Growing up we always had dogs. I had a few cats but dad never liked them so they weren't allowed inside. I've since
compensated for that! I brought home all the strays. I used to dress my dogs and cats in baby doll clothes like most
little girls do. As a child we made our own paper dolls and when I got older and learned to sew, I made doll clothes and
loved designing outfits. Nonetheless, I never dreamed that designing doggie and kitty attire or grooming would
become my profession! In fact, I didn't even know that dogs went for professional grooming until a few years before I
became one myself. In Jr. High school a friend of mine had a little white poodle. She used to tell me that dog went to
the beauty shop and I thought she was kidding!
When I discovered Poodle's it was love at first sight. I did my own grooming then but it was only hand scissoring.
Coming from a family of beauticians I had been around Beauty Shops all my life and had worked as a manicurist. So I
did my own grooming but it wasn't "correct" grooming for the breed.
Years later I decided that I wanted to learn "correct" grooming techniques for a Poodle, but at that time there were only
a handful of grooming schools. The closest ones were in Florida and NY. I had three small children and couldn't leave
them to attend school so I set out to train myself. It was a rediculously difficult task, but I was determined. I bought or
checked out every book available on Grooming and began practicing on my own dogs. After a while I started getting
pretty good and family and friends were asking me to groom their dogs. Eventually complete strangers began asking
and I was really flattered by that. My dog, Bonnie went everywhere with me and she always looked like a million bucks.
I made sure of that.
By this time, my children were all in school and I was ready to go back to work, but I couldn't find a job that was suitable
and financially feasible with 3 children. Everything seemed to fall threw the cracks until one day my mom suggested to
me that I groom dogs. She knew people were asking me and I enjoyed doing it. She said lots of people have turned
their hobbies into businesses- so can you! So after much, much consideration and a lot of encouragement from my
vet William Engen, DVM, that's exactly what I did.
I tell you what, it was NOT an easy task. It took a lot of planning, research and studying. I was able to get some
advice from a few other out of town groomers, but it was mostly Dorothy Walin and I. Dr. Engen has taught me a lot
over all these years too, but for most part I am self taught. I've had an amazing natural ability to work well with animals
since I was a child and that's what has made me one of the best groomers ever. I personally feel that having a good
connection with dogs & cats is as essential and most needed qualification to be a good groomer because one has do
be able to easily communicate with them and train them. If the dogs or cats don't trust you, then forget it. You can't
accomplish a thing. In my opinion being the best groomer in the world requires that ability foremost over the most
artistic groomer. The comfort and well being of the dog or cat has always been my first priority. Over the years I have
learned and developed a lot of techniques. These things can't be taught in grooming school.
It's always been the best groomers came from dog breeder/exhibitors. They have passed their trade skills down year
after year. Anyone that wants to learn about dogs or cats the best place to learn is from an experienced
breeder/exhibitor. They are the back bone of the fancy and go hand in hand.
I started out doing a lot of rescues due to the area in which we lived at the time seemed to be a dumping ground for
dogs and cats. We didn't have a "real" local humane society at that time. As a friend of mine once said "I was the
humane society!". I took in a lot of dumped pets, nursed them back to health and found new homes for them.
My shop opened in October 1988 and arranged my hours according to my children's attending school. No one in town
would rent to me because no one wanted dogs on their premises. I finally found an old abandoned produce stand
across the street from my grandmother and in a prime location. I tracked down the owner and he was kind enough to
let me rent the building and make whatever improvements necessary. The building was located on a busy highway,
easily accessible and highly visible which was of course to my advantage. The only problem was it needed LOTS of
work! I borrowed the money to put up paneling, build a few counters, paint and buy what other equipment and so forth
was necessary to open shop. I did a lot of the work myself including the painting.
It took a few years to build my clientele up, but I was determined. I stayed at that Highwy 76 location until 1995 when I
had to move out due to a new school was to be built there. Remembering what a difficult time I'd had before trying to
find a suitable and affordable place to rent, I polled my customers. They all said they would "follow me anywhere." So
I moved my shop out to our home in country and that was a wonderful move. I have never regreted moving my
business here at home. The dogs are safer entering and leaving their cars with their owners away from a busy
highway. I now offer boarding for my customers and it's easy to do since I'm at home with them.
Shortly after re-locating my shop a customer approached me about attending a cat show and exhibiting. Since I had
always wanted to show dogs but never got around to doing it, the idea definetley intrigued me. Soon we were off to
our first show in Raliegh, NC and the next show we attended as an exhibitor in Statesville, NC. This was the beginning
of another love affair.