emphasise to those looking to enter the pet grooming industry?
Everything I do has a strong emphasis on animal welfare and comes from a different perspective.
When I’m mentoring prospective groomers my main focus is on ensuring they have an updated knowledge base that reflects the latest science.
My job is to help support and facilitate learning rather than spoon-feed, I want my clients to feel empowered to make the necessary changes themselves.
Another huge part of my program is self-care – our jobs are incredibly overwhelming at times so it is important to me that groomers know how to practice self-compassion and can identify the early signs of burnout.
What are your future aspirations for the holistic pet care industry, and how do you plan to contribute to its growth and development?
Synchronised care – when all pet care sectors work together and respect one another for what they can bring to the table.
I believe that true ‘holism’ is being able to respect that we are all equally important in successfully achieving wellness. I want to see more vets listening to groomers, more groomers listening to dog trainers and so on.
I would also LOVE to see my accreditation ingrained into all available grooming qualifications as a mandatory CPD course and/or an integrated and mandatory requirement under any future regulation terms and conditions for our sector.
Are there any new courses or initiatives in the pipeline for the Holistic Grooming Academy that you’re particularly excited about?
I am so busy with running the accreditation that for now I am keeping things as they are but I do intend on expanding into holistic cat grooming at some point, if you know any holistic cat groomers that would like to collaborate?!
We do have the Holistic Groomer’s Directory which is a fantastic global resource for dog parents looking to find groomers who are studying in some capacity with the HGA which I feel more people should know about.
I’m also an avid writer and am in the process of writing my next book that focuses on running a successful grooming (or pet-related) business, whether it will be as successful as my last publications is a different story!
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in pet grooming and looking into your courses as a starting point?
I would always say that it is important to get some practical experience in the field through shadowing, ideally with a one-to-one groomer.
While my course is a fantastic place to begin for all groomers new and existing, there is a prerequisite – all groomers should have undergone some sort of formal training program so that they are competent in using various grooming tools and equipment before starting up their business. Students who enrol with the HGA must show evidence of either training to Level 3 standard or a relevant qualification before they will be awarded their official certification with us.
It is then a case of continually investing in your professional development – never assuming that you know enough or know it all. I encourage my students to seek out additional courses and I actively support other educational platforms as well.
The areas that are not covered enough in a standard professional grooming course are the topics we should be exploring more, especially canine behaviour, alternative touch-based therapies, positive dog training and dermatology.
Finally, it is never a bad idea to learn about the same topic from more than one reputable person or entity since we all have our own teaching and learning styles! For example, there are a few other cooperative-based grooming courses and resources that I recommend to my students including my friend, Chrissy’s amazing podcast ‘Creating Great Grooming Dogs’.
A new era of pet care and the rise of holistic grooming
In concluding our feature with Stephanie Zikmann, founder of the Holistic Grooming Academy, we’ve glimpsed the future of pet grooming – a future where every treatment is an act of care that nurtures both body and soul. Stephanie’s innovative approach redefines grooming, emphasizing well-being and compassion.
We’re grateful for her insights and encourage our Yappily community to explore how holistic grooming can transform pet care.
Let’s support Stephanie in her mission to spread this compassionate philosophy far and wide, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our pets. Thank you, Stephanie, for leading the way and for sharing your vision with us at Yappily!
VISIT THE HOLISTIC DOG GROOMING ACADEMY WEBSITE
VISIT STEPHANIE ZIKMANN’S WEBSITE
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