Andrea Cyrill Khurana has spent eighteen years raising pet grooming standards in India, and she didn’t do it with a mission statement. She just kept doing the work until it turned into one.
Back then, she was bathing family dogs with human shampoo, no training, no idea what she was doing. Now she runs Petsburgh, trains groomers who’ll go on to train others, and leads PPGAI, the body that decides what a groomer in India is actually accountable for. Ask her what matters most in a session, and she won’t talk about technique. She’ll tell you that when a dog is stressed, the haircut stops, even if the client is standing right there waiting.
That’s the interview. Not a brand story. A groomer who decided the industry needed a floor, and built it herself.
Thank you so much for joining us at PETBIZS, Andrea. Looking back at everything Petsburgh has become since 2008, how does it feel to finally put your journey into words?
Eighteen years is a long time to build something quietly. I think the right moment to share it is now, precisely because Petsburgh isn’t just a salon story anymore. It’s PPGAI, it’s an academy, it’s about to become PUPP. The story has grown into something worth telling to a global audience because it’s no longer just about one business in Mumbai. It’s about what an entire industry in India looks like when someone decides to take it seriously.
What gap did you see in India's pet care sector in 2008?
In 2008, pet grooming in India existed only as an afterthought or a novelty. Nobody treated it as a standalone profession worth investing in, training for, or building a business around.
I saw a service that pet parents genuinely needed and were willing to pay for, with no one taking it seriously enough to do it properly.
That gap is exactly what convinced me Petsburgh needed to exist as its own dedicated business.
How did you earn early trust when professional pet grooming in india had little recognition?
Trust in pet grooming isn’t won with a marketing campaign; it’s won one dog at a time.
Early on, that meant being consistent, transparent about process, and never cutting corners on animal comfort even when it would have been faster or easier. You know, pet parents talk to each other, and that is what makes or mars your reputation as a caring groomer. Though with word of mouth, one may earn a reputation slowly, it becomes your hallmark with consistency.
Remember, people want to see their dog come home calm and well cared for, not just well groomed. And we work on both lines to earn early trust even when the profession had little recognition in India.
Which early experience with dogs first showed you that grooming demands more than technique?
My family kept Lhasa Apsos growing up, and we used to take them to dog shows. I remember bathing them with human shampoo and letting them dry in the sun, no technique at all, just instinct.
However, it didn’t take long working with animals professionally to realize that grooming isn’t really about the haircut. It’s about reading an animal that can’t tell you what’s wrong, understanding anatomy, temperament, skin, coat, and earning its trust one session at a time. That’s a completely different skill than styling.
Was there a specific challenge in Petsburgh's early years that reshaped how you lead today?
The early years taught me that you cannot scale trust the way you scale operations. I had to learn to build systems and train people in a way that protected the standard I cared about, rather than just trying to do everything myself.
That shift, from doing the work to building the structure that lets the work happen consistently, is something I still think about in every decision I make today.
Which principles from your international training shaped your working philosophy the most?
The biggest principle that stuck with me from international training is that technique without welfare is meaningless. Every credentialed system I trained in, in Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, and through IPG USA, put animal comfort and safety ahead of pure aesthetic skill. That ordering, welfare first, craft second, is the entire foundation of how I built Petsburgh and how I train every student who comes through the Academy.
What does holding the International Certified Master Groomer title represent to you?
Holding the ICMG title isn’t about the certificate on the wall. In fact, it represents a level of accountability that I’ve been tested against an international standard and held to it. Moreover, it also comes with a responsibility to bring that standard back and raise the bar for everyone I train, not just perform it for myself.
What did international competition and training teach you about the state of Indian pet grooming?
Indian pet groomers have real talent, often more raw skill than people give them credit for.
What we’re still catching up on is structured education and enough competitive exposure to develop judges, mentors, and senior talent from within. That’s not a criticism; it’s a timeline problem, and it’s exactly what PPGAI and PUPP are built to close.
What separates a technically skilled groomer from one ready to mentor and educate?
Well, I believe a technically skilled groomer can execute a cut. But someone ready to mentor has to be able to explain why, break down their own instincts into teachable steps, and stay patient while someone else struggles with something that comes naturally to them. That’s a completely different muscle, and not everyone who’s good with their hands wants to build it.
Which misconception about pet grooming still puts dogs and cats in India at the greatest risk?
For me, the most dangerous misconception in India is that pet grooming is cosmetic, optional, or just about appearance.
In reality, a pet groomer is often the first person to catch a skin condition, ticks, a lump, matting that’s causing pain, or early signs of illness. Treating grooming as vanity rather than a health touchpoint is what puts animals at risk.
How does prioritizing animal welfare over styling actually play out during a difficult appointment?
Note this and take this with you forever: When welfare and styling conflict, welfare wins, always.
If an animal is showing signs of stress or discomfort, the session slows down or stops, even if that means the cut isn’t finished to the original plan. I’d rather explain to a pet parent why their dog’s appointment took longer than sacrifice that animal’s comfort for a faster result.
How do coat condition, skin health, age, breed, and temperament come together in a grooming plan?
No two grooming plans should look the same, even for the same breed.
- Coat condition tells you what the coat can handle right now.
- Skin health flags anything that needs extra care or a different product.
- Age changes energy levels and tolerance for handling.
- Breed gives you a starting template,
- Temperament tells you how much patience and pacing that particular animal needs.
All five have to be read together, not treated as separate checkboxes.
What happens when a pet parent's request conflicts with the animal's coat health or comfort?
This happens more than people think.
When a request conflicts with the animal’s coat or comfort, I explain why, not just say no. Pet parents almost always come around once they understand it’s about their pet’s wellbeing, not the groomer being difficult. The conversation works best when it’s rooted in education rather than refusal.
What made the mobile van model worth building, and what standards stay non-negotiable?
The mobile van model came from meeting pet parents where they actually are, some dogs are too anxious for salon environments, some parents have mobility or time constraints. It made grooming accessible in a completely different way. Across grooming, the van, boarding, and daycare, the standard that never moves is animal welfare and handling protocol. The service format changes, the baseline for how we treat the animal never does.
How did you train your team to deliver your standards without supervising every session personally?
Scaling past ten groomers meant I had to translate what was instinct in my own hands into something teachable and repeatable. That meant documented protocols, structured training, and a system of accountability that didn’t depend on me watching over every session. It was uncomfortable to let go of that control, but it’s the only way to grow without diluting the standard.
What convinced you that opening an academy would move the industry forward more than expanding Petsburgh's salon footprint?
Expanding Petsburgh’s salon footprint would have scaled one business.
On the other hand, opening an academy scales an entire industry; it multiplies trained, ethical pet groomers far beyond what any single salon could produce on its own. It’s not only about money for me, but it’s also about creating an environment of safety and accountability in the pet care industry.
That’s a bigger lever for actually changing the profession in India.
How do you adapt international grooming education for India's climate, breeds, and salon realities?
International grooming education was built for different climates, different breed populations, and salon setups that don’t always exist here.
I adapt it by layering that international technical foundation with what actually works in Indian conditions, heat, humidity, the specific breeds and mixed breeds we see most, and the realities of the salons my students will actually work in.
Which technical, safety, or communication gaps show up most often among new pet grooming students?
The gaps I see most often are less about technical skill and more about reading animal stress signals early, and communicating clearly and confidently with pet parents. Technique can be taught relatively quickly. Patience, observation, and calm communication under pressure take much longer to build.
How do you teach students to read body language, recognize stress early, and know when to pause?
I teach students to slow down and actually watch the animal before they ever pick up a tool: body tension, ear position, breathing, how the animal responds to being touched in different areas. We build in deliberate pause points during training so noticing stress and stopping becomes instinct, not an afterthought they remember only when something’s already gone wrong.
Which business skill deserves more attention early in a pet groomer's career?
Pricing confidently is the skill most pet groomers underinvest in early. A lot of talented groomers underprice themselves out of self-doubt, then burn out trying to make volume cover what their pricing should have covered from the start. I make sure that’s part of the curriculum, not just left for people to figure out the hard way.
What made you decide India needed a dedicated association like PPGAI?
We all know that academies and salons train individuals. However, an association like PPGAI does something different: it holds an entire profession to a shared standard, gives it a collective voice, and builds the credibility that no single business can build alone. India needed that missing layer, and nobody was building it.
What minimum safety, hygiene, handling, and professional standards should every pet grooming salon follow?
At minimum: proper sanitation between animals, correctly maintained equipment, staff trained specifically in stress-safe handling, clear protocols for medical red flags, and transparent communication with pet parents about what’s happening during a session.
These aren’t aspirational; they should be the baseline everywhere.
How can PPGAI's certification and Code of Ethics build genuine public trust rather than just being a marketing label?
Certification and a code of ethics only mean something if there’s actual accountability behind them, not just a badge someone can put on their website.
PPGAI holds members to real standards around continuing education, safety, respect, integrity, and animal welfare, and we remove members who don’t meet them. That willingness to enforce it, not just publish it, is what keeps it from becoming a marketing label.
What future are you hoping competitions like PPGAI's build for Indian pet groomers on the world stage?
I hope that competitions like this stop being a novelty and start being expected, that Indian pet groomers walk into international rooms and are seen as peers, not newcomers. Every edition that brings international judges here is one more step toward India having a genuine, respected seat at the global pet grooming table. I just wish more talented pet groomers would come forward to showcase their skills and get the recognition they deserve, instead of hiding their talents in their salons.
What advice would you give someone starting in pet grooming today, and where can they connect with you?
Be patient with yourself and the animals in your care; this craft rewards people who keep learning long after they feel competent. Invest in your skill before you invest in expensive tools you don’t yet know how to use. And find mentors and institutions that will hold you to a real standard.
Anyone starting is welcome to connect through Petsburgh, the Academy, or PPGAI; our doors are genuinely open. We are reachable through our websites, Instagram, or phone.
Thank you to Andrea for the honesty in this conversation, and for eighteen years of proving that pet grooming is a health touchpoint, not a vanity service. From the mobile van that met pet parents where they were, to the academy that turned instinct into something teachable, to PPGAI holding an entire industry accountable, your work has given Indian pet groomers a standard to build on and a reason to stop hiding their talent in salons.
PETBIZS is grateful to you for taking the time to share it, and hopeful this is the beginning of Indian pet grooming getting the recognition it has earned on the world stage.
