Holistic dog grooming rarely gets discussed as science. Most people still picture it as scissors, styling, and show ring finishes. However, Nathalie Doaré discusses it differently, through skin physiology, animal behavior, and groomer health, and that changes how you should read this entire interview.
As founder and president of the International Grooming Society, she has spent nearly two decades pulling the profession away from pure aesthetics and toward genuine science. Her path began with one question she refused to drop: what actually happens to an animal’s skin and emotional state during a groom, and why does nobody teach that? That single question eventually grew into DAATA, a full certification pathway, and now an international organization that is redefining what professional expertise means in grooming.
In this conversation, Nathalie walks us through the standards, the science, and the philosophy of what makes grooming ethical and holistic.
Read the full interview to see how she built IGS from nothing, what separates true certified expertise from inherited tradition, and why she believes the next five years could redefine ethical grooming at every level of the industry.
Thank you for joining PETBIZS, Nathalie. Tell us about yourself, your background, and what first drew you into professional and holistic dog grooming.
Thank you for having me. My name is Nathalie Doaré-Ariey-Jouglard. I am a holistic grooming educator, international speaker, and author, as well as the creator of the DAATA-ICDG training and certification pathway and the Founder and President of the International Grooming Society.
My work today sits at the intersection of skin and coat science, animal welfare, groomer health, product knowledge, and environmentally responsible practice. However, my first contact with professional grooming began in a much simpler and more unexpected way.
Almost 20 years ago, I met a groomer who became a friend and introduced me to the profession. At first, I was captivated by the aesthetic side of grooming: the transformations, the precision, the technical skill, and the creativity involved. I found it fascinating that someone could begin with an overgrown or unbalanced coat and reveal such a beautiful result.
At that time, I did not yet understand everything that existed behind the finished groom, or, more precisely, everything that was sometimes missing behind it. I began asking questions about the skin beneath the coat, the physiological effects of the techniques being used, the ingredients in grooming products, the animal’s physical and emotional experience, and the impact of the work on the groomer’s own body.
Why was a particular technique performed in that way? What was happening to the skin and hair during the process? Why did some animals resist so strongly? Could we achieve the same, or an even better, result with less stress and greater respect for their physiology?
These questions often remained unanswered, and I could not accept that. So I began to research on my own, seeking deeper understanding and evidence-based answers. Those questions gradually became the foundation of my career. My initial fascination with aesthetics developed into a much broader exploration of what professional grooming could and should be.
I did not want to remove the artistry from grooming; I wanted to place that artistry on stronger scientific and ethical foundations. That journey eventually led me to develop the DAATA approach, create educational programs, write and speak internationally, and later establish IGS.
What first drew me into grooming was its beauty and creativity. What made me stay was the realization that grooming could become something much deeper: an informed form of professional care that protects the animal, the groomer, and the future of the profession.
What was the specific moment or gap in the industry that convinced you the grooming profession needed an organization built around ethical, animal first standards like IGS?
I cannot identify one dramatic moment when I suddenly decided that the profession needed an
organization like IGS. It was a gradual realization that developed during the early years of my career, particularly through my work as a workshop organizer.
Being involved in professional education allowed me to observe not only what groomers were being taught, but also what was consistently absent. Technical skill, equipment, styling, and the visual result received a great deal of attention, while subjects that should have formed the foundation of the profession were often missing or treated as optional specializations.
There was very little education about skin and coat science, the physiological consequences of grooming techniques, animal behaviour and sensory sensitivity, product ingredients and exposure, or the prevention of occupational health problems for groomers. Animal welfare was certainly valued in principle, but it was not always translated into structured knowledge, clear standards, or practical decision-making.
Techniques were frequently taught as a sequence of actions without sufficiently explaining why they were performed, what effect they had on the animal, or when they should be adapted. When an animal resisted, the focus was often on how to complete the procedure rather than understanding what the animal was communicating. At the same time, pain and exhaustion among groomers were largely accepted as normal consequences of the profession.
What struck me was that the most essential knowledge was often the least accessible. This was not because groomers did not care. Most professionals were doing their best with the education, tools, and information available to them. The gap was systemic rather than individual.
My first response was to research, develop the DAATA method, and create training that connected grooming practice with dermatology, cosmetology, behavior, animal welfare, and groomer health.
However, over time, I understood that education alone could not address every part of the problem. The profession also needed a shared international structure: an organization capable of establishing ethical standards, supporting continuing education, conducting research, developing practical guidelines, connecting professionals across countries, and working with schools, brands, event organizers, associations, and other industry institutions.
That is what ultimately led to IGS. It was not created in reaction to one incident, but through the accumulation of unanswered questions and missing foundations that became impossible to ignore.
IGS is built around animal-first standards, but animal-first should never mean groomer-last. Ethical grooming must protect the animal’s physical and emotional well-being while also protecting the health, knowledge, and future of the professional providing that care.
The moment of decision was therefore not a single event. It was the point at which I realized that these gaps were not isolated problems; they were different parts of the same missing professional framework.
You also created the DAATA ICDG methodology in applied dermatology for groomers. What sparked your interest in the science of skin and coat health, and how did that expertise shape your holistic approach to grooming?
My interest in skin and coat science began with my own dog, Gwen, an atopic French Bulldog. At the time, I felt desperate because I could see how uncomfortable she was, but I did not know how to help her effectively.
The veterinary care available to us focused mainly on controlling her symptoms with medication. Those treatments sometimes provided relief, but they did not give me the deeper understanding I was looking for, and some created additional difficulties for her. The nearest veterinary dermatologist was approximately 700 miles away, which made regular access to specialist care impossible.
I therefore began studying independently through scientific and veterinary literature, specialist books, courses, and conferences. My intention was not to replace veterinary medicine or diagnose and treat disease myself. Medical diagnosis and treatment belong to veterinarians. I wanted to understand how the skin functioned and determine what I could responsibly improve within the scope of grooming.
Very quickly, I realized that dermatology and grooming were intimately connected. The skin is directly affected by every part of the grooming process: water temperature, cleansing, product selection, dilution, friction, brushing, detangling, drying, and the frequency of the sessions. Grooming could either support the skin barrier and the animal’s comfort or add further stress to an already vulnerable system.
Using what I was learning, I gradually developed supportive and holistic grooming routines for Gwen based on the physiology of her skin and coat. These were not medical treatments; they were scientifically reasoned holistic grooming practices designed to avoid aggravating her condition, support normal skin functions, and improve her comfort. The changes I observed convinced me that appropriate skin and coat care could play a meaningful complementary role in prevention and in reducing factors that contributed to visible discomfort.
At the same time, I began re-examining the grooming techniques I had encountered in schools, workshops, and professional demonstrations. Many of them were difficult to reconcile with what I was learning about skin-barrier function, hair structure, hydration, mechanical stress, and physiological balance. Techniques were often taught according to tradition or aesthetic objectives without sufficiently considering their biological effects.
From dermatology, the progression into cosmetology was natural. If I wanted to understand what I was doing, I also needed to understand products: their ingredients, functions, interactions, conditions of use, and potential effects on the animal, the groomer, and the environment.
What began as an attempt to help one dog gradually developed into the DAATA methodology, Dermatologie Animale Appliquée au ToilettAge. I created a structured method that could be adapted to different skin and coat types, and then developed it into a professional course and, later, a multi-level certification pathway.
As groomers began applying the method, their feedback revealed effects that extended beyond skin and coat condition. They reported calmer and more cooperative animals, easier sessions, less physical struggle, reduced strain on their own bodies, and a better overall grooming experience.
That was when my approach became truly holistic. Skin and coat science was the starting point, but it led naturally to behaviour, sensory sensitivity, product safety, animal welfare, groomer health, and environmental responsibility. Each area influences the others.
Gwen did not simply inspire my interest in dermatology. She changed the entire direction of my work. By trying to understand what her skin needed, I discovered a different way of understanding grooming itself. At the same time, I was able to keep her atopic condition under control, with only one flare-up during the last eight years of her life, compared to around six per year during the first two years.
Looking back at the earliest days of building IGS, what did those first steps actually look like, and who or what helped you get it off the ground?
When I look back at the earliest days of IGS, I realize that the organization began long before its official launch. For many years, I had already been advocating for a different future for grooming: greater consideration of science, stronger protection of animal welfare, better prevention for groomers’ physical and emotional health, and greater recognition of their right to build sustainable and financially viable careers.
Through DAATA, my teaching, workshops, publications, and international contacts, a community was already forming around these ideas. Creating IGS became the natural next step. It allowed us to bring those different areas together within a formal international structure rather than continuing as a collection of separate educational projects.
The first practical steps involved defining the mission, creating the membership and chapter structure, establishing professional and ethical standards, developing educational resources, and identifying trusted people who could represent the organization locally. In the beginning, this was achieved through a great deal of personal commitment, voluntary work, long conversations, and the belief that the profession was ready for something different.
I was fortunate to receive encouragement and practical support from close friends who shared the same vision:
- Chantel Hunt, who now leads the Canadian Chapter
- Monika Petras in IGS Ireland
- Elena Hompot and Andreea Darbouli from our Romanian office.
Their support was important not only emotionally but also strategically. They understood the realities of holistic grooming in their respective countries and helped ensure that IGS could become genuinely international while remaining united around the same principles.
IGS was not launched by a large team with unlimited resources. It grew from a small group of people who believed that animal welfare, groomer well-being, science, and professional success should no longer be treated as separate subjects. Those relationships helped transform an idea into an organization, and their support remains essential to its development today.
How would you explain the mission of the International Grooming Society and its focus on holistic grooming to a groomer who has never heard of it?
In the simplest terms, IGS exists to improve the lives of both animals and grooming professionals through education, awareness, research, practical support, and stronger professional standards.
We want current groomers, future groomers, and those entering the profession to have access to the knowledge they need to provide ethical, science-based care. That includes understanding skin and coat physiology, animal behavior and sensory needs, product safety, responsible techniques, occupational health, and the wider consequences of every professional decision.
At the same time, we want groomers to build sustainable careers that they can enjoy for many years. Caring for animals should not require professionals to sacrifice their bodies, emotional health, personal lives, or financial stability. Groomers should be able to protect their health, earn a proper living, develop their expertise, and remain passionate about their work until retirement.
Another central part of our mission is elevating the way the profession is perceived. Grooming is still too often regarded from the outside as a low-skilled or low-income occupation that requires little more than knowing how to use clippers or scissors. In reality, professional grooming is, or should be, a highly technical discipline requiring extensive knowledge, observation, judgement, adaptability, and responsibility.
IGS wants to help groomers become recognized as the experts they should always have been trained to become. We do this by connecting science with practice, developing certification and continuing education, conducting research, supporting international chapters, and working with schools, brands, events, associations, and other industry institutions.
Ultimately, ethical grooming means achieving the best possible result without compromising the animal’s physical or emotional well-being, the groomer’s health, or the integrity of the profession. Our mission is to make that approach accessible and achievable throughout the world.
What makes IGS different from other grooming associations or certification bodies a professional might already belong to?
I do not see IGS as competing with or replacing other grooming associations. Many established organizations provide valuable services through competitions, artistic and technical education, breed standards, networking, business support, or professional representation. IGS has a different and complementary center of gravity.
Our primary focus is the future development of grooming as a science-based, welfare-centered, and sustainable profession. We consider the appearance of the finished groom important, but we look far beyond aesthetics. Our work connects skin and coat physiology, animal behavior and sensory experience, groomer health, occupational safety, product awareness, environmental responsibility, ethics, and business sustainability.
Another important difference is that IGS does not concentrate only on the individual groomer. We work across the entire professional ecosystem. We conduct research, translate findings into education, develop practical frameworks, support local chapters, collaborate with schools and educators, encourage dialogue with manufacturers, and work with event organizers to improve welfare standards.
For example, the Global Groomer Health Initiative addresses occupational risks that have historically received very little attention. The IGS Ingredient Classification Framework creates a more scientific way to discuss products and exposure. The Animal Welfare Guidelines for Grooming Events extend ethical responsibility beyond the salon into competitions, demonstrations, workshops, and trade events.
IGS is also deliberately international. Our core ethical principles remain consistent, while our Chapter Leaders help interpret and apply them within different languages, cultures, regulations, and professional environments.
What makes IGS different is therefore not a rejection of traditional grooming, artistry, or competition. We determine to place them within a broader professional framework. We want to preserve creativity and technical excellence while ensuring that science, animal welfare, groomer health, and long-term sustainability become the foundations of the profession rather than optional additions.
Our purpose is to help make that future of grooming a reality as quickly and responsibly as possible.
IGS describes itself as rooted in holistic grooming and animal well-being. What does that mean for the animal on the table, not just for the groomer holding the clippers?
For the animal on the table, holistic grooming begins with recognizing that they are not simply a coat to be washed, brushed, clipped, or styled. They are a sentient individual experiencing every moment of the session.
Understanding that in a general or philosophical sense is not enough. Groomers must understand that every gesture, environmental element, and interaction can have consequences for the animal’s physical health, emotional state, behavior, and future response to grooming.
Water and air temperature, dryer noise and pressure, lighting, visual contrast, odors and fragrances, flooring, restraint, body positioning, the duration and sequence of the session, the groomer’s movements and tone of voice, and the presence of unfamiliar people can all influence how an animal experiences the environment. The impact will vary between individuals, which is why no single protocol can be appropriate for every dog or cat.
A technically harmless action can still become emotionally overwhelming when it is too intense, prolonged, unpredictable, or combined with other stressors. Conversely, small adaptations can sometimes create a considerable improvement in cooperation and comfort. The animal has not chosen to be on the grooming table and cannot simply leave when the experience becomes too difficult. That gives the groomer an even greater responsibility to consider the session from the animal’s perspective.
Before beginning, the professional should consider the animal’s age, health, mobility, skin and coat condition, temperament, sensitivities, previous experiences, and current emotional state. Throughout the session, they should observe the animal’s signals and remain prepared to change the technique, reduce intensity, introduce a break, reorganize the procedure, or stop when necessary.
Holistic grooming does not mean that every animal will enjoy every part of grooming. It means that the professional does everything reasonably possible to avoid unnecessary fear, pain, force, and discomfort while building cooperation rather than demanding submission.
The final appearance is only one measure of success. We must also ask: How did the animal experience the process? What physical and emotional state were they in when they left? Have we helped make the next appointment easier, or have we created a negative association that may remain with them?
For the animal on the table, holistic grooming means being seen, understood, and respected as a whole living being throughout every stage of the process.
Membership is open to groomers worldwide with no prior certification required. Why was it important to you to remove that barrier and make ethical practice accessible to every groomer, not just a select few?
Education must be accessible to every groomer from the beginning of their journey. If we reserve ethical education and professional support only for people who are already certified, we exclude many of the professionals who may need that knowledge most.
IGS membership is therefore an entry point rather than a reward offered after someone has reached a particular level. Groomers can join regardless of their previous education, experience, or certification and gain access to a community, resources, courses, events, research, and opportunities for continuing professional development.
However, membership and certification remain distinct. Membership does not automatically mean that a person has demonstrated certified competence. Certification is an optional structured pathway through which knowledge and practical judgement can be assessed and formally recognized. Opening membership to everyone does not reduce those certification standards; it gives more people the opportunity to work toward them.
In addition, we also want members to have access to many educational courses and events without every step creating an additional financial barrier. Ethical progress should not be available only to a small group of professionals who already have the money, confidence, or educational background to pursue advanced qualifications.
Once groomers begin exploring holistic practice, they usually become increasingly curious. Learning about skin and coat physiology leads to questions about products. Understanding behavior leads to an interest in sensory safety. Considering animal welfare leads naturally to questions about the groomer’s health, workplace organization, and environmental impact. Once those connections become visible, it is very difficult to return to an approach based only on habit or aesthetics.
Ethical practice should not be a closed club or a test of whether someone is already perfect. It is a direction, supported by education, reflection, and continuous improvement. Our responsibility is to make that journey possible for every groomer who genuinely wants to take it.
Walk us through how IGS defines professional and ethical standards for groomers. What separates a certified IGS professional from someone without that credential?
At IGS, we believe that professional grooming is not defined only by the final appearance of the animal. A beautiful result is important, but it must never come at the expense of the animal’s physical health, emotional well-being, or the groomer’s own health.
Our standards are around several core principles.
First, professionals must understand the science behind their work, including skin and coat physiology, product formulation, hygiene, equipment use, and the risks associated with inappropriate techniques. Second, every grooming session must be unique to the individual animal. We consider age, health, skin and coat condition, mobility, behavior, stress signals, and previous experiences. We don’t apply a standard procedure automatically when the animal’s needs require a different approach.
Ethical practice also means knowing when to modify, postpone, or stop a service. It means avoiding unnecessary discomfort, force, pain, and excessive restraint, communicating honestly with the owner, working within the limits of one’s competence, and referring the animal to a veterinary professional when necessary. Our standards also address the groomer’s health, responsible product use, occupational safety, and environmental impact.
What separates a certified IGS professional is not simply membership in an organization or attendance at a course. Certification provides evidence that the individual has studied this framework and demonstrated the knowledge and practical judgement required to apply it. They are expected to understand not only how to perform a technique, but why it is appropriate, when they should adapt it, and when they should not use it at all.
Of course, this does not mean that every groomer without an IGS credential is unskilled or unethical. There are excellent professionals from many different backgrounds. The difference is that an IGS certification gives clients, employers, and colleagues a clear and verifiable reference point. It shows that the professional has been assessed against defined standards and has made a visible commitment to animal welfare, scientific understanding, ethical decision-making, continuing education, and professional accountability.
Ultimately, an IGS-certified professional is not distinguished by a particular grooming style. They are distinguished by the quality of their decisions and by their ability to achieve the best possible result while protecting the animal, the professional, and the integrity of the profession. What also sets IGS professionals apart is the central role that science plays in their training and daily practice. Through the DAATA framework, IGS places strong emphasis on scientific knowledge as the foundation of grooming decisions, making its educational approach particularly distinctive.
How is IGS structured behind the scenes, as an organization? Is it a nonprofit, a membership association, something else, and how does that structure sustain the work you do?
IGS is a nonprofit professional membership association governed by the French Law of 1901. Although it is international in its activities and outlook, its legal base is in France. This means that it does not have owners or shareholders, and the income it generates is used to support its mission rather than being distributed as profit.
Behind the scenes, IGS currently operates with a deliberately lean structure. The central organization, led by its President and supported by its Treasurer and a small team of committed members, is responsible for the overall mission, professional standards, educational frameworks, international projects, partnerships, and communication. Much of the organization’s development has also been made possible through voluntary work and in-kind contributions, particularly in areas such as research, educational planning, content development, outreach, and programme coordination.
Internationally, IGS is developing through a network of national and regional chapters. Each chapter is coordinated by a Chapter Leader who represents the organization locally, supports members, builds relationships within the regional grooming community, and helps adapt international initiatives to local realities. The central organization establishes the shared principles and standards, while the chapters make those principles accessible and relevant within their own countries.
Membership is at the heart of the model. Annual membership contributions provide the organization with a stable financial foundation while creating a genuine professional community rather than simply an audience or customer base. Members receive access to educational resources, technical reports, courses, events, professional tools, chapter support, and opportunities for international collaboration.
IGS also generates income through certification, training programmes, conferences, and selected project-based collaborations. For larger research, education, or welfare initiatives, we may also seek grants or establish strategic partnerships with organizations that share our objectives. However, those relationships do not give external partners control over our scientific, educational, or welfare positions. Maintaining that independence is essential to our credibility.
Being nonprofit does not mean that the work can be done without financial resources. Producing courses, conducting research, developing professional guidelines, organizing international events, supporting chapters, and making educational information available all require funding. The difference is in how that funding is used: revenue is reinvested into the organization’s mission and into services and initiatives that benefit the profession.
Our model is therefore a combination of membership association, international chapter network, educational organization, and nonprofit professional body. It allows us to remain independent while gradually building the resources needed to support animal welfare, groomer health, science-based education, stronger professional standards, and meaningful international cooperation.
Your Applied Dermatology for Groomers training runs through multiple levels, from scientific foundations to skin and coat imbalance management. How does that scientific grounding support a more holistic, less purely cosmetic view of grooming?
The scientific grounding is what makes the approach genuinely holistic. For us, holistic grooming does not mean moving away from science or replacing evidence with intuition. It means understanding the animal as a whole and recognizing that the skin, coat, general health, behavior, environment, and grooming experience are interconnected.
The first levels of the Applied Dermatology for Groomers programme establish the scientific foundations: the structure and functions of the skin, the skin barrier, hair growth cycles, hydration, sebum production, pH, and the factors that influence skin and coat condition. Groomers also learn how water temperature, products, mechanical friction, brushing, detangling, clipping, and drying can either protect or disrupt normal physiological functions.
This changes the way they look at grooming. Instead of seeing the coat simply as material to be cleaned, cut, styled, or made visually attractive, they learn to see the skin as a living organ and the coat as part of a biological system. A cosmetic result is no longer considered successful if it has been achieved by causing irritation, excessive dryness, overheating, discomfort, or damage to the skin and hair.
At the more advanced levels, groomers learn to observe and understand skin and coat imbalances. They examine visible signs such as dryness, excess sebum, dandruff, irritation, unusual odor, changes in texture, abnormal shedding, hair breakage, or delayed regrowth. They then consider the wider context: the animal’s age, breed, health, lifestyle, environment, stress level, grooming history, and the products or techniques previously used.
This does not turn groomers into veterinarians, and we are very clear about that professional boundary. Groomers do not diagnose diseases or prescribe medical treatment. However, because they regularly examine the entire skin and coat at close range, they can become highly valuable observers. They can recognize when something is outside the normal range, document changes, adapt the grooming session appropriately, communicate their observations to the owner, and recommend veterinary assessment when necessary.
The scientific framework also helps professionals move away from universal protocols. Two animals with apparently similar coats may have very different physiological and emotional needs. A trained groomer can adjust product selection, dilution, water and air temperature, handling, drying intensity, session length, and frequency of grooming according to the individual animal.
Ultimately, this approach does not reject aesthetics. It places aesthetics within a wider definition of professional success. The objective is still to produce a clean, comfortable, well-presented animal, but the visual result should come from respecting and supporting healthy physiological function rather than temporarily masking an imbalance or forcing the coat into a cosmetic ideal.
Science gives the groomer the knowledge to understand what they are observing, while the holistic perspective ensures that this knowledge is applied to the whole animal. Together, they transform grooming from a primarily cosmetic service into a form of informed, preventive, and welfare-centered professional care.
IGS has established chapter leaders in different countries. How do local chapters operate, and how do you keep ethical and holistic standards consistent across so many regions?
All IGS Chapter Leaders are certified groomers who have reached at least Level 2 within the DAATA certification pathway. This is important because they must already have a strong understanding of skin and coat science, physiological grooming, animal welfare, and the professional values they are expected to represent.
Local chapters act as the connection between the international organization and grooming professionals within each country or region. Chapter Leaders welcome and support members, share educational resources, encourage professional development, help organize local activities, and build relationships with groomers, schools, veterinarians, educators, and other relevant organizations. They also help us understand the particular challenges faced by professionals in their region.
At the same time, chapters do not create entirely separate standards. IGS establishes clear international guidelines covering animal welfare, groomer well-being, professional ethics, physiological grooming, education, and responsible working practices. Chapter Leaders receive specific training to ensure that they understand not only the content of these guidelines but also the reasoning behind them and how they should be applied in practice.
We communicate very regularly with our Chapter Leaders. These exchanges allow us to discuss new projects, difficult situations, regional developments, and questions about how our standards should be interpreted. They also allow Chapter Leaders to share feedback from their local members, so communication works in both directions. This helps IGS remain internationally consistent without becoming disconnected from the everyday realities of groomers.
Of course, legislation, professional traditions, available products, climate, and cultural expectations can vary considerably from one country to another. The way an initiative is presented or implemented may therefore need to be adapted locally. However, our fundamental principles are not negotiable. Respect for the animal’s physical and emotional well-being, protection of the groomer’s health, science-based decision-making, honest communication, and ethical professional conduct must remain consistent in every IGS chapter.
Our objective is not to erase regional differences or impose one rigid grooming style throughout the world. It is to create a shared professional foundation. Techniques and local practices may vary, but every Chapter Leader follows the same path and works toward the same purpose: improving grooming through science, education, animal welfare, and groomer well-being.
This combination of central guidance, qualified local leadership, continuous communication, and
How large is the IGS community today? Give us a sense of the countries, chapters, and number of groomers practicing under a holistic approach.
IGS is still a young organization. We officially began operating on 1 January 2026, so I think it is important to be transparent and not present ourselves as an enormous, long-established membership body. We have a focused but rapidly growing international community, and our priority is to develop it without overstating our scale or compromising our standards.
Today, our most established operational presence is in France, Canada, Ireland, and Romania. We also have members in the United States, England, and Croatia, and we are currently developing new chapter relationships in countries including Norway, Croatia, and England. This geographical expansion reflects the increasing international interest in a more scientific, ethical, and welfare-centered approach to grooming.
It is also important to explain what we mean by the “IGS community.” Our formal members, certified professionals, students, partner schools, research participants, and wider educational audience are different groups. We are careful not to combine all of them into one impressive but misleading membership figure.
The clearest measure of our direct educational activity is that we currently train approximately 200 professionals each year. These groomers are introduced to the scientific and holistic principles of the DAATA framework at different levels, although not all of them will immediately complete the full certification pathway. The number of professionals incorporating at least some of these principles into their work is therefore wider than the number of formally certified IGS groomers, but it would be difficult to provide an exact and verifiable figure.
Our wider professional reach is already significant. Our newsletter community includes approximately 3,000 people, and close to 4,000 grooming professionals participated in our international research into groomer health. These individuals are not all IGS members, and we would never present them as such, but their participation demonstrates the international need for the work we are doing.
For us, the most meaningful measure of growth is not simply the number of names on a membership list. It is the number of professionals who are changing the way they assess an animal, choose products, use equipment, manage stress, protect their own health, and make welfare-based decisions during grooming.
We are therefore still building the formal organization, but the movement around it is already much broader. Our objective is to convert that growing international interest into a strong, connected, and properly trained professional community — country by country and chapter by chapter.
IGS recently launched the Global Groomer Health Initiative after surveying thousands of grooming professionals worldwide. What did that research reveal that surprised you most?
To say that I was surprised by the health problems revealed in the results would not be entirely accurate.
Through my years of working with and training groomers, I was already very aware of the extent of musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, stress, hearing risks, and other occupational health concerns within our profession. The study confirmed the seriousness of the situation and gave us the evidence needed to document it properly, but the existence of these problems was unfortunately not new to me.
What genuinely surprised me was the extraordinary level of participation. This was one of the first major international campaigns launched by IGS, at a time when the organization was still very young, yet thousands of grooming professionals from around the world chose to participate and share their experiences with us.
That response was, in itself, one of the study’s most important findings. It revealed that groomers are deeply concerned about their health and are ready to talk about problems that have often been normalized or treated as an unavoidable part of the profession. They were not only willing to describe what they were experiencing; they were also clearly looking for recognition, practical guidance, education, and meaningful change.
The response therefore became both the fuel and the mandate for the Global Groomer Health Initiative. Once thousands of professionals have told you that these issues matter, you cannot simply publish a report and move on. You have a responsibility to transform that evidence into action.
That incredible mobilization is one of the main reasons I have made the GGHI such a high priority and why we are developing so many elements so quickly: preventive education, practical resources, specialist training, international collaboration, professional awareness campaigns, and the Global Groomer Health Conference.
The speed of this development is not about rushing. It is a direct response to the urgency expressed by the profession. The study showed us that groomers are not indifferent to their health; they have simply lacked sufficient data, structured support, and industry-wide initiatives dedicated to it.
So, my greatest surprise was not discovering that the problems existed. It was discovering just how ready the international grooming community was to unite around them. That response transformed my concern into determination and confirmed that groomer health must become a central part of the future of our profession.
Can you share a specific story of a groomer or a chapter whose work through IGS genuinely changed how they practice, ethically or otherwise, or how their business grew?
I have received many testimonials from groomers whose professional lives changed after applying the DAATA method, which provides the scientific and practical foundation for the approach promoted by IGS.
One story that has always stayed with me came from a groomer who had already been working for 25 years.
When she contacted me, she described the training as her “last-chance course.” She told me very honestly that if it could not help her reconnect with grooming, she intended to leave the profession. After 25 years, her body was constantly sore, working with uncooperative dogs had become increasingly exhausting, and she had lost much of the passion that had originally brought her into grooming.
After applying the method, she told me that her body was no longer suffering in the same way, the dogs were more cooperative, and her working days had become much more manageable. Most importantly, she said that she had rediscovered the pleasure of grooming and now felt able to continue working until retirement. For me, that was incredibly meaningful. The training had not simply taught her a few new techniques; it had helped make her career physically and emotionally sustainable again.
I have also seen striking changes in the animals themselves.
One groomer regularly sent me videos of dogs who had previously been extremely difficult to handle. I particularly remember a pug who would constantly try to escape from the bathtub and jump from the grooming table. After she changed her approach, he sat calmly in the bath from the first adapted session and later fell asleep on the grooming table. Not every behavioral change is immediate, of course, but this case showed how dramatically an animal’s response can change when we reconsider the environment, handling, sensory pressure, and techniques being used.
Another very emotional example involved a groomer who loved cats but had never felt able to groom them successfully. Although she had attended grooming school, her feline education had been extremely limited. There are some excellent specialist programmes, but in many institutions cat grooming still receives far too little attention. She was repeatedly scratched and eventually lost confidence — even her own cat would not allow her to provide basic grooming care.
Shortly after completing the training, she video-called me in tears of joy. She showed me her own cat sitting calmly in the bathtub, completely relaxed and covered in shampoo. What moved her was not simply that she had completed the bath; it was that she had finally found a way to work with the cat rather than struggle against her.
These stories illustrate what ethical progress looks like in practice. The animal experiences less fear and restraint, while the groomer experiences less physical strain, frustration, and emotional exhaustion. This can also produce a significant business impact.
IGS-certified groomers very frequently tell us that their revenue has increased after integrating the method, primarily because they save time during each grooming session. This efficiency does not come from rushing the animal or lowering the quality of the service. It comes from better cooperation, more appropriate techniques, fewer physical struggles, and a more logical organization of the grooming process. The time recovered can allow the professional to accept additional appointments, improve the organization of the salon, or maintain their income while reducing an unsustainable workload.
In the strongest cases reported to us, groomers have achieved increases of up to 35% in business turnover. These are individual results rather than a guaranteed outcome, as the impact depends on how effectively the method is integrated, the structure of the business, and the professional’s existing situation.
Nevertheless, the frequency of these testimonials shows that animal welfare, groomer health, and business performance do not have to compete with one another. When the working method is improved, all three can progress together.
For me, growth is not measured only in revenue. Sometimes the greatest success is helping a groomer recover confidence, protect their body, rebuild their relationship with the animals, rediscover their passion, and create a business that they can sustain for many more years.
From Groomer Connexion magazine to the new IGS podcast series and partnerships across the industry, from brand collaborations to major events like the Art of the Poodle, you have built an entire ecosystem around this profession. How do those pieces work together toward the same goal?
I have never seen these as separate projects.
Groomer Connexion, the IGS podcast and blog, our research, education, chapters, industry partnerships, and collaborations with major events are different parts of the same ecosystem. Each one reaches a different audience, but they all work toward the same goal: building a profession that is more scientific, ethical, collaborative, and sustainable for both animals and groomers.
For me, meaningful change is only possible when all parts of the industry work together. For example, we cannot educate groomers about ingredients, product safety, exposure, and responsible product selection without also working with manufacturers. Brands have a responsibility to communicate accurate information and continually improve their products, but to do that effectively, they need structured feedback from the professionals using those products every day, as well as independent research into real salon conditions.
That is one of the purposes of the IGS Ingredient Classification Framework. It provides a practical, science-based way to consider ingredients and products according to multiple factors: skin and coat compatibility, animal safety and sensory comfort, groomer exposure, frequency and method of use, product format, environmental impact, and actual professional working conditions. It is not a simplistic list of “good” and “bad” ingredients, and it is not a product endorsement system. It creates a common language through which groomers, educators, and manufacturers can have more informed and constructive conversations.
The same principle applies to animal welfare. We cannot ask groomers to adopt more respectful practices in their salons while ignoring what happens during competitions, demonstrations, seminars, workshops, and trade events. Events play an enormous educational and cultural role because professionals observe techniques, discover trends, and learn from respected figures there.
The IGS Animal Welfare Guidelines for Grooming Events therefore provide a shared reference point for organizers, judges, groomers, assistants, educators, brands, and welfare delegates. Collaborations with major events, including events such as The Art of the Poodle, allow welfare principles to become visible where the profession gathers. When groomers recognize that an event reflects their values and takes animal welfare seriously, they are also more likely to trust it, participate, and continue attending.
Groomer Connexion and the IGS podcast support another part of the process: communication. They allow us to share research, make specialist knowledge more accessible, highlight good practice, bring different voices into the discussion, and ensure that important subjects do not remain confined to academic reports or private industry meetings.
Training and certification then translate that information into professional practice. Chapters adapt it to regional realities and return feedback from the field. Research identifies patterns and unmet needs. Groomers describe what they are experiencing. Brands can use that information to improve their communication and product development. Events make better standards visible in practice, while the magazine and podcast help those ideas reach a much wider audience. It is a continuous cycle of listening, learning, applying, and improving.
Our collaborations are partnerships rather than sponsorship arrangements based only on visibility. External organizations can help us turn knowledge into practical action, but they cannot purchase influence over our scientific, educational, editorial, or welfare positions. IGS retains its independence and does not certify or endorse products in exchange for financial support.
When every part of the ecosystem contributes, progress benefits the entire industry. Animals receive safer and more respectful care. Groomers gain better education, healthier working practices, and stronger professional recognition. Brands receive more relevant feedback. Events become more responsible and attractive to welfare-conscious professionals. Ultimately, collaboration allows change to move beyond individual salons and become part of the culture of the profession itself.
What has been the hardest part of building an international organization in an industry that is often fragmented by country, language, and local regulation?
The honest answer is that resistance from the profession has not been the most difficult part. The greatest challenge has been the volume of work required to develop the organization internationally, and, to a large extent, the pace I impose on myself because I want IGS to grow and make a meaningful difference as quickly as possible.
Working across countries inevitably requires translation, adaptation to different regulations, communication with local leaders, and an understanding of different professional cultures. The fundamental principles may remain the same, but the way they are communicated and implemented must respect local realities. Managing all of this while developing education, research, guidelines, partnerships, events, and member support creates an enormous workload.
However, the mission itself has been accepted remarkably easily in every country we have reached. I have yet to meet a groomer who is opposed to improving animal welfare or to protecting their own health and working conditions. Those objectives cross borders, languages, and professional traditions.
I believe the way IGS communicates is an important reason for that positive response. I insist very strongly that IGS is not here to judge, shame, or publicly criticize professionals. We are here to understand, educate, support, and help. We explain why change is necessary, but we also recognize the reality in which groomers have learned and worked.
Grooming, as a formally structured profession, is still relatively young and has developed very differently from one country to another. Access to high-quality education is extremely unequal, and many professionals were taught techniques that reflected the knowledge available at the time. Others have simply never been given access to current information about skin and coat science, animal behavior, occupational health, product exposure, or the physiological consequences of certain practices.
Most groomers are acting in good faith. When a practice is less than ideal — or may even be harmful to the animal or the professional—it is often the result of an educational gap rather than indifference or bad intentions. Condemning people for what they were never taught does not create progress. Giving them accurate information, practical alternatives, and respectful support does.
In my experience, once groomers understand the reasoning and are equipped with better knowledge and techniques, they want to improve. They quickly recognize that the work of IGS benefits both the animal and the professional.
So the hardest part has not been convincing people that these goals matter. The real challenge is building the international infrastructure, resources, translations, and local support quickly enough to respond to the enthusiasm we are encountering. The industry may be fragmented administratively, linguistically, and culturally, but its professionals are much more united in their fundamental values than we sometimes imagine.
Groomer health and safety, both physical and emotional, is clearly a personal cause for you. Why do you think this side of the profession gets overlooked so often, even among groomers themselves?
I believe the main reason is very simple: groomers focus so intensely on caring for the animal that they often forget to include themselves in the equation.
Most people enter this profession because they love animals and want to help them. That sense of responsibility can be so strong that ignoring personal discomfort begins to feel like dedication.
Groomers continue working through back pain, hand and shoulder problems, fatigue, hearing discomfort, stress, or emotional exhaustion because the next animal still needs them. Over time, pain and exhaustion become normalized and are treated as unavoidable parts of the job rather than warning signs that something needs to change.
Many groomers also work alone or in very small businesses. They do not have an occupational health department, a human resources team, or sometimes even a colleague who can notice when they are struggling. If they cancel appointments or take time away to recover, their income may stop immediately. This encourages them to continue until a manageable problem becomes much more serious.
Professional education has traditionally reinforced this imbalance. Groomers learn about techniques, equipment, styling, breed standards, hygiene, and animal safety. Still, they receive very little education about biomechanics, repetitive strain, hearing protection, chemical exposure, respiratory risks, fatigue management, emotional health, or sustainable workload organization. The animal’s condition at the end of the appointment is visible, but the physical and emotional cost to the groomer often remains invisible.
The emotional side is overlooked even more frequently.
Groomers may face anxious or reactive animals, pressure from owners, demanding schedules, financial uncertainty, professional isolation, compassion fatigue, and sometimes the grief of losing animals they have cared for over many years. Because they are expected to remain calm and reassuring for both the animal and the client, they may feel that there is no space to acknowledge their own emotions.
The problem is that animal welfare and groomer well-being cannot truly be separated. A professional who is in pain, exhausted, overwhelmed, or unable to recover properly cannot work comfortably or sustainably. Protecting the groomer’s body and emotional health also improves their patience, concentration, decision-making, and ability to provide calm, respectful care.
This is why I believe self-care should not be presented as something optional or selfish. It is part of professional responsibility. Groomers are not simply tools through which animal welfare is delivered; they are living participants in the grooming relationship, and their health matters too.
The profession has spent many years saying that the animal must come first. I agree that the animal’s welfare must always be protected, but that should never require the groomer to disappear. The future of grooming depends on learning to protect both.
Where do you see the biggest resistance to genuinely ethical, welfare-centered grooming in the industry today, and how does IGS try to work through it rather than around it?
The greatest resistance is rarely an open rejection of animal welfare. Very few professionals would say that they do not care about the animal. Resistance usually comes from long-established habits, inherited techniques, commercial pressures, and the belief that “this is how grooming has always been done.”
Some groomers may also worry that a welfare-centered approach will make their work slower, reduce the quality of the final result, limit their creativity, or damage the profitability of their business. Others experience any discussion of ethics as an accusation that everything they have done previously was wrong. When people feel judged or attacked, they naturally defend themselves and become less receptive to new information.
I learned a long time ago that confrontation rarely creates genuine learning. You do not teach someone by repeatedly telling them what you believe is right or wrong for them. You teach by explaining, demonstrating, and allowing them to observe the results.
That is the approach IGS takes. We do not simply tell groomers to abandon a technique. In fact, we explain what happens physiologically, behaviorally, and practically when that technique is used. We provide an alternative that can realistically be applied in a working salon, and we show the difference through demonstrations, case studies, professional testimonies, and observable outcomes.
When a groomer sees an animal who previously resisted the bath becoming calmer, a difficult session becoming more cooperative, the same quality of finish being achieved with less physical force, or a working day becoming faster and less painful, the argument changes. They are no longer being asked to accept an abstract ethical principle; they can see that the approach works.
The same applies to businesses. When professionals discover that welfare-centered methods can save time, reduce physical strain, improve client trust, and sometimes significantly increase revenue, the idea that ethics and commercial success are opposites begins to disappear.
IGS also works directly with the parts of the industry where resistance or misunderstanding may exist. We engage with educators, brands, event organisers, judges, schools, and professional communities rather than developing standards in isolation and expecting everyone else to follow them. Our frameworks and guidelines are designed to create dialogue, offer practical tools, and help each stakeholder understand their role in improving the profession.
Our Chapter Leaders are particularly important because change is easier when information comes through trusted professionals who understand the local language, culture, regulation, and working reality.
This non-confrontational approach does not mean that our principles are weak or negotiable. IGS remains very clear that unnecessary pain, fear, risk, or harm cannot be justified by aesthetics, habit, speed, or tradition. The difference is that we challenge the practice without attacking the person.
People who initially hesitate often begin to understand when they see the results for themselves. The most durable change is not the change someone adopts because they were criticized or pressured. It is the change they adopt because the evidence has allowed them to conclude themselves.
As you look at competitions and events across the industry, where do you see holistic, welfare-focused grooming heading over the next five years?
Over almost 20 years in this profession, some of the most troubling treatment of animals I have personally witnessed has occurred during grooming events, not only in competitions, but also in workshops and demonstrations involving live animals.
In these environments, the animal can sometimes stop being regarded as a sentient participant and become an object to be positioned, manipulated, transformed, and observed. There is a technical or aesthetic objective to achieve, and the animal’s willingness or ability to cooperate may become secondary.
What has shocked me most is not only the practice itself, but the way it can be normalized. When I have raised concerns, I have sometimes heard responses such as, “It is not a problem; he is used to it,” or, “It is only one day; it is not going to kill him.” These statements reveal a wider belief that a temporary level of fear, discomfort, exhaustion, or restraint is acceptable because the event is exceptional or because a result must be achieved.
However, I remain optimistic about the next five years. In many cases, this is not intentional cruelty or a deliberate rejection of animal welfare. It comes from established habits, insufficient education, and the fact that people have never been encouraged to examine the event from the animal’s perspective. If every event has always operated similarly, the associated stress can begin to appear normal and unavoidable.
Once a genuine conversation begins and people understand the physical and emotional implications for the animal, many become very willing to improve. They begin to recognize stress signals they had previously overlooked and to question practices they had never thought to question before.
Through the IGS Animal Welfare Guidelines Programme for Grooming Events, I believe we can accelerate that change. Over the next five years, I expect welfare to move from being a general statement of good intention to becoming an integrated and verifiable part of event planning.
That means considering whether each animal is physically, behaviorally, and emotionally suited to participate. It means establishing appropriate conditions for transport, waiting, noise, temperature, hydration, rest, handling, and recovery. It also means creating clear criteria for pausing, adapting, or stopping a session when an animal is no longer coping.
I also expect the role of judges, educators, demonstrators, and event teams to evolve. The way an animal is handled should matter as much as the technical result. A groomer should never feel that protecting an animal by taking a break or withdrawing is a professional failure. Workshops should demonstrate not only how to complete a technique, but how to recognize when that technique must be modified or discontinued.
Trained IGS welfare delegates can also provide an important independent point of observation and communication. Their role is not to punish participants, but to help organisers prevent problems, respond appropriately, and ensure that written welfare commitments are reflected in what actually happens during the event.
Ultimately, holistic grooming at events will mean evaluating the entire experience rather than only the finished groom. A beautiful result cannot justify a process that causes unnecessary fear, pain, or exhaustion.
Within five years, I hope welfare-centered events will no longer be considered innovative or exceptional. I believe they will become the standard that groomers, attendees, educators, brands, and the wider public expect. Events that embrace this evolution will not lose their creativity or prestige; they will gain credibility, trust, and a stronger future.
What is next for the International Grooming Society, whether that is new chapters, new research, or new training programs?
The next phase for IGS is about moving from strong foundations to wider implementation. We have launched several important initiatives in a very short period, and our priority now is to develop them carefully, make them accessible internationally, and ensure that they produce measurable change in everyday professional practice.
The first area is our international chapter network. We already have operational bases in France, Canada, Ireland, and Romania, and we are in active discussions regarding new chapters in Norway, Croatia, and England. We do not want to open chapters simply to place more countries on a map. Each chapter must have qualified leadership, understand the IGS mission, and be capable of providing meaningful local support while maintaining our international standards. Growth must be both rapid and responsible.
Groomer health will remain one of our most important priorities throughout 2027 and 2028. We have already launched the first courses in our health education programme, including The Groomer’s Biomechanics and Noise Exposure & Hearing Health for Groomers. Our objective is to complete and expand a structured series of 12 occupational-health courses, covering the principal physical, environmental, and emotional risks faced by grooming professionals.
These courses will be informed by the results of the Global Groomer Health Study, expert contributions, and continuing feedback from the profession. The next stage of the research will not simply be to collect more data, but to examine risk factors more deeply and convert the findings into practical prevention strategies, educational tools, and healthier working environments. Research only becomes valuable when professionals can use it to change what happens in their salons.
We will also continue developing the programmes that already exist. The IGS Animal Welfare Guidelines for Grooming Events have created an important foundation, but publishing guidelines is only the beginning.
The next steps also include working directly with organisers to review their procedures, producing practical resources, expanding education around event welfare, and developing the IGS Animal Welfare Delegate Programme. Trained delegates will be able to support selected events in applying the guidelines consistently and responding appropriately when welfare concerns arise.
The IGS Ingredient Classification Framework will also continue to grow through additional guidance, training materials, and practical tools. Its purpose is to help professionals evaluate ingredients and products within their complete conditions of use, while creating more constructive dialogue between groomers, educators, manufacturers, and other industry stakeholders.
Another major priority is stronger cooperation with existing institutions. IGS does not want to develop as an isolated organization or duplicate work that others are already doing well. We want to collaborate more closely with professional associations, schools, educators, researchers, event organisers, welfare organizations, brands, and equipment manufacturers. Each of these groups holds part of the knowledge and influence needed to improve the profession.
Our role is to connect those different areas: using research to identify needs, education to translate knowledge, chapters to support local implementation, media to communicate, and partnerships to turn ideas into practical action—while maintaining our scientific and ethical independence.
Ultimately, the next step for IGS is not growth for its own sake. It is to build an international structure capable of supporting long-term change. We want more countries involved, more professionals protected, stronger welfare standards, better access to science-based education, and much deeper cooperation across the industry. The foundations are now in place; the coming years will be about turning them into a lasting professional culture.
For a groomer reading this who wants to get involved with IGS and adopt a more ethical, holistic practice today, what should their first step actually be?
I sincerely believe that the first step toward becoming a holistic groomer is to begin with physiological grooming. Before trying to manage imbalances, change products, or adopt more advanced holistic practices, a groomer must understand the skin and coat and learn how to work in full respect of their normal functions.
That means studying the skin barrier, hair structure and growth cycles, hydration, sebum, pH, and the effects that water temperature, products, brushing, friction, detangling, clipping, and drying can have on living tissues. Once you understand the science, you begin to look differently at techniques that may previously have been performed automatically.
This is why the first step I recommend is the IGS Skin & Coat Grooming Certification, which forms the foundation of the DAATA educational pathway. I recommend it to every groomer, regardless of experience. A new groomer needs that knowledge to build good habits from the beginning, while an experienced professional can use it to understand the scientific reasons behind their practice, reassess long-established techniques, and often work more effectively.
Once a groomer begins applying dermatological and physiological grooming, something very interesting happens: they naturally start asking more questions. They want to understand why an animal resists a particular stage, how the sensory environment affects cooperation, what repeated product exposure means for both the animal and the groomer, how working posture affects their own health, and how their choices influence the environment.
That curiosity gradually opens the door to all the connected areas within holistic grooming. It becomes a logical progression based on knowledge, rather than a collection of trends, products, or techniques.
A groomer can also join IGS and connect with their local chapter or international community to access continuing education, professional exchanges, research, and practical resources. However, membership alone does not transform a practice. The real change begins when knowledge is applied at the grooming table.
My advice is not to try to change everything overnight. Begin by learning what healthy physiological function looks like. Then examine every stage of your current protocol and ask: Why am I doing this? What effect does it have on the skin, the coat, the animal’s emotional state, and my own body? Is there a safer or more respectful way to achieve the same result?
Ethical, holistic grooming begins with knowledge, observation, and the willingness to question habit. Once that foundation is established, every other part of the approach becomes much easier to understand and integrate.
If you could give one piece of advice to a groomer just starting their career, what would it be, and what would you want them to remember most about why they chose this profession?
My advice would be very simple: never forget that you are part of the welfare equation.
You probably chose this profession because you love animals and want to care for them. That passion is precious, but it should never require you to sacrifice your own physical health, emotional well-being, or personal life. Protect your body from the beginning of your career. Develop healthy working habits before pain appears, allow yourself adequate rest, establish professional boundaries, and maintain a life outside the salon.
Do not accept chronic pain, exhaustion, or emotional overload as proof of dedication. Your success should not be measured by how much discomfort you can tolerate. If you want to care for animals throughout a long career, you must also care for the person providing that care.
I would also want a new groomer to remember that loving animals, while essential, is not enough on its own. Good intentions need to be supported by strong education. Begin with solid scientific and practical foundations and then continue exploring throughout your career. Remain curious, question your habits, observe the animals carefully, and seek the knowledge that will allow you to do better tomorrow than you did today.
Grooming is constantly evolving. Our understanding of skin and coat science, behavior, products, occupational health, and animal welfare continues to develop. A good professional should never believe that their learning is complete, regardless of how many years they have worked.
Most importantly, remember why you started. It was probably not simply to produce a perfect haircut or an impressive photograph. It was to work with animals, protect them, and contribute positively to their lives.
Preserve that purpose but preserve yourself as well. A truly successful career allows you to remain skilled, healthy, curious, and compassionate enough to still love the profession many years later.
This conversation makes one thing clear: holistic dog grooming, as Nathalie defines it, never set out to soften the profession. It set out to strengthen it by grounding every technique in physiology, welfare, and the wellbeing of the groomer standing at the table.
She started with a handful of believers in early chapter meetings, and from there she built a Global Groomer Health Initiative that now gathers thousands of voices worldwide. Through every stage of that growth, one thread stays constant: grooming done right protects the animal and the person caring for them, together, not one at the expense of the other.
We want to thank Nathalie for such a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about what holistic grooming really means, and for sharing the science, the standards, and the story behind it so generously.
