Grooming by Amberley

16/07/2025

Last call for July appointments 🐾
Please note that August has very limited availability remaining, be sure to book ahead.

16/07/2025

🤩 I am so thrilled to be launching pre-orders for my latest book this August 8th, 'HELP! My Dog Hates Grooming!'.

FINALLY a resource for dog carers who want reliable advice and support in helping their dog overcome fears of grooming, while also working in tandem with their chosen pet care providers 🥰

It's a blend of actionable advice and layman-terms theory, uncovering the truths about many grooming myths while giving you some much-needed reassurance that there IS hope in helping your dog overcome grooming-related stress 😀

I'd say this should be in ALL dog carer's bookshelves, but I guess I am bias!

If you would like to pre-order your kindle copy for just 99p, you can sign up to The Holistic Pet Care Conference 2025 (it's FREE) and listen out for the steps!

Otherwise, hang tight, as I will also be popping details on this page for those who cannot make the conference but still deserve to have access to this book!

09/07/2025

Summer styles for some cool canine friends 🌞

07/07/2025

This is why some of you may have noticed that I toss treats for nervous pups. It has nothing to do with being afraid of your dog, and everything to do with respecting their emotions.

07/07/2025

05/07/2025

July & August are filling up fast, text today to book :)

27/06/2025

It was such a pleasure to see you again, Oscar 🥰 Thank you for coming to see me while visiting from out of town, and trusting me after your last spooky grooming experience 👻

26/06/2025

Wishing everyone a safe and happy long weekend 🐾
Please note that we are booked up for full service grooming appointments until mid-July!

25/06/2025

One important reason why we do not recommend waiting until your dog or puppy 'needs' grooming to book them in.
This is also something we can break down into smaller chunks, during a Happy Visit, so your dog or puppy is not overwhelmed during the actual grooming process.

✨ THE ‘LET DOGS LEAD’ RULE ✨

Always let your dog have time to adjust to grooming tools before using them!

This simple approach builds trust and reduces anxiety straight away 🐶🤎

THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT:

👉 Dogs process the world through scent
👉 Familiar smells = safety
👉 Unknown tools = potential threat
👉 Time to adjust = time to assess & lower stress

HOW TO APPLY IT:

👉 Set up tools around a familiar space
👉 Place tasty treats nearby
👉 Step back and allow dog to free roam
👉 Advance to next step once dog shows no signs of stress

POSITIVE SIGNS:

👉 Relaxed posture
👉 Making physical contact
👉 Tail in neutral position
👉 Soft eyes
👉 Accepting treats

RED FLAGS:

👉 Backing away
👉 Avoiding physical contact
👉 Body tension
👉 Panting & pacing
👉 Not accepting treats

Next time you want to introduce something, try this approach and let me know how you get on!

23/06/2025

💭 Uncomfortable Truth Time:

Having grooming qualifications doesn't automatically make someone competent.

For example (and I know this might raise a few hackles), after years of working in this industry as an educator, I've seen many qualified groomers who miss basic stress signals, and equally as many unqualified groomers who demonstrate exceptional canine behaviour knowledge.

So before you jump down my throat with, "but what's that got to do with grooming?!" let me say, a great bunch of things actually, and herein lies the problem our sector faces...

The real question is: What does TRUE competency look like in dog grooming?

It's not just about perfect scissor work or knowing about breed standards, is it? ✂

It's also not about advancing your knowledge in behaviour and communication.

TRUE competence is also about making ethical decisions, and putting the individual dog's needs first - even when it means not completing a groom (cue the gasps of horror! 😅).

I want to know: are we measuring success in the right way in our industry?

Or have we lost our way?

What do YOU think makes a truly competent groomer? 🤔

Drop your comments below or if you are feeling brave, why not take part in our anonymous 'Industry Regulation Readiness' survey below 👇

https://form.jotform.com/251703961482055

23/06/2025

Scooby, our sweet senior boy, was missing his sidekick today, so I gave him some extra TLC to make his solo spaw 🐾 day special.