Successful businesswoman, Claire Hyde of Blackwood, used to dream of working with animals and for herself. With the right training, she has made that dream come true, and opened her own dog grooming parlour and training school – "Classic Canine Cuts".

Claire’s love of animals had been part of her working life long before dog grooming. For 13 years, she was a serving police officer specialising in Animal Law.

"I changed career after 13 years and have never looked back," says Claire. "I believe that if you want a career with animals, particularly dogs, there is no other more hands-on than grooming."

Claire took the initiative to get qualified in the art of dog grooming, and subsequently was able to open her own grooming parlour in Blackwood. So successful was the move, that the business won a "New Business of the Year" award from Caerphilly County Borough. But Claire’s ambition didn’t stop there…

"Following numerous enquiries from people on how to become a dog groomer, I then started Wales’ first dog grooming school," she says. Claire and her team of three staff now provide intensive grooming courses to others who want to make a living from grooming dogs, awarding OCN qualifications in Dog Grooming.

As a trainer herself, Claire recognises more than most the benefits of training and getting the right skills. "Training and development is crucial to my business, and we frequently hold staff meetings where training needs are identified," she says.

Since doing the SkillCheck, Claire has become a Lantra approved training provider, bringing increased interest in her full-time grooming courses as a direct result. As each course costs £2,500, that has meant increased income for Claire’s business.

One of Claire’s employees has also gone on to pursue a qualification in grooming and is aiming to get her assessor award. Claire then hopes that "Classic Canine Cuts" will become an approved City and Guilds Assessment Centre.

But for the moment, Claire is definitely happy with her career choice. "The most satisfying and rewarding part of my job is happy dogs and happy owners!" she concludes.