Wymondham dog grooming business reopening in new home

Shabby to Chic Dog Grooming had washed, cut and trained Wymondham's four-legged friends in Town Green since 2018 before struggles with rising costs during the pandemic forced its closure in 2022.

Owner Shelby Hornby, who has four dogs of her own, has even exhibited at Kennel Club grooming competitions during her time in the industry.

But now the clippers are primed to run again after Ms Hornby, 28, was offered the chance to share a spot with Vanity Furr in Back Lane.

Ms Hornby, who worked as a medical secretary for six months after her business closed says she cannot wait to start doing the job she loves all over again.

She said: "I closed due to unforeseen circumstances in lockdown. Prices of products went up so much it made things hard but it's always been a successful salon.

"But thankfully I know the owner of Vanity Furr and she was happy to offer me some space and that was a good option for me."

In the business's new home, she will be offering tail clips, grooming and ultrasound teeth cleaning as well as a puppy university service.

The service will see pooches graduate after four sessions aimed at introducing them to their environment.

Now Ms Hornby is counting down the days until she returns to the career she first began in the town six years ago, on Monday, January 23.

She added: "There's a lot of excitement, it'll be great to get back to doing what I've always wanted to do and something I know I'm good at.

"Dog grooming is an art to me and it’s something I’m privileged to be able to do.

"I'm so excited to get started.

"We're going to be offering a wide range of things as well as the traditional grooming and making people's pooches look fabulous."

Tricky customers

Life as a dog groomer can sometimes get tricky with so many different types of dogs all with different coats and fur types.

Certain breeds are even liable to misbehave.

But Ms Hornby says her most challenging customers are cockapoos and cockadoodles as she says breeders often tell owners they do not need to be groomed.

Owners then realise this is not the case and bring them to the salon, an environment they are not familiar with, which scares the pooches.

Ms Hornby says groomers then need to take time to desensitise them to the process before cutting away at their fluffy fur.