For the Love of Grooming!

This month at American Grooming Academy we celebrate “For the Love of Grooming!” One family’s adventure in becoming American Grooming Academy’s first family to complete our advanced professional pet stylist program!

Here at AGA, we believe that not only are our current students, employees and clients are family members but also that everyone that walks through our doors believes in the “Love of Grooming”. Nothing prepared us for one family who became a famous part of AGA! The saying that this is a “family affair” for one set of twins, the baby and the mom is nothing short of a mouth full!

The Greer Family of  California is a whole family of girls…except dad Darrell Greer of course. The baby Allison Greer-St Yves started it all. Then the twins, Darla and Sandy followed, and eventually mom, Valerie Greer. We spoke to all of these amazing women now that graduation has come and gone to see what they had to say about being pet industry professionals, and a family of pet stylist. The differences may amaze you!

We asked all four of these women a series of questions, their answers are perfect for each one of them!

What makes you want to work with animals as a career?

Allison: “I have a huge passion for animals, and have always wanted to work with them. Being a pet stylist I get to work with dogs every day while making them look very cute at the same time!”

Sandy: “I thought I’d be good at it.”

Darla: “I was the third in the family to become a groomer so it was one of those “why not?” Moments and I happen to be good at it.”

Valerie: “ My Career as a photographer was at a stand still.  So in looking for something new having sent my girls to grooming school and talking with Angela Clark about all the options and opportunities a career as a groomer can offer. I decided it would be wise of me to take a chance and give it a try.”

These four amazing women all have various answers in why becoming a pet stylist was right for them, showing us that every member in a family can have a different personality but a career change can be lucrative to all! This also shows that all pet stylist come from different walks of life!

Do you think you have an advantage being a literal family of pet stylist?

Allison: “Yes! I get text messages from my mom all the time showing me her grooms and asking questions about patterns. In an industry that changes so much I think it’s very convenient to have family that you can ask questions 24/7!”

Sandy: “Yeah. I can show or tell them about a dog I’m doing and get their input.”

Darla: It definitely helps to have a group that you can text anytime and say “hey what do you think of this?” And they’ll tell you it needs some work or it looks good. I often text my sister and we’ll talk about what dogs we’ve done that day.

Valerie: “Heck yes.  As I am the newest to grooming I am always texting the girls with pictures of my grooms to get feed back.”

Are you a clipper or scissor pet stylist?

Allison: “I would probably say clipper groomer.”

Sandy: “Clipper groomer with a little bit of scissoring”

Darla: “Clipper groomer.”

Valerie: “Right now i feel i am a clipper groomer but I want to be a scissor groomer.”

This was the only question all four ladies answered the same, proving that all those apples do not fall very far from the tree!

When asked about their goals for their careers all of these girls answers made us proud to call them AGA alumna! They are all honest and love what they are doing right now making them one of the most unique families to ever share the passion of pet styling.

Allison: “I would love to own my own business one day, who knows maybe if we all live in the same state again we will open a business together!”

Sandy: “My current goal is to make the dogs’ haircut look amazing.”

Darla: “I’m the worst at making goals or planning things. I just take everything day to day so I’m really happy just grooming and working where I’m at right now.”

Valerie:  “I have so many options at this point I am just riding the wave.  I would love to be an master groomer instructor someday.  that of course takes time and lots of experience.”

All of them amazing and individual as they come, taught us here at AGA that all learning styles, skills, and work ethics are different to all sorts of people. So thank you Greer Girls, we salute you for helping us learn from you when you were learning from us. OH, and when asked about his pet stylist family, dad Darrell Greer says, “There is no reason for any of our dogs to be dirty!”