NDGANZ offers many opportunities every year to improve our members’ grooming and learning thereby improving the quality of the industry as a whole. 

Hosting high quality seminars means that we have access to many of the worlds best speakers in the industry and we encourage our members to take advantage of the comparably low costs compared to having to travel around the globe to discover these speakers. 

Our Grooming competitions are a fantastic way to improve your skills and get critique on your grooms. At times, some exams are held in combination with competitions making for an exciting event for all. 

As well as the above, NDGANZ offers certification in proficiency and it also provides a pathway to achieve the title of NDGANZ Master Groomer (NCMG). 

Groomers wishing to participate in the certification program must be16 years or older and a paid member of the NDGANZ. 

At times, there may be a juniors section during competitions for children aged 12 years and up to the day before their 16th birthday but they are not eligible to certify for the Master Groomer program as they must be a paid member of NDGANZ. 

Certificate in Salon Proficiency is designed to help set a starting standard in the grooming industry in New Zealand. This exam is designed to be the first exam a groomer does as a precursor to their Master Groomer journey. The Master Groomer exams are based around purebred dogs whereas the Salon Proficiency ensures competency in grooming Crossbreeds and pet trims that we see in the salon every day. 

The NZCIP is an assessment of normal salon work and tools and hence you are expected to use the tools an average salon would use. Snap on combs, straights, curves, thinners and chunkers/sculptures are all a valuable part of this exam. 

It is advised, but not essential that you attend the proficiency workshop (preferably with a dog to work on) so that you can be directed on what will be acceptable at the exam and to help improve your overall chances of passing the exam. During the proficiency workshop and exams you will get a better understanding of the journey you may be undertaking should you choose to work towards becoming a Master Groomer. 

The NDGANZ Master Groomer examination programs are designed to show a higher level of learning. The grooms are to be a high quality pet trim version of a breed standard trim and the tools used are to be traditional tools used for these breeds, the use of snap on combs, chunkers/sculptures, vacuum systems and stripping machines etc are NOT allowed in these exams. 

Workshops and exams are generally one per month in rotating cities for 6 months commencing around February and ending around July each year and customarily held on a week-end, 

Saturday will be the workshop (or exam) for Proficiency (or any other dogs our members want help with) along with the final Master Groomer module, the Bichon. 

Sunday will be the workshop (or exam) on one of the three other modules Gundog – Terrier – Non Sporting rotating in that order. You will always know what the following years workshops and exams are based on the year before. 

The order of the venues is generally Christchurch workshop Central North island workshop Auckland workshop Christchurch exam Central North Island exam Auckland exam 

To sit exams towards becoming a Master Groomer, it is mandatory that you attend the corresponding workshop (preferably with a dog to work on) prior to the exam or you will not be eligible to sit that module of the examination program. 

NOTE: Spectators are encouraged at any workshop providing their membership is up to date, they will be charged the same workshop fee as participants. Spectators are not allowed at any exams unless they are either judging or shadow judging, or a designated helper for the day. Exams are serious business and we want to give our participants every opportunity to succeed. 

The only exception is if the exam is during a competition, where the participant will be allowed an additional 15 minutes from their normal exam time to compensate them for the extra pressures of having public present (excluding poodles which have already had a time extension to 2 hours). 

There may be times when mitigating circumstances may be taken into consideration regarding the workshop and exam process at the discretion of NDGANZ organisers.