Does an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer get 71 days of training, while it takes 150 days to become a certified Petco pet stylist? Yes, that's essentially true: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson confirmed that officers receive 71 days of training. The Petco website says its certified pet stylists must complete an 800-hour, 20-week course, which spans about 140 days. The claim slightly overstates the length of the Petco training program.
The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the @Randaroo1212 account on X on July 20, 2026. It read:
An ICE officer is trained for 71 days. It takes 150 days to become a certified pet stylist at Petco. One grooms dogs... the other carry's [sic] guns. This is what's wrong with our country.
This is what a screenshot of the post looked like:
(Image source: post by @Randaroo1212 on X.)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
In a July 22, 2026, email, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson responded to a Lead Stories request on the length of the training program for ICE agents/recruits. Their statement said:
ICE is instituting additional training, including crowd control measures, additional training for high-risk vehicle stops, a live-fire cover course for officer safety, and medical training.
ICE training will now be extending to 71 days. The change, effective June 2, 2026, will apply to all new academy classes beginning July 1, 2026. All graduates of the previous academy curriculum will attend follow-on training at the Advanced Field Officer Training Program.
As we have said all along, ICE training does not end when recruits graduate from the academy. ICE officers go through a rigorous on-the-job training and mentorship. This additional training is tracked online and monitored closely. New hires take what they learn at FLETC [Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers] and apply it to real-life scenarios while on duty, preserving ICE's reputation as one of the most elite law enforcement agencies not only in the U.S., but the entire world.
Petco
The Petco grooming certification process is spelled out on the company's website (archived here). It says:
Petco groomers not only love what they do, they are trained to the highest standards and must successfully complete an 800-hour, 20-week course for certification.
Hands-on training with a Petco-certified mentor does not begin until at least week nine of the program. The details for the full course from the website are included below:
Weeks 1-2
- Online training focused on safety and salon standards
- In-salon observation
- No hands-on experiences with pets
Weeks 3-4
- Learn proper bathing and drying techniques
- Learn how to brush different types of fur, cut nails and clean ears
- Learn about customer engagement including 7-point Pet Care Check
- Begin bathing dogs with supervision
Weeks 5-8
- Expand training by learning techniques for various coat types and lengths
- Continue bathing dogs and building guest relationships
Weeks 9-14
- Hands-on training with a Petco-certified mentor
- Training focusing on clipping, different breed patterns and scissoring
Weeks 15-19
- Perfect the art of pet styling
- Complete minimum of 100 grooming services under supervision
Week 20
- Must pass haircutting services for sporting dog, terrier and poodle
- Evaluate the different trims with different coat types
