Midland woman named best dog groomer in UK with 'game-changing' extras

A small Alcester dog grooming business based on a Royal estate has beaten big name pet retailers to be named the best in the UK. Dog lover Catherine Smith runs Woofs of Wixford out of the Ragley Estate - the Warwickshire home of the 9th Marquess of Hertford - but treats her animal clients like royalty too.

Shoppers adore its canine beauty sessions, outside Alcester and Redditch on the Worcestershire border, so much that they repeatedly give the salon five star reviews. Catherine goes to astounding extra lengths to keep dogs feeling calm - including state-of-the-art quiet dryers "so dogs don't feel overwhelmed".

Treatments called 'Fresh as a daisy' and Emmi-pet sonic teeth cleaning see pampered pooches come out spruced up, sometimes with bows and even neck scarves. The award-winning salon only has a team of four but caught the eye of judges to be named Pet Retailer of the Year 2024 for animal care at the Business Awards UK.

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Entrepreneur Catherine, from the nearby village of Wixford, knows only too well what her four-legged friends like as she has five of her own - a large Poodle, miniature Poodle, two Cockerpoos and miniature Dachshund.

Woofs of Wixford was singled out by judges for "exemplary customer service" along with a commitment to the "welfare and happiness of furry customers and their owners”.

Dog owners have long been singing the praises of Woofs of Wixford with many saying how reasonably priced it is and the extra special treatment their pooches get. Nina Waterworth commented: "Thank you Catherine for looking after Snoop. He suffers with anxiety and going to the groomers isn’t easy.

"Catherine took her time and really looked after him. Fantastic. Snoop says he feels wagalicious."

Rebecca Lippett added: "They gave a recommendation for a fantastic shampoo specific for my dogs type of coat and it's been a total game changer. We started as a puppy and now have an adolescent dog who loves going for a visit. I cannot recommend the team enough."

Catherine continued to grow her business from scratch and decided to expand the business in September, moving into new larger premises at Arrow, near the Ragley sawmill. She invested in upgrading facilities to be able to offer more grooming services for pets and even has air conditioning and walk-in baths for pooches.

It's more than a passion for the dog lover as Catherine is a Certified Groomer with the International Certified Master Groomers Association. Along with City And Guilds, she's qualified in canine first aid.

Entrepreneur Catherine said: “Our move to the Ragley Estate has been received by our customers very well and I am truly grateful to have been given the opportunity to take a lease and have a good working relationship with Ragley.”

She explained how the business even has "state-of-the-art quiet dryers so dogs don't feel overwhelmed". There's also a "deep dog bed" plus large areas for animals to run around and fresh drinking water.

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"There is a real effort to try to keep the salon as tranquil as possible so that dogs will have a stress-free and enjoyable time. You can rest easy knowing that your dog will have a stress-free and enjoyable time while staying with us."

The Ragley Estate spans 5,500 acres of Warwickshire countryside around Ragley Hall. While many know of the weddings, filming and countryside shows and music festivals it hosts, people are less aware that the broader working estate houses many independent businesses.

The building was previously used as a property maintenance workshop for the historic Ragley Estate. But Will Debenham, the Estate Property Manager, helped transform it for Catherine.

Will said: “It’s been fantastic to breathe new life into this old building, and working with Catherine to ensure it was just right for her particular business. They wanted to make sure the salon was bright, airy and with a focus on the welfare of the dogs."

Woofs of Wixford Dog Grooming and Pampering Salon is at Arrow Court near Ragley Hall and open Monday to Friday by appointment only. Dog lovers can see more of Catherine's grooming work at her Instagram page woofsofwixford76.