BIGA at PATS 2026 – Bringing the Grooming Industry Together
The British Isles Grooming Association (BIGA) enjoyed an exceptional three days at PATS 2026, bringing together dog groomers, pet care professionals, educators and industry experts for a packed programme of grooming demonstrations, education and discussion.
PATS provided BIGA with an important opportunity to connect with dog groomers from across the UK, share knowledge and open conversations about the future of professional grooming and how, as an industry, we can continue raising standards.
Across the three days, our Grooming Demo area hosted a varied programme covering everything from business development and professional standards to coat care, qualifications, handling and the first grooming experiences of puppies.
Sunday – Building Knowledge, Trust and Better Businesses
Sunday began with Belinda Morris and her Poodle, exploring the question:
How do I become the pet care expert my customers trust?
This was followed by Charlotte Howard and her Cocker Spaniel, discussing:
How do I turn my knowledge into business growth?
Belinda Morris returned for a further session looking at:
How do I build a business that customers recommend?
The day concluded with Sue Williamson, tackling an issue many professional groomers encounter:
How do I handle pets that hate being groomed?
These sessions highlighted that professional grooming is about considerably more than producing a good haircut. Knowledge, communication, animal welfare and the customer experience all contribute to building a trusted grooming business.
BIGA at PATS 2026, Monday – Professionalism, Standards and the Future of Grooming
Monday turned the focus towards the profession itself and where the industry is heading.
Linda Reader opened with:
What makes a professional groomer?
Suzanne Sheldon and her Poodle then looked ahead with:
What will the grooming industry look like in five years?
BIGA's Zoe Duffy led an important discussion around:
How do we raise standards together?
And Joseph Warrant Ywayan and his Cavapoo explored:
Career pathways, qualifications and building your business.
The discussions reflected many of the issues currently important to dog groomers in the UK – education, qualifications, professionalism, career development and creating clearer pathways for people entering and progressing within the industry.
Tuesday – Coat Care, Skin Health and Early Grooming
Tuesday brought another full day of practical education.
Catherine Clark presented:
Understanding coat types, matting and home maintenance
Paula Bryan, BIGA Director, delivered a session for the wider pet trade:
What retailers need to know about double coats and shedding
This explored how retailers can provide customers with better advice about coat cycles, shedding, grooming tools and appropriate home maintenance.
Karen Docwra followed with:
Recognising skin & coat health to advise with confidence
The programme concluded with Sarah LeTorq and her Puppy Poodle, discussing:
Early grooming experiences: supporting owners from day one
Early grooming experiences can have a lasting impact on how a dog responds to grooming throughout its life, making education for both groomers and owners particularly important.
New Members Join BIGA at PATS
One of the biggest highlights of PATS was seeing both new and established groomers choosing to become BIGA members.
For us, this represents something much bigger than membership numbers.
It demonstrates that groomers want to be part of conversations around education, welfare, professionalism and raising standards within the dog grooming industry.
We were also pleased to see existing members visiting the BIGA area and collecting their BIGA pin badges.
Connecting the Grooming Industry with the Wider Pet Sector
PATS isn't solely one of the UK's major pet trade events; it also gives BIGA an opportunity to make sure professional grooming has a voice within the wider pet care sector.
Throughout the event, BIGA Director Paula Bryan met with pet care professionals, businesses and organisations to explore ways in which we can work together to support groomers and strengthen connections across the industry.
Paula also met Dr Scott Miller, the TV vet known for his appearances on ITV's This Morning, and discussed ideas around supporting groomers and the continued development of the industry.
Several interesting conversations and potential collaborations began during PATS, and we look forward to sharing more as these develop.
More Than Just a Dog Grooming Event
For BIGA, attending PATS 2026
was about creating a space where groomers could learn, ask questions, exchange experiences and contribute to conversations about their profession.
A huge thank you goes to every speaker, demonstrator and committee member who gave their time and expertise, and to everyone who attended the sessions, visited the BIGA area or became a member.
The response over the three days demonstrated the value of bringing education and professional discussion directly into major dog grooming events and pet industry events in the UK.
There is still much to do, but every conversation, educational session and new connection helps move the industry forward.
Together, we can continue raising standards, supporting professional dog groomers and building a stronger future for the grooming industry.
Join BIGA
If you are a dog groomer, student, educator or grooming professional who wants to be part of the future of the industry, find out more about BIGA membership, education, professional development and member benefits.
Be part of the conversation. Be part of the profession. Be part of BIGA.
Written by Catherine Clarke, BIGA Educational Advisor
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