Have your dog groomed by experienced, knowledgeable and qualified professionals.

View Our Services

about.

Fur Friendly is a small grooming parlour located in Howdales, 8 miles from Louth, near Saltfleetby in Lincolnshire. We cater for all breeds of dog large or small and work on a one to one basis strictly by appointment so your dog isn't kept waiting around in a crate. Our salon is bright and airy and with our secure paddock your dog will enjoy freedoms that are not always possible in other salons.

At Fur Friendly our philosophy is very simple, we want your dog to enjoy their time with us and your dog's physical and mental welfare is our number one priority. All of the dogs are treated gently and with the utmost care, we understand your dog is unique and we will cater to their individual needs. Your dog isn't a commodity, they are part of your family and should be handled with patience and treated with respect.

qualifications.

Our groomers hold the full City & Guilds level three diploma for professional stylists and have many years of practical experience. Principle groomer Amanda also holds the international certified master groomer qualification. In addition all our team members are trained in animal first aid.

At Fur Friendly we believe in continuous personal development, we regularly attend and hold seminars, workshop training days and courses focused on specific breeds to ensure we continually learn and improve our skills.

" Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. "

services.

The
Full Groom

Your dogs coat will be thoroughly brushed out to remove loose hair, this is followed by a deep cleansing hydro bath using natural essential oil shampoo and conditioner. Your dog is then dried, the coat is trimmed and styled to your requirements. The nails are clipped, ears and eyes are cleaned and to finish we apply a conditioning spray to the coat.

A full groom takes between 2 to 4 hours depending on the breed, size and condition of your dog.

The
Maintenance Groom

As with the full groom your dog has a brush out followed by a hydro bath and dry. Feet, face and groin areas are trimmed, nails clipped, ears and eyes cleaned, then to finish we apply a conditioning spray. 

A maintenance groom takes between 1 to 3 hours depending on the breed, size and condition of your dog. 

The maintenance groom is available to short coated breeds or dogs that have a coat that is regularly maintained.

Full Groom with
de-shedding treatment

This treatment is ideal for breeds with dense coats. We start with a brush out to remove any loose coat and follow this with a deep cleansing hydro bath using natural shampoo and conditioner. Your dog is then dried with a high velocity dryer and the coat is brushed out using a special de-shedding tool, this removes dead undercoat thus reducing moulting and keeping your dogs coat in great condition. Nails are clipped, ears and eyes cleaned and a finishing spray is applied.

 A de-shedding treatment takes between 2 to 4 hours depending on the breed, size and condition of your dog.

Hand Stripping
(If appropriate)

Your dog has a brush out and is then hand stripped, this is followed by a hydro bath using special harsh coat natural shampoo. Your dog is dried and the coat re-stripped to ensure a neat finish. Nails are clipped, ears and eyes cleaned and to finish we apply a conditioning spray.

A full hand strip takes between 3 to 5 hours depending on the breed, size and condition of your dog.

Download our hand stripping guide here

Free Puppy and Nervous
Dog Introductions

We want your dogs visit to the grooming salon to be a happy one so we encourage you to bring your puppy or nervous dog along to visit us, puppies are able to attend the salon after their vaccinations. 

Your dog will have the opportunity to have a sniff around and meet the team, your dog will then be brushed and handled to acclimatise them to the sights and sounds of a grooming salon, we recommend weekly 30 minute sessions to ensure they are well prepared for their first full groom.

The well-being of your dog is of the utmost importance to us so when attending the salon for the first time all dog owners must produce a valid vaccination certificate.

philosophy.

We believe that quality matters and that’s why all the shampoos and conditioners we use are high quality natural fur friendly products to maintain healthy skin and coat, we don't use cheap concentrates or chemical brighteners. 

Our products are natural, non toxic, paraben & sulfate free, phthalate free, and phosphate free. These products are made with premium human-grade ingredients and pure essential oils, with no artificial colours or fragrances.

questions?

How much does it cost?

Ideally we need to see your dog and assess the size, coat type, condition and grooming requirements before we can quote a price as even dogs of the same breed can vary immensely, dogs who are groomed at industry recognised intervals with well-maintained coats will cost less than those who are only groomed once or twice a year.

How long does it take?

Again we need to see your dog and assess the size, coat type, condition and grooming requirements, most smaller dogs who are groomed regularly take approximately 2 hours but it can take up to 4 or 5 hours to groom breeds such as a Newfoundland or standard Poodle.

When can my puppy have its first haircut?

Puppies can be partially groomed, bath, face, feet and sanitary trim as soon as they have had their vaccinations. Most dogs will have their adult coat through at around 9 months of age so can be groomed to your requirements, it is not advisable to clip puppy coats as this can damage the adult coat resulting in bald or thin patches, skin problems and incorrect coat texture.

Can you remove tartar from my dogs teeth?

Under current regulations this is classed as a veterinary procedure and should not be performed by a groomer. We can however clean your dogs teeth on request.

Can I stay with my dog during the groom?

Owners are welcome to wait in our comfortable reception area and use the free Wi-Fi, we are not insured for you to be within the grooming room while we work. However we do have large glass windows with views into the salon.

Do you empty anal glands?

Under current regulations this is classed as an invasive procedure that should only be performed by a veterinarian.

Can you remove ticks?

Ticks will be removed as part of the groom, or if your dog picks them up on a walk we are happy to remove them for a small fee. Our team are trained to remove ticks safely.

Can you groom my dog if she is in season?

No, it is unfair on your dog to be groomed whilst in season, they are often not settled and resent been excessively handled. It is also distracting for any male dogs, especially those that are entire.

What is hand stripping?

This is the breed standard grooming technique for most Terrier and Gundog breeds, it involves stripping out the dead harsh textured hair using finger and thumb, this process will maintain the correct colour and texture to the coat. Removing the dead hair from the follicle stimulates new coat growth. Not all coats are suitable for stripping, particularly if the dog has been neutered, but we will assess each individual dog and advise the best course of action. Hand stripping takes much longer than clipping, around 3 to 4 hours and is therefore more expensive.

Can I bring my puppy in for a visit?

We want your dogs visit to the grooming salon to be a happy one so we encourage you to bring your puppy along to visit us, puppies are able to attend the salon after their vaccinations.

My dog has some health issues, can I still bring them to be groomed?

We will discuss the issues with you and modify the grooming techniques used to accommodate your dog. We understand different approaches are required for certain health conditions and we are trained to deal with most situations. We do however reserve the right to refuse to groom if we feel this will cause undue distress to your dog.

Do you trim nails?

Yes we can cut your dogs nails, we also offer nail grinding on request.

More Questions?

Please contact us if you have any questions, alternatively why not bring your dog in, have a look around, a cup of tea and a no obligation chat.
Contact Us

find us.

We are located at the former cattery in Howdales, situated 5 miles from Manby, 8 miles from Louth and 8 miles from Mablethorpe in a quiet rural location surrounded by beautiful, tranquil countryside, that perfectly reflects the Fur Friendly ethos of providing a calm and relaxing environment.

Need help getting to us?
No problem, contact us and we’ll happily provide you a personalised map with comprehensive directions.
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Fur Friendly
The Old Cattery,
Saddleback Road,
Howdales,
Louth,
Lincolnshire,
LN11 7DJ
01507 338914
dusti@btinternet.com

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Closed
09:00 - 17:00
09:00 - 17:00
Closed
09:00 - 17:00
By Appointment
Closed

training courses.

When you train at Fur Friendly you will be working within a busy commercial salon giving you an insight into the day to day life of a dog groomer. You will gain hands on experience of all aspects of dog grooming from customer service to producing a fully finished dog, preparing you fully to open and run your own grooming business.

Our salon is bright , airy, modern and well equipped. Our training can be designed around your needs and whether you are a complete beginner or have experience but want to do your City & Guilds qualifications our one to one training courses will be the perfect fit. Starter equipment sets are included in the course prices. Fur Friendly are proud to be an approved Summit training group satellite centre.

the courses.

City & Guilds Level 2 Dog Groomer’s Assistant

18 Days - Full tuition plus City & Guilds exams and qualification.
£2300

25 Days - As above Plus Trimming and Styling preparing for the level 3 qualification.
£4000

City & Guilds Level 3 Dog Grooming Diploma

25 Days + Guided Learning - For those who are already Level 2 qualified 25 days on-site practical tuition PLUS guided home study. Includes trimming & styling to Level 3 standard and practical & theory assessments exams and qualification.
£4600

City & Guilds Level 2 plus Level 3 Combined

40 Days + Guided Learning - The 15 and 25 + day courses combined for those wishing to complete the full grooming qualification in one go.
£6000

Qualifications Only

2 Days - City & Guilds Level 2 Dog Groomers Assistant assessments and exam - for those who have already completed the required training.
£550

City & Guilds Level 3 - Minimum 4 Days + Guided Learning - for those who hold the Level 2 qualification and a minimum of 6 months full time grooming experience. A pre-assessment is required.
From £1500

Fur Friendly Certificate

15 Days - Full tuition to the level 2 standard, but without the recognised qualification or exams.
£1000

25 Days - Full tuition to the level 3 standard, but without the recognised qualification or exams.
£2500

Pet Owners Tuition

Pet owner Tuition - 1 to 4 Days tuition for pet owners wishing to learn how to groom their own dog.
From £100
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terms.

  1. We will treat your pet gently with kindness and respect; we will not continue with any grooming procedure if it causes your pet undue distress, your pets’ welfare is a priority. We reserve the right to alter styling to reflect this in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2007.
  2. De matting is painful for your pet and a time consuming process, any dog that cannot be brushed out within 20 minutes will be clipped short to prevent stress to your pet and the associated health issues that may occur. Please ask about our De-mat policy for more details.
  3. We reserve the right to refuse or terminate grooming if we feel the dog is too aggressive, distressed or unwell to undergo/continue the grooming process.
  4. Cancellations must be notified at least 24 hours before appointment or a £15.00 charge will be applicable.
  5. No shows will be charged at £25.00 payable before another appointment can be arranged.
  6. Failure to collect your pet within 30 minutes of the given collection time will be charged at £3.00 per 1/2 hour unless late collection has been pre-arranged.
  7. If your dog has fleas please ensure you tell us when you arrive so we can take precautions, failure to do so will incur a £10.00 charge to cover the costs of salon disinfection and flea treatment.
  8. If your pet has developed any health or behavioral problem since their previous visit please inform us when you arrive as this may affect the way we need to handle/style your dog safely and without causing the dog distress.
  9. Please allow your pet the time to relieve themselves before entering the salon, feel free to use the grassed area alongside the salon but please be sure to clean up after them, pooh bags are available on request and can be disposed of in the black bin in the entrance courtyard.
  10. Most breeds of dog have an industry recognised grooming schedule ranging from 4 weeks to 4 months; our prices are based on these time-scales so your pet may cost more to groom if the intervals between appointments are longer than those recommended.
  11. Unfortunately teeth scaling and anal gland expression are deemed to be "veterinary procedures" and therefore under the Veterinary Surgeons Act so we are unable to performing these services for you.