Stress-Less Grooming

Stress-Less Grooming Specialist behaviour-led dog grooming, based in Kilsyth - unit 8, 8 Garrell Road, Kilsyth, G65 9JX Dog grooming
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I do love a proper breed-standard Westie trim – those neat little ears are a classic look – but it’s not something I’ve ...
22/08/2025

I do love a proper breed-standard Westie trim – those neat little ears are a classic look – but it’s not something I’ve actually done since my training. I’m always honest in enquiries: I don’t do breed-standard trims, and if that’s what you want, I can recommend plenty of other groomers! But if your Westie finds grooming tricky, I’m here for you. 😉

Fergus had his bath and trim this afternoon. With his mum offering treats, he managed really well – though a bit of extra liver paste meant he wasn’t keen on posing for a photo!

Murphy came for his dry groom. He’s brilliant on his hind legs and body, but trimming his face is still a challenge. With baths at home, I can focus on the tricky bits and make each visit as positive as possible.

Having the same coat and breed doesn’t mean they have the same needs – not when we take a dog-centred approach. They’ve each got their own personality and individual care to match 💛

Skype 😍 just look at that gorgeous face!This boy absolutely loves his free-roam grooming sessions. He and his mum travel...
22/08/2025

Skype 😍 just look at that gorgeous face!

This boy absolutely loves his free-roam grooming sessions. He and his mum travel quite a way to Kilsyth — and while I do wish more groomers worked this way when needed, I can’t say I’m sorry he has to come to me… I adore him!

Today he had a brush through and a paw trim, plus a nail trim — which is a huge leap in trust for Skype. What a star ⭐

Well done, Skype, and thank you to his mum for all her efforts to give him a great grooming experience 💛

A big welcome to little Sammy and his mum, who came along for an introduction appointment this week.He arrived feeling a...
22/08/2025

A big welcome to little Sammy and his mum, who came along for an introduction appointment this week.

He arrived feeling anxious but soon found his paws with a few treats and a licking mat. We practised hopping on and off the table, some gentle paw handling and even a little toe trim, plus we switched on the clippers to see how he felt.

Sammy is afraid of loud noise, so I don’t need to turn the dryer on to know what that would look like for him — there’s no point in frightening a dog just to observe them being frightened. Our plan going forwards is to adapt Sammy’s grooming by simply skipping the blow dry. Once he’s confident with that, we can decide whether to reintroduce dryers and work towards a full groom.

Well done, Sammy!💛

Lots of people have been asking about Pet Remedy recently, so I thought I’d post a reminder for your discount code!STRES...
22/08/2025

Lots of people have been asking about Pet Remedy recently, so I thought I’d post a reminder for your discount code!

STRESSLESS25 for 25% off directly from their website 👌

https://petremedy.co.uk

Buddy the cockapoo having a sniff test of the leave in coat shine and conditioner… one of my favourite products 💛

Otis was quite clear with his “no” today! He’s been doing great in the last couple of years, but this time he wasn’t hav...
21/08/2025

Otis was quite clear with his “no” today!

He’s been doing great in the last couple of years, but this time he wasn’t having his hind legs touched. Forcing it would have been risky for both of us (scissors + sudden movements = not ideal!) and could easily undo all the progress we’ve made. It might even be his way of telling us something hurts—so we have to listen.

Instead, we focused on his face trim and went back to some simple paw-handling he felt comfortable with. In moments where a dog’s safety—emotional or physical—is at risk, my options are limited for grooming. But by listening, we protect our trust and can pick things up again another day.

Otis is a lucky boy, as his mum has his back too💛

I’m probably best known for working with owners staying during grooming, as it’s not widely offered, but I also really e...
19/08/2025

I’m probably best known for working with owners staying during grooming, as it’s not widely offered, but I also really enjoy my drop-off grooms!

Lovely Tibetan Terriers Callie and Rosy come for regular drop-off sessions. Callie is confident and relaxed, though she’ll still give the occasional little stop sign if she needs a break.

Rosy (black and white girly🖤🤍) is a bit more nervous, so her groom is adapted to a routine she can manage. We usually start with a brush-through, bath, and towel dry for Rosy. While she relaxes, I work on most of Callie’s groom. By the time Callie is done, Rosy is nearly dry, and I can finish her blow-drying and brushing at a pace she’s comfortable with just to get it smooth enough for clipping.

Her clipping and trimming are the easiest parts — she’s really happy with those, and I think she learns load from cool, calm Callie! 💛

✨ Little Hugo really finds grooming hard — which is such a shame, as he has a very high-maintenance coat!Because he’s fr...
19/08/2025

✨ Little Hugo really finds grooming hard — which is such a shame, as he has a very high-maintenance coat!

Because he’s frightened of clippers, we’ve been managing his coat with brushing and sc******ng instead. His mum has been so committed — sometimes visiting every two weeks — and that consistency has made a huge difference in building trust with Hugo.

To help with his fear of clippers, we’ve been introducing them very gradually: starting at a distance, then building up in tiny steps. At the moment, Hugo can sometimes cope with me skimming the clippers over the shape of his coat — light, glancing passes that don’t involve full clipper contact. He even allows a little clipping on his belly sometimes. But when he shows signs of discomfort, we pause and switch back to scissors. It’s not something we can rush — the dog sets the pace here!

He wasn’t so keen on his latest session, but after a slower start Hugo settled beautifully and finished on a real high. Probably because we listened when he said “no” to clippers at the beginning. Lots of paw handling, brushing and scissors, and we’ll look at clipping again another day 💛

✨ There’s no better feeling than when a dog takes a leap of faith with you!I’ve been grooming little Boomer regularly si...
19/08/2025

✨ There’s no better feeling than when a dog takes a leap of faith with you!

I’ve been grooming little Boomer regularly since his vet-sedated groom about a year and a half ago, and he’s been making fantastic progress. Up until recently I could only manage his legs with scissors — but on his latest visit he let me clip right down to his paws, and he left with the neatest legs he’s ever had. He was brilliant for his face too!

I just love it when a plan comes together. Well done, Boomer! 👏

Noel and Liam 🤘🎸😍These boys find grooming a challenge, especially their little legs. So with their thick coat and tight ...
19/08/2025

Noel and Liam 🤘🎸😍

These boys find grooming a challenge, especially their little legs. So with their thick coat and tight curls we keep their coat short to make the process much easier on them. Having their mum close by throughout helps them feel more at ease too 💛

I have plenty of enthusiastic arrivers for grooming, but Cassie might just take the crown 🏆😍She comes for her monthly vi...
15/08/2025

I have plenty of enthusiastic arrivers for grooming, but Cassie might just take the crown 🏆😍

She comes for her monthly visit, bringing her breakfast so we can use it while trimming her sensitive areas. Cassie is very food-focused, and and will let me do just about anything while she’s eating.

When she first started, she needed to eat right through her entire groom just to manage the basics. Over the past year, we’ve gradually been able to space out her lick mats, and now she can get through much more without constant distraction. Grooming her head and ears is especially easier now—she’s not always turning away to lick!

Even if we aim to manage the amount of food we use, grooming should always stay a positive experience. For most dogs, food is one of the best ways to make that happen. And Cassie’s beaming enthusiasm when she arrives is proof enough for me 🦴💛

Supported Grooming and playtime with gorgeous Bertie😍He’s never been overly confident with clipping, but on his last cou...
15/08/2025

Supported Grooming and playtime with gorgeous Bertie😍

He’s never been overly confident with clipping, but on his last couple of visits he’s been less tolerant of them, so we switched to managing his coat with scissors instead.

There are so many possible reasons we might take a step back like this, and while adaptability doesn’t fix an underlying cause, it does help us protect the dog’s trust and keep the grooming experience positive while we work out what’s going on.

This way, the grooming stays as positive an experience as possible, even if we have to take a different route 💛

Address

Kilsyth

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+447552009320

Website

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About me

I’m Louise and I run Alba K9, a premium dog walking and dog grooming business based in Kilsyth and Cumbernauld. I decided to start Alba K9 after 5 years working as an instructor for a prison-based dog training programme and The Dog’s Trust, and a huge passion for helping people with their dogs. Animal Welfare is at the centre of everything I do and this is reflected in the services I provide and the methods I use when working with dogs.

My services are fully insured and I have undergone an annual Police disclosure check for the past 9 years. I am also a member of the Pet Professionals Guild British Isles and therefore I adhere to and promote only force-free methods of working with dogs. I am passionate about learning and I am continually developing my knowledge and experience of working with dogs.

I tailor my services to suit individual owners and their dog’s needs and I try to build a great bond with every dog I work with. My dog walking service is like no other in the area, with a maximum of 4 dogs and games and activities that will satisfy your dog’s natural curiosities and instincts. I use my knowledge and experience to learn about each dog so I can provide them with more than just a walk!

My dog grooming service is focused on kind and gentle handling and puts the dog’s needs and feelings first at all times. I offer salon-based dog in Cumbernauld and grooming in your home. Check out my website at www.albak9.co.uk for full details about me and my services.