A Decade of Welfare-led Grooming Care

Since 2015, Bubbly has been working towards a different kind of grooming experience — one shaped around the animal, rather than speed, volume or appearance alone.

Our impact begins with how care is designed, carried out and continually refined.

Rethinking a Successful Groom

A completed groom does not tell the full story.

Success can also mean recognising what an animal’s behaviour is communicating, working within their window of tolerance, and supporting an experience that does not make future care harder.

This has shaped capacity-based sessions, care guided by cooperative care and FAS management, and post-groom planning with guardians.

  • “Every session is calmly paced around Truffle’s needs. Over time, he has stopped crouching in fear throughout the groom. He is still cautious, but that progress means the world to me.”
    Sha (Truffle & Waffle's Guardian)

From Gentle Handling to Informed Care

What began as a commitment to gentler handling has evolved into a science-informed approach shaped by behaviour, learning theory and welfare.

Ongoing learning through Fear Free®, Low-Stress Handling® and workshops with veterinarians, force-free trainers and animal physiotherapists continues to deepen how we understand behaviour, support choice and agency, and respond to physical comfort.

Meaningful Changes for Animals

Around 70% of our clients, more than 500 dogs and cats, have shown reduced fear, anxiety and stress during grooming, including shifts from FAS* 4–5 to below 3.

For Winter, a Japanese Spitz, persistent barking, lunging and tension gradually gave way to more relaxed body language, less vocalisation and greater engagement across sessions.

This is what becomes possible when grooming is treated as an ongoing relationship, not a single task.

*Fear Free®’s FAS scale measures fear, anxiety and stress during care; higher scores indicate greater distress.

Advancing the Conversation

Beyond the grooming table, Bubbly advances welfare-led grooming through guardian education, professional learning and industry dialogue.

To date, we have:

  • reached 1,000+ guardians through grooming engagements, drives, workshops and seminars
  • engaged 20+ grooming and animal-care professionals
  • delivered 20+ talks, workshops and learning sessions
  • contributed to conversations across 2 countries

The goal is to make behaviour-informed, welfare-led care more visible and achievable across the industry.

  • “Before Bubbly, I carried difficult grooming cases alone. The training gave me practical skills, confidence and a trusted mentor who shares the same welfare-first values. That support has made me a better groomer.”
    Dyea, Mama Cat Grooming Studio and Mobile

Supporting the Wider Good

Through charity grooming, hands-on volunteering and skills-based education, we have supported 10+ animal and community organisations, and contributed 100+ volunteer hours.

These include AVS, SPCA, ACRES, CDAS and others across welfare, veterinary care and rehabilitation.