Molly has been a dog groomer for 12 years (and has a side hustle as an aspiring dog photographer). Her Groomtastic salon in Beccles, Suffolk has been open for more than 6 years.

How did you become a dog groomer? 

I did some dog shows as a teenage and there is naturally a lot of grooming involved in that so I started it as a Saturday job when I was still in school and have never looked back. I have always been an animal lover. 

And what do you like most about it? 

I love working with dogs and find them easier than people! It is such a rewarding job overall. It has such a good feel good positive effective on the dogs especially when you see puppies completely comfortable in the salon or dogs who have not been groomed for a while. 

I also love that it is creative especially the haircutting side of things. We are in the countryside so we don’t get many unusual requests as it is more practical, but I enjoy giving teddy cuts, etc. 

What tips do you have for dog owners when it comes to grooming? 

No matter the breed – they all need regular grooming all year round and the earlier you get them into this from being a puppy the easier it will be. It is noisy and unfamiliar in a salon so this takes a while to get used to. 

An at home routine is also important so regular brushing and keeping your dog’s skin and coat clean with products specifically developed for dogs. For some reason, people think baby shampoo and products can be used on dogs but they can’t.  

What role does food play? 

Food makes a big difference as what they eat shows on the outside as it does with us.

I always look for high fresh meat content and grain and wheat free as this is better for digestion. Also as natural as possible is critical. 

You might notice especially with white dogs they often have visible dark tear stains. That can be the result of a bad diet or even sometimes the water in the area. Some owners swop to filtered water and it can make a big difference. 

And you use the Green Pantry supplements. What prompted that? 

I use the supplements for both the dogs that live with me. Toast who is a 6-month-old Lab and Luna who is a 3-year-old Golden Retriever. 

I got the dental supplements for both as I see a lot of poor dental health in my job so want to keep on top of that from a young age. 

And I also use the digestion supplement with both dogs. It is working well especially for Luna who suffered with anal glands but fingers crossed it has cleared that up. 

It is really easy to sprinkle over their dry food with a little bit of water and incorporate into their regular diet. 

You have recently got a new labrador puppy Toast. What has been the best and worst bits of this? 

Toast is my first puppy as an adult and I think I had forgotten just how demanding they are. Like newborn babies I imagine: They can’t be left alone, they are walking accidents and the toileting is hard. 

However, I do really enjoy and work hard on the dog  training. I take Toast to gundog training as Labs have been bred to enjoy retrieving things and bringing them back. It really teaches them good obedience and I am seeing that pay off now! 

And where did the interest in dog photography come from? 

I set up an Instagram account for Toast and had no idea how many dog-fluencers there were. I have met loads of new people and am on lots of group chats now. I always admired accounts with beautiful photography and dug into it a little more, invested in a professional camera and now take it with me all the time with Toast as my muse. 

I am really enjoying it and getting better all the time so hope to make it more of an official side hustle soon.