Bel's Short 'N Fluffy Grooming Service

Bel's Short 'N Fluffy Grooming Service is a small home-based dog salon in Landsdale, in Perth's northern suburbs, run by Bel - a former veterinary nurse who trained in dog grooming under Wendy Reid at The Dog Shed. The name says the most distinctive thing about the work: rather than simply running clippers over a coat, Bel scissors and styles, aiming to keep a dog short and easy to maintain while still looking cute, elegant and fashionable.

The salon is set up as a calm, cage-free home environment where dogs are groomed one at a time and never left alone. Every dog is hand washed and hand dried by the groomer - cage drying is never used - with brushing, encouragement and praise throughout, so even pets that are nervous of the dryer can settle. Visitors are greeted by Bel's own toy poodle, Nakita, who helps introduce each dog to the salon. The focus is firmly on small companion dogs: Bel specialises in poodles, bichons and all small breeds, and works on dogs up to about 15kg rather than large breeds.

With a one-on-one approach and a vet-nursing background that means each groom doubles as a coat, skin, ear and nail check, this is a good fit for owners who want unhurried, gentle care for a small or anxious dog.