Rising Star and Groom Tech Grad: Great Grooming Begins With Genuine Care
Meet Rising Star and Paragon Certified Professional Groom Tech Caitlene Tisch of Pet Supplies Plus in Amherst, New York! Caitlene found her way to the grooming world through her love for animals, and that underpins everything she’s done throughout the program. She’s going to make an excellent groomer one day, and we can’t wait to see it!
Just ask her mentor, Suesan Watson, who tells us, “Caitlene was an awesome student, she asked for help when needed and wanted critiques so that she could make any improvements needed on her next pup. She was well organized and went through Level 1 without getting stuck on any one skill. I know Caitlene will progress and go through the next level of this program. Congratulations, Caitlene!”
Why did you choose dog grooming as a career?
I have always had an interest in working with animals ever since I was a young child. When I was little, I always had the hope that I would get into a field where I could take care of or work with animals. As I got older, I tried the path to becoming a veterinarian. Going to a university and science classes made me realize that the veterinarian path wasn’t for me, but I still wanted to go forth and find a different one. I landed myself at a pet store working as a store associate, and when my managers asked me if I’d like to try grooming, I wasn’t hesitant to say yes.
What did you enjoy most during your coursework?
I enjoyed the aspects of watching and asking questions to both my grooming colleagues and my mentor. While being a student, I like to take in information by watching others do their work. I was able to see different techniques being used in order to keep the dogs safe and have a great finishing result. Also, it was nice to turn to my mentor to ask her questions and any tips or tricks she has used or learned in her grooming career.
Where can we see your work?
As of right now, I don’t have my own personal platform that showcases my work, but as I continue compiling more work, I hope to build a platform on social media sites such as Instagram or Facebook.
What are your future goals?
My future goals are to continue to learn different techniques for cutting dogs’ fur and hope to have learned different stylized cuts in the future.
Any advice for aspiring groomers?
My advice is that you should always be open to asking others questions and take in feedback whenever you can. Also, if you have others grooming dogs around you, watch them and see how they handle the body of a dog and the reactions the dog has.