Fresh out of high school, I began working at a vet clinic as a trainee nurse and kennel and cattery hand. Dog training was always my real passion, but I knew any hands-on experience with animals would help me grow.

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Underneath that clinic was a small grooming room where a groomer worked a few days a week. What I saw and heard there worried me, and I was not the only one who felt that way. The clinic needed a groomer and could not replace her, even though the situation was far from ideal.

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So I decided to become one myself. I went to grooming school, came back full of optimism, and thought that by taking over I could create a kinder experience for the dogs. Instead, I walked straight into chaos. There was never enough time to properly groom each dog, especially those with behavioural concerns. The equipment was poorly maintained and often unsafe. The pressure was high, and I burned out quickly.

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Over the next fifteen years, I moved in and out of grooming jobs. At the time I was also working as a professional dog trainer, which I still do today, so grooming became something I did partly for variety and partly because I genuinely loved the work. Unfortunately, many grooming salons had the same issues: too many dogs, too little time, and not enough focus on the dogs’ emotional wellbeing. I absorbed their stress and kept feeling pushed away from the industry, even though I enjoyed the craft itself.

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With my training business, AbiK9, I often boarded poodles, labradoodles and other high maintenance coats in my home and groomed them regularly. These experiences were completely different from the salons I had worked in. I worked one on one. I took my time. I allowed breaks, treats, play and toilet time. There was no pressure or rushing, and the dogs coped beautifully. Every time I compared this to the traditional salon model, I knew why grooming had felt so wrong in the past. The dogs were stressed, so I was stressed.

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Eventually, the solution became clear. If I worked for myself, I could create a grooming experience that aligned with my values and protected the dogs’ emotional health. I hesitated for a long time because I worried that slow, dog-led grooming would not appeal to enough people. I imagined clients expecting perfection over comfort, and dogs being pushed through appointments even when their stress was rising.

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In the end, I decided to try anyway. And in 2025 I opened BotaniPaws. Since then I have been lucky to work with an amazing community of clients who care deeply about their dogs’ wellbeing and who appreciate a calmer, kinder grooming experience.

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BotaniPaws exists because grooming should feel good for everyone.