Call Now: (888) 344-8658

Interview with Dawn Omboy – Discovering How Creative Grooming Has Unleashed Her Career

This is a preview of a Learn2GroomDogs.com Video.
To watch the full video, either Login or Explore Membership today!
Video DescriptionAbout Dawn Omboy

Runtime:

25 minutes, 27 seconds

Level:



Dawn Omboy has been a pet stylist for over 30 years. Shortly into her career, she started dabbling with creative styling. Who knew that her creativity would become such a popular part of our industry?

After a full day of filming, we were able to sit down and talk with Dawn. In our interview, she told us how she got her start in creative pet grooming and styling.

Join us as we learn what inspired her and helped propel her career. At the time, creative pet grooming was totally uncharted territory. It’s amazing how one event lead to another and how many times she’s gained phenomenal exposure through her creative work.

Be our guest and learn how her career took flight. It’s all because of a love for dogs – and a husband who refused to live with just a white dog 25 years ago.

In this video you will learn:

  • how a Standard Poodle opened up doors for her.
  • how she got her education.
  • how to change it up when you mess up.
  • how she gets clients to buy into what she does.
  • why she still loves creative grooming today.

Dawn Omboy

Certifications: NDGAA

We are all creative in our own right, we are pet groomers, there is a deep love for the art that is in our hearts and heads and hands that give us the ability to do the things we love to do. I am a self taught pet groomer; it is something I always knew that I would one day do.

I thought how cool it would be to do hair, I just happened to be able to relate to dogs better than people, so to be a hairdresser was out of the question.

At 19 I talked my way into a grooming shop. The owner said to me “Do you have scissors?” oh yes I replied and pulled out my big black singer sewing scissors. Oh no Honey! This is more like it she said and put a small shear into my hand and then pointed me to the grooming room. I had no clue. A lady in that room sent me to the kennel room to retrieve a dog from a cage along with the information card that I would find clipped to the front of the cage. That was about it as far as instructions would go, poof I was now a groomer. Back then I didn’t know there were things such as grooming schools.

After a few years and job changes I opened my own shop, but I still wanted to get better at my craft. I was so delighted when I heard of this Pet Fair that was going to be in Atlanta. The first few years I only went on Sunday to buy things for my store since I had to work on Saturdays, I saw the competitions going on. I really wanted to do that to improve my skills, but being the big chicken I am around people; I put it off, until I could no longer stand it. I told so many of my clients that I was going to compete that there was no way for me to back out of it. I called Ann Stafford and registered. I competed in 3 classes and brought home 3 placements! Wow. I can’t think of a better way to get such valuable grooming lessons. To do the dog right there in front of (ugh) people and then get a critique. Then I found out some of these folks are certified! I mean I had been told that I was certifiable, but I didn’t know that groomers were.

Soon I began my quest for the NCMG It gave me a wonderful feeling of confidence and pride. I learned so much along the way. Oh but then I saw a most wondrous thing at this Atlanta Pet Fair, It was a form of art like I had never seen, Kathleen Putman had turned a standard poodle into a carousel horse. I knew right then, THAT is what I am supposed to do.

There is a creative side to all of us weather we decide to do color or not. Everything we do is a Work of Arf! As a multiple Creative winner, I have gone on to teaching classes and have judged the Creative Competition in Hershey the past 3 years. NBC’s Today Show recently flew me to New York to be on the show where I put the NBC peacock on the dog live in the studio. There is a link to see it on the Klippers website. I have a DVD set available called Creative Canine Color & Design with Dawn Omboy available directly through Klippers.com. And the 4 hour Pizzazy class filmed at Hershey 2005available from Barkleigh. Last year I was even nominated for a Crystal, it was such an honor to be nominated.

It had been 3 years since my last Creative competition and 7 since I had done any of the regular classes. I felt that it was time to get back out there to work on my grooming skills again. I would highly recommend doing this periodically just to keep your skills up to speed. It was really scary for me getting back in the ring after a 7 year absence. But I needed it, I learned from it and I am a better groomer for it. My goal was to walk out of the ring with knowledge. And that in itself makes me a winner.

The Creative part of it, well that’s just me, Making the World a more colorful place, one dog at a time.

Categories

Feature Type

Join OurPriority List

A membership in Learn2GroomDogs.com can help you achieve the next level in your career!  Join the priority list for our next open enrollment notification! (and we will send you a couple cool things to give you a taste of what you will enjoy as a member!)

Thanks for signing up! Please wait while we redirect you to our special Thank You page.