Meet the ambassadors: Georgia Willy - McFluffy's Dog Grooming
Introducing our final ambassador, Georgia! Georgia has pedigree when it comes to grooming having first dipped her toe into the dog grooming world when she was just 15.
You can catch up with the other interviews in the series here.
1. How did you first get into dog grooming and tell us a bit about your business
My parents show American akitas so I have always helped with the show prep. When I was 15, I had to get a work experience placement - it was two weeks at a groomers - and from the first day I was there, I knew that’s what I wanted to do! I opened up my own business four years later at the age of 19 in my parents’ back garden and now I have my own big unit with a trainee and people renting tables!
2. Tell us about your achievements in the industry to date (any competition wins that you’re particularly proud of, milestones in your business, or anything else that comes to mind)
I’ve achieved being on the podium 9/10 times so that in itself is a massive achievement! But one I’m particularly happy with is my first place in a huge class at Mastergroom in 2018 with a seven-month-old poodle who I later went on to multiple successes with!
My proudest achievement is my latest first place at the Grooming Show winning the purebreed open scissor class with a lagotto. I have put a lot of work into this breed and have been self taught with online help from show breeders across the world - so I am so proud of that win!
3. What is the one Wow Grooming product that couldn’t live without in your grooming kit and why?
The one Wow Grooming product I couldn’t be without would be Glide! I use it on most dogs, you only need a little and it goes a mile! I have one particular client, an American cocker - he has a pet version of a show trim and so he can get quite knotty and his coat can break - Glide restores the healthy coat and makes it sooo much easier to brush out!
4. Can you share your top grooming hack / tip?
As I have been brought up in the show world around double-coated breeds, we all know when they blow their coat, they really blow their coat! And who really wants to be finding akita hair all around the salon days later? Well, once the dog is all scrubbed up in shampoo, I use a hard slicker brush to A) get the shampoo right into the skin as it’s hard if their coat is so impacted; and B) the more coat you get out in the bath, the less you have flying around the salon!
5. Do you have a dog yourself - tell us a bit about him / her?
I have two akitas - Dora aged nine and Jammy aged two. Dora is your typical akita, very stubborn and aloof but loyal and protective. Jammy is like a big hairy labrador, she loves other dogs and comes to work with me. She’s quite the mascot but you can always hear her before you see her, she’s very noisy.
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