Work anything but a dog’s life for Lisa

YOU’LL know about ‘Monday Morning Blues’?

Lisa McIlreavy never gets it. She’s part of the Groom Room squad at Pets At Home in Dundee, a small team of specialists who keep dogs looking and feeling great.

The Groom Room has more than 240 salons and more than 1,000 team members across Scotland and beyond.

They may be a great option if you’re interested in the animal world.

Dog grooming courses can set you back in the region of £3,500 but, if you make the grade at Groom Room they put you through the course themselves.

“I’ve been doing this for five years,” said Lisa, 37.

“My background was in horses, working as a groom for a show jumper, but there are many people who come into this with no specific animal background except a love of their pets.

“I applied online and was brought in for interview.”

Groom Room training is pretty comprehensive.

It takes nine months, and the first 12 weeks is all about washing and bathing animals.

“I work 39 hours per week and it’s important to remember this isn’t just about cuddling puppies and powder puffs,” said Lisa.

“You have to be able to help the animal relax and sense what they’re feeling.

“Every dog’s different and their moods can vary radically. We’ve all got the odd nip and scratch.

“However, we encourage owner education by introducing grooming from a very young age, preferably just after the vaccination period.

“These puppy packages acclimatise the animal to a new environment, to get them used to the process coming in around every six to eight weeks.”

Groom Room looks after types of dogs and you can’t be too sensitive.

Without being too graphic, puppies don’t know how to use Andrex.

Customers expect their pets to be treated with the highest levels of care and love. So you have to be patient and realise some animals might not like a bath or be unsettled by hairdryers.

“I can honestly say I love my job,” said Lisa.

“We form a good bond with the pets we see regularly and their owners too. There’s even ‘thank you’ cards in the office from people who appreciate the job we have done.

“It’s often difficult, it’s not glamorous — but it’s amazingly satisfying.”