Beyond the Grooming Table: Why I Started This Blog

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 Grooming Table exists to allow me to share real stories, training successes and failures, the nuances in dog behaviour I witness daily and tips and advice that I can pass on from real life experience.

It’s the part that happens at home, before, during and after grooming. When routines break, energy runs high, and learning never stops.  There are no better teachers about dog behaviour than dogs themselves.

Why “Beyond the Grooming Table”

The grooming table teaches you a lot — patience, observation, timing, and trust .but living with dogs teaches you so much more..

Beyond the grooming table is where:

• Behaviour is observed in person, not learnt from a book

• Training and playtime become one

• Structure and meeting dog’s needs, affect daily life both at work and at home

• Learning never stops

This blog lives in that space — where professional experience meets everyday reality for an ordinary multiple dog owner.

Life With Five Dogs

Living with five dogs has taught me a lot.

With four Border Collies and a Terrier,  “when I have time,” becomes laughable, everything plays out in real time — every day — whether I’m ready or not.  Dogs are learning constantly not just during planned training sessions.

Some days are calm, structured, and rewarding. Other days are loud, chaotic, and stressful.

Here is where I share my stories.

What You’ll Find on Beyond the Grooming Table

This blog is about:

• Life with multiple high-energy dogs

• Transferring knowledge from the grooming table to home and vice versa

• The unique personalities in a variety of breeds

• The realities of living and working with dogs

  
  

I will share what I’ve learned — both on and off the table.

Who This Blog Is For

If you:

• Love dogs and want to learn more

• Want honest advice, success and mistakes.

• Live with one dog or many

• Work with dogs or simply want to understand them better

You’re in the right place.

Beyond the Grooming Table is for people who want real conversations about dogs, care, and continual learning — without judgement.

Thanks for being here at the beginning. The dogs and I are glad you found us.