🐕Freestyle pet grooming competition brings worldwide artists to Ocoee

OCOEE, Fla. – If you’re looking for a booming career or change in job, you may want to consider the pet care industry – specifically dog grooming.

A competition in Central Florida is bringing awareness to the growing demand for dog groomers while giving back to the community.

You’ve probably seen photos and videos on social media showing dogs with unique hairdos, usually with vibrant colors and designs.

“These groomers love working with dogs and it’s an artform. The dog is their canvas,” said Woody Whitcomb, owner of Woof Gang Academy of Grooming.

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The dog grooming school, located at 9460 W Colonial Drive in Ocoee, is hosting its first annual “Freestylin’ Grooming Championship” with about 30 groomers from all over the world. The prize for the winning groomer is $10,000, but Whitcomb says his prize is stirring up interest in a field that’s got high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the pet care industry, including grooming, is expected to grow 19% in the next decade in Florida.

“Right now the capacity is underserved in terms of groomers. Many pet owners are waiting weeks to get an appointment. I’m a grooming salon owner and one of the things we noticed when we got into the business is there’s much more customer demand than there are groomers, that’s why I decided to start a grooming school,” Whitcomb said.

One of the newest students is Brianna Maphis.

“I went to the University of Florida, got a degree in construction and worked in that industry for awhile. I drove by the grooming school and got interested,” Maphis said. “I knew I wanted to find something that made money and allowed me to be with animals all day and grooming does just that.”

Woof Gang Academy teaches students everything from bathing to shaving and cutting, even body language.

“They are animals, so when you have other people’s animals that you don’t know, we learn safety measures for grooming and ways we can know where they’re temperament’s at,” Maphis said.

Students like Maphis are excited to be spectators for the grooming competition on Saturday for added inspiration.

Pet adoptions also a topic of the event. Part of the proceeds from registration benefit Poodle & Pooch Rescue of Central Florida.

“We’ll be set up outside the day of the competition educating visitors and encouraging families to adopt. It’s been difficult for us to keep up with the dogs out there looking for families so we’re doing our best and we appreciate all the support,” said Faiza Steimer, a volunteer with Poodle & Pooch Rescue.

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