Total Grooming Magazine March 2022

www.totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk MARCH 2022

Professional Grooming Equipment and Supplies Your favorite brands and many more all in one place!

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CONTENTS

A

s the new year gets underway, we catch up with experts from the world of grooming to get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions they are posed with by students.

We also find out the latest news on grooming apprenticeships and discover the challenges ahead this year for Groom Team England.

There’s also lots of news and advice to help groomers maximise their salon opportunities.

Keep your ideas coming. Contact: editor@totalgroomingmagazine. co.uk

Editor www.totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk

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BIGA update

Contents 04 News 06 News 08 News 10 News 12 News 18 Young Kennel Club Groomer of the Year preview 22 BIGA update

www.totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk MARCH 2022

On the cover:

24 So you want to be a groomer – get the inside story on training

Redcape Ltd 01423 861249 www.redcape.co.uk

28 Top cat grooming tips

Editor

Design and Production

Sue Corfield – editor@totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk

Grant Waters – grant@cimltd.co.uk James Taylor – james@cimltd.co.uk T: 01795 509108

Commercial Director Mike Smith – mike@tgmpublishing.co.uk T: 01795 509110

Account Manager Louie Barnes – louie@tgmpublishing.co.uk

Credit Facilities Manager Natalie Murray – creditcontrol@cimltd.co.uk T: 01795 509103

32

Tax year end advice

32 Tax year end advice 34 Grooming through the ages the third instalment on adapting practices for a wide range of clients’ ages 38 Nutrition advice 50 Latest online grooming business resource launched 54 Paws for Thought visits Caroline Cogan’s Dandinis salon

© 2022 TGM Publishing Limited, 1st Floor, Saphir House 5 Jubilee Way, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8GD. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical or physical – without express prior permission and written consent of the publisher. Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Manuscripts should be type written. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic, belongs to TGM Publishing Limited. The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

Total Grooming Magazine | 3

SPONSORED BY

News and Product Round-up Join the Muddy Dog Challenge

T

he Muddy Dog Challenge – the obstacle course you can tackle with your dog by your side – is coming to the New Forest for the first time ever this May. Participants are invited to join this day of fun, mud and cheers with their canine companions run by animal rescue charity, Battersea.

The Muddy Dog Challenge is an outdoor obstacle course you can take part in with your dog. The aim of the challenge is simply to have fun while raising money for Battersea and the important work it does for dogs and cats. Participants can enter solo, in a team with the kids, with or without a dog, and there is a distance of 2.5km or 5km to choose from. Participants can decide to run or walk the obstacle course – both options will be as equally fun (and muddy).

The event will take place in the stunning surroundings of Breamore House, an Elizabethan manor that overlooks the Avon Valley and just a stone’s throw from the edge of the New Forest.

Each Muddy Dog Challenge participant is encouraged to raise a target of £100 for Battersea so they can continue helping dogs and cats in the UK and overseas. For ideas and inspiration, you can look on their website for fundraising tips.

All registered participants will receive a Muddy Dog Challenge t-shirt and dog bandana to take part in, and a medal and rosette for crossing the finish line.

Jasmine Monk, Senior Challenge Events Officer at Battersea, commented: “We are so excited to bring the Muddy Dog Challenge for the first time ever, to this beautiful location in the New Forest, and look forward to seeing lots of new faces on the day! We have all

4 | www.technogroom.co.uk

been through another tough year, but we are really excited for the Muddy Dog Challenge 2022 events, and are so grateful for all our wonderful supporters.”

“Battersea continues to go above and beyond for all our dogs and cats in the UK and overseas – from rescuing and rehabilitating animals in our centres,

to supporting rescue shelters abroad – so every penny you raise will help us continue our mission to be there for every dog and cat who needs our help.

Registrations are open now so please sign up as soon as possible. We can’t wait to see the folks in The New Forest getting muddy for Battersea!”

Event details: Muddy Dog Challenge New Forest Date: Saturday 14 May 2022 Location: Breamore House, Hampshire, SP6 2DF Cost: £35 - £45 (£5 per child) Registration for places close on Saturday 23 April 2022. If taking part isn’t your thing, Battersea is always looking for volunteers for the event and would welcome any support you can offer. For more details and how to register for the Muddy Dog Challenge, visit https://muddydog.battersea.org.uk/

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Qualifications Awarded

T

he new year has got off to a flying start for iPET Network which has cause for celebration with some exciting training

news.

The Awarding Organisation, which creates Ofqual regulated qualifications for the animal sector, has recently been approved to provide End Point Assessments for apprenticeships. iPET Network has already teamed up with Haddon Training and Keits Training Services to offer the assessments for apprentices in organisations such as Pets At Home, completing the apprentice standard in Animal Care and Welfare or Dog Grooming.

And they hope that even more employers who offer apprenticeships will now choose iPET Network, as their End Point Assessment Organisation due to their profile in the grooming and animal sector.

Fern Gresty, co-director of iPET

Fern Gresty and Sarah Mackay

Network said: “We are so excited to be assessing apprentices around the UK. “Apprenticeships are a great way to get straight into working in your chosen industry, and industries benefit from having enthusiastic trainees who are working hard to gain the skills and qualifications that they need.”

Sarah Mackay, co director of

the iPET Network added: “Adding End Point Assessments to our services demonstrates our continued commitment to the industries we support, and showing the world our industries high level of competency.”

To find out more about iPET Network go to www.ipetnetwork.co.uk

ProDen PlaqueOff® & Peanut Butter

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roDen PlaqueOff®, the oral hygiene supplement has recently launched a new flavour of their best-selling Dental Bones – Peanut Butter & Banana.

The company recently announced the new flavour of their Mini Dental Care Bones, as they become their seventh flavour to join their bestselling range of dental chews.

The Peanut Butter & Banana flavour are designed for small and toy breed dogs under 10kg. The Bones can be added to an oral hygiene routine to help bad breath, plaque and tartar and they are the only dental chew on the market and contain ProDen PlaqueOff® Powder.

Managing Director, John Leonard commented ‘We are happy to announce the new Peanut Butter and Banana 6 | www.technogroom.co.uk

flavour of Mini Dental Bones – it is great to see our range of oral hygiene products expanding’. He went on to say ‘the Dental Bones have grown from strength to strength since their launch in 2018 with an 86% increase in sales in our mini bones range in 2021, and they now join our original Powder in the Top 20 pet products on the market.

After extensive market research we noticed the surging popularity of peanut butter and we thought this flavour is the perfect addition to our range’.

The ProDen PlaqueOff® range has been established in the UK for 17 years, the original oral hygiene supplement has origins ranging back to the 1970s as well as over 1 billion scoops of their Powder given worldwide. All products including Dental Bones are available

through wholesalers, pet shops, vet practices and online.

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Disability Dog Walk to Help Disabled Dogs In Need Are you up for a walking challenge? Pumpkin is and is keen to help other dogs in need by raising funds to provide them with veterinary care and disability aids.

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The Home of Secret Weapon Grooming Products, Making Grooming Easier since 2014 Secret Weapon Shampoos are SLS & Paraben free, organic, therapeutic, deep cleansing, Moisturising.

Ultimutt Intense is a dedicated dematting conditioner that is suitable for all coat types.

Secret Weapon Xtra is a concentrate shampoo additive that hydrates, volumises, dries faster, dematts and de-sheds.

Hypknotic Hypoallergenic detangle spray can be used on a wet or dry coat as often as required with no sticky build up.

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umpkin is disabled herself and uses wheels to move around.

She (through her family) is organising a disability dog walk at 12 noon on Sunday April 10th at Boultham Park, Lincoln to help three amazing charities that helps dogs with disabilities: Breeds in need, Broken Biscuits, Winstons Wheels Her owner, Tammie Fox explains: “Pumpkin came to live with us in October after being surrendered to a local rescue, Breeds In Need. I instantly fell in love with her and my son named her Pumpkin as it was close to Halloween.

“Pumpkin was unable to walk and was struggled to move around. I decided to set up a Go Fund Me Page to help her. It went viral and raised £8,000 in 5 days!

“An appointment was made for an MRI scan and a top veterinary specialist for October 27th. Unfortunately, her scan results were devastating - her spine had been broken through trauma and her legs were the wrong way around. We don’t know what happened to Pumpkin, we don’t like to think about it or dwell on it.

The veterinary specialist said Pumpkin wasn’t in pain and could live a happy life using wheels.” Winston’s Wheels donated her a set of wheels, a tiny blue pair... Pumpkin took to them straight away. The remaining money raised through ‘go fund me’ was donated to Breeds in Need.

Pumpkin’s care is ongoing. She needs regular treatments, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and red laser therapy. She is double incontinent, so is highly prone to UTI’S. Pumpkin has helped lots of charities and other dogs with disabilities. Tammie will continue to raise awareness and raise money for disabled dogs in need.

She said: “At Christmas Pumpkin raised money for Halfway Home Dog Rescue. We donated nearly £600 to the vets to help pay bills. We also delivered lots of gifts for the dogs, blankets, beds, coats, toys & food. “In January we helped a dog called Latcha, another disabled dog surrendered to Breeds in Need. Unfortunately, Latcha cannot use her front legs and desperately needed a custom-built wheelchair. Pumpkin set up a fundraiser and bought her a special wheelchair custom built from Rollin Wheels in America.

In February the wheelchair arrived and Latcha took her first steps! “She is 10 months old and has been in rescue most of her life. She is desperate for her forever home. She hasn’t had any enquiries yet.”

For more information visit: go fund me https://www.gofundme.com/f/f6cun-pumpkins-disability-dogwalk?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_ campaign=p_cp+share-sheet www.pumpkintheparalysedwestie.com

SPONSORED BY

Many of UK’s Tenants are Unfairly Impacted by ‘No Pets’ Policies A new research report from leading animal welfare charity Battersea highlights the difficulties facing tenants when it comes to pet ownership, with 50% of people struggling to find pet friendly properties.

I

n the UK 23% (4.3 million) of all households now rent their home from private landlords. Demand for pet-friendly rental homes appears to be at an all-time high, with 43 per cent of tenants currently owning a pet and a further 33 per cent hoping to own a pet now or in the future. These figures suggest that more than three quarters of renters are affected by landlord pet policies.

Battersea’s research found that there can be major obstacles preventing private tenants from getting a new pet or even keeping a beloved one they have had for many years. Property websites Rightmove and Zoopla confirm Battersea’s findings of a huge disparity between surge in demand and

10 | www.technogroom.co.uk

lack of options. Rightmove reports that in the last year the demand for rented properties that allow pets has increased by 120 per cent, while Zoopla found only seven per cent of landlords listed their properties as suitable for pets in 2021.

Like many people across the country, Sara’s* life was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. A change in her financial circumstances meant that she needed to find somewhere more affordable for her and her 16-year-old cat to live in Sussex. When enquiring about properties, Sara repeatedly found conversations were shut down as soon as she mentioned having a cat, despite offering glowing references from previous landlords for both her and

her pet. She finally found a flat with a landlord willing to waive the no pet policy on the condition that the other tenants and landlords did not find out as the whole building has a blanket ban on pets.

Peter Laurie, Battersea’s Chief Executive, said: “Each year rescues like Battersea take in much-loved pets from responsible owners who have had to make the heart-breaking decision to give up their companion because they have been unable to find a rental property that will allow a pet. While we will always help any animal in need, we believe that by campaigning for more pet friendly homes across the country, we will see fewer dogs and cats being brought into us and more staying

SPONSORED BY

Kerrie Fuller

in their original loving homes.

Battersea is here to support tenants, landlords and housing providers in getting more pets into rented homes.”

Of course, many landlords do recognise the immense benefit and joy of pet ownership, some of whom are pet owners themselves. London landlord and dog owner Francesca Grosso has always allowed pets in her property in Islington. Several years ago, she had a negative experience with a tenant who did not disclose they had dogs and unfortunately caused damage, but she says this would never stop her from allowing pets as she knows herself how important they are.

Francesca said; “Although I have suffered from a bad experience of a pet-owning tenant before, this has not stopped me from renting to pet lovers again. The lack of pet friendly rental properties is a massive issue that needs addressing, and I welcome Battersea’s campaign wholeheartedly.”

Battersea’s report found that the main reason landlords were still wary of allowing pets in their property was concern about the risk of damage to 12 | www.technogroom.co.uk

their property or mess. However, only three per cent of dog owners reported that their pet had ever damaged property or been the subject of a noise complaint. Battersea’s Pet Friendly Properties campaign aims to dispel misconceptions while also recognising landlords’ valid concerns and finding solutions.

One of Battersea’s recommendations is that more landlords and tenants should be informed of the benefits of taking out insurance against pet damage. The charity found that 42 per cent of landlords would be willing to consider allowing pets if they could ask for insurance against pet damage, and 33 per cent were in favour if able to impose a higher security deposit. These are just two of many compromises that landlords and tenants could use to reach an agreement that works for all parties and keeps pets together with their owners.

A tenant who successfully made compromises to be allowed to keep her dog in a new home is Kerrie Fuller in Leicester. Kerrie’s previous landlord had to sell the property and gave Kerrie

and her family three months to find a new place to live. It felt impossible for her to to find a home that was not only pet friendly for the family dog, but also within suitable distance of her young son’s school. It took Kerrie months of searching before she finally found somewhere that didn’t immediately reject her request to bring a pet, but even then she had to use the money she’d been saving for her wedding to pay a larger deposit, along with agreeing to an increase in rent and an agreement on house rules including no pets upstairs.

Kerrie said: “It was such a stressful time and an awful position to be in.

I recall feeling like we would never find anywhere because single young professionals would always be more appealing to a landlord than me with a family and dog.”

To read the full report, click here. To find out more about Battersea’s Pet Friendly Properties campaign and sign the pledge to receive updates of how you can you’re your support, please visit the www.battersea.org. uk/pet-friendly-properties.

Groomi de-shedding Your life is about to get a lot less hairy

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e are a small family run business of animal lovers who know the difference that having a clean coat makes to a pet’s happiness. Owner Charlotte has had animals her whole life and now she has children, understands more than ever the importance of keeping animal hair around the home to a minimum. Groomi, designed by Charlotte, following her frustration with various deshedding tools is as easy to use as it is on your pet’s coat!

Groomi was born in 2016 when Charlotte designed a grooming tool that was more effective than anything else on the market but gentle enough to ensure that it didn’t harm the animal.

After a lot of market research and sleepless nights we found an amazing designer and started the process. A year later, Groomi was launched into the Equine market. From design to manufacture Charlotte was involved the whole way ensuring that we used quality materials and kept our environmental vision at the forefront of everything we did.

Charlotte then applied to be contestants on Dragons Den, as they wanted to accelerate the growth of Groomi into other market areas and into other countries.

Currently we are in discussions with other distributors in the UK and worldwide to push the Groomi in the pet market all over the world. We are working continually on Marketing, Product Development and Distributor Contracts.

Designed with a stainless steel shallow comb it gently teases out dead hair, dandruff and any other nasties while giving your pet a satisfying massage. Groomi’s range is further enhanced by our haircare range, making life easier for both dogs and their owners. Our handle comes with a

14 | Total Grooming Magazine

lifetime guarantee and combs are easy to replace meaning that this is the only deshedding tool pet owners will need. Groomi is an easy upsell for dog owners, with a simple demonstration at the salon it’s easy for owners to see why they need Groomi in their life!

Happy pets and less hoovering!

Our comb is the perfect gift for customers to buy for family and friends and Groomers can contact us at anytime for customer support we also provide a wide range of marketing materials to salons.

The genuine deshedding tool, that causes no damage to healthy hair. It quickly removes dead hair leaving coats shiny and clean.

10% discount with code TOTALGROOM10 Lifetime guarantee on handle Suitable for double coats Easily replaceable combs Full customer support Rated 4.5* on Trustpilot

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Petcetera Hall 5 | Stand 26 Professional products for every pet owner! Visit us at Crufts 2022 where you can enter our fantastic giveaway for your chance to win our ‘Best in Show’ bundle worth over £700! Includes the superior Heiniger Opal Cordless Clipper, revolutionary Emmi-pet 2.0 Ultrasonic Toothbrush Set and so much more! Don’t forget to pick up a FREE copy of our BRAND-NEW catalogue and take advantage of exclusive show only offers. Find all the brands you love including the exclusive show favourite, all the way from Australia, Fraser Essentials along with Pure Paws, Crown Royale, Osmonds, Double K & many more…

Better still, spend over £100 and receive one of our stylish & practical Jute ‘My Doggy Bag’ shoppers! Just a few of the many reasons to visit Petcetera etc at Crufts! www.petcetera.co.uk shop@petcetera.co.uk 01948 668100

Mutneys Leading grooming supplies manufacturer Mutneys are looking forward to being back at Crufts in 2022 after a difficult few years.

As a “One Stop Shop” they will once again be showcasing their full range of grooming supplies. Mutneys prides themselves on offering professional, affordable and sustainable products on a global scale. They are a friendly and knowledgeable team who work very hard to provide the grooming industry with great products, help and support. At the show, they will have lots of discounts and offers including their very popular 4 for 3 offer on all Mutneys branded liquid goods from shampoo to salon spray and much more. Hall 4 Stand 125. www.mutneys.com | sales@mutneys.com.

Roses Top Dog Roses Top Dog are thrilled to announce that Four Paws Groom School now holds the European brand licence and will be promoting the range of professional grooming products at this year’s show (Hall 5 Stand 178).

SHOW DISCOUNTS we hear you cry!?

We are dedicated to supporting the 2022 Crufts come back show by offering our biggest and best discounts with up to 60% off our RRP and exclusive show offers! www.rosestopdog.com

iPET Network iPET Network will be at Crufts once again, promoting animal welfare through education and qualification. Our range of qualifications cover the whole animal care and veterinary science sector and we are looking to partner with individuals and businesses who are keen to develop and delivery quality courses, bringing new and innovative ideas to industries such as dog grooming, pet sitting, animal training, veterinary services and more.

If you have expertise in your field and want to find out more, visit us in hall 5 stand 180. Meet our Founders and share in our vision. www.ipetnetwork.co.uk

16 | Total Grooming Magazine

Redcape Ltd, Premium Products, Premium Service.

Redcape are the leading manufacturer of Hydrobaths in Europe and the UK distributor for Ravenstein grooming tables and drying cabinets, regarded as the best due to their high quality of manufacture and reliability.

This year we will only be displaying our Hydrobath, Tables and Drying Cabinets.

Tel: 01423 861249 Email: enquiries@redcape.co.uk www.redcape.co.uk

Abbfabb Grooming Scissors Providing right and left handed dog groomers with award winning dog grooming scissors at affordable prices with unrivelled customer service!

Family owned since 1990, our dog grooming scissors are designed, tested and loved by our expert dog groomers.

Come and see us in Hall 1, Stand 98a. View all our entire scissor range and enjoy 30% OFF. Tel: 07971680023 Email: sian@abbfabb.com www.abbfabbgroomingscisors.com

FREE COAT CARE BUNDLE WITH EVERY WAHL CLIPPER Exclusively at Only Available From These Crufts Partners

Stand: 1-178, 1-180

Stand: 2-72

Stand: 5-126

Stand: 5-26

WORTH

.99 £32 RRP

Terms & Conditions Offer available to any customer that purchases a WAHL animal clipper.

Limited to one Coat Care bundle per customer. Offer only available at Crufts, whilst stocks last.

*Contents may vary

SPONSORED BY

A Cut Above Crufts 2022 Young Kennel Club Groomer of the Year Competition will provide a showcase for the best of today’s talented young groomers.

T

he Young Kennel Club (YKC) grooming competition sponsored by Royal Canin takes place in Hall 1 on Sunday March 13th and the presentations are later the same day.

It has two categories and is open to all dogs over six months of age. Dogs do not have to be pure-bred to take part, but they must be registered with the Kennel Club on either the Breed Register or the Activity Register. This year’s classes see a variety of breeds from Border Collies, Tibetan Terriers and Spaniels to Papillons.

Class Divisions There are two different class divisions for Young Kennel Club grooming.

Groom Through - Competitors need to show understanding and skill required to remove all dead hair and tangles from the dog’s coat.

Clip/Trim & Strip - Competitors need to show skills in coat removal by stripping, trimming and/or clipping the coat. Competitors may use either one or all of these skills in this class.

Members can try and qualify for 18 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

Hunter Macdonald and Jock - winner in 2020

SPONSORED BY

the Crufts final by competing in one of the Groomer of the Year qualifiers which will be held at various regional events in 2016.

To find out more about getting started in Young Kennel Club grooming, visit the website at http:// www.ykc.org.uk/competing/grooming.

The Young Kennel Club has an entire hall devoted to classes for young members from obedience, agility and flyball to junior handling and breed showing. Membership costs £15 a year with discounts for additional siblings and each member receives a ‘welcome pack’ with free gifts and educational material.

Royal Canin is delighted to sponsor the Young Kennel Club Grooming Competition. Fiona Brook is the main judge of the class and will be keeping a close eye on competitors to check how the youngster interact with their dogs and how sympathetic their grooms are.

There will be tips available on how to: • Brush your dog • Bathe your dog without a struggle • Clip and trim hair • Clip nails painlessly • Brush teeth and keep them healthy • Check and maintain healthy, unobstructed eyes and ears

GOTY YKC winner

H

unter Macdonald and his Border Terrier Jock from Strathpeffer, Scotland, won the Young Kennel Club (YKC) Groomer of the Year award at Crufts in 2020.

Hunter and Jock, who is owned by Hunter’s uncle, took first place in the YKC ring at Crufts for the coveted title of YKC Groomer of the Year, after qualiftying at a YKC training weekend in Newark and Scottish Kennel Club show.

To reach the Crufts final, YKC members have to compete in their categories for under and over 12s, and over 18s for Groom Through and Clip/Trim & Strip classes.

20 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

Hunter commented: “I just couldn’t believe I had won - when I went up to my mum afterwards all I could say to her was just that it was unbelievable.

It’s fantastic and a dream. I didn’t even think I would win my category so to be the overall winner was just amazing.

“I knew that I just had to forget about the crowd around me and get my head down and get stripping. I didn’t even think about who was next to me, I just had to focus on what I was doing and what was going on in front of me.

“Jock is a mischievous little character. We started training together when he was five and we haven’t really

looked back since then. We do all the strip classes together but he’s owned by my uncle so I would just like to say a big thanks to him.”

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: “Many congratulations to Hunter for winning YKC Groomer of the Year – he showed outstanding talent and we wish him the best of luck for the future.”

For further information about Crufts visit www.crufts.org.uk. If you would like to find out more about the Young Kennel Club and how to join please contact the Young Kennel Club team by emailing ykc@thekennelclub.org.uk or visit www.ykc.org.uk.

SPONSORED BY

More than just a sticker Why membership of BIGA is good for your soul, and your business

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t’s hard not to get cynical about the benefits of being part of a trade association. Visit any Facebook Group discussion about the merits or otherwise of membership. You’ll see comments suggesting the only advantage is a window sticker.

The window sticker, you see, imparts so-called ‘customer reassurance’.

Beyond the window, however, there are actually a committed few who are giving of their time, talent, expertise, experience, and other opportunities, to deliver something better to the pet grooming industry.

These people - the ones at the not-for-profit British Isles Grooming Association, for example - are volunteers, trying their best to mobilise this industry into something ‘more professional’.

Back in 2015-16, there were rumours of the industry getting ‘regulated’.

The licensing would be developed by an expert Group on behalf of the Government, then rolled out across England and Wales (Scotland and Northern Ireland might likewise follow).

It’s upon this, among other things, that BIGA was formed by a group of volunteers to create a trade association for groomers, by groomers.

The volunteers who formed BIGA didn’t want to leave the fate of their much-loved industry simply in the hands of others. Rather, these volunteers took the brave step of creating a community of like-minded fellow groomers to advocate on behalf of their own industry. If licensing were to be introduced, who better than actual groomers - whose livelihoods depend

22 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

on these things - to advise on the proposed licensing?

As we move towards regulation of the industry, as we move towards a day of officials in the council making assessments about the best way to operate our business, the authentic voice of groomers needs to be a part of those regulations.

BIGA exists not simply to promote best practice and the highest standards in animal care and welfare. But to protect your business, to promote your expertise. To bring professionalism and high standards to the way we conduct ourselves. Which, in turn, will lead to more respect from the customers we serve (again, check out any Facebook Group and you’ll come across comments from your fellow groomers about how poorly they are treated by customers).

The pet grooming industry is on a pathway to regulation. We hope you’ll join arms with the other members of BIGA so that your voice can be heard by the experts recommending the legislation that is to come.

You might think you don’t need to be part of the process because there are others who are members of BIGA. And their interests correspond to your interests. So, indirectly, your values will be represented. Your way of working, your expertise and experience will be accounted for. But is that sufficient?

BIGA is an associate member of the Group advising Government. BIGA has a voice, to be sure. But BIGA’s voice isn’t loud enough unless there is a chorus of groomers and businesses

unified in singing from the same hymn sheet.

The ultimate beneficiaries of BIGA’s efforts are the pet cats and dogs in our care. Their health, wellbeing, welfare.

You got into this industry for these reasons. You could have made another choice if it were purely about the money.

But there is something that drives you beyond just the money. It’s about having a purpose. Doing something meaningful. Because we’re doing the best we can so that as many cats and dogs can live well. This is the reason BIGA exists. It is BIGA’s purpose.

Therefore, it’s worth giving consideration to joining BIGA. Be a part of this grassroots movement.

Membership is approximately the equivalent of one dog grooming treatment - for the year. In exchange for the one treatment per year, yes, you get a sticker. You get more than that though. Beyond the various features and benefits of membership, you can be part of a movement that advocates not just for your business, your livelihood, but the welfare of our much-loved pet cats and dogs.

Join us today at www.mybiga.org

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Total Grooming Magazine | 23

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Training Matters So, you want to be a pet groomer … stop and think before you choose your training provider because this is a pivotal moment in your career. Caroline Cogan of The Training Room at Dandini’s explains why:

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hoose your training carefully, because your career, the reputation of the industry and the pets in your care are relying on you to be the best you can be.

With so many options available becoming a dog groomer appears to be a simple journey, with online courses, college courses and private training all claiming to make you a dog groomer, anything from 20 days upwards the choice should be simple, find somewhere local, quick and cheap.

This is pretty much what most prospective students are thinking when they weigh up their training option.

Many are retraining looking to change careers or redress the life work balance and due to the vast range of training available this is generally where problems can arise because they don’t see the potential of investing smartly.

Dog Grooming can lead to a career where you can earn £30-40K a year and work hours that suit your lifestyle.

You can work around picking up the kids, work from home or even go bigger and set up your own salon, the opportunities are endless.

Training courses that suggest you can do this after just 20 days training imply your journey will be an easy one with skills effortlessly acquired or even worse training from an online course with no practical tuition whatsoever.

Unfortunately for prospective students there are some schools suggesting this and it does lead to misconceptions around how long it takes for someone to become competent in the skills required to become a dog groomer.

At this enquiry stage you really may not have a clue about what dog

24 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

grooming involves or have experienced a real working salon. You may worry you won’t be any good or perhaps not enjoy it. All valid and important questions. However, it is important to put those questions to one side and revisit them once you have done a taster day. It is only then that you will really know whether dog grooming is for you.

Why are taster days essential?

Taster days are experience days and give any prospective student hands-on experience in the field - water, hair, noise, fatigue the lot! They are an important part of your journey into dog grooming. It is on a taster day that you will find out if the environment is what you imagined. Programmes such as Pooch Perfect have done wonders for opening the public’s eyes into what

grooming is really like and how hard and technical it can be.

But for many people the rose-tinted spectacles are still on and the reality of what a day’s hard graft as a dog groomer consists of is still beyond comprehension. It only really sinks

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Total Grooming Magazine | 25

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in when you have a fidgety dog on the table that is making your job very difficult, that you realise learning a new skill with an uncooperative dog may actually be more challenging than you originally thought.

Don’t get me wrong, dog grooming is a wonderful and an extremely fulfilling career, but it is hard, and even harder if you do not receive comprehensive and competent training.

For me as a teacher, these taster days are vital. It is part of our selection process and I only accept someone onto a course once they have completed a day in the salon. This is a mutual experience day; the student also needs to feel they can learn in the environment after seeing what the school has to offer them first-hand and that all-important opportunity to work out whether dog grooming is for them.

I would highly discourage anyone from signing up to a course without first seeing things for themselves first-hand.

A quote from a student reviewing her experience after training “Before I started grooming, I thought ‘This will be fun’, after training her thoughts were: ‘This industry is massively under-appreciated’ (N.H)

What to look for when searching for training One of the most important things to look for in a course is the hours of practical experience you will receive, along with the ratio of students to teachers, the number of dogs you will groom during your course and the variety of styles you will be taught, along with support for theory - the why, wherefore, what’s and how’s of grooming.

The aim of a course is to make you a competent dog groomer and ready for the workplace. Ask these questions during your initial enquiry, dog grooming is a hands-on job, and you need all the experience you can get! Even the best courses will leave you feeling like you want to learn more.

So, before you rush into any course do your homework and find a course that will offer you an opportunity to become confident, educated, and experienced, 26 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

realistically. There are no short cuts!

A big part of grooming and probably the most challenging is handling dogs safely and confidently whilst trying to learn a new skill. There is a lot to learn, dog’s anatomy, different coat types, different styles of grooming, clipping angles, scissoring, just holding the scissors correctly is harder than it sounds, and only repetitive, structured training can teach you this. Most schools that are well established and are run from salons will be able to provide you with knowledge that comes from years of invaluable experience. If you can find a course that will offer you a work placement on completion, even better. LOOK FOR THE BEST AND YOU WILL BE THE BEST. A quote from a student… “I have worked hard to get the best out of my training but I know that I wouldn’t be grooming as confidently or to the same quality if I hadn’t done my research on where to train” A.B

Lastly Don’t assume every course offers you what you need in order to succeed. One way you can do this is check that the

course criteria meets the qualification standards. This information is readily available online by searching for the qualification homepage. Check the course matches both the Total qualification time required, which includes work placements and time taken for private study and the Guided Learning hours which should match the hours of supervised or directed learning on your course.

You get out what you put in and I wish anyone wanting to become a dog groomer all the best. Just remember … Do your research!

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Be Cat Aware

A cat is not a dog. Sounds like a silly statement doesn’t it, but it’s always worth remembering for us groomers, when a cat comes to visit the salon.

By Sarah Mackay and Fern Gresty from iPET

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ats have a whole range of special considerations, and that is why last year we launched our portfolio of Ofqual regulated cat grooming qualifications, the first of their kind in the country.

We wanted to launch these qualifications so that dog groomers who decide to diversify and offer cat grooming can do so in a safe and welfare-led way. And so that new cat groomers can get a gold-standard of training, which will set them up for success, just as our dog grooming qualifications do.

We have worked with numerous cat grooming professionals to develop our qualifications and recently Katie Gwilt has joined Four Paws Groom School as a cat specialist, delivering iPET Network courses. Katie also has her own business as The Kat Lady offering compassionate and highly professional grooms to a multitude of cats in the Liverpool area.

For this issue of Total Grooming Katie has put together her five top tips, for when a matted cat arrives at the salon: Katie - the Kat Lady

1. Assess the coat and the extent of the matting

Make sure you use the correct equipment

28 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

Before deciding how to proceed, do a thorough assessment of the matting and how widespread it is. You will need to decide whether a full shave/lion cut is needed, a modified lion cut or spot shaving. Take into account the age and health of the cat before doing lion cuts as the cats welfare and health always comes before how it is going to look at the end. Treat each cat as an individual always.

2. Don’t use scissors!

Especially with tight mats. They can change the conformation of the skin underneath and pull it into the mat.

This means if you start cutting fur initially, by the time you have cut the entire mat out there is a chance you could have cut a nasty gash in the skin.

3. Go slowly as the cat is likely to be in pain and suffering some degree of discomfort

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Be aware that the cat is likely going to be very wary initially. Once tight knots start to form they will not like being touched around the matted areas and moving them can cause pain and discomfort. Work with the cat and let them guide you to remove the mats in the most comfortable position for them as an individual. Be aware that they may be more reactive than usual due to being in pain but be gentle and use towel wrapping as needed.

4. Let their skin breathe Try not to put anything over their skin once the mats have been removed. It will likely be dry, sore and irritable and the best thing is to let it breathe and have fresh air get to it. There may be sores and broken skin underneath, so use your best judgement if you think a vet referral is needed. If they are an older cat and it is winter time, ensure that the guardian has lots of cozy spots for the cat to rest as keeping warm is paramount. You could suggest a cat jumper, but make sure the skin gets access to fresh air for part of every day to help it from getting more dry and letting the cat start to groom themselves again and spread the natural skin oils around.

5. Educate the guardian as to how to help them from forming again Be non-judgemental - always. Mats can form really quickly and then spread so fast. Try to never assign blame and help the guardian to spot them and be able to stay on top of them or know when they are in the early stages of forming and to book an appointment asap. Life happens and if someone has contacted you to help with their cat then consider that a win. Many people with long haired or older cats just don’t know how to brush to the root of the fur so do give tips if they are able to help maintain the cat’s fur in between grooms. Prevention is always better than cure.

To find out more about the iPET Network go to www.ipetnetwork.co.uk To find out more about Katie go to www. thekatlady.co.uk 30 | www.simplysharp.co.uk

Don’t use scissors on tight matted coats

Self-Assessment – Pleasure or Pain?

Vicky Clark the Pet Accountant looks at how to address self-assessment

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ver the last twelve months I have spoken to hundreds of pet professionals and there has been a common theme throughout…people hate doing their self-assessment and it’s always the task that keeps going to the bottom of the list… It’s a complex topic that is rarely discussed in this industry which is something I’m passionate about changing. My aim when I started The Pet Accountant was to get this topic at the forefront of people’s minds and be something that people aren’t afraid to talk about.

Your finances are the foundations of your business, everything you do, or buy, your services should be centred around this. Are you covering your expenses? Should you increase your prices, are you paying too much for your shampoo? If you don’t understand your figures and what they are telling you,

32 | Total Grooming Magazine

how do you know if you’re making any money or overspending in certain areas, whether you need to put your prices up, or if you’ve hit the VAT threshold?

Wouldn’t you like to know how much your tax bill will be before it gets to January or how much profit you’re making throughout the year? If you answered yes to this, you need to be in the super organised group and get that tax return done as soon as the tax year ends and keep on top of it throughout the year. Remember, just because you submit your return doesn’t mean you have to pay it straight away.

How can we do this…? The good old traditional way of a spreadsheet is a favourite of most people due to how easy it is to use, and you don’t need to be a computer whizz to do it.

However, will this tell you how much tax you will owe, your cash flow month to month and how long does it take to

complete? Remember time is money.

We are coming into a digital era now and in 2024 things will be going digital (Making Tax Digital 2024). This means using software such as FreeAgent or Quickbooks. Although this may seem daunting and pointless to some, this is a great tool to help keep you up-to-date with your figures and best of all will save you hours of time.

My top tip this month, get your tax return done straight away, put it at the top of the list and understand your figures. Also take a look at Making Tax Digital. If the thought of doing this fills you with dread or you just don’t know where to start, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and I will guide you through the processes. www.petaccountant.co.uk enquiries@petaccountant.co.uk

Barking Bags are the perfect and stylish accessory for dog groomers See us at Crufts Hall 2 Stand 84

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ward winning Barking Bags are fast becoming an essential companion for dog walkers, dog groomers and animal behaviourists. Their fashionable and multifunctional design allows the wearer the flexibility to use them cross body or as a bum bag, allowing you to carry everything you need without compromising on style.

They are weatherproof and suitable for any climate or environment and absolutely perfect for dog groomers to keep brushes, scissors and grooming products in particularly when on the go.

They were recently featured on BBC For more information www.barkingbags.co.uk

One Dragon’s Den. We have a range of high quality, water resistant, unisex fabrics and also high end luxury leather bags to choose from, but in response to customer demand, we also produce a vegan friendly range as well Inspired by young British designers, their ingenious designs have mesh pockets for to carry everything you need whilst on the go.

Some models have reflective strips for

added safety when walking in the dark and Barking Bags sell police approved panic alarms that can be clipped onto the bags.

Total Grooming Magazine | 33

Grooming Through The Ages Groomer and trainer, Sally Hart of Tailwaggers, continues her series with a look at how groomers can provide age-appropriate care for clients:

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ell, it’s Crufts already! A perfect opportunity to look for great specials on equipment and tools that may help with the topics and ideas from the previous two parts of Grooming Through the Ages. In the meantime, let’s have a look at the third and final part – pet owners.

on these platforms will help build up your clients.

Time

This is possibly the most overlooked and, perhaps, rarely thought of aspect of our clients, but their age still plays a tremendous part in our business. Or perhaps, more accurately, by giving our owners age-appropriate customer care, we can help our businesses flourish by catering to a much wider market.

Now, please don’t get me wrong, this is in no way an ageist view, but one of respecting our clients and ensuring we treat them considerately.

It is not so straightforward or easy to categorise clients into young, middleaged or elderly, so these groupings will overlap each other.

These clients are mostly able to set time aside for themselves, and generally don’t have huge commitments, allowing them the ability to spend time home grooming (having this time does not always mean it will be used this way!). But remember, they may not be as established in their jobs, and so perhaps have less freedom on when they can bring their pets in for grooming. Booking a few ahead may help keep these pets on schedule.

Confidence of Youth

Attitude

The benefit of being young is that feeling of having the world at your feet and the conviction to aim for what you want. It is more enthusiasm and vision, rather than long term experience that influence our younger clientele.

Our own way of behaving is caused by our opinions and feelings. It is our viewpoint. And we are all entitled to our own. For the younger, possibly 1st time, owners, their pets are their ‘kids’. Sometimes the expectations are not completely realistic. As groomers we see the impact this has on the pets behaviour, in the salon and with their owners. And it definitely can influence style choices.

Part 3 Owners

Things to remember . . .

Social Media This is part of everyday life, and the biggest go to when looking for services, information, retail, etc. Promoting well 34 | Total Grooming Magazine

Communication How we speak to and engage with our clients has a huge impact on our business. Politeness and clarity goes a long way to establishing a great client rapport. We may have more experience and knowledge in grooming dogs, but it rarely helps to be perceived as condescending, and the younger clients will not take too kindly to being ‘spoken down to.’

Happy Families A time in our lives when we are not only busy, but also have had to learn the art of juggling. Often juggling

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This still plays a big part in finding services, information, retail, etc, but with time being a premium, this is not the only way. Promotions on Socials are important but recommendations from friends and family and other pet businesses will play a large part of attracting clients from this group.

They often still use it, but often not on the same scale as our younger owners.

Make sure not to skip passing information to this group through other methods, ie, email, phone and in person.

Time

Time

Quite frankly, there isn’t any! Pets from homes with families, who may have less time for home grooming, often need more frequent grooming appointments to keep up the styles preferred, or their owners may opt for an easy to maintain style. Juggling work, home and kid’s school life, may mean they, too, struggle with availability for appointments.

Prebookings are usually very helpful for these owners too.

Here we usually see the difference in level of home maintenance on the pets we have in for grooming.

Not only are these owners, possibly, already experienced pet owners, but also have more time to keep their pets well groomed out at home. This is not to say they aren’t busy, frequently family keep them very occupied, but they have become adept at making time and enjoy this quite time with their pets.

children, jobs, spouse’s, hobbies and family time. Help is always welcome.

Let’s make it easier . . .

Social Media

Attitude Pets in families with children are usually seen as part of the family.

Personally, I find these pets, mostly, to be better with handling, and better able to cope with hustle and bustle. (We all know this is a very broad generalisation as there are many factors that influence this)

Communication Remembering that these owners are often rushed for time and can frequently be distracted (thinking about the next place to be, chore to do, etc), so a little patience and understanding goes a long way. And keeping to the same routine and consistency goes a long way to creating an easy relationship with these clients.

The Quiet(er) Life Getting a bit older has its perks and this should be the time we have to treat ourselves and enjoy a quieter pace.

Social Media This is not always the first go to source for information for our older owners.

36 | Total Grooming Magazine

Attitude We find these pets, whilst still part of the family, are, commonly, viewed more as companions too. This has benefits, (like previously mentioned – thorough home grooming regime), but also some drawbacks, (sometimes being over

A final note

pampered can affect confidence)

Communication Talking to our clients can really help to build the client-groomer relationship, but remember to be respectful and polite. You may need a little extra time for the chatty ones, and be for this age group try to avoid too much familiar slang (yes, they most likely know it, but may not be in the habit of using it).

Greetings of “Howdy Chick!”, may not be as well received by grandma as you had hoped.

The capabilities of people in each group will vary immensely and this is a generalised view on each of these life stages. Young owners are physically capable, but may lack slightly in experience and expectations. The family and middle-aged owner is likely to have other commitments and distractions, and they may also share the home grooming with younger family members, meaning you could be dealing with a combination of age groups. And, the older owner may have slight physical restrictions, but often have more time and experience, meaning they may well have more attainable expectations.

Above all, treat every client with respect and courtesy, setting an example of how they should treat you!

For more business and customer tips keep a look out for upcoming seminars, including Notes from the Cocktail Bar with Louisa Tandy and myself.

Feeding for optimum health Anna Webb –Podcaster, Nutrition & Behaviour expert studied natural nutrition and therapies with the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT)

It’s a misnomer that feeing a kibble diet helps keep dog’s teeth clean, rather it promotes periodontal disease.

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’ve always been passionate about: ‘You are what you eat’ not just for dogs, but for people too!

We all want the best for our dogs, and it’s not a dress rehearsal! For me feeding for optimum health and behaviour will impact positively on the lives of pet parents, their dogs and even impact on the grooming experience.

Dogs fed a raw unadulterated diet boast a healthy skin and coat that’s a joy to work with, and can be calmer without eating vast quantities of refined sugars and hidden nasties as found in many sterile ultra- processed dog foods.

In my study with the College of Integrated Veterinary Studies, I learnt so much about the fields of 38 | Total Grooming Magazine

nutrigenomics and epigenetics. About how food really can as Hippocrates summed up in 600 BC: “let medicine by thy food, and food be thy medicine’.

I love the field of nutrition as it’s constantly evolving. Just in the past decade or so, scientists have, and continue to reveal the impact of food on our health, at a cellular level: biologically, physiologically, emotionally and behaviourally.

As an expert in nutrition and behaviour, I’ve contributed to a host of TV and radio. I’ve discussed the benefits of feeding an ‘unadulterated’ raw and biologically appropriate diet on Channel 5’s documentary: The Truth About What You Feed Your Dog, on ITV1’s The Titchmarsh Show, not least

on BBC Radio London’s hugely popular dog slot, Barking at the Moon, and on my award nominated Podcast A DOG’S LIFE! Back in 2002 when I brought my first Miniature Bull Terrier, Molly, home feeding a fresh, unprocessed diet achieved ‘cult status’ as a raw food feeder!

There remains much confusion over feeding raw, about it being complicated, inconvenient, even dangerous! Plus, to add to the raw / processed debate there’s confusion as to whether dogs are carnivores or omnivores.

Science concurs that dogs produce a very small amount of the starch digestive enzyme Amylase compared to the amount humans produce.

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Total Grooming Magazine | 39

Make no mistake dogs are biologically and physiologically designed with a carnivorous digestion.

From their teeth, their short gut, fast metabolism, and an acidic gut pH, a dog’s digestive system is completely different from an omnivorous one.

Interestingly dog’s tongues cannot move sideways, only up and down, meaning any food deposits that get stuck in-between their teeth can’t be licked away. It’s a misnomer that feeing a kibble diet helps keep dog’s teeth clean, rather it promotes periodontal disease.

So, to classify a dog as an omnivore is not correct, and in my study with the CIVT dogs are classified as primary carnivores. Cats are classified as obligate carnivores, and rabbits as herbivores.

Let’s face it no one would ever dream of feeding their bunny on a steak!

The key is to appreciate that all creatures, including humans, should eat a ‘species appropriate’ diet; one that can be efficiently metabolised for maximum nutritional benefit.

For dogs as ‘primary carnivores, this means a meat-based diet receiving a balanced quantity of animal protein and animal fat. Combining a variety of farmed and wild meats from poultry and ruminants to provide a balanced and functional combination of appropriate proteins and the correct proportion of Omegas 3 & 6.

Adding a small 10 per cent proportion of functional carbohydrates.

These are not grains or rice, or maize, but cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, or leafy greens like spinach. And health boosting fruits like blueberries, or blackberries. The universal term is polyphenols, fresh fruits and veggies that boost anti-ageing at a cellular level, they work on people too!

Dogs as carnivores cannot get high cholesterol unlike humans. Contrary to popular opinion a low fat, but high sugar diet will make it hard for your dog to shed excess pounds as sugary foods or simple carbohydrates dissolve quickly, creating hunger related issues from a lack of appropriate nutrition.

If you really are what you eat, could we influence our dog’s health and 40 | Total Grooming Magazine

Anna Webb with her dogs

longevity through an appropriate diet?

The science backs this up, just in the way we humans are being encouraged to ditch processed foods in favour of fresh whole foods.

The science of Nutrigenomics has exploded over the past decade, and it could explain why dogs are getting porkier, poorlier, and even less trainable.

Being aware of hidden sugars, and the effects of overly processed foods in contrast to fresh, unadulterated foods on your genes can promote, rather than inhibit optimum health and behaviour.

Food fuels our cells, it either nourishes them or depletes them from a healthy gene expression. As we learn more about the interrelationship of foods and our genes, it’s clear that feeding dogs as omnivores on an overly processed, heavy grain -based diet that’s devoid of any moisture promotes inflammatory responses, like atopic skin conditions, hair loss, periodontal disease, arthritis, diabetes, even heart disease.

Just as highly processed ‘simple’ ‘high-glycemic’ refined sugary foods like biscuits create sugar spikes in people, similar hyperactivity and an inability to focus occurs in dogs fed highly processed simple carbohydrate foods like ‘kibble’.

Sugar highs are followed in people and dogs by sugar lows like lethargy, moodiness, and being irritable. But

some canine professionals often mistake these behaviours as being illmannered or uncooperative, rather than attributing them to their dog’s food.

Every groomer will have been bitten and had difficulty managing some dogs in their salons, which begs the questions could dogs fed raw be easier to groom?

Apart from a calmer temperament, dogs fed raw will also benefit from a naturally potent source of nutrition that promotes a healthy skin and coat.

Similarly, less likely to suffer from ‘yeast’ infections, itchy skin, hotspots, and tear stains, a raw fed dog will be comfortable in themselves and grooming will reveal health from the inside out.

De-mystifying the issue that feeding raw is a hassle, in 2009 a number of passionate firms transformed ‘raw food feeding’ into frozen ‘ready’ meals that are delivered to your door. You just keep the food deep frozen until you need to thaw and serve – what could be easier?

For me being a raw food feeder for over twenty years, it brings me peace of mind in a bowl. Thanks to a raft of committed companies with a conscience, feeding a raw balanced and complete diet couldn’t be simpler or more ethical.

The Raw Vet Feeding Society is always happy to explain why dogs are a commitment, not a convenience!

Top 10 Reasons to Feed Raw Research Shows a Raw Diet Provides Pets with the Most Nutritional Support

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hen it comes to our own personal nutrition, we are aware of the benefits of avoiding a highly processed diet, so why should this be any different for our pets? The fact is, pets are even more susceptible to the pitfalls of a processed than we are. They are carnivores and incapable of handling such processed carbohydrates.

As pet parents, we are in control of what our furry family members consume, and there is nothing better for your pet than a species specific raw diet, which offers the healthiest and most natural option for your pet.

A raw diet for dogs consists of a balanced mix of muscle meat, bone and organs, mimicking the diet of wild canines. It may also include a healthy selection of fats, vegetables and seasonal berries.

Dogs are facultative carnivores. This means that their primary source of nutrition should stem from meat, but that they can, and do, eat some plant material. These plant fibers help to develop a robust system of protective bacteria which is part of their immune defenses. They could even, in dire circumstances survive on a plant-based diet for a short time – however, long term a plant diet poses a spectrum of health problems as it is devoid of those all essential amino acids that are found so readily in raw meat.

To help better understand the benefits of a raw diet, Bella & Duke’s Chief Consulting Nutritionist, Rowan Sanderson, lists his top 10 reasons to to start your pet on a raw vs cooked diet now:

42 | Total Grooming Magazine

1. Helps maintain a healthy weight Obesity is the number one health issue facing our pet population today.

A raw diet has the correct balance of “Macronutrients”, higher protein, moderate fats and low carbohydrates which translates to your dog naturally storing much less body fat.

2. Aids digestion Dogs are natural carnivores and as such their digestive enzymes are geared for raw meat! Research has shown that a raw meaty diet is not only easier for canines to digest but it is also better absorbed meaning those all essential nutrients get used as nature intended.

3. Improves toilet habits This is one of the first things owners comment on when they begin feeding raw to their pet. In the absence of those fillers found in processed food, the “end product”, your pet’s stool, is smaller, firmer, easier to pass and even helps express their anal glands on

exit. Less fermented grains also means significantly less aroma and it’s easier to dispose of which makes for a happier pet guardian.

4. Supports Oral Health A diet that is lower in carbohydrates, is naturally low in the sugars that unhealthy mouth bacteria thrive on.

Dogs can get gum disease too and this has a downstream health impact on their pancreas, heart and brain too.

In fact a healthier oral microbiome is associated with lower inflammation in your pet full stop.

5. Glossier skin and coat A raw diet is high in the healthy unoxidised fatty acids, omega 3 and 6 as well as the key amino acids for hair production. This means their fur is kept oh so soft and shiny, without excess shedding.

Bella & Duke’s customers have also reported that their dog smells clean and healthy without that ‘dirty dog’ smell.

6. Supports healthy bones and joints Raw bone is a key component of the raw diet and is a rich source of calcium and phosphorus in the exact ratios required for bone health, repair and growth. Raw food also contains connective tissues, which is an excellent source of chondroitin and glucosamine as well as collagen to support your dog’s joints and keep them healthy.

Just as important with a raw food diet, are the foods which are excluded such as grains or grain substitutes.

Emerging research correlates much higher joint inflammation with grain consumption.

7. Supports the immune system Raw meat provides high-quality protein aminos and key bone fibers which support a healthy gut lining. The gut is both the headquarters of your dog’s immune system, sending important health signals around its body, and the gatekeeper for toxins, keeping them at bay and supporting overall immune health.

A measured amount of vegetables and berries provides an array of immune-supporting vitamins as well as antioxidants and phytonutrients which help your dog to stay healthy and keep their immune system strong.

8. Balanced Behaviour Eating food that satisfies their biological needs not only supports your dog’s physical health, it supports their mental wellbeing too. A healthier gut helps make all important neurotransmitters to keep your dogs happy as well as healthy.

9. Balanced energy levels A raw diet provides both healthy protein and fats in the ratios they thrive on , meaning that your dog will have plenty of consistent energy to join you on walks, explore and interact with the world around them. Goodbye processed food sugar slumps and snoring on the sofa!

10. Supports cognition and emotional health 44 | Total Grooming Magazine

Bella & Duke premium beef raw dog food meal ingredients

We now know that good gut health plays an important role in mood, memory and focus. We also know that pets fed a varied raw diet have a more developed gut microbiome, particularly with some key longevity species.

This contributes to your dog’s mental wellbeing and also supports memory and learning. The healthy fats in raw food help to protect and support your pet’s brain which may reduce cognitive decline as they age.

Mark Scott, CEO of Bella and Duke, said: “We are constantly finding new ways of improving our own diet. We’re well aware of the dangers of having processed foods in our diet, so it doesn’t make sense to feed this to our pets.

Switching to a healthier, natural raw diet has proven to provide a range of health and happiness benefits for your pet.

“Our pets have always been right by us, so it’s time we do right by them and our mission at Bella & Duke is to help pets live a happier life.”

After losing their dogs to cancer, Mark and Tony co-founded Bella & Duke upon researching the negative impacts of processed foods on our pets. They launched Bella & Duke with an aim to educate other cat and dog owners on the nutritional outcomes of their pets’ diets and to challenge the pet industry on the nutritional standards in conventional processed foods.

From puppies and kittens to senior dogs and cats there are subscriptions to fit your pet’s needs at every stage of its life. Benefits of a raw diet can include improved digestion, boosted immune systems, increased energy levels and a glossier coat.

The veterinarian approved pet food subscription consists of nutritionally balanced and easy to use meals which are comprised of raw meats minced and mixed with purposeful seasonal fruits and vegetables. There is also an option for pets whose health benefits from an exclusion diet, through a single protein range which also excludes fruit and vegetables. Extras such as treats, bone broth and pet health and wellness products can be added onto your subscription as and when you need them. Each delivery comes frozen to ensure all nutrients are locked in to enrich your pet’s diet.

According to their Pet health & happiness survey 2021, 77% of Bella & Duke customers reported an improvement in the health and shine of their pets coat within eight weeks, 75% agreed it aided their pets digestion and 58% reported improvements in their pet’s weight after moving them to a raw food diet.

You can find out more about the nutritional benefits and Bella & Dukes product offering at: www.bellaandduke.com

Good Dental Hygiene is Vital Like us, pets can suffer the effects of poor oral hygiene. The good news is that an effective oral health regime will extend the life of a pet and there’s a raft of products designed to help owners and groomers achieve this:

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he adverse effects of periodontal disease are due in part to the toxins the bacteria secrete and the damage these toxins cause to delicate kidney, cardiac, and brain tissue. In addition, many veterinarians believe that actual bacterial colonies can spread via the circulation and set up housekeeping within the animal’s tissues, commonly in the heart valve areas, kidneys and liver. Far better than extracting teeth, performing gingival flaps, filling erosions or doing root canal procedures, would be to prevent the health damaging periodontal disease in the first place.

Since most dogs presented with advanced periodontitis are older canines, owner concern regarding the safety of dental procedures always seems to be an impediment to performing dental procedures, especially since anaesthesia is an important aspect of a thorough dental cleaning.

But it is important

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Preventing the onset of health damaging periodontal disease is the best scenario.

to consider the benefits of the treatment offset against what is generally a low risk of using anaesthetic on an older dog.

Prevention One of the best ways to insure optimum oral health is to provide the dog with a well-balanced, meat-based dog food. Meat assists in keeping the mouth environment healthy. Actively encouraging the dog to utilize chew treats that require some “exercising” of the teeth, such as is provided by

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compressed rawhide chewies, hard rubber or nylon chew toys, can assist in keeping the mouth structures vital.

Brushing the dog’s teeth can be a big help, too, but needs to be done almost daily.

One study in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry, December, 1996, reported “Tooth-brushing every other day did not maintain clinically healthy gingiva in dogs. The daily addition of a dental hygiene chew to a regimen of tooth brushing every other day reduced the gingivitis scores and reduced the accumulation of dental deposits (plaque, calculus and stain).

Daily tooth-brushing should be the recommendation to the dog owner irrespective of dietary regimen.”

Newer dental care products that include antiseptic impregnated chewies, canine appropriate tooth brushes, and even flavoured tooth pastes to “reward” the dog for allowing the brushing, are available online and in pet supply stores or veterinary surgeries. Also important are routine oral hygiene visits where under light anesthesia the patient can

undergo ultrasonic teeth cleaning, close inspection of teeth and gingiva, and assessment of overall oral health.

Addressing problems when they are minor and preventing the health damaging effects of bacterial contamination and systemic toxin release are immeasurably beneficial to the dog’s long-term health status.

Dr Jan Bellows DVM, neatly sums up the need for optimum oral health throughout a dog’s life, “When a client asks me how long their puppy will live, I usually respond 15-17 years if you brush their teeth daily … 11-13 years if you don’t.”

Stress-free Solutions are at Hand Tropiclean Fresh Breath Is brushing a dog’s teeth stressful to you and the dog?

Gum disease is a bigger problem in dogs than in humans as dogs have more alkaline in their mouth and they don’t get their teeth brushed every day.

If gum disease takes hold it can be painful and lead to more serious problems.

Signs to look out for: Difficulty picking up food Bleeding or red gums Loose teeth Blood in saliva Strange noises when eating Pawing at mouth Dribbling And of course, bad breath.

If gum disease is left untreated the dog may need veterinary intervention

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which would require putting the dog to sleep and as most pet insurance doesn’t cover dental treatment you can be presented with very hefty vet bill.

Fresh Breath by TropiClean is a range of ‘no brush formula’ products, all of which are incredibly easy to apply and more importantly are brushless!

TropiClean dental items work naturally, not enzymatically where active natural ingredients help break down plaque and tartar and promote fresh breath.

The Dental Health Solution now carries the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) Seal of Acceptance for Plaque control and the NASC (National Animal Supplement Council Quality Seal.

These are added to your dog or cat water and with their unique

combination of ingredients provide up to 12 hours of fresh breath and defend against the new formation of plaque and tartar. Available in a range of solution helping with hip, joint and digestive ailments.

The Fresh Breath Oral Gels come in a range of flavours with a unique combination of ingredients to help remove plaque and tartar.

The dental wipes like the above are a safe way to remove the plaque and tartar.

Cat and Puppy versions available in most products.

Start your dental routine with your puppy so that it becomes a normal part of their everyday life. Products have a three year shelf life so are ideal for groomers to stock.

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Dog Grooming Business Course Goes Online The Dog Grooming Business Course has been launched as an online resource

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he best part is that the course will anchor you,” says Kristian Maris. “It can be overwhelming trying to make sense of what is truly required to set up and run your own dog grooming business.

The course cuts through all the noise and clutter and confusion and helps you focus on exactly what steps are required. You come out of it not just with rock-solid understanding, but a rock-solid actionable Plan.”

Kristian is describing his newly launched online business course: Start Here: The Dog Grooming BUSINESS Course. He is the author of the 2015 similarly-named book, which continues to sell in print on platforms worldwide, and volunteer chairman of the British Isles Grooming Association.

Made up of twelve easy-to-follow units, the course guides you stepby-step through all the necessary considerations to set up and run your own dog grooming business.

“Students can follow along in a manner that best suits them - whether that’s by watching the videos, listening to the audio lessons, or simply reading in small manageable portions,” explains Kristian.

Students will learn all the elements that go into writing a business plan, but also a well-constructed and actionable project plan. They are supported with worksheets and quizzes to keep things interactive. And there are plenty of bonus templates they will be able to apply to their own business.

“You need to get this right because you’re investing time, money, hopes and dreams in this. You cannot make it up as you go along, or try to make sense of the 1001 different bits of advice from across Facebook groups.”

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You will benefit from the hardwon experience of others who have succeeded. But, he adds, also those who have failed - “because failure often provides the best lessons!”

“I am candid about the mistakes I made - so that students can avoid making the same. So they don’t reinvent the wheel.”

The course is made up of twelve units and is comprehensive. In lighthearted, easy to follow plain English, the course starts with a Reality Check to ensure students understand what they are getting into. It then moves through the skills required to provide dog grooming as a service, the tools, the equipment, the Fixtures, Furniture and Effects. Making sure you define

your Market, grasp the importance of Location, and identify the Customer you will serve.

The course covers the main business concepts you’ll need to appreciate, especially when it comes time to write your business plan. It identifies the Number One Marketing method for your business, what to do about your online presence and advertising, plus considers additional revenue opportunities to complement your core service.

Graduates are awarded a Certificate of Completion. But the best award will be your well-constructed Plan to ensure business success.

To learn more, visit: www. mypetprofessional.com

Leucillin Animal Skincare supporting Humanimal Trust in aid of One Medicine

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n gaining HSE approval last year Leucillin’s powerful antimicrobial properties can now be used and resold for the benefit of both animals and humans.

Not just another sanitiser, Leucillin safeguards against harmful pathogens on a multileveled basis, Leucillin can be applied not only to cleanse and sanitise and also to soothe and calm broken, sore, reddened and inflamed skin as well as the incredible versatility for safe use in ears, eyes and on sensitive skin.

Leucillin provides a powerful solution which works in harmony with the mammalian bodies own inbuilt defence mechanism cleverly mimicking the body’s own immune system, by understanding our similarities and sharing information crossing the barriers of human and animal health we can all benefit from medical advances Leucillin is proudly supporting Humanimal Trust, a charity founded

by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, working to drive collaboration between human and veterinary medicine so that all humans and animals benefit from equal and sustainable medical progress, learning from treating naturally occurring disease as an alternative to experimental animal testing.

This is a concept known as One Medicine.

‘Paws for a Picnic’ Leucillin will be supporting Humanimal Trust in their ‘Paws for a Picnic’ campaign - which encourages people to come together and ‘pause’ to spend some quality time with loved ones of all species, while raising vital funds for One Medicine.

Humanimal Trust Development 52 | Total Grooming Magazine

Manager Jo Blake says: ‘So many health conditions we might associate as being mainly a human problem can affect our animals too, and One Medicine is about making sure medical research progress can equally benefit both humans and animals, with no species left behind. It’s such an important cause for us, and we’re absolutely delighted to have Leucillin supporting us with our ‘Paws for a Picnic’ campaign.’

Picnic noun, often attributive Pic.nic 1. An excursion or outing with food usually provided by members of the group and eaten normally in the open.

2. A pleasant or amusingly carefree experience.

After such a long time, catching up with friends and family has never felt better, so why not celebrate and ‘paws’ to appreciate all those you love, of all species, with a fundraising get together?

A picnic can of course be any informal social gathering of those you care for, both human and animal alike, whether you are an organiser extraordinaire and would like to organise a fun dog show, a group

walkie, a coffee morning, or an alfresco meal for close friends let your social creative flair be your guide. There are some fantastic event resources and recipes on the Humanimal Trust’s website for events hosted indoors, outdoors, or virtually to help make your fundraising lots of fun!

For your fundraising event pack and to let us know all about your “picnic” event please contact us at: Jo@Humanimaltrust.org.uk or Carol@lyvlee.com Together we can save money, save time and save lives www.humanimaltrust.org.uk info@leucillin.co.uk www.leucillin.co.uk 0345 548 8900

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Paws for thought... visits Dandini’s Dog Grooming and training Centre in Portsmouth and discovers the secrets of the salon’s longevity as owner Caroline Cogan prepares for the operation’s 60th birthday party:

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aroline Cogan joined Dandini’s Dogs 15 years ago after undergoing her groomer training with industry gurus Colin Taylor and Heidi Anderton.

Three years later, she took over the business and has been running it successfully ever since.

Dandini’s has a truly holistic approach to dog grooming. The salon uses only the best 100% natural products on the animals they groom.

They assess the condition and personality of the animal when grooming and provide a calm, friendly environment – the salon avoids the use of cages unless clients suggest them.

The salon is fully air conditioned and has a secure outside space for dogs who prefer to relax in the open air before or after grooming. All areas are covered

by CCTV. And, of course, fresh water is available at all times.

Training is at the cornerstone of the operation. Caroline commented: “We have a strong focus on qualifications and further training to stay on top of the latest grooming techniques and dog and cat care - every Dandini’s groomer in the salon is qualified and equipped to produce a happy, well-groomed pet. However, this does not stop us learning......there is always something new to learn, regardless of how long we have been grooming dogs.”

How it started The business has come a long way in a relatively short time. Caroline was working as a dog walker when her friend suggested that she might want to explore dog grooming as a career. She admits that finding the right training 54 | Total Grooming Magazine

Caroline Cogan

for prospective dog groomers is still something of a lottery.

Now that she is in the position to provide training for grooming students, she puts enormous emphasis on providing a solid platform of expertise and building confidence to enable her groomers to establish themselves with the correct skills set.

“We have a separate training area and provide two teachers for every three students; this means the training is virtually one to one.

“We also put great emphasis on understanding the behaviour of the animals in our care. This is central to our philosophy of making the grooming experience a calm and enjoyable one for all of our pet clients.”

Dandini’s provides cat grooming as well as dog and there are separate areas for bathing and drying. Security is a watchword at Dandini’s with two gates and doors for entries and exits.

With a number of pets coming through the door and a closely knit team of seven full time grooming staff and four part-timers, the salon and training school runs like a well-oiled machine.

Caroline said: “We are like a big family and most of the team have worked with me for over a decade. The business has been a grooming premises for almost 60 years and I believe this is quite unusual in this industry.

Long standing reputation “The salon itself was originally set up by the first owner, Sylvia, in 1962 and was named Dandini’s after the owners black miniature poodle - Dandini. She then trained the two groomers who took over running of the business as it moved into a shop premises. I have owned the business now for 12 years and we expanded five years ago into an even bigger premises to

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The Dandini’s team

accommodate a larger business where we now have both a grooming salon and separate training school on site.

“We have had clients that have brought generations of their dogs to us and just recently we lost our oldest client who brought her last Westie to us and had been coming since the beginning with her dogs.”

Team work Caroline gives full credit to her team, her trainers and mentors and is still amazed by the reach of her business.

“Looking back now it is pretty impressive to think about how far we have come. I didn’t plan any of it - it was more a case of putting one foot in front of the other most days and things just evolved naturally - and obviously moves were made as we ran out of space lol. I would definitely put so much of it down to having the right staff who are hugely supportive of both me and each other. For me it was Robyn and Jess who pushed me to teach and I know they help the newer groomers coming through in the salon as they know how lucky we all were to be helped originally by Jan (who was the lady I took over from).

“We also now have the perfect amount of space which makes a huge difference to our working environment - we have easily 2 meters between each table and a completely separate bathing and drying room. It also gives us plenty of room for the dogs to roam around without there ever being too many in at once. Before we moved to a bigger premises it got to the point where we felt quite crammed in and I would not want to get to that stage again.”

Caroline loves all of the dogs who come to her but admits that her favourite dog to groom is a Poodle or Poodle-X, so a dog with a really nice coarse enough wool coat that stacks well for scissoring.

“I learned to groom before the advent of comb attachments and so had no choice but to scissor in to shape any hair that was more than a 3F blade in length. I love the sculptural element of grooming and of shaping a dog’s coat, looking at balance and angulation and have enjoyed grooming poodles for shows in the past where this is especially important.”

And when it comes to her own dog….

“I only have one dog currently - he is a 9 year old dodgy looking super sized Cavalier King Charles rescue who we got at 9 months. He is no show dog that’s for sure but he was given a home with us when no one else wanted him.

He was chosen by our old dog Daisy who was a lovely show cocker but who we lost a few years ago.”

What gives Caroline the most satisfaction?

She doesn’t hesitate: “The most satisfying part of my job is without a doubt developing my staff and students into independent groomers and for them to be able to make a decent living from it. I have seen staff members go quite literally from having no money and being quite insecure about themselves to being highly competent in their job and so much more confident personally. It gives me a huge sense of achievement to see this. To think that I have had a part to play in helping them get there, to feel happy in their jobs and financially secure really is the icing on the cake for me.”

Dandinis aims to have a big party in the summer with all generations of groomers attending to celebrate 60 years of dog grooming.

Want to feature in Total Grooming Magazine?

Send an email to: editor@totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk, or write to us at: Total Grooming Magazine, Part of 1st Floor, Saphir House, 5 Jubilee Way, Whitstable Road, Faversham, Kent ME13 8GD 56 | Total Grooming Magazine

Style to Rescue is Back Live Style to Rescue 2022 will take place on Sunday April 24th at the Stoneleigh Showground in Warwickshire.

Jitka Krizova pictured centre with the winners in 2018

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ita Canis Style To Rescue is an innovative way of supporting rescue organisations and helping rescues find their new forever homes. The grooming show provides makeovers by top groomers to dogs in rescue to help them look their best to potential owners.

How it Started Founder and organiser, Jitka Krizova of Vita Canis, comments: “I can’t believe we’re already in full swing for planning 58 | Total Grooming Magazine

our next Vita Canis Style to Rescue competition.

The idea of organising a charity dog grooming competition was in my head for years. Its core purpose is threefold: 1) To give rescue dogs a much deserved makeover.

2) To raise rescue dogs’ chances of being seen and rehomed.

3) To raise money for the wonderful people who tirelessly run the rescue centres “In 2017, after reading (numerous

times) The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins, I went for it… shared the idea with my friends Sam and Nicci, got them on board, booked the hall… and the rest is history!”

Preparing the first one was nerveracking for Jitka.

She said: “It was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Taking no for an answer was the hardest… no from the rescue centres, no from the potential sponsors, no from the media… but we pulled it together and the 1st

Style to Rescue was born in 2018 and was better than I ever dreamt. The dogs were relaxed, the rescue centres were thrilled and the groomers were calm, supportive, and simply amazing!!

“In our first year we raised almost £4500! This was split this between the participating rescue centres. It was an amazing feeling!!

In our second year we learnt from our mistakes, and everything felt a little bit easier. We had more rescue centres working with us, plus we also now had an amazing sponsor, and we raised even more money, £3000 more to be exact bringing our total raised to almost £7500 - absolutely pawesome!!!”

So … what is being planned for this year’s event?

“Well, I can tell you it will be even bigger and better!!!

We have even more groomers taking part. And if that’s not enough I have a long waiting list as well…

We have two amazing ladies to judge - Joanne Angus & Lisa Hart. I am sure I don’t have to introduce them to you.

I am so honoured they accepted their invites to judge Vita Canis Style to Rescue 2022.

We have fantastic retailers coming to showcase their wares, to name few: Mutley’s, Colin Taylor Products, Fuller Frills, Monty’s Natural Treats, AbbFabb Scissors, Look North… and many more… plus Vita Canis of course!”

Vita Canis Style to Rescue is not just a competition, there will also be a full day of highly informative talks and demos with exciting topics from some very well-known dog industry experts:

Seminar room A 9:15 - 10:15 Adam Dunn - Dog Bites – A Real Risk To Groomers 10:30 - 12:00 Lisa Hart & Sharon Mills - Asian Model Dog Workshop FULLY BOOKED 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch Break 13:00 - 13:45 Sophie Bell - First Aid 14:00 - 15:00 Mike Wildman Grooming Demo 15:15 - 16:00 Rachel Spencer Publicity for Pet Businesses

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Seminar Room B 9:00 - 10:00 Rob Fellows - Reiki for Dogs, Owners & Groomers 10:15 - 11:00 Vanessa Byrne - Energy Flow in the Salon. A recipe for calmer dogs and easier grooming 11:15 - 12:00 Julie Harris - How to improve a dogs posture in one easy cut 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch Brake 13:00 - 14:00 Verity Hardcastle -

Finishing touches to transform a groom 14:15 - 15:15 Joanne Angus - Emmipet 15:30 - 16:30 Louisa Tandy - Scissor Masterclass You can still book the seminars: https:// form.jotform.me/vitacanis/vita-canis-styleto-rescueStyle to Rescue 2022 will take place on Sunday April 24th at the Stoneleigh Showground in Warwickshire.

Love Letters to Treasured Hounds One of the ‘world’s most famous dogs’ is the latest star of a Brighton grooming businesses’ unique series of love letters to treasured hounds.

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ntilly The Wonder Hound, who is currently melting hearts alongside Ricky Gervais in the Netflix smash hit After Life, has appeared in Bone Idol’s Love Letter to My Dog series.

In the moving love letter to Antilly, her owner and trainer Ashley Foster describes how he has cared for the famous dog since she was a tiny puppy, and all the adventures in film and TV they have enjoyed in her life as a ‘stunt dog’.

Speaking about her appearance on After Life Ashley said: “It is one of the few roles in her career where she isn’t playing a scary or dangerous dog, instead putting in a truly tear jerking performance as Brandy.”

He added: “If you want to see what she’s really like in her normal day to day life, After Life captures her personality perfectly.”

Antilly The Wonder Hound is not your average pet dog. Both her career in film and TV and her daring escapades are well documented.

In an impressive roster of A-List achievements, she has been described as ‘the best trained dog I’ve ever worked with’ by George Clooney, and has starred in scenes with Hollywood legends including Michael Fassbender and Ron Pearlman.

Antilly becomes the latest star to take part in the popular Love Letters series, which appears on the www.boneidol. co.uk website.

The dog grooming business and iPET Network training academy has worked with animals-only marketing

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Ricky Gervais with ‘Brandy’ played by Antilly

firm and newswire The Animal News Agency on the innovative project, sourcing top names to tell their exclusive heartwarming dog stories.

So far the series has included submissions from legendary music journalist Kris Needs, Olivier awardwinning actor and star of Gavin and Stacey Adrian Scarborough and Sabres of Paradise music producer Nina Walsh.

Bone Idol co-founder Scott Learmouth said: “At Bone Idol we love speaking to people about their dogs, and there are always so many unique

and heart-felt stories. This is what gave us the idea for Love Letters, and a big thank you to Antilly for becoming our latest star.

“We have some amazing people lined up for Love Letters in 2022 including a very big name musician, so watch this space. What a wonderful way to start the year.

“The love letters series is just one of the ways that we are using our marketing budget to add depth and reach to our brand and has been a great way to reach more people in a really authentic way.”

After Life with Ricky Gervais Antilly’s most iconic role and the one where most people will recognise her is in the Netflix Comedy Drama, After Life, with Ricky Gervais.

It is one of the few roles in her career where she isn’t playing a scary or dangerous dog, instead putting in a truly tear-jerking performance as “Brandy”, a normal loving pet dog to Ricky Gervais’ “Tony” who is struggling with depression after the death of his wife. Brandy often provides relief for Tony in his darkest moments, even saving him from suicide on several occasions.

If you want to see what she’s really like in her normal day to day life, After Life captures her personality perfectly.

What’s next for Antilly?

At 10 years old, Antilly the Wonder Hound is still very healthy and active.

She has recently worked on yet another episode of Midsomer Murders, playing a sniffer dog on a new TV show and a dog food commercial in the next few weeks. Inevitably she will slow down and be put up for fewer more sedentary jobs over the next few years as a new generation is already on its way to take over from her.

When she does eventually retire from filming not much will change apart from maybe spending more time at home on the sofa with the cats.

You can read the love letter in full by visiting www.boneidol.co.uk/afterlife

Antilly on set

Owner and trainer, Ashley Foster with his wonder dog, Antilly

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Chante Tiara Design Your one stop shop for your business design needs Can you please give me the full name, job title and social media handle of you and your business?

My name is Chanté Merrigan & my business is called Chante Tiara Design (Tiara being my middle name) and my social media is @chantetiaradesign for Facebook & Instagram

Can you please introduce Chante Tiara Design to our readers?

Chante Tiara Design is a one stop shop for your business needs. I do everything from hand drawn logo designs, (if you’ve ever wanted your own pooch within your logo then this is possible) as well as more simplistic designs to more complicated ones. I also do Brand Packages to give your small business that elevated,professional, cohesive look for an affordable cost.

A brand package can be tailor made to suit your needs. This can include things like Business Cards, Appointment Cards, Flyers, Price List, Acrylic signage, Social Media templates etc.

It’s worth noting that everything I do is bespoke and made by me. It’s not something you can just buy off the shelf. If you’re looking for something truly unique then I’m the designer for you.

How did you make your start in acrylic signage?

After doing my first show at Groomfest & then The Great British Grooming Show I had the pleasure of meeting all of my wonderful clients as well as other groomers in the industry. The most common question I got asked was “Can you do a logo on a backdrop” as I had my very own logo on display behind me. I went away and found the best way to do them myself in house 66 | Total Grooming Magazine

by hand and it just grew from there.

They make a great statement inside the salon especially as a backdrop for your after images of your grooms. It also saves you having to add your watermark to every image after taking the photo.

They’re also great for outdoors as signage or direction signs to Chante Merrigan your salon. They’re fully customizable and available in a wide range of colours and sizes.

You’ve got a fantastic range of designs for your grooming salon graphics. What was the inspiration behind it all?

During covid I lost my job as a manager at TUI, I thought what can I do with my life and the path and my Border Collie Luna, led me to grooming.

Whilst creating my salon, Cheadle Dog Grooming, I realized that there was a lack of designers specializing in the grooming industry and saw the need for somebody who could relate.

Hence CTD being born. It’s just grew and grew since then and now I have hundreds of designs under my belt from clients all over the world.

Can you please explain your thoughts on why grooming salon owners should look into acrylic signage for their shop?

A lot of the time grooming salons can look very plain as it’s difficult to find suitable things to go inside due to the blasters and dog hair, but with

acrylics then drill into the wall and are wipeable with a damp cloth. They are robust & they also make your salon look amazing!

Where do you see Chante Tiara Design going in the future?

I see CTD as a household name and for anybody that has a business especially the grooming industry. I want it to be the “Christie’s” Or “Simpsons” for design. It’s well on it’s way and I have a lot of exciting things in the pipeline

Any general thoughts or advice for our readers?

I can’t stress enough the importance of investing in a strong brand identity for your business whether it’s a small summerhouse in your back garden or a big high street salon chain. Your logo/ brand is the first thing you see when you check a business Facebook page or Instagram. With a world driven by social media, you need to stand out in a very competitive market and I make that process a lot easier and less daunting.

Up your game!

The Animal Health Register is a national directory of animal related businesses who are rated and reviewed by their actual customers.

Helping businesses grow and customers find animal care they can trust. www.animalhealthregister.co.uk @animalhealthregister

Essential for those that want to improve their skills, creating smoother lines and contours with speed and accuracy.

500ml £8.50 Ref: 4040-025

simpsons-online.co.uk/mastercut

Paw Balms for dogs - NATURAL/VEGAN/CRUELTY FREE Paw Balm & Nose Balm for dogs. VEGAN, 100% NATURAL & Cruelty Free ingredients in all of our products. Perfect for your dogs dry paws, rough paws, cracked paws, irritated paws, itchy paws and also dogs who suffer with anxiety.

www.pawsrightthere.co.uk @pawsrightthereuk

pawsrightthereuk

Total Grooming Magazine | 67

CONNECTIONS Dog First Aid Training Courses and Equipment

Pet Food Burns Pet Nutrition Founded by veterinary surgeon John Burns in 1993, pioneering pet food brand Burns specialises in using simple, healthy and wholesome ingredients to create award-winning recipes that pets love.

Ferry Road, Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, SA17 5EJ T: 0800 0181890 E: sales@burnspet.co.uk W: www.burnspet.co.uk Facebook: @burnspet Instagram: @burnset Twitter: @burnspetfood

Animal Aiders Animal Aiders provides high quality and affordable dog first aid courses all over England, ideal for dog professionals, including groomers.

T: 01284 811192 or 07758 739332 E: info@animalaiders.co.uk W: www.animalaiders.co.uk

Grooming and Hygiene GHS Direct GHS Direct specialises in the manufacture and supply of a comprehensive range of concentrate liquid disinfectants and detergents to the animal care industry T: 01268 513200 E: sales@ghs-direct.com W: www.ghs-direct.com

Shampoo For All Dogkind Award-winning grooming and wellbeing range for all skin & coat types. Delivering natural, healthy and healing products that are ethically sourced and luxuriously kind to hounds & humans. (Trade discounts available) T:. 020 7148 0316 E: info@foralldogkind.co.uk W:www.foralldogkind.co.uk

Grooming Supplies Mutneys Made by groomers, for groomers, Mutneys Professional Pet Care have been manufacturing and supplying professional dog grooming shampoo, fragrances and equipment for 20years.

T: 01948 841 470 T: 08454 68 64 67 E: sales@mutneys.com W: www.mutneys.com

Training and Education Capel Manor College Train to become a qualified dog groomer; choose from full and part-time courses with free tuition for 16 to 18 year olds.

Bullsmoor Lane, Waltham Cross, Enfield EN1 4RQ T: 0303 003 1234 E: study@capel.ac.uk W: www.capel.ac.uk Facebook: /capelmanorcollege Twitter: @capelmanor Instagram: @capelmanor

Natural Food SmartBarf SmartBarf vegetable and herb mix for dogs on a raw fed or home prepared diet provides valuable extra vitamins and minerals for a more complete meal.

E: info@SmartBarf.co.uk W: www.SmartBarf.co.uk Facebook: /SmartBarf

Natural Pet Treats Monty’s Wholesale Looking for extra income?

Give our Natural treats, foods & supplements a new brand!

Wholesale with white label service & UK manufactured products.

T: 0203 797 6308 W: www.montystreats.co.uk

68 | Total Grooming Magazine

Wound Care Animus Surgical Ltd For the repair of small cuts, our popular skin glue is recommended by and available from Amazon or direct from our website.

PO Box 1260, Yateley, GU47 7GH T: 01252 845988 E: info@animussurgical.com W: www.animussurgical.com

Going Mobile…

Winner

Grooming Van of the Year

The Portable Palace Created from our Revolutionary insulated panel, the Palace provides groomers with unrivalled benefits never seen before in the industry! This amazing new concept was born due to our lining's incredible lifespan - they often out live the vans they were placed in - so we created a demountable pod where your business can be moved on to the next chassis easily when needed - or if you no longer wish to be mobile, you can demount the pod and work from your garden!

• • • • • • • •

As the chassis ages, the Palace can be removed and placed onto a brand new chassis - resulting in a much cheaper cost than having to buy a whole new van and conversion with next to no downtime If the chassis is involved in an accident or breaks down you can simply remove the body, place it on the ground and work from your driveway whilst you wait for it to be repaired.

The lining will not out live the vehicle like so often seen with used van conversions. You then have to sell the van & conversion and then buy a new van and conversion and wait whilst it is converted. Whereas with the Palace, you can keep the pod forever and change the chassis as you need to.

Once you choose to retire from mobile grooming you can remove the Palace, sell the chassis and work from the Palace in your garden instead of having to buy a parlour or convert a room in your house.

When you choose to move home, you can take the pod with you and this portability combined with the size means they will not normally require planning permission in your garden.

You never need to buy a Brand new chassis that can depreciate - simply buy used a chassis and then swap them out as they get too old.

Smaller than its LWB Van equivalent but provides a more workable space inside that is highly customisable as there are no van strutts or vehicle constraints Can be driven on a normal car driving license Say goodbye to having to buy a whole new van and conversion every few years - simply move your Palace from one chassis to another with zero down time and when the time comes and you no longer want to be mobile, simply

Wet Pet Conversions

01258 837779 www.wetpetsconversions.co.uk

Going Mobile…

Winner

Grooming Van of the Year

Discover your dream work place today

G;Rooms

Our fantastic portable grooming Pods allow you to groom from the comfort of your own garden in a fully waterproof, insulated & professional environment. They are completely self contained - for electric you simply plug the cable provided into your house, for water in you simply attach your garden hose and this is piped straight to your Hydrobath. Waste water is held inside the bath and piped out to a location of your choice. The Pods do not normally ever require planning permission and they can be delivered to even the hardest to reach locations. And if you move house? our Pods move with you! Each pod is fully portable and can be moved an unlimited amount of times. Choose from an unlimited amount of interior & exterior options with fully customisable packages to perfectly suit your budget and design with ever Pod and conversion available on finance from as little as £20+vat per wk!

Trailers

Made from our Revolutionary insulated panel, our VCA Approved Grooming trailers provide the perfect solution if you would like to work from home and be mobile without the running costs associated with a van - with no tax or MOT required with trailers! You can leave the trailer on your drive way or hitch up with your vehicle when ever you need to. And when you have finished being mobile you can permanently demount the trailer from the axels and use it as a Garden Pod!

Vans

Our industry leading dog grooming vans provide unrivalled levels of luxury combined with practicality. Choose from new or used vans or supply your own, we work with you to create the perfect package for your business. Complete with a 10 year lining warranty our conversions outlive and out perform all in their class with a build quality that is second to none. Unlimited optional extras and packages are available including sign writing and free delivery back to you.

New vans Available fully converted from just £68+vat per wk!

Portable Palace

Your parlour for life. Our new revolutionary demountable Palace offers benefits never seen before in the industry. Once your chassis reaches the end of its life or is involved in an accident, you simply demount your Palace and work from home or swap it onto a new chassis. If you no longer want to be mobile you can demount the pod and use it as a parlour in your Garden. The palace’s can be driven on a standard UK driving License and are often smaller than their van based equivalent whilst giving you more usable space. Available in a wide range of sizes with unlimited conversion configurations. Available on finance

Wet Pet Conversions

01258 837779 www.wetpetsconversions.co.uk

60 YEARS YOUNG!

Supajets blow other dryers away Now available in a range of five colours

They outperform and outlast the competition If you're looking for a new dryer, the SUPAJET is difficult to ignore as it's set the industry gold standard for more than 50 years.

Unlike some other dryers, a SUPAJET needs only occasional servicing and, simple maintenance to help keep it working in tip-top condition.

It’s remains the 'grooming' nations favourite dryer because it’s so well designed - a SUPAJET is built to perform and built to last.

Most importantly, the SUPAJET delivers optimum air speed and temperature to dry coats of all types and textures, fast and effectively.

simpsons-online.co.uk/supajet 01354 691 830

So, if your salon needs a dryer that's reliable, efficient and cost effective to run, look no further.

The SUPAJET is simply 'best in blow'.

Supajet Stand Dryer £495

simpsons-online.co.uk/breeds Available in: White, Pink, Blue Purple or Green