A Kirklees entrepreneur has set-up her own dog-grooming business and is planning to expand after receiving support from the West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency.

Twenty-year-old Freya McAvoy, of Thornhill, Dewsbury, runs Pampered Pooches which covers everything from basic grooming and style to facials, massages and more.

She currently operates from her house and intends to open a shop in the Cleckheaton area – but the plans don’t stop there.

Said Freya: “Eventually, once I’ve opened my shop, I want expand and open a rescue centre and training centre. Basically a one-place stop for all pets.”

Freya had been studying childcare at college en route to becoming a teacher. While at college, she began volunteering at a friend’s dog grooming salon, which she loved.

She had the idea of opening a dog grooming salon a few years ago, but had done nothing about it. So when the opportunity arose to join the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme, she jumped at the chance it would give her to set up her own business.

Freya said her key clients were generally pet owners with long-coated or double-coated breeds, such as Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Akita and Westies – but all dogs are catered for.

Said Freya: “When a pet’s coat is not cared for, it can cause a lot of skin problems such as sores and irritation, leaving the skin looking red and angry

“A clean coat will help prevent skin becoming flaky and will prevent dandruff. Moreover, taking a puppy to be groomed at an early age will help it socialise with other animals.”

Some of Freya’s clients also opt for “mini-grooms” in between full grooms, consisting of either a bath and a brushout or just a brush. This helps to maintain the coat, making it more manageable.

Freya said the NEA scheme and the support from the West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency was a crucial part of her current success: “They sat down with me and talked me through everything I didn’t understand,” she says.

“My mentor was crucial in making all this happen. Without him, I wouldn’t have got this far. Opening my dog grooming salon would still just be an idea.”

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