Problem: Article: If you have never groomed a dog before, you will need to learn the basics and practice. Consider an apprenticeship. The best way to get hands-on-training, if you are not enrolled in a school program, is to apprentice with an established groomer. If you are in the United States, consider taking the National Dog Groomer's Association of America exam. This certification program will allow you to be recognized as a "National Certified Master Groomer". This is very attractive to see when employers look at your experience. A variety of grooming schools exist that offer certification and hands-on training. There are dedicated dog grooming programs that are offered through larger organizations, like through the Animal Behavior College. You can also enroll in pet grooming programs that are offered through organizations that are dedicated to pet cosmetology, like the International Society of Canine Cosmetologists. Your local community college may offer pet grooming courses. Some salons and groomers will offer on the job training for entry-level groomers and new hires. Different dog breeds have very different coat types and grooming needs. Getting experience with a large variety of breeds is an important learning experience as you become a dog groomer. Some breeds, especially those with longer hair, like Maltese, Spaniels, and Malamutes, require more intensive grooming. The majority of pets that will come in to be groomed will be dogs, but you may have to groom cats and small pets like chinchillas or guinea pigs. You may or may not need to receive specific pet grooming certification or licensing to operate in your area. This is going to be unique to your location. Some states require you to receive a license to administer flea and tick medications. Check with your state to see if this is the case. Your area may require you to receive official dog grooming licensing through a certification program. If your area does not require you to this, it may still be a good idea to go through this program as a way to build your credibility with clients. There is no standard education requirement or formal certification requirement to be a dog groomer. Most groomers have a high school degree and have completed some sort of training, whether that is through an apprenticeship, an online program, or an in-person program. After you've trained to become a pet groomer, you now have options as to where you want your career to begin. Decide whether you will operate the business as the sole groomer or if you want to run a salon with other groomers. You could also work for a large pet store that offers grooming. You can work at a vet clinic or a doggie day care as a grooming specialist. You could offer mobile pet grooming.
Summary: Gain experience. Enroll in a dog grooming school. Practice with different breeds. Get licensed. Decide where you want to practice.

Problem: Article: Whether inside or outside, you'll need to get your puppy used to the fact that you won't be around all the time. You can practice indoors by leaving your puppy in one room and leaving for a few minutes, then returning. Then begin putting the dog outside for short periods of time, one to five minutes to start. You need to accept that the dog will probably cry and make a fuss while it is outside. Only leave a dog outside if you have a safe and secured fenced-in area. You must train the dog that nothing good will happen when they cry. Only let the puppy in when it is quiet and (preferably) lying quietly. If you give in and go out with the dog or allow it to return inside when it is whining, then you are giving positive reinforcement to the unwanted behavior. Leave your puppy with a distraction, like a Kong toy stuffed with wet food, to keep them occupied and to help them associate the yard with positive things. This is a big key to training a dog. Once an allotted amount of time is up (remember to start with small time increments), go outside and praise the dog profusely with attention and petting. Maybe even give the pup a treat. The dog will eventually make a connection that if it is quiet and well behaved outside, it will be rewarded for that behavior. Continue the training by lengthening the time outside until the dog remains quiet outdoors for at least an hour (as long as the weather is nice). Now the dog should be able to better deal with the separation anxiety when left outside or alone. Hopefully the pup will just quiet down and take a nap instead. Make sure the puppy always has fresh water available. There are calming products available to help puppies with being alone. For instance, the dog appeasing pheromone (D.A.P.) has been shown to calm puppies in dog obedience classes. These come in collars, sprays, wipes or diffusers.
Summary: Practice letting the puppy be alone. Give your dog praise for good behavior. Slowly increase the puppy's alone time. Consider use of a calming product.

Problem: Article: Since police only investigate complaints that violate state law, studying the elements of criminal fraud in your state can help you figure out what information you need to file a complete report. Although the specific requirements and wording vary among states, criminal fraud typically includes the same basic elements. Generally, the person must misrepresent an important fact knowing that what they're saying is false, with the intent to deceive you into giving them money or property. Also keep in mind that you must have suffered some actual loss to be a victim of fraud. If you see a listing and recognize it as fraudulent, you can still report it but the person typically can't be found guilty of fraud unless someone has actually fallen for their scam. However, they possibly could be prosecuted for attempted fraud. You will need information about the other user and details about the transaction so the police are able to conduct an investigation. Using your knowledge from your legal research, focus on any documents or statements from the user that might indicate a criminal intent to defraud you. Keep in mind you're probably not going to find anything that proves the person knew the things they were telling you were false. You don't need to do any extensive detective work rather, you should leave this work up to the police. Just focus on making sure you get the details about the transaction down along with any correspondence you've had with the user. Once you have all your information together, call or stop by the nearest police precinct to submit your report. Keep in mind that typically the police in the town and state where the perpetrator is located will be primarily responsible for investigating the activity. However, if you submit your report to your local authorities they will be able to transfer information if necessary. Some police departments have online forms you can fill out to submit a report. You can find the appropriate contact information for your local law enforcement agency by visiting http://www.usacops.com. In your report, include a detailed chronological description of the events that took place. If you can reconstruct a timeline from the day you first encountered the listing until the moment you realized you were a victim of fraud, this can be helpful to the police as they investigate your report. When you file your report, ask for a reference number and a copy of the official report for your records. You may need them to add support to other reports or complaints you file. As the police investigate the activity, you may be contacted for additional information. Additionally, if you have the reference number for your case, you can call the police department to check on its status. Police have discretion on whether to pursue claims, and how long to pursue them. If losses are minimal and the police have very little information to go on, they may opt not to extend the investigation.
Summary:
Research your state's law. Gather information about the incident. File your report with the police department. Cooperate with any further investigation.