News & Events

Paragon’s Education and Training for aspiring dog groomers and dog grooming businesses stands out from other trade or vocational schools because its curriculum is developed and delivered by a team of industry experts. One of those experts, President Joe Zuccarello, will be taking his knowledge on the road March 10-12 to share with groomers across the nation at the GROOM’D – formerly known as Atlanta Pet Fair, at the Georgia International Convention Center.

GROOM’D, catering to 2,500 pet professionals and 100 exhibitors,  is one of the country’s largest trade show and conferences for professional pet stylists. At GROOM’D, talent meets technique, passion transforms into profitability and  professional groomers get the tools to stand out. The show features the latest products, education, pets and employee safety training, and networking opportunities.

Team Paragon and it’s sister division, Learn2GroomDogs.com, will be on hand with show specials and lots of tips – Come visit at booth #331!

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Pup Relief Tour Heads to Nigeria for Intensive Dog Grooming Workshop Feb 8 – 15th powered by Paragon Curriculum

Four trainers. Twenty-five students. Eight days. Two job offers. And a lot of dogs! The inspired mind behind the national sensation of the Pup Relief Tour is going global with his quest to promote the grooming profession in an intensive skill development workshop in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.

Paragon School of Pet Grooming is delighted to lend professional curriculum support to Brian Taylor, aka the “Dogfather of Harlem,” and his team of volunteers as they prep to train 25 self-taught groomers who will vie for employment at a popular daycare, boarding and grooming operation. The tour kicks off February 8^th, with Paragon providing the training curriculum, process and procedures.

Critters Veterinary Centre in Lekki, which also serves as a boarding and grooming facility, is hosting the workshop and supplying the dogs. In addition, Critters will offer employment to 2-3 groomers exhibiting impressive skills and potential which will significantly improve the groomers’ annual income.

“Paragon’s mission is to elevate the grooming profession, in North America, and around the world, through excellence in skill development. We’re thrilled to help Brian and his team bring the highest level of groomer training to this outreach project,” said Joe Zuccarello, President of the Paragon School of Pet Grooming.

In preparation of their departure, the volunteer trainer team brushed up their coaching skills using Paragon’s online training platform, and were supplied with additional textbooks and materials to make the most of the intensive workshop.

Taylor cited Paragon’s curriculum, textbooks, beautiful illustrations, and instructional videos as key advantages of the Paragon partnership.

“The school’s curriculum is rooted in the unmatched experience and teachings of industry icon Melissa Verplank, Certified Master Groomer, and their team is hand-picked from the best of industry experts. This is an incredible opportunity for groomers in Nigeria to access this kind of content not readily available in their country,” Taylor said.

Taylor is passionate about opening avenues to the grooming profession at home and abroad. The banker-turned-successful grooming business owner became a social media sensation during the height of the pandemic when he spearheaded the non-profit Pup Relief Tour in 15 cities across the United States. The team groomed 1918 pups whose pet parents faced financial hardships and raised awareness of pup health and well-being through grooming.

For the Nigeria venture, Taylor is joined by Pup Relief Tour Ambassadors, Labree Blaxon, Owner, Fluffy By Nature, (California), Latonya Smith, LC’s Detroit Salon, (Michigan) and Gianna Richardson, Gia Styles Grooming (Virginia). All have successful pet grooming businesses here in the U.S. and are primarily Black-owned.

Together, Paragon and The Pup Relief Tour are committed to raising awareness of the shortage of dog groomers and to help pet lovers discover the lucrative opportunity of a career in pet grooming.

Would you like less “sweat” and more “equity” in your pet business? Check out the International Boarding & Pet Services Association’s FLOW Business Conference, sponsored in part by team Paragon! Conference tickets include full access to all education sessions, workshops, roundtables, and panels; plus the IBBY Awards, Exhibit Hall, and the traditional Meet & Greet held the night before opening.

Paragon President Joe Zuccarello will lead three seminars this year on topics close the the heart of pet business owners:

• 10 a.m. Sept 22 – To Groom or Not To Groom – Joe will discuss proven strategies on how to attract, build, and lead a team of grooming producers you are proud to serve your customers. Learn more.
• 1 p.m. Sept 23 – Perfect Pricing – Joe will help you understand just where your prices need to be in your market, what the customer is really buying, and how to communicate pricing and price increases to your customers. Learn more.
• 8 a.m. Sept 24 – Employ Differently – Joe will share with you FOUR key elements to positioning yourself as an employer people want to come work for and a place where they are more likely to stay longer. Learn more.

Joe will be joined by our groom-focused friends Dave Campanella at Best Shot Pet Products and Chris Miller from Boss Pet Products on topics ranging from Mastering Rebooking to Grooming at Retail insights.
We’re so excited that IBPSA will have such a strong representation in the grooming category this year. We hope you’ll join us!
Learn More & Register below!

Register Here

Planning to be at WPA’s SuperZoo show August 23 – 25 in Las Vegas? Stop by and visit the Paragon & Learn2GroomDogs.com team at booth #7563! And if you own a pet business, don’t miss President Joe Zuccarello’s talk on How to Add Grooming Services to Your Retail Store to Drive Traffic and Profit!

Our partners at WPA put on a great show!

Here are some of the highlights for SuperZoo 2022:

• 800 New Products
  See, touch and test debut products in every category to get ahead of buying cycles—and the competition.
• 1200 Exhibitors
  Source the hottest products and trends in the marketplace to delight returning customers and attract brand new ones.
• 20,00 Pet Pros
  Meet, mingle and talk shop with people who “get it” to generate new ideas and lasting connections.
• 65 Education Sessions
  Uncover marketing, hiring and other business-boosting insights with SuperZoo’s industry-leading education program

Register here: https://www.superzoo.org/attendee/registernow/