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Hi!
My name is Ava, and I have been taking care of people and pets for most of my life.
I was immediately thrust into the role of a caretaker as the oldest of four children....so I ended up helping raise my three younger brothers. I also started training dogs at a very young age when my grandfather bought me some dog training books (I was maybe 11 years old).
In addition to formal training as a master groomer, I also have current certifications with the American Red Cross in CPR/ AED, First Aid, Lifegaurding, HIV awareness, Alzheimers awareness, a Home Health Care/ Certified Nursing Assistant concentration, and animal first aid/ cpr. I am also an alumni of EFSC, and a national and state (FLA) licensed EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) .
I graduated from the American Red Cross's Nurse Assistant Training Program in January of 2010, and I have worked in Home Health Care (2010-2020), been self employed as a pet groomer (2014- present), and a former pet salon owner @ Beach Dogs Grooming Salon in Satellite Beach, Florida (2020-2023).
In My experience working with seniors and
disabled adults and children I have a combined total of about 10 years (I
started out doing OT in a gymnastics center that my family owned and
operated; the focus was on the development of motor and social skills).
In 2011, I burned out in fulltime round the clock home care so I expanded my personal services into the animal care field, and started taking on new clients of my own thru friends and family referrals.
I ended up helping people alot more than just with my health care certifications...I also did dog walking, grooming, dog sitting & nannying, pet care/ house sitting, home and office cleaning- ect.
Over the years I have most enjoyed working with animals so I started reading grooming books and working on my skills as a groomer in 2012 when a friend gave me some of her grooming equipment to use.
I eventually decided to goto grooming school, and I graduated from the Cashmere Academy of Pet Grooming in Melbourne, Florida after a 9 month internship where I studied AKC breed standards of grooming for dogs and cats with a certified master groomer (AKC dog breeds) concentration.
(highschool diploma 2002)
(lifegaurding certifications/ pool operators licesnse 2013)
In 2011, I burned out in fulltime round the clock home care so I expanded my personal services into the animal care field, and started taking on new clients of my own thru friends and family referrals.
I ended up helping people alot more than just with my health care certifications...I also did dog walking, grooming, dog sitting & nannying, pet care/ house sitting, home and office cleaning- ect.
Over the years I have most enjoyed working with animals so I started reading grooming books and working on my skills as a groomer in 2012 when a friend gave me some of her grooming equipment to use.
I eventually decided to goto grooming school, and I graduated from the Cashmere Academy of Pet Grooming in Melbourne, Florida after a 9 month internship where I studied AKC breed standards of grooming for dogs and cats with a certified master groomer (AKC dog breeds) concentration.
(artwork by me)
(My birth/legal name is "Joanna" as appears on my drivers license. I didn't start going by "Ava" until late 2010.)
