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Why Grooming is Different in a Multi-Dog Household This guide explores the unique challenges and considerations involved in grooming dogs when living in a multi-dog household. It highlights: ·       Different coat types ·       Time challenges ·       Equipment required ·       Staying organised is important ·       Grooming and housekeeping ·       When to use a professional   Creating a routine and system that works for you is essential. Grooming dogs in a multiple dog hou

Preparing your Puppy for Grooming Start with gentle, frequent handling from the very first day. Puppies learn fastest in short, positive sessions, so build it into your daily routine right away. Run your hands slowly over every part of their body—ears, muzzle, paws, tail, belly, legs, collar area—treating and praising as you go. This helps you spot any areas where they tense, flinch, or pull away, which tells you where to go slower and pair the experience with extra rewards.

Grooming Four Border Collies and a Terrier How it all began Before I began my formal training as a dog groomer, I always took care of grooming my own dogs at home. This involved regular bathing and brushing to keep their coats clean and healthy. Over the years, I have shared my home with a variety of breeds, including Yorkshire Terriers, Jack Russell Terriers, a German Shepherd, and a Doberman Pinscher. This mix gave me experience with both small and large dogs, as well as th

Tips and Advice on keeping the house clean from a Multi‑Dog Household Being house‑proud while living with several dogs can feel like an oxymoron. I love a clean, tidy home, but sharing it with multiple dogs means embracing compromise. Over the years I’ve refined routines that keep things manageable, hygienic, and pleasant without spending my entire life cleaning. Here’s what genuinely works for me: Routines and Prioritising It’s impossible to keep every corner spotless when y

Planning for the Week Ahead with Five Dogs and a Grooming Business Sunday in our house is less a day of rest, and more a chance to tackle the chores that pile up during the hectic workweek. It’s become a weekly ritual of tidying, planning, and occasionally wondering if there’s a less tiring way to manage another week of rain, mud, and dog hair. This season is especially challenging when it comes to keeping mud at bay, and the dogs dry for more than a few hours at a time. Work

Real routines, real chaos, and real life lessons from a dog groomer living in a multi-dog home Living with five dogs and grooming dogs for a living, isn’t simply a case of having “more dogs.” It transforms the way you organise your time, your home, your energy, and even your expectations. In my household, this consists of four Border Collies and one terrier , each with their own opinions—about each other, about what we should be doing, and about how each day should unfold. Th

Ensuring my border collie agility dogs train too. Shared Handling: Consistency Makes the Pack Work Saturdays tend to be flexible days when both John and I have more time to spare. That often means longer walks or exploring further afield with the dogs. Walking the pack together is always easier: each of us manages just two or three dogs on lead, and having two sets of eyes makes off‑lead risk management far simpler. Hazards are everywhere when exercising a group of high‑energ

Tips For Socialising Dogs successfully in a Multi-Dog Home   It’s easy to assume that dogs living in a multi‑dog household become naturally well‑socialised simply because they share their home with other dogs. After all, they interact with them every day. But in reality, that isn’t quite the case. Dogs from multi‑dog homes still need opportunities to socialise with dogs outside their own family group. This helps them grow into confident, adaptable individuals in their own rig

Meet Holly: The Terrier With a Big Voice in a Busy House The day started in a familiar way, with Holly snuggling up next to me while I enjoyed my morning tea in bed. This has become something of a cherished routine between us. In our household, we generally keep the upstairs area as a dog-free zone. There are a few notable exceptions to this rule. If any of the dogs are unwell and need to be close by, they are allowed upstairs. Morning cuddles with Holly are another exception

A Rude Awakening The pain pulsed in my right temple before I’d even opened my eyes. Fleck’s morning bark echoed through the house, punctuated by the steady patter of rain against the window. It’s a familiar wake‑up call, but today’s headache had that unmistakable weight — the kind that settles in for the day. I rummaged through my bedside drawer for my tablets, swallowed one with a gulp of water, and sat quietly while John headed downstairs. He soon returned with a cup of tea

SOLITARY MORNING  This morning began a little differently from the usual routine. I woke up to an unexpected silence, feeling momentarily confused and disorientated as I reached for my glasses and checked the time—06.57 am. Just then, as if on cue, Fleck’s unmistakeable demand bark shattered the quiet. Only then did I remember that John was away house-sitting, leaving me in charge of the morning routine. I let out a groan, rubbed my temples, and shuffled out of bed, pulling o

The alarm is set for 7am, but honestly, it’s more of a hopeful gesture than a necessity. Fleck — our early‑rising ex‑farm dog — decides when the day begins. After two years on a working farm, he still believes dawn is a perfectly reasonable breakfast time. We’ve at least convinced him that 5am is not breakfast time, but he still insists on announcing the morning long before my alarm ever gets a chance. It’s usually John who braves the first descent downstairs, either volunta

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to share your life with a lively pack of dogs, let me introduce you to our gang. Each one has a unique personality, a story to tell, and together they make our home a place of constant adventure and affection. Holly: The Ball-Obsessed Sweetheart Our eldest, Holly, is a Jack Russell Terrier cross with a dash of Yorkshire Terrier and Springer Spaniel. She’s got the compact body of a Jack Russell and the boundless energy of a Springer. Her

Meet the pack - Fleck, Cora, Jill, Kaytee and last but not least, little Holly. If you had told me years ago that I’d be living with four Border Collies and a Terrier , I would have laughed.  Although, I’d lived with multiple dogs before, so sticking to 1 or 2 breeds makes more sense.  But seriously, 4 border collies?  And a terrier?! Yet here I am — a professional dog groomer  whose life is shaped as much by the dogs at home as the ones on the grooming table. Beyond the Groo