Finding the Perfect Dog Groomer near Brampton, Cumbria: A Woofly Pawfect Experience
Looking for a trusted dog groomer in Brampton? I visited Woofly Pawfect to see firsthand how they combine skill and care to give dogs the perfect groom. As dog owners, we frequently face many critical decisions about who to trust with our four-legged family members. From vets to dog walkers, and - in this case - professional dog groomers, these choices matter. We've all experienced a disappointing haircut ourselves and politely lied, "I love it!" while fighting back tears looking into the mirror the hairdresser waves around the back of our heads.
Michelle and her skilled team at Woofly Pawfect, Brampton, put your dog first.
Fortunately, at Woofly Pawfect Dog Grooming Salon in Brampton, there are no such concerns. Michelle and her expert team combine an impressive array of professional qualifications with genuine care and love, ensuring your dog receives both skilled grooming and compassionate handling. Their approach prioritises your pet's comfort and wellbeing above all else, and to top it all, your dog leaves with a haircut so tidy we humans could only dream of.
Michelle Barnes, who started grooming dogs in her own home, has been running her business since 2011 and has now been based at her premises in Brampton for 9 years. She told me it was a big decision at the time, weighing up the additional costs with the potential benefits, but she’s so delighted she took the plunge to have the all-important extra space and bring on additional hands to help with growing demand. Grooming up to 80 dogs any given week, Michelle and her team: Bri, Maisie and Abbie become booked out weeks in advance, which just goes to show that Woofly is held in such high regard from dog owners in and around the area - and beyond! Michelle has some clients travelling over 20 miles to bring their dogs for grooming and at least two who travel over 40 to Woofly Pawfect - now that is impressive.
A Peek inside Woofly Pawfect in Brampton.
Professionalism is at the core of everything Michelle and her team do on the daily. Leading by example, Michelle’s CV boasts an impressive array of qualifications and awards and the reception area of her business proudly showcases multiple qualification certificates. In 2022, Michelle became the first ever Internationally-Certified Master Groomer (ICMG) in Cumbria - this is an extremely prestigious qualification awarded to groomers who demonstrate exceptional advanced skill, expertise and knowledge. She is also award winning: having won and placed in National grooming competitions for Asian Fusion Grooming.
Michelle’s assistant groomers Bri and Maisie have also become officially Certified Professional Groomers. Bri had enjoyed great success too, winning the Salon Fusion Middletons class in The Salon Groomer of the Year competition. This goes to show that good dog grooming is about far more than simply picking up a pair of scissors. These professional qualifications place a huge amount of emphasis on ethical and safe dog handling in order to keep dogs calm, comfortable and as stress-free as possible while being groomed. True mastery in grooming lies not just in the final look, but the experience for the dog: balancing precision, patience, and compassion at every step, which I witnessed in buckets during the few hours I spent there.
Just one of Woofly Pawfect’s incredible transformations - Jenny. Credit: Woofly Pawfect (Facebook)
Taking a scroll through Woofly Pawfect’s photos on their Facebook page reveals an impressive array of before and after images of hundreds upon hundreds of dogs - the team post the pictures at the end of each working day and they are flooded with so many likes and comments, showing just how much of a lovely community surrounds the business. Some dogs come to Michelle having had a bit of a disaster haircut elsewhere, others had developed a fear of the groomers but after visiting Woofly are a lot more at ease due to the careful handling by the team. Visiting myself for the afternoon made it easy to see why Michelle’s diary is so full, and the reasons why her clients keep coming back. Reviews like these are commonplace for the business too, confirming what I witnessed with my own eyes earlier this week:
Nothing phases Michelle’s Standard Poodle Hugo.
”We are so happy we have found a trustworthy and caring groomer for Rummy. For a nervous dog she was so relaxed when we picked her up. So much time and care was put in by Michelle and the team,” - Rummy’s Human on Facebook.
“We are so happy we have found Woofly Pawfect and our experience couldn’t have been more perfect. Since a bad experience with a groomer when he was a puppy, our dog has been very nervous and stressed when being groomed. Which means we have had to groom him ourselves. So, this was a big moment for us and for Star. We weren’t expecting a lot, just hoping for a slight improvement to my attempts to keep him tidy … Michelle and her team were amazing! We can’t believe how great he now looks. They suggested we book Star in for just a wash next so he gets used to visiting and may start to relax in the salon and we have him booked in, in December. We can’t thank you enough …a transformation.” - Star’s Human on Facebook.
Speaking with Michelle during the afternoon I spent at Woofly, I related so much to her story towards becoming a dog groomer. We both came to our chosen careers with dogs a little later in life, and neither of us could now imagine doing anything else with our days. As a photographer who puts the wellbeing, safety and comfort of dogs first, it filled my heart with so much happiness to watch the way Michelle and her team take the same approach to working with the dogs under their care. We both take our jobs extremely seriously, entering competitions and completing qualifications to stay at the tops of our respective games. You might be surprised to learn that being a dog groomer currently requires no professional qualifications, but if the dogs’ and humans’ experiences are anything to go by, trusting a certified professional with your pet shows massively in the end results.
Michelle grooms her Standard Poodle Hugo with meticulous precision.
Michelle has two Standard Poodles herself: Hugo and Heidi and we talked at length about how much maintenance this iconic breed require in order to keep them looking in tip top shape. We chatted while she groomed her black and white Parti poodle, Hugo, who showed that he’s a seasoned professional at being groomed: lifting his paws up to have his nails trimmed, watching curiously as Michelle brushed out his fluffy legs, and standing patiently as she trimmed his underbelly with precision. Every bit of Hugo’s groom showed immense attention to detail, and his calm demeanour throughout the process showed how nothing phased him at all.
In the other room, where the baths and three additional grooming tables are found, 13-year-old littermate cockapoos Alfie and Pip were enjoying the full works. I arrived just as they were having their locks brushed out and blow dried: Alfie, at one point, genuinely fell asleep to the relaxing feeling of his ears being brushed. He could not have looked more chilled. Pip was a bit more wriggly, but only due to the prospect of a new person (me) giving her much-loved attention. As much as I wanted to give her a kiss and a cuddle, I kept myself out of the way to document their preening and pruning to (hopefully) make life easier for Bri! I was super intrigued by just how much goes into the whole process: carefully clipping the hair growing in between precious paw pads, gently trimming moustache hairs and intrusive eye hairs - absolutely nothing phased them and, to be honest, when I clocked my own straggly hair in the reflection of the window I was half tempted to ask for a trim myself.
Alf and Pip were given all of the attention by the lovely team at Woofly Pawfect.
The last pup of the day was little Vinny who completely stole my heart, showing that you don’t need to be a long-haired dog to be treated like royalty at Woofly Pawfect. A mix of Pug and Italian Greyhound, you can totally see both in his beautiful looks and his sweet behaviour - has has the classic Iggy ‘paw up’ down to a tee! Vinny came in right at the end of the day for the full works - a wash, a paw trim and a teeth clean, and while he’s obviously not the biggest fan of a shower (like most dogs!) the lovely staff members took the very best care of him as you can see! He’s a total sweetheart and took everything in his stride.
Italian greyhound x Pug Vinny is showered with love at Woofly Pawfect in Brampton.
My afternoon showed me just how important compassionate and caring touches are when grooming dogs, and Woofly Pawfect have these qualities in spades. From the moment I walked in, I could see the team put the dogs’ comfort first. There was no rush, no stress, just patient and experienced hands making sure each dog felt at ease. Dog grooming isn’t just about making the dogs look good. Regular coat care helps prevent matting and skin irritation, while getting their nails trimmed regularly stops them from getting too long and uncomfortable. For more reserved dogs, a calm and confident groomer can turn what might be a stressful experience into something so much easier and even enjoyable - just look at Vinnie!
Michelle’s Woofly Pawfect is proof that there’s so much more to dog grooming than a smart hair cut. It’s about making sure dogs feel as good as they look, and after spending time there, I can see why so many owners trust them with their pets.
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