31/07/2026
How do you say goodbye to eleven years?
How do you put eleven years into a few paragraphs?
How do you explain a decision that has taken years to make?
I've spent the last few days looking through old photographs.
Thousands of them.
Every picture tells a story.
Tiny puppies who grew into grey-faced old souls.
Christmas parties.
Birthday celebrations.
Muddy paws.
Wet noses.
Staff who came and went.
Ordinary days that somehow became extraordinary memories.
Looking through those photos, I realised something.
I wasn't just looking at the history of Ruda's Grooming.
I was looking at eleven years of my own life.
When I opened Ruda's Grooming, I thought I was opening a grooming parlour.
I had no idea I was beginning a journey that would shape my life.
Running the business... well, that was a whole different story.
It taught me about people, responsibility, leadership and perseverance.
Some days were incredibly rewarding.
Some days were incredibly difficult.
As the years passed, Ruda's Grooming grew far beyond anything I had ever imagined.
More dogs.
More staff.
More responsibility.
More moving parts than I ever expected when I first unlocked those doors.
For that, I will always be grateful.
But somewhere along the way I realised something important.
Success and sustainability are not always the same thing.
Many people have assumed that I'm closing Ruda's Grooming because I wanted to open Canine Care & Wellness Centre.
The truth is almost the other way around.
What became difficult wasn't the grooming itself.
It was everything surrounding it.
Running a growing business, carrying the responsibility, and managing all the moving parts that eventually became bigger than the grooming itself.
Somewhere along the way, I realised I didn't want to lose the part of this work I loved most... the dogs.
So instead of asking whether I should stop, I started asking how I could do it differently.
Over time, the answer became Canine Care & Wellness Centre.
Looking back now, I can see that every stage of my life was preparing me for this next chapter.
Working in a veterinary practice.
Rehabilitating wild birds.
Studying dog behaviour.
Learning the art of grooming.
Meeting thousands of dogs and the people who loved them.
Each experience taught me something different.
At the time they felt like separate chapters.
Now I realise they were all leading me here.
Over the years, many people have thanked me for looking after their dogs.
But the truth is...
Their dogs shaped me just as much as I cared for them.
I started this journey wanting to make dogs look beautiful.
I've watched tiny puppies grow into grey-faced old souls.
And somewhere along the way... I think we've all grown a little older together.
Over these last few weeks, I have been overwhelmed by the kindness you've shown me.
I've admired every beautiful card, every bunch of flowers, smiled at the soaps and creams, the super cute Schnauzer keyrings, the personalised fridge magnets that brought tears to my eyes, the giant treat cones, the chocolate slabs, the vouchers, the cakes (so many cakes!), and every other thoughtful surprise. Along with the hugs, the messages, the tears we shared, and the heartfelt conversations, they have all meant more to me than I could ever put into words.
Please know that every single gift, every kind word, and every gesture has been treasured. Thank you for making these last few weeks so incredibly special.
This chapter is coming to an end. The next chapter begins in the very same building.
I'll still be working with dogs.
Still supporting the people who love them.
The way I work will be different, but my passion for helping dogs certainly hasn't changed.
To every client who trusted me.
To every dog who walked through our doors.
Thank you.
Thank you for every conversation.
Every laugh.
Every lesson.
Every challenge.
Every muddy paw print.
Every memory.
As I wipe the tears from my face, I can finally say... I got my ship safely into harbour.
I wish my staff well in their endeavors going forward.
With love,
Ruda ❤️🐾
