Jodie is 24 and grew up around dogs in the countryside near Andover. Before starting grooming, she worked as a Tesco manager for six or seven years. Even while progressing in that role, she always knew she wanted to work with animals.
“I’ve always grown up around dogs… I just always knew I wanted to work with animals.”
When she began looking into grooming, she took her time. She visited other training centres, but what she was really looking for was somewhere that felt right to her.
“It felt really personal and welcoming here. You can tell that you actually care about the dogs, the students, and the course.”
Training had to fit around her existing job, so being able to attend three days a week and still work afterwards mattered. Finishing mid-afternoon meant she could head home and continue with her other responsibilities.
“It’s a good amount of time. You don’t feel rushed, but you’ve got time to digest what you’re learning.”
At the start, everything felt like a lot.
“You think, I’m never going to be able to do this.”
But slowly, things began to feel more natural. Handling, scissoring, decision-making – what once felt awkward became instinctive.
“I remember picking up scissors and thinking I’d never get the hang of it, and now I just do it without thinking.”
Working alongside other students became part of that growth. Supporting newer students later on helped her see how far she’d come.
“It makes you realise how much you’ve learned.”
One moment that stands out for her is being able to complete a full groom independently.
“Probably being able to groom a dog from start to finish on my own. At the start, I thought I’d never get there.”
Now she’s grooming from home while planning her next move. She and her family are looking to move house, and she’d like to either build a space in the garden or rent somewhere. Her goal is to stay self-employed and grow it steadily.
She’s already thinking creatively, even speaking to a local café about possible collaborations to help build her name.
For Jodie, the biggest shift has been internal – moving from doubt to confidence. She leaves knowing she can make decisions, trust her judgement, and build something of her own.
