Dog grooming venture unleashed for pampered pooches

A new dog grooming salon has started up in Reepham with MutzKutz Professional Dog Groomers opening its doors on Saturday 15 October in the former Bennetts electrical goods store on School Road.
 

 
Services include nail trimming, bathing and drying, styling/clipping, ear cleaning and plucking, hand stripping, micro-chipping and puppy introduction sessions.
 
The grooming salon is light, spacious and fully equipped with all the latest products and apparatus. Here the highly trained and experienced groomers are able to cut, clip and scissor their way through any unwanted coat and reveal a pampered pet fit for the parade ring.
 
Owner Lindsay Fitzhugh, who grew up in Ockbrook, Derbyshire, and now lives in Bawdeswell, said she had a “brilliant” first day, being made to feel at home in Reepham and already a part of the local community.
 
“MutzKutz had been operating from a ‘shed’ in Beetley near Dereham for the past 18 months, initially providing dog grooming for friends and family,” she revealed.
 
However, leasing the premises in Reepham offered the opportunity to expand the business, particularly to feature the growing “Pawtique” range, as well as employ two part-time staff.
 
Pawtique offers a diverse array of handmade dog mats and beds, locally sourced pet collars, leads, toys, fashion accessories, clothing, tasty organic treats, shampoos, spritzers, oral care, brushes and nail clippers.
 
Ms Fitzhugh had already established a loyal client base with customers across a wide area as far as Cromer and even Bury St Edmunds. She hopes to retain these and gain new clients in the Reepham district through both social media and more traditional marketing – as well as word of mouth.
 
From an early age, Ms Fitzhugh, who comes from a farming background, always knew she would one day work with animals, having been surrounded by dogs from an early age.
 
She explained that pet grooming is currently an unregulated profession in the UK, with many people working from home – anyone, regardless of experience, training or qualifications, can set themselves up as a groomer.
 
However, Ms Fitzhugh has set her sights on maintaining high standards and already has a number of professional qualifications to her name, including certificates from the Pet Industry Federation and British Dog Groomers’ Association, and is currently undertaking a City & Guilds Level 3 vocational course.
 
As well as being a physically demanding job, patience and a genuine love of dogs are essential to be a groomer – and MutzKutz offers that in abundance.
 

  • MutzKutz Professional Dog Groomers are open Tuesday–Saturday 9.30 am – 5 pm. Tel: 01603 870684. Email

 

From left: Lindsay Fitzhugh with Elsa the dog and Kaylee Wooton at newly-opened MutzKutz Professional Dog Groomers in Reepham

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