TL;DR: I get asked all the time if our dog grooming courses are Ofqual regulated. The truth is, Ofqual and City & Guilds sound official, but they don’t make you a better dog groomer. They’re built for ticking boxes, not building skills.

You’ll spend months on theory and essays, not on clippers and scissors.

Insurance? You don’t need Ofqual for that. Reputable vocational dog grooming academies like ours are fully accepted.

And when it comes to getting hired or setting up your own salon, no client asks what level you studied at, they just care if you can groom their dog properly.

I’ve seen too many people waste money on regulated courses, only to end up here saying: “I wish I’d done vocational from the start.”

If you want to be a dog groomer, learn by grooming dogs. It’s that simple. 

Alistair Black, Owner of The Paw Pad Dog Grooming Academy

Ofqual Sounds Fancy, But It Won’t Make You a Groomer

When people message me about learning to groom dogs, one of the first questions I get is: “Is your course Ofqual regulated? Is it City & Guilds?”

I get why folk ask, Ofqual sounds official, and City & Guilds has been around for ages. But here’s the truth, in dog grooming, Ofqual and City & Guilds aren’t the golden ticket people think they are. In fact, for most students, they’re an expensive detour that doesn’t actually make you a better dog groomer. Learn more about dog grooming qualifications from our blog.

What Ofqual Actually Means

Ofqual is a government body that regulates qualifications in England. In theory, it’s about standards, ticking boxes, and making sure qualifications meet a certain framework. Sounds good on paper.

But Ofqual regulation is all about written work, units, and paperwork. If you’ve got the patience to sit at a desk and fill out endless assignments about dog anatomy, salon management, and health & safety, then fine. But if your actual goal is to groom dogs, run a business, and make a living, it’s not the best route.

I’ve had students come to me after spending thousands on Ofqual/City & Guilds, only to say they still don’t feel confident with clippers or scissors. Why? Because so much time gets wasted on theory instead of actually grooming.

What Vocational Training Looks Like

Now compare that to vocational training,  the kind we do here at The Paw Pad. It’s hands-on dog grooming from day one. You’re on the table, with real dogs, learning how to handle, clip, scissor, and style.

No sitting through modules about “legislation frameworks” or writing 2,000-word essays on parasite prevention. Instead, it’s

• Here’s the dog in front of you.
• Here’s how to handle it safely.
• Here’s how to achieve a good finish.
• And here’s how to keep clients coming back.

It’s about building confidence through experience, not paperwork.

By the end of three weeks with us, you’ve groomed dozens of real dogs, seen every coat type, dealt with wriggly pups, nervous rescues, and the occasional spicy character. That’s what sets you up for real-world grooming.

Insurance, Business, and Reality

The big scare tactic people use is: “But you need an Ofqual qualification for dog grooming insurance!” Absolute nonsense.

Insurance companies accept vocational certificates from reputable academies like ours. What they actually want is proof you’ve been trained to a professional level, not that you can quote legislation from memory.

At the end of the day, no client is asking you what “framework level” you studied at. They care if you can groom their dog well, safely, and with care. That’s it.

Time and Money

Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: Ofqual courses cost more and take longer. You’ll be paying thousands extra, plus months of written assignments, for a bit of paper that says “regulated” on it.

Vocational training is shorter, focused, and gives you the skills to start earning straight away. Most of our students go straight into work, whether that’s setting up a home salon, going mobile, or joining a grooming business. You don’t need to slog through a year of theory to get there.

The Honest Truth

Ofqual looks fancy, but it’s not built with dog groomers in mind. It’s built for box-ticking and qualification frameworks.

Vocational training is built for you, the person who wants to pick up scissors, learn the craft, and actually get grooming. It’s practical, real, and gets you where you want to be: working with dogs and earning a living.

So if you’re weighing it up, my advice is simple: choose vocational. Skip the essays. Skip the wasted time. Get your hands on real dogs and learn the job properly.

That’s my take, anyway. I’ve seen too many people throw money at Ofqual, only to come to me afterwards and say: “I wish I’d done vocational from the start.”

Save yourself the bother. If you want to be a dog groomer, learn by grooming dogs.