National Register of Dog Groomers

13/07/2023

Most of those reading this post will not need the fully updated 5th Edition of my book Running Your Own Boarding Kennels but please spread the word by re-posting and sharing the link as widely as possible.

With an increasing demand for quality kennel accommodation for dogs and cats, a good boarding kennel is a sound investment and can provide a healthy income if run efficiently. Running your Own Boarding Kennels, the only guide of its kind available and has become the standard work. It is essential...

11/08/2022

Latest Newsletter from Premium Pet Services: Ladies and Gentlemen
NRPcS Newsletter - August 2022
Our information sites grouped together under the heading ‘The National Register of Petcare Services’ continue to grow although we would welcome more Full Members. The support of Associates is welcome, of course, but the costs of running such a comprehensive service to the sector are rising all the time.
National Register of Petcare Professionals
May I bring the National Register of Petcare Professionals (https://www.accreditedpetcareprofessional.org.uk) to the attention of you and your people. There just two statutory databases for animal care (veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses) and many hundreds of competing non statutory groups which are usually confined to the names of those who have completed 'their' courses (admittedly often to a high standard) and dedicated, in the care of dog trainers, to particular training philosophies. But the National Register of Petcare Professionals is the only general database of qualified petcare service providers in the UK and the cost of Membership and Associate Membership will not break anyone’s bank. Once the qualifications of applicants have been checked there is smart certificate and badge for Members and a certificate for Associates (those working towards full accredited qualifications).
The National Registers of Petcare Services
Our new hub page at www.premiumpetservices.uk is attracting many potential clients and provides immediate access to the National Registers which have now been established for almost ten years. They represent over 1,000 individuals and business and each continues to grow- although we would welcome more Full Members. The support of Associates is welcome, of course, but the costs of running such a comprehensive service to the sector are rising all the time.
Increase in activity
After many months of 'nothing', our boarding kennels and catteries are overflowing as families head for the hills and holidays. We can only hope that the predicted downturn of the economy will not affect pet related businesses too much for the increase in the number of pets in society over the last two years will flow through the next ten years or so and keep kennels and catteries, home boarders, groomers and trainers busy.
However, the average price of a puppy has seen a significant drop as just the data available through Kennel Club Registrations show a slowdown in activity. They are still higher than before Covid but again, there may be a further effect in the near future due to pressure on most people's income.
Rescue services have inevitably come under pressure as families realise that their decision to take on a pet was premature (or, perhaps, immature)
Licensing survey
Although many of you will not be affected by licensing laws because dog trainers, dog walkers, groomers, and pet sitters are not regulated, those of you who have boarding kennels and catteries, are involved with dog daycare, home boarding and dog or cat breeding will know, despite many government commitments not to burden small businesses with red-tape, that the extra bureaucracy and administrative burden of the 2018 Regulations is immense and, for breeders, has recently increased still further. So whether or not you are subject to licensing, your view on the subject are still relevant so please keep reading and complete the survey anyway
It is worrying that well supported organisations such as the All Party Dog Welfare Group (APDAWG) which circulates its newsletter very widely and to many local authorities, has included in its latest publication an article on licensing which is misleading at best and provides inaccurate information. Such errors may be picked up by other local authorities and implemented to the detriment of those working in our sector
In my opinion, the 2018 Regulations have made not a scrap of difference to animal welfare (their only impact has been to drown us in red tape) and their ‘statutory’ status should be returned to ‘non-statutory guidance’, while the randomly applied ‘star ratings’ should be scrapped for they appear to make absolutely no contribution to the views of clients or prospective puppy owners. The Regulations are due to be scrutinised later this year as part of the UK government's statutory five -year check on the impact of legislation. This is the only opportunity we have to amend them and we need to take it.
I have written a short survey to establish what sole traders and small businesses in the sector feel should be done, deleted, or amended. It is very short, just 10 questions, and your participation would be very much appreciated. The government is swayed only by media pressure or hard data - single comments and opinions, however sensible, get nowhere.
My thanks to those of you who have already taken the time to complete it. If you have not, may I remind you that it closes on 31st August
You can access the survey by clicking on this link
https://www.surveylegend.com/s/3y8d
Finally, please spread the word about the National Registers. The more members we have the greater the likelihood that government, local authorities, and the Canine and Feline Sector group will listen to our views
Very best wishes
David Cavill FRSA

Your feedback is highly appreciated

01/09/2021

I would appreciate your help.

Do you (or would you) use (or have installed) an automatic dog wash such as the K9000?

If the answer is 'Yes' a quick comment on the number of clients who take advantage of the service each week would be appreciated ([email protected])

This question is for information reagrding an ongoing legal matter only and nothing to do with the company concerned or the generation of sales

06/01/2021

First and foremost a Happy New Year to you - it must surely be better than last year :-)

This announcement from the Canine and Feline Sector Group has been approved by Defra in relation to the recent 'lockdown' is of interest to Groomers: it is worth studying carefully for it gives definitive answers to many questions.

Just click onto www.cfsg.org.uk and go to the Covid19 page

PS: Please encourage colleagues to join the Register: any concerns you have can be raised directly with the Canine and Feline Sector Group (the UKs most influential lobby group for dogs and cats) by me as I am a full mem

Home The Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) is made up of influential organisations who advise Government on behalf of the sector on strategically important dog and cat health and welfare issues and standards. ​CFSG is a “not for profit” body which offers expert advice and recommendations w...

21/11/2020

Ladies and Gentlemen

Groomers, like dog trainers, canine behaviourists and dog walkers are not required to be licensed but nevertheless essential to have Third Party Public Liability cover if you do not have it. You may therefore find this link useful

Home and business insurance

As local authorities finally get their head around the 2018 Regulations for breeders and other licensable pet related businesses such as home boarding, I have had several queries from members who are having problems with insurance. When they come to renew their normal insurance or when the local authority demands to see evidence as part of the licensing process, it appears that some companies cannot or will not add the required third-party liability cover for running a small pet related business from home to their standard product.

Showsurance, which was founded 40 years ago and provides Third Party Public Liability cover for many dog shows, has recently extended its service and arranged particularly suitable policies through their Brokers especially designed for these circumstances. Completing the form will generate a call from our Brokers at a time to suit you. Showsurance has been working with them for many years and although there is no guarantee that they will provide the cheapest quote, you can be assured that their experience is such that you will have cover which fulfills your needs.

Just click on this link (https://www.cognitoforms.com/Showsurance/RTCAssociatesHouseholdInsuranceAndorPetRelatedBusinessPublicLiabilityEnquiry)to access the form. It is short and everything is on one page so it only takes a couple of minutes to complete - you know I like to keep it simple!

Please share this message by forwarding it to any friends and colleagues who you think might find it helpful.

David

31/05/2020

I hope that you have survived during this very stressful period in all our lives and that you and yours have remained infection free. The continuing restrictions are bound to be frustrating but although there are still many people who will need to ensure they remain shielded we must now look forward and hope we are over the worst.

There are a number of items for the attention of our National Registers of Pet Professionals and so this newsletter is being circulated to all Full and Associate members.

Please note we are continuing to have problems with the maps on our sites. Google maps moved the goalposts a few months ago and so although they still work they are shaded and do not look as they should. We have been working on the solution but it has been more complicated than we expected and as we are not for profit we cannot afford the fancy bells and whistles of many websites. Please be patient - we will get there.

Firstly, here is the updated guidance from the Canine and Feline Sector Group on advice for dog and cat related businesses in England. It is a long document but you can access it by clicking on this link. http://www.cfsg.org.uk/coronavirus/_layouts/15/start.aspx #/

I sincerely hope that you are all back and operating to the extent that you are at least covering your costs in the very near future.

For Boarding Kennels, Greece, Italy and Spain are opening their borders and although people will be cautious about booking holiday, there are a few weeks during which any resurgence of Covid 19 can be monitored and, if the infection rate remains low this should encourage people to try and return to normal life. We can only hope so.

Puppy sales have been buoyant over the last few months so breeders, now the worries about the collection of puppies ready to go to their new homes is over, are over the worst.

Many dog trainers have been able to continue working on a one to one basis but classes have been seriously curtailed. But the surge in puppy sales over the current period may mean that they came back with a bang over the next two or three months.

We also have a new kid on the block. A UK Dog Charter Group had been launched. It is not a 'member' based organisation but has the support of a number of organisations: I have asked for full details but so far I have not had a reply. There is no indication of who is administering it and the site makes it clear that it holds the individual organisation responsible for any infringement of their 'Charter'. The 'Charter' itself is pretty standard and it, and its structure, its aims and objectives, mirror that of the Pet Education, Training and Behaviour Council (www.petbc.org.uk) to which the National Register of Dog Trainers and Canine Behaviourists has belonged since it was established back in 2014. There is an 'Oversight Committee' but again no indication of their names or qualifications.

Groomers should do well over the next few months: one of our local rooms is booked up for over six weeks but social distancing means they can take fewer dogs each day so cash flow will certainly be affected.

12/05/2020

The Canine and Feline Sector Group have updated its guidance to all those involved in the professional care of dogs and cats. There are two substantial documents which you can download from http://www.cfsg.org.uk/coronavirus/_layouts/15/start.aspx #/. The top two documents are most relevant.

25/03/2020

Ladies and Gentlemen,
If your inboxes are anything like mine it will be stuffed with information about how to deal with the current crisis and what your various correspondents and suppliers are doing to ensure the safety of their staff. I shall therefore not waste time on this aspect of the current situation and concentrate on wishing you and yours well. Let us hope that the rate of infection in the UK follows the same trajectory as in other parts of the world so that we will be back to normal in a few months’ time.
In the meantime we can use the enforced leisure to paint or wallpaper our homes, dig for Britain in our gardens, catch up with our reading and correspondence, tidy our desks (my main objective) and ensure that our computer records are up to date.
At Our Dogs our usual show oriented pages will be curtailed so we are planning a number of broad based projects which focus on general canine subjects. I hope you may be interested in making a contribution whether you are an exhibitor, judge, breeder, boarding kennel owner or trainer.
We know that when we talk to anyone with knowledge and expertise in dogs there are many fascinating stories and histories which under normal circumstances we are unable to publish. Here is your chance to let everyone know a little bit about you, your background, the canine activities in which you are involved, and what you would like to see in the future. Short articles, photographs, drawings: every contribution is welcome. We see many excellent postings on Facebook and other social media sites: your submission is an opportunity for your ideas and experiences to be enshrined permanently in the printed newspaper and within the pages of our digital edition.
Very best wishes – and stay safe
David

24/12/2019

The past few years have been traumatic with unprecedented upheavals at the Kennel Club, the long battle about the effective training of judges, the introduction of the ineffective, bureaucratic and administrative top-heavy animal welfare licensing regulations, the renewed attempt to 'regulate' dog training and dog trainers, the general frustration regarding Brexit which is bound to eventually have an effect on the current Pet Passport framework, the new untried and untested legislation surrounding Lucy's Law banning third-party sales of pets - and these are not the only problems which face the world of dogs and those of us who are professionally involved in caring for them, breeding them or judging them. There are grounds for pessimism but we must not let that get us down for most of continue to enjoy our involvement with our dogs and other pets - thank goodness for them!

Speaking of judging, I watched a few classes of one of my favourite breeds at recent Championship Show and was appalled at the quality of the dogs which were so far removed from the standard that I had to look up what was scheduled in the ring to confirm my fears - there is clearly still a long way to go.

I am afraid that when it comes to training dogs, grooming them, boarding them, judging or breeding them there will always be a small minority of people who behave irresponsibly. Such behaviour is out of the ordinary (which is why it becomes 'news') but it does undermine the reputation of the vast majority of the rest of us who are thoughtful, reliable and honest.

The 'i' sites which I am proud to administer on your behalf, attempts to repair such damage to our reputation and I thank you for being prepared to be involved in our communities which, I am delighted to say, have never been the subject of complaint. We must all be doing something right - thank you.

I only remains for me to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a successful New Year

David

01/12/2019

Minor changes to the administration of our community

Future members who join our community without paying the fee will be classed as Associate Members while those who are prepared to pay the nominal annual fee of £15 will be classed as Full Members. Over the next few weeks, those members who are already subscribers will be receiving a replacement certificate describing them as Full Members while those who are not subscribers will remain as 'Members' or 'Founder Members' as they are now.

Our community is a group member of the Pet Education, Training and Behaviour Council (PETbc) and although I will continue to provide advice to everyone via e-mail and the occasional phone call as no, full members will be able to take advantage of the more professional advice available through PETbc.

Insurance

A section of the Terms and Conditions under which you are a member requires that you have insurance. If you do not or would like what I hope would be a competitive quote arranged through the specialist pet introducer, Showsurance, please send me an e-mail with your telephone number ([email protected]) and I will arrange for a specialist to contact you direct.

Finally

On its agenda for its next meeting on 6th December, the Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) which is the most influential lobby group of organisation and to which the PETbc belongs, is a proposed Best Practice recommendation for Groomers. No matter that there are several codes already in existence (including our own), the CFSG wishes to establish another. I would be grateful for any comments which I can then take the meeting. You can see the proposal by clicking on this link

Guidelines for Dog and Cat Groomers This document has been prepared in the best interests of animal welfare and to assist those involved with professional pet grooming. It can help professional pet groomers meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which covers England and Wales. It...

20/09/2019

Please make a small donation

As some of you may know I was honoured to be elected Mayor of Trowbridge, Wiltshire's County town in May. Any Mayor is kept very busy representing his or her town and this has certainly been the case as far as I am concerned. One thing a Mayor is usually asked to do is to select a charity and for my Mayoral year I have chosen a small local charity called RukSak (https://www.ruksak45218.org.uk/what-is-ruksak45218) which aims to support disadvantaged children from 5 to 18 who through no fault of their own, find that they lack the essentials which most of us take for granted.

To raise money for Ruksak, the head of Trowbridge's Leisure Services, Haley Bell, has persuaded some of her colleagues to join her in a skydive tomorrow, Saturday, 21st September near Salisbury.

I would very much appreciate it if my friends in the world of dogs could support her by making a small donation at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mayorscharityjump….

The Just Giving site is only open until Sunday evening so, if you are happy to help please donate now. Thank you. Oh - and please share 🙂

ruksak45218