Paragon Rising Star: Kylie Place’s Journey to a Career in Dog Grooming
Meet Paragon Certified Groom Tech Kylie Place! With Pet Suites North Shore in Covington, Louisiana, Kylie’s journey into dog grooming took a few unexpected turns. After working in healthcare and later becoming a truck driver, she spent years traveling the country with her husband and dogs. Along the way, seeing friends build careers in grooming kept the idea alive. When she and her husband decided to settle down, Kylie chose to pursue her passion for working with animals, believing life is too short not to follow what you love.
Through Paragon, Kylie has developed her grooming skills, gained confidence with her tools, and learned to adapt to each dog’s individual needs. Her eagerness to learn, dedication to improving, and consistent communication with her mentor, Suesan Watson, helped her stay on track throughout her coursework. Her hard work and commitment have earned her recognition as a Paragon Rising Star.
Her mentor, Suesan Watson, shares:
“From the beginning, Kylie has shown that she was eager to be in the program and start on her path to becoming a groomer. She worked hard and wanted all the feedback she could get so that she could improve with each skill. She stayed connected, by reaching out often, which helped to keep her on time in the program. I know that Kylie will continue to shine and show she is where she is meant to be. Congratulations!”
Why did you choose dog grooming as a career?
I’ve always loved animals and I knew I wanted to work with them in some capacity, but my path to dog grooming wasn’t a straight line. I used to work in healthcare and then later became a truck driver, traveling the country with my husband and my dogs. Over the years, I had a few friends build careers as groomers, and the idea always stayed in the back of my mind. When my husband and I decided to settle down, I chased the opportunity of working with dogs because life is just too short not to pursue what you love.
What did you enjoy most during your coursework?
I enjoyed seeing myself improve with every dog I worked with. Learning the skills, becoming more comfortable with my tools and figuring out how to adapt to each dog’s individual needs. Working with a dog who learned to trust me made the day especially rewarding.
Where can we see your work?
You can see my portfolio on Instagram at @kyliegroomsk9s.
What are your future goals?
My future goals are to continue my grooming education, build confidence in my skills, learn from as many groomers as I can, and become more involved in the local grooming community.
Any advice for aspiring groomers?
Learn from the groomers around you, but don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s years of experience. Give yourself permission to be new. Also learn to read the dog in front of you. Good grooming isn’t all just technique, it’s patience, adaptability, and knowing when to slow down or change your approach.