Lorna takes the stress out of grooming for dogs

It also provides an opportunity to carry out important health checks such as looking for any signs of fleas or ticks and make sure their claws aren’t overgrown.

But for some dogs visiting a grooming salon can be scary and stressful. Aiming to make it a positive and relaxing experience is Lorna Williams who works as a holistic dog groomer.

Based in Brewood, she puts the physical and emotional needs of every dog that walks through her door before anything else.

"I'm thinking about the dog's behaviour when I'm grooming them and looking for signs they are becoming stressed. If they are stressed, I'm thinking about what the dog is worried about and what I can do to make it better.

"It might be the drier is too noisy, so I could use a quieter drier, dry them with a towel or their owner could wash the dog the night before it comes to be clipped.

"I want to stop it escalating to the point where the only weapon the dog has left is to bite."

Lorna has been working with dogs since leaving her role as a retail manager in the charity sector in 2014.

Her first step was to set up a small dog walking business before retraining as a groomer, earning City & Guilds Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications.

Lorna opened her low-stress salon, Barks & Bubbles, in her converted garage in the spring of 2019.

Before learning about the holistic approach, she had been adjusting her grooming techniques when she noticed dogs were becoming agitated.

"I started grooming dogs on the floor, it wasn't the way I was taught, but it was less stressful for the dog.

"I had been hoping there was a different way to groom rather than having to use to use restraints, muzzles and cones.

"I did a course with the The Holistic Grooming Academy founded by Stephanie Zikmann after hearing a podcast featuring her during lockdown," says Lorna, who also has qualifications in canine first aid and reiki.

There are many signs that can indicate that a dog might feeling stressed, scared or worried, she explains.

"Dogs are good at showing us how they are feeling with their body language - shaking, turning away, whale eye [showing the whites of their eyes], excessive lip licking, slow blinking. They are lots of things they do to say 'I'm feeling stressed, please leave me alone'.

"If they show their belly, it can mean 'I'm scared, don't hurt me'. They are trying to show that they are not a threat."

If Lorna notices any concerning behaviour, she will inform the owner and explain what she believes is causing it.

"I will always tell them the truth and show them how the dog is reacting so they understand," she says.

Lorna also tailors her grooming around the individual pet's health needs. For example, if a dog has arthritis and it's difficult for them to stand, she can put something soft on floor for them to lie down on while she clips their fur.

To help dogs get used to the salon environment, she recommends bringing them in while they are still a puppy and introducing them to the different sounds and smells gradually.

To begin with, this will just involve games to give them a chance to process their new surroundings.

Sometimes, a dog can become stressed before they have even reached the salon.

"It might be the stress of being in a car or there's children in the house and the dog is being pulled here and there and it gets too much.

"It's the same as it would be for us if our alarm clock went off too early, we stubbed our toe getting out of bed and then there's no coffee. It's all becomes too much.

"There is no way to eliminate all stress, if we could do that we would do it for ourselves, but there is a way to give dogs respect and a choice about what is happening to them.

"If I think a dog is too stressed, I will call their owner and tell them it's too much for their dog today and book them in for another day to finish.

"I can take a long time but I will not rush a groom, and I will not put styling before welfare," says Lorna, who has a border collie, named Lupin, and a Labrador collie cross, named Jess, at home.

Being able to provide dogs with a relaxing grooming experience and help them to overcome any fears or worries they might have makes the job very rewarding, she tells Weekend.

"I love it. I'm really happy to be doing a job I love. Dogs make me feel calm. I love seeing them change from puppies who are all nervous when you first see them in the salon to dogs who jump on you and are excited to see you. It's rewarding to see them happy and relaxed, and not worried."

See www.barksandbubblesdoggroomingspa.com