ICMG UK Qualifications
ICMG offers three stages of qualifications up to International Certified Master Groomer ICMG
The stages are broken down into qualifications and candidates have 5 years to complete all stages once started.
IPG is International Professional Groomers which is an organisation that certifies pet groomers all over the world. ICMG UK is the UK satellite organisation for training and certification within the UK.
Membership is payable annually and there are many benefits and incentives to being a member of ICMG.
There are distinct stages of qualifications within ICMG to demonstrate all capabilities in dog grooming.
There are practical exams and written exams which include you showing a clear understanding of Breed standards along with the care of coat types, diseases and much more.
Some of the most important objectives of ICMG are:
- Ethical Grooming
- Kind Handling
- Kindness Towards Fellow Groomers
- Continual Learning
Certified Professional Groomer
Track 1, Part 1
Practical and Written Exam
Practical - Bath and Dry
Written Exam on CPG Book 1
Track 1, Part 2
Practical and Written Exam
Practical - Kennel Trim
Written Exam on CPG Book 2
Certified Advanced Professional Groomer
Track 2
Practical Toy Breed
Practical Double Coat
Written Exam on CAPG Book
International Certified Master Groomer
Track 3
Non-Sporting Breed (Utility) Practical & Written
Sporting (Gundog)
Practical & Written
Terrier
Practical & Written
Mixed Breed
Practical & Written
Toy Written
Hound Written
Working Written
Pastoral Written
Study Guide & Kennel Club Illustrated Breeds
Standards - 5th Edition
Required for all written papers
In Track Three
Certified Professional Groomer - CPG - Track 1, Part 1
The Purpose of this qualification is for candidates to understand the roles and responsibilities of a dog groomer and the requirements of dog groomers wanting to offer a service to customers.
The candidate must demonstrate:
- Safe Handling and restraint, effective bathing and drying of a coated breed, show skill in dealing with hygiene areas and trimming nails.
- The Knowledge and understanding covers legislations. Codes of practice, animal welfare, canine health, and disease. Groomer wellbeing.
There is a written examination and a practical examination.
There is a resource manual which covers the practical and written requirements of this qualification. Topics include:
- Handling Dogs and understanding Canine Behaviour
- Canine Skin and Hair
- Bathing and Drying
- The Health Pet
- Diseases and Parasites
- Canine First Aid
- Sanitation & disinfection
- Groomer Health and Safety, The Salon Professional and Further CPD
200 Guided learning hours - your own studying time.
Practical exam - Bath and dry.
Time allowed, 1 hour, and score 86% or above to pass.
1st online written exam.
Questions are taken from the CPG study guides. The exam consists of 100 questions, and you have one hour to complete it. Answers will be either true or false or selection from multiple choice.
Score 92% or above (Open Book) to pass.
Score 86% or above (Non - Open Book) to pass.
Certified Professional Groomer - Track 1, Part 2
The Purpose of this qualification is for candidates to understand the techniques and considerations required for a pet groom/kennel trim.
The candidate must demonstrate: Safe Handling and restraint, effective clipping styling a pet trim/kennel trim, show skill in use of clippers, blades, scissors.
The Knowledge and understanding covers animal welfare, handling dogs, aggressive dogs, chemicals, knowledge of cat handling and care, layers of the skin and hair growth, clippers and blade use and care, what to do in an emergency.
There is a written and practical examination.
There is a resource manual which covers the practical and written requirements of this qualification. Topics include:
- Pet Trim / kennel trim
- Aggressive dogs
- Cat Grooming importance
- Chemicals
- Epidermal Appendages and Hair Follicles and Erector pili Muscle
- Clippers, Clipper Blades, Comb attachments and Scissors
- Emergency procedures
- Liability of the groomer, Further CPD
400 Guided learning hours - your own study time.
Practical Exam - Kennel/Pet Trim (minimum of two inches hair growth).
Time allowed, 1 hour, and score 86% or above to pass.
2nd online written exam.
Questions are taken from the Pink & Red Study Guides. The exam consists of 50 questions, and you have 30 minutes to complete it. Answers will be either True or False or selection from Multiple Choice.
Score 92% or above (Open Book) to pass.
Score 86% or above (Non - Open Book) to pass.
Total Cost for CPG (Part 1 & 2) £419.00 including Zoom meeting.
Certified Advanced Professional Groomer - CAPG - Track 2
The purpose of this qualification is for candidates to understand canine structure, anatomy, style, shape, symmetry, clipping and styling techniques, handling toy breeds and senior dogs, working with double coated dogs.
The candidate must demonstrate, safe handling and trimming of a toy breed and show understanding of dealing with a smaller frame and potentially senior dog and then safe handling, bathing, drying, and trimming of a double coated breed.
The Knowledge and understanding covers animal welfare, canine structure, anatomy, creating shape, style and symmetry, blades, scissors, blenders and chunkers, toy breeds, double coats, dematting.
There is one written examination and two practical examinations.
There is a study guide which covers the practical and written requirements of this qualification.
1000 Guided learning hours – your study time and practical ground work.
Practical exams: Minimum of 2 inches (5cms) hair growth
Anything from the Toy Group with trimmable Coat. Under 10” (25cms) at Withers, and 10lb (5Kg) weight
Any Other Breed with a trimmable coat. Under 10” (25cms) at Withers and 10lb (5Kg) weight
Toy Dog to be bathed and prepared beforehand - Time allowed 45 minutes to groom, score 86% or above to pass.
Double Coated Dog (Unbathed) - Time allowed 90 Minutes to bath, dry and groom, score 86% or above to pass. (Extra time may be allowed if dog is a very large breed). Must have enough undercoat to be removed, to show a good before and after groom.
CAPG Online Written Exam.
Questions are taken from the CAPG Study Guide. The exam consists of 50 questions, and you have 30 minutes to complete it. Answers will be either True or False, or selection from multiple choice.
Score 92% or above (Open Book) to pass.
Score 86% or above (Non Open Book) to pass.
Total Cost of Track Two £339.00 including Zoom Meeting
Toy Group - breeds acceptable for use in CAPG exam
- Affenpinscher
- Australian Silky Terrier
- Bichon Frise must be skeletally petit, under 10 inches/25cm, max weight 10lb/5kg
- Bolognese
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel must be skeletally petit, under 10 inches/25cm, max weight 10lb/4.5kg
- Chinese Crested Powder Puff
- Coton de Tulear
- Griffon Bruxellois
- Havanese
- Japanese Chin
- King Charles Spaniel must be skeletally petit, under 10 inches/25cm, max weight 10lb/5kg
- Lowchen
- Maltese
- Papillon
- Pekinese
- Poodle Toy
- Pomeranian
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Mixed breeds
This Practical exam must be taken with a small breed.
Maximum height 10 inches (25cm), Maximum weight 10 lbs (5 kilos).
You have 45 minutes to groom and style a dog from the list. The dog must arrive for the exam pre-bathed and ready for styling.
If you have a breed that you wish to use that is not listed, please discuss with ICMG prior to any exam bookings.
Double Coated - breeds acceptable for use in CAPG exam
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Belgian Shepherd
- Border Collie
- Catalan Sheepdog
- Canaan Dog
- Canadian Eskimo Dog
- Collie (Rough)
- Eurasier
- Finnish Spitz
- Finnish Lapphund
- German Shepherd
- German Spitz
- Greenland Dog
- Japanese Akita Inu
- Japanese Shiba Inu
- Japanese Spitz
- Keeshond
- Korean Jindo
- Lhasa Apso must have full coat at least 4 inches in length
- Norwegian Buhund
- Pekingese
- Polish Lowland
- Schipperke
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Shih Tzu must have full coat at least 4 inches in length
- Siberian Husky
- Swedish Lapphund
- Swedish Vallhund
- Tibetan Spaniel
- Tibetan Terrier must have full coat at least 4 inches
- Norwegian Elkhound
- Retriever Golden
- Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)
- Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)
This practical exam is 90 minutes, and you are required to bath dry and groom the dog demonstrating ability and understanding of working with a double coat.
If you have a breed that you wish to use that is not listed, please discuss with ICMG prior to any exam bookings.
International Certified Master Groomer - Track 3
The Purpose of this qualification is for candidates to understand breed standards to an advanced level.
The candidate must demonstrate, Safe Handling and Styling to breed standard of a Non-Sporting (Utility Group) breed, Sporting /Gundog breed, Terrier Breed, and Mixed Breed.
The Dog for the Non-Sporting (Utility certification) must be either a Poodle or Bichon Frise.
The Mixed breed can be in a style of your own choosing to suit the dog.
The Knowledge and understanding covers breed standards for Utility, Gundog, Terrier, Toy, Hound, Working and Pastoral groups along with understanding mixed breeds angulation and symmetry.
There are seven written papers, one for each kennel club groups taken from the Kennel Club Illustrated Breeds Standards Book, and one on mixed breeds, including terminology, points of a dog and questions about dogs in general.
The suggested reading is the English Kennel Club Illustrated Breed Standards book for the seven groups.
Utility Breeds - Gundog Breeds - Terrier Breeds - Toy Breeds - Hound breeds - Working breeds - Pastoral Breed
Practical Exams – One Dog from each of (Utility, Gundog, Terrier & Mixed Breed)
Grooming Time given - 2 hours for each dog from of the above four groups, score 86% or above to pass.
ICMG Online Written Exam.
One paper each from the following: -Utility, Gundog, Terrier, Mixed Breed, Hound, Toy, Pastoral & Working
Questions are taken from the Illustrated Kennel Club Breed Standards Guide (Fifth Edition)
Each exam consists of 100 questions per paper, and you have 60 minutes to complete it. Answers will be either true or false, selection from multiple choice and breed identification by photograph.
Score 92% or above (Open Book) to pass.
Score 86% or above (Non - Open Book) to pass.
Track Three has Five Modules - £209.00 each module including Zoom Meeting.