Benefits of Owning a Dog
I found this great graphic on The Benefits of Owning a Dog and decided to share it. Enjoy.
Click to Enlarge Via: TheDogTrainingSecret.com
A Great Grooming Success Story
One of the things we love about the Groomer of the Month competition is the feedback which groomers get through the comments on their entries. We love when groomers receive this positive feedback and get the credit they deserve for their skills and the care and attention they provide for their clients’ pets . We certainly encourage people to get on and show their support by not only liking their entries but also letting the groomers know how much they are appreciated by leaving a comment.
This morning as I was reading through some of the comments I came across a fantastic example of one of the many great stories which we see in the comments section.
I would recommend Jacquie Dougan to anyone – I have a 2 year old westie called Alfie. When he was a puppy I started taking him to get his coat cut and I tried so many pet groomers from Ayrshire, Glasgow and North Lanarkshire and each time I was told “you need to put your dog on valium or tablets to sedate him as he is very anxious and wont let us anywhere near him to cut his coat” and was even told he was the most vicious dog this person had ever seen (Alfie was only 12 weeks old at this point and has NEVER even harmed a fly in the 2 years I‘ve had him!).
As I have never had a dog of my own before (a Springer spaniel when I was a child doesn’t really count!) I just took what I thought was “expert” advice and I went to my vet and requested tablets to sedate my puppy and my poor baby was put on valium to get groomed and he was lifeless and like a bag of bones and flesh. I was not pleased one bit and felt like an AWFUL dog owner, however, thought I must have a crazy dog which could not be controlled and thought these pet groomers knew best.
I changed vets and when I went to ask for sedatives for my puppy who was less than a year old I was told no (thank god!). I was then told to contact Jacquie and Tony aka Auntie Jacquie and Uncle Tony and apparently “they worked wonders with troublesome dogs”. Well, going to Jacquie has changed EVERYTHING! To start Alfie doesn’t need sedatives and instead she TRAINED him to enjoy being groomed and to let her groom him.
When I leave Alfie at Jacquie’s it is like he is away at a pet crèche for the day and I know he is in amazing hands! Alfie spends 3 hours being pampered, loved, trained and he gets to play and socialise with the other dogs and is completely relaxed and doesn‘t want to leave when I arrive to pick him up. It’s NOT like going to a pet grooming shop where your dog is washed, cut and blow dried within 45 mins like he is on a conveyor belt. And with regards to how he looks after he gets his hair cut? – he looks amazing and smells like a baby! Whenever we go out for walks he gets compliments ALL the time. I don’t know what I’d do if I never found Jacquie and Tony. Nicola and Alfie xxx
Jacquie and Toney started their own grooming business at home in 2005 and it has been growing ever since. Based in Lochwinnoch village, Renfrewshire they offer a range of services from dog grooming and massage to helping owners with dog training and behavioural issues. To find out more about you can visit their website or check them out on Facebook.
Great Pet Portraits
As we were speaking with one of our customers the other week it came up in conversation that she had a website, which of course we checked out, only to discover that she has yet another website showcasing her fantastic portraits of not just dogs but also many other animals. We were really impressed by the quality of the portraits and decided we would write this post just to let everyone else know about the site so please do follow the link and have a look for yourself.
October Groomer of the Month
Congratulations to the October Groomer of the Month. A very worthy winner in Chris Briggs from The Groom Room in Barnstaple. Barnstaple People have put together this article on his win.
Chris Briggs, groom room manager at Pets at Home, was named Groomer of the Month in October by pet product company Animology.
He won the title after pictures on Facebook showcased his grooming skills on Katie the Westie.
Chris made it to the final where he was chosen overall winner by a panel of judges.
Chris and Katie were presented with a framed certificate and rosette. Chris also received £50 worth of Animology products.
A great response for this month’s GOTM with 63 entries and long may it carry on.
At Home with the Hiltons
A glowing review from a great doggy blogger, Rio Chanel Hilton, who is the talent behind At Home with the Hiltons, on the Animology range for your reading pleasure.
If you’ve read any of our past shopping posts you’ll know that we’re constantly looking for new/exciting/better products for the girls. A few weeks ago I became aware of an interesting brand called ‘Animology‘. Animology are pretty new, they only established themselves last year (2010) but they are quickly proving themselves to be at the top amongst the pet hygiene product retailers.
After checking out their website, they immediately ticked 2 boxes for me. Good branding with plenty of clear, concise information and nice packaging. Not as important as the actual product of course but as I’ve said in the past, there’s nothing like a good first impression, right?
Continued…..
You can check out the full article here:
August Groomer of the Month
Yet another great month of entries for the August Groomer of the Month. And yet another fantastic winner in Nancey Walker from Ladies and Tramps in Plymouth. This is Plymouth have put together this article on her win.
A PLYMOUTH dog groomer has proved she is top of the pups – by winning an award.
Nancey Walker, of Peverell’s Ladies and Tramps has just been named the Animology Groomer of the Month for August.
She beat 66 other entries to take that month’s title, handed out each month by the pet shampoo and spray company.
Entries are invited on-line and then whittled down to a shortlist of five which are then assessed by a panel of judges who make a decision after the close of the month.
“We sent in before and after pictures of a dog we had trimmed,” said a delighted Ms Walker. “We used a dog called Charlie, a bearded collie from Eggbuckland.”
Ladies and Tramps were presented with a framed certificate and rosette to mark its triumph.
With 67 entries this has been a record amount of entries for GOTM and it is quickly picking up a reputation as being a very credible competition and will hopefully go from strength to strength.
England’s International Dog Grooming Team to Globally Promote Animology Dog Grooming Shampoos and Sprays
Group55 Ltd today announced that it has signed a four-year sponsorship agreement with Groom Team England. Through this relationship, Group55 will be recognised as an ‘Official Sponsor’ of Groom Team England and the company’s flagship brand, Animology, will become the ‘Official Shampoo and Grooming Spray Range of Groom Team England’. Groom Team England will promote the Animology brand nationally at events and campaigns throughout the UK and worldwide when representing England at international competitions.
Groom Team England, comprises 5 squad members who have, through national competition, proven themselves to be England’s top elite dog groomers. The team will be competing this September in the biennial Dog Grooming World Championships, which will this year be held in Belgium, where they hope to improve on 2009’s impressive 3rd place finish.
Group55 is delighted to have agreed this sponsorship agreement. “Animology is recognised in more than 30 countries as a world class range of dog grooming products” said Stephen Turner, Managing Director of Group55 Ltd. “Following the success of being awarded 2010 UK Best Pet Product, this agreement enhances further the reputation and credibility of Animology grooming products to both the professional dog grooming community and the everyday pet owner ”
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to represent Group55 and its products,” said Joanne Angus, Groom Team England captain. “It is incredibly important that we believe in the products that we agree to endorse and be sponsored by. Animology grooming products are of the finest quality and are manufactured here in England, by an English company.”
About Group55 Ltd
Group55 Ltd has fast become one of the UKs leading manufacturers of dog grooming shampoos and sprays and pet products. Based in Preston in the North West of England, Group55 entered the grooming market with their new brand, Animology, just 20 months ago, despite concern over the economic downturn at that time. The story since then is one of incredible success. Group55 now export Animology to more than 30 countries. Domestically Animology products can be found in Pets at Home, Sainburys and most independent retailers and has become the dog shampoo of choice for many professional dog groomers. The Animology Facebook page is one of the fastest growing communities within the UK pet industry.
