Our Story
Harley’s Houndz was established by Michelle in 2014 when she recognised the need for a more flexible and convenient grooming solution for local dog owners. As a working dog parent, Michelle knew how difficult it was to find appointments that fitted her working week, especially when her dog didn’t enjoy being left for hours in the strange and noisy environment of a grooming salon.
After graduating Reaseheath College in 2003 with a Diploma in Small Animal Care, and enjoying a 10 year career within the small animal industry, Michelle was looking for a new challenge when she hit upon the idea of setting up a mobile grooming business where the needs of the pet and customer came first. After completing her City and Guilds dog grooming qualifications at a specialist training hub in Cheshire, Michelle has never looked back and realises that it is a privilege to be entrusted by her clients to look after the most important member of any family.
Favourite brew? Tea (white with one sugar, thanks)!
Favourite sport? Football (a Liverpool fan through and through)!
Hobbies and Interests? ANYTHING dog related - with an especially keen interest in natural and raw dog food and treats.
Favourite dog breed? If she really had to pick one it would be a Staffie… or a Beagle… or a Springer…
Benefits of Dog Grooming
It’s more than just a pamper session! Dog grooming has some incredible benefits for your canine companion. Traditionally pack animals, dogs would groom other pack members, but now they are domesticated this job falls to us as owners.
Of course, grooming can be time-consuming and to do it properly takes practice. There are many specialist techniques involved from hand stripping to clipping. This is why many owners choose to have their dogs professionally groomed!
Grooming has many health benefits for your dog. Brushing the coat ventilates it, lifting away old or damaged hair and allowing the skin underneath to breathe. The process of brushing also has a massaging effect on your dog which is not only relaxing but also promotes good circulation.
Your dog’s coat is at risk of matting if left unattended and this can cause painful sore patches for them. Regular grooming detangles the coat and gets rid of loose hair, preventing matting.
Grooming is also the perfect time to perform a basic health check on your dog. Close attention must be paid to eyes and ears hygiene, coat condition, teeth, and nails. Plus check your dog all over for mud or those pesky grass seeds that get stuck around their ears or between their toes.
Don’t forget that different breeds have different needs. For example, double-coated breeds have changing requirements depending on the season, and even short-haired breeds need frequent grooming.
Lots of factors affect the type of groom your dog will need. It varies depending on lifestyle, time of year, and many other factors. Not to mention breed-specific styling. Don’t worry, we can advise on all of that.
Your dog should enjoy their grooming experience, and we believe it should be relaxing and rewarding for them!