Hair care is a dog’s life

While we carefully consider the products we use on our hair and skin, spare a thought for pooches who don’t get a choice

The market in organic skin and hair care is booming, so why would we choose to groom our dogs differently? That’s the problem Arlene Millar faced when she went looking for a range of natural products to use on her beloved pooch, Henry.

Arlene is a professional dog stylist with more than 14 years of experience and has launched her own brand of organic pet pampering products.

She has extensive knowledge of the dog grooming world, working as a nurse and groomer for Abbey Veterinary Clinics in Arbroath and also teaching dog grooming evening classes at Dundee and Angus College.

She came across the problem two years ago after Henry, a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle cross) puppy joined the family.

“I realised when grooming him that the usual products weren’t making his coat look healthy,” she says. “A student of mine suggested trying organic.”

At first Arlene wasn’t convinced about organic products but after trying a sample she says: “I noticed a massive difference – Henry’s coat was healthy looking, the apricot colours were coming through and his curls really stood out.”

Unfortunately, this kind of product wasn’t readily available in local pet shops so using her own knowledge, Arlene decided to launch her own range.

“I did a lot of research and with the help of a company based in Bath I launched Henry and Co.”

She firmly believes that a more organic approach to grooming will be better for a pet’s long term health and well-being.

“Henry and Co is specially formulated for a dog’s delicate nose and contains only premium organic and natural plant extracts,” says Arlene.

The products are free from “nasties” such as SLS parabens, PEGS, synthetic fragrance and colours and aren’t tested on animals.

Ingredients include pure graded essential oils sourced from small British farms and Henry and Co is accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association.

Since she launched the range, Arlene has been delighted by the support she’s received from local businesses.

“I think having my own dog’s name and his face as the logo adds a nice personal touch to my products.”

Look out for Arlene and Henry at the Dogs’ Day out at Glamis Castle tomorrow or visit the Henry and Co Facebook page.