Having left home at 18 I was surprised to move in with my mum in 2018. She wasn't coping well without my dad who died in June 2017 and it just made sense. We became the best of friends travelling, painting and each adopting a dog, after fostering for some charities. You will hear mum's dog Dudley barking when you arrive, the two dog have a separate part of the house and do settle down as soon as drop off is complete. Dudley was a really difficult dog, but mum was not one to give up on him. In fact despite being a tiny 7 kg Shih Tzu, the Isle of Wight police put o two year order on him under the dangerous dog act. This lead to him being known in the village as "Asbo Dog". Now much reformed after lockdown Dudley refused to co-operate at the groomers. Our vet advised we should watch some Youtube videos and cut him ourself..... I took Buddy to the one day groom your own dog course at Sparsholt in February 2022 and both boys were washed and cut from home. It was a learning curve.

 

Sadly in June 2023 mum died of cancer. It was a rapid illness. Suddenly there was no one to look after the two dogs in the day, mentally I was struggling and something had to change. I was teaching in an Isle of Wight High School and my head teacher kindly set up an arrangement where I was able to see my exam classes out, but could start Dog Grooming training in April 2024 on a Monday and finish at the end of the academic year. This gave me time to negotiate planning permission, up grade my grooming equipment and upskill from someone competent at grooming their own pet to a professional groomer.