During my childhood I grew up with a variety of pets but always dreamed of having a dog, which finally came true in my late teens. I’ve always felt most at home around animals. At school I was the first to volunteer to care for the class pet during holidays (much to my parents dismay!), and even now I seem to attract dogs wherever I go, especially on holiday. After many years in a different industry, I chose in my late 30s to follow my passion and become a dog groomer.

Over the years, I’ve developed and refined my dog grooming skills, but my journey really began in 2019 after some big life changes. Ready for something new, I enrolled on an evening course and soon progressed to a City & Guilds qualification. Although COVID brought delays and challenges with online learning, I later gained valuable hands-on experience with a local groomer. After qualifying, I was offered a full-time role and spent five years building my confidence and experience. Now, I’m excited to begin a new chapter by opening my own dog grooming studio.

Grooming dogs often means tackling some wonderfully smelly messes—that’s where I come in. What drew me to grooming is the animal welfare side; it’s about more than appearance. During each groom, I get to know every dog and can spot anything unusual or areas of sensitivity. Grooming is a gentle health check as well as a tidy-up, helping keep coats and skin in great condition while sending dogs home happy, looking their best—and their owners just as pleased.

Snoopy once said, “Just thinking about a friend makes you want to wag your tail” and how true that is. Dogs have a wonderful way of reminding us to find joy in simple things.