A calm environment where your four-legged friend is pampered at their own pace. (And by someone they trust!)


Sometimes, the thought of sending your beloved pet to a busy salon environment full of strangers doesn’t feel right. I had the exact same feeling when I became a poodle owner in 2021.

Finding a groomer was difficult, and a good one even more challenging. So I began grooming my miniature poodles Diva and Roxy myself. 

I soon realised how much they loved the process of being washed, brushed and snipped. Why? Because it was consistent and free from pressure.

Cathy has a black poodle and a brown and black mixed poodle sat on her lap. Both poodles are inquisitively looking at the camera.
Cathy is a white woman with curly brown hair. She is sat in a dog grooming salon, next to an adjustable table. She is smiling at the camera and resting her arm on the table.

Top Collar was created out of a desire to make grooming stress-free and pleasurable for other pooches too.

My service is one-to-one and located in my garden - meaning I have plenty of time to get to know you and your dog. My aim is to become a person your dog trusts (and bonds with) to create an environment where they feel at home.

As a foster carer of over a decade who’s spent countless years working with animals too - from family pets to competitively athletic horses - I bring the ‘patience of a saint’ to my work and a careful eye for detail.

I’ve turned out horses to a competition standard for years, and it’s my horsey background that enables me to perfectly balance health and wellbeing alongside immaculate presentation.

This lifetime of experience with (many) horses and dogs has also given me an instinctive understanding of dogs - including the sometimes silly and random things they get up to. And it’s this understanding that underpins every wash, dry and snip at Top Collar.

As a discerning dog owner myself, you can rest assured your best friend is in respectful and caring hands.

The parlour

Top Collar is a state-of-the-art parlour located in the enclosed garden of our family home in Findon, West Sussex.

I use top quality products and styling tools, as well as sanitised equipment as standard.

The bath and tables are adaptable so older or arthritic dogs can easily hop (or hobble) on. There’s air conditioning too, which is ideal in the summer.

My credentials

  • Fully trained with the South Coast Dog Grooming Academy 

  • Canine First Aid certified

  • First Aid certified

  • Enhanced DBS

  • Fully insured