Fall Canadian Pet Expo
Free Pre-Registered Seminars for Groomers
Registrations Open July 4, 2026
Mark your calendar — seats and competition entries go fast.
- Dates
- Saturday September 19, 2026 Sunday September 20, 2026
- Times
- 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Venue
- International Centre — Hall 2
- 6900 Airport Road FREE PARKING
About this event
The TruNorth Grooming Show and the Canadian Pet Expo, with the support of our vendors, are proud to present a series of seminars designed for pet professionals to continue their educational growth. Enjoy two full days of open seminars — all included with admission to the Fall Canadian Pet Expo — and every registration comes with the added perks listed below.
Pre-register on this platform to lock in your spot. The $25 Day Pass (plus 13% HST) reserves your seat for all four seminar windows that day, includes a VIP TruNorth Grooming Show welcome swag bag, and covers your admission to the Fall Canadian Pet Expo. Please arrive 15 minutes before your first seminar at the TruNorth booth beside the stage to check in and pick up your bag.
Sponsors
Seminar Presenters
Marcia Strong
Master of Ceremonies & Featured Educator
Marcia Strong is a Certified Master Groomer (CPPS), Groom Team Canada member, and Ukal Canada sponsored competitor. A five-time Barkleigh Honour Award winner, Marcia competes at the Open level in Poodles, All Other Purebred, and Salon Freestyle classes. She has built three successful salons from the ground up — most recently The Bark Side in Ontario — grooms for film and television, and has been featured in international magazines. An experienced educator and competitor, Marcia has travelled across North America and the UK to teach, compete, and inspire; her favourite class to judge is the First Timers Class, where she helps new groomers find their confidence. Beyond the ring she shares her passion on TikTok as "I Like Dogs More Than You" and proudly raises and shows Kerry Blue Terriers.
- ★Certified Master Groomer (CPPS)
- ★Groom Team Canada member · Ukal Canada sponsored competitor
- ★Five-time Barkleigh Honour Award winner
- ★Owner of three salons, including The Bark Side, Ontario
- ★Creator of TikTok's "I Like Dogs More Than You"
Heather Boyd
Featured Educator — Owner, Doggie Detailing
Heather Boyd is the owner and founder of Doggie Detailing in Trenton, Ontario, which she established in 2011 after her passion for grooming was sparked by her first Standard Poodle, Rogan. What started as a hobby in her basement has grown into a 12-person salon at 391 Dundas Street West. Heather earned her first two International Professional Groomers certifications — Certified Salon Professional and Certified Professional Groomer — in 2014, and has since become a respected competitive groomer with a love for Standard Poodles, curly coats, sporting breeds, and hand-stripping. She also handles and grooms in the conformation ring, recently piloting her female Standard Poodle Navi to her Grand Canadian Championship.
- ★Owner & founder, Doggie Detailing (est. 2011)
- ★IPG Certified Salon Professional & Certified Professional Groomer
- ★Active competitive groomer — Poodles, curly coats, sporting breeds
- ★Hand-stripping specialist
- ★Conformation handler — Grand Canadian Champion Standard Poodle
Nancy Bryson
Featured Educator — Industry Leader & Competition Judge
Nancy Bryson has been winning awards for her work on pet and show dogs since 1976 and is recognized as one of Canada's leading grooming educators. A former member of the Wahl Canada Xtream Groom Team and a founding member and past President of the Ontario Dog Groomers Association, Nancy was undefeated in the Terrier, Sporting, and Creative categories at the height of her competition career. Today she is a public speaker, demonstrator, and grooming competition judge who coaches professionals through skill-advancement workshops, grooms for film and television, and lends her expertise to industry manufacturers on product development.
- ★Award-winning groomer since 1976
- ★Founding member & past President, Ontario Dog Groomers Association
- ★Former Wahl Canada Xtream Groom Team member
- ★Undefeated in Terriers, Sporting & Creative competition categories
- ★Industry educator, competition judge & product-development consultant
Chelsea Difrancesco
Featured Educator — Professional Pet Stylist
Chelsea Difrancesco is a professional pet stylist based in Ontario with a passion for breed-specific grooming and hand stripping. She enjoys combining practical pet grooming with the artistry and technical skill required to preserve breed type and presentation. Outside the salon, Chelsea is active in the purebred dog community and regularly attends dog shows, where her involvement in the conformation ring continues to deepen her understanding of breed structure, balance, and grooming. She is committed to ongoing education and refining her craft through hands-on learning, competition grooming, and industry seminars.
- ★Active competitive groomer
- ★Specialist in breed-pattern trims & modern pet styling
- ★Gentle yet effective-handling approach
- ★Focused on finishing techniques & salon efficiency
Schedule of Events
The TruNorth Grooming Show and the Canadian Pet Expo, with the support of our vendors, are proud to present a series of seminars designed for pet professionals to continue their educational growth. Enjoy two full days of open seminars — all included with admission to the Fall Canadian Pet Expo — and every registration comes with the added perks listed below.
Pre-register on this platform to lock in your spot. The $25 Day Pass (plus 13% HST) reserves your seat for all four seminar windows that day, includes a VIP TruNorth Grooming Show welcome swag bag, and covers your admission to the Fall Canadian Pet Expo. Please arrive 15 minutes before your first seminar at the TruNorth booth beside the stage to check in and pick up your bag.
WEEKEND PASS
Saturday Day Pass — Fall Pet Expo
Reserves your seat for all four Saturday seminar windows + VIP TruNorth swag bag. Arrive 15 min early at the TruNorth booth by the stage.
$25 CAD + 13% HST
WEEKEND PASS
Sunday Day Pass — Fall Pet Expo
Reserves your seat for all four Sunday seminar windows + VIP TruNorth swag bag. Arrive 15 min early at the TruNorth booth by the stage.
$25 CAD + 13% HST
WEEKEND PASS
Weekend Pass — Fall Pet Expo
Reserves your seat for ALL Saturday and Sunday seminar windows + VIP TruNorth swag bag. Arrive 15 min early at the TruNorth booth by the stage.
$45 CAD + 13% HST
Saturday Sept 19
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Prep for Success
Presenter: Marcia Strong
Back to basics — done right. Marcia breaks down proper bathing and blow-drying techniques from the skin up: product selection and dilution, water temperature, brushing-in and rinsing, high-velocity drying without breaking coat, and stretch-drying for a finish that scissors itself. She'll also walk through the tools that consistently deliver the best results, so you can rebuild your prep routine and watch every groom that follows get faster, cleaner, and more polished.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Saturday Window 2 — Topic TBA
Presenter: TBA
Session description coming soon.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
40+ Tips for the Everyday or Competitive Groomer
Presenter: Nancy Bryson
Five decades of grooming wisdom, distilled into a rapid-fire toolkit you can use Monday morning. Nancy shares 40+ field-tested tips that sharpen everything from prep, bathing, and drying, to scissor and clipper handling, pattern setting, head and face work, and final-finish detailing. Each tip is framed for both sides of the table — the everyday salon groomer looking to work cleaner and faster, and the competitor chasing the extra polish that wins ribbons. Bring a notebook; this one moves quickly.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Saturday Window 4 — Topic TBA
Presenter: TBA
Session description coming soon.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
Sunday Sept 20
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Homeward Bound
Presenter: Marcia Strong
Where do you fit in? Marcia walks through the pros and cons of every working environment a groomer can choose — home-based salons, corporate stores, mobile rigs, and veterinary clinics — covering income potential, schedule, clientele, equipment costs, and day-to-day lifestyle for each. By the end you'll have a clear picture of which setting best matches your goals, personality, and stage of career, so you can build a path where you truly thrive.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Clip It Quick — Grooming Faster
Presenter: Chelsea Difrancesco
Speed without sacrificing quality. Chelsea shares the salon habits, tool choices, and pattern shortcuts she uses to shave real time off every groom — from efficient prep and drying, to clipper-over-comb tricks, smarter scissor paths, and finishing moves that look polished without re-doing your work. Walk away with a practical checklist you can put on the table Monday morning to book more dogs without burning out.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Sunday Window 3 — Topic TBA
Presenter: TBA
Session description coming soon.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Sunday Window 4 — Topic TBA
Presenter: TBA
Session description coming soon.
Sponsored by Sponsor TBA
Certificates
Seminar Attendance Certificate
Electronic PDF Certificate of Participation
Certificates of participation are available as a $5 CAD add-on when you register for the seminar or workshop they relate to. They can't be purchased on their own — add the seminar to your cart and tick the certificate option there.
Hotels & Accommodations
We've partnered with nearby hotels to offer preferred rates for show attendees. Click below to view the list and your event code.