Duke the Great Dane is one very lucky dog. What more could a dog want than to be adopted from a dogs’ home by a caring new owner, then to live out the rest of his life in the lap of luxury. Duke has just celebrated his eighth birthday with his owner, who happens to be a most amazing and talented person.
Dog groomer par excellence, Angel Moore, is the person every dog owner wants to have taking care of their dog when it’s time for a shampoo and haircut, so Duke certainly landed lucky. When it comes to pampering your pooch you can’t get any better than at Barking Barbers of Manchester, owned by Angel.
On the east side of the city, it is a hidden gem of a business that could be described as dog heaven, and a place that over 300 loving dog
owners make a point of visiting every week.
Angel is an unassuming man, who ensures that from the minute you walk into his barbers your pet is treated like royalty. Nothing is too much trouble.
As a leading teacher with the internationally renowned Jane Packer School of Floristry, Angel was at the top of his game, but something was missing.
He wanted to do more with his life, and that involved dogs. He said good-bye to the world of tulips and begonias and booked himself onto a local dog grooming course. Shortly after starting the course and realising this was what he had been looking for to use his talents, he embarked on a reiki course and and has just completed his masters.
Angel’s quest for a job he would love, and be able to combine with a positive contribution to the canine world, was to turn out to be the best thing to happen to dog grooming.
After winning a £10,000 business award Angel moved his (then mobile) business into his current premises, which is now the hub of his
company.
Healing
As you step foot over the threshold of Barking Barbers you feel an instant, calming atmosphere. With the very colourful interior you could swear you were back in the ’60s and flower power was still the rage. But the difference is that this pet boutique is far from stuck in a time warp.
Whilst the shop smells of incense and has a very tranquil and relaxing feel and layout to it, this is nothing like what you would expect from a dog groomer.
Not only does Angel groom your dog, but as a qualified reiki master, he can impart healing to your naughty or emotionally stressed pet which also works well on you the
customer.
His boutique has the usual dog treats and pet food, but one of the many things that sets this apart from the rest is that it sells its very own exclusive brand of dog shampoos and conditioners. Made in Devon especially for Barking Barbers and using only the finest of essential oils of lavender for healing, rosemary for antidepressant and flea repellent with patchouli and evening primrose to give shine and moisturise your dog’s coat and skin. At £5.99 for a concentrated 250gms, this exclusive shampoo is a steal!
Very little about the shop leads you to believe that you are in an ordinary groomers. Julie, one of BB’s long-standing clients explains: ‘He (Angel) is just fantastic and the best I have ever been to. He cares so much for his clients; from the minute you walk in, you know your pet is in very safe and experienced hands. I bring my little Westie, Nell, in here every six weeks and at £25 per visit it is a bargain.
‘I used to go to someone else before I found Angel and they told me Nell was a troublemaker, yet when I first found Angel and he used to visit me at home, he told me Nell was nothing of the sort, she just needed handling differently. [Angel] has a magic touch with his dogs and I just wouldn’t even consider going anywhere else.’
Having spoken to a few of Angel’s clients they all say the same thing.
When asked why Julie brings her dog to BB she says: ‘The one thing that really impressed me right from the start was that he (Angel) cares so much for mine and others dog that you just love bringing your pet to him. And they love him as well.’
It doesn’t take long for Nell to get dirty again Julie tells me. Nell on the other hand gives me a sniff, wags her tail fast enough to cause a draft and parades around the place to show off her nice new “do”. Nell is an adorable, friendly and very lively seven-year old Westie.
Pride Dog Show
Angel finishes his last appointment and at last sits down with me to tell me of his connection with Manchester Dogs’ Home, and why he has just signed a three year contract to work with them.
“They do such vital work and service that it is hard to believe they have been going since 1893. Not enough people know about their work and I make a point of helping as much as I can,” says a now relaxed Angel.
This year he has taken on the whole organisation of The Pride Dog show on 22 August in Sackville Park as part of the Pride fringe celebration events co-ordinated by Nicola Fisher of Pride and themed The land of Toto.
This year Pride is expecting about 250 to 300 people and their dogs to take part. With red carpets, prizes for campest pooch, prettiest bitch, photography, microchipping and much much more, this year’s event promises to be an event not to be missed this August.
Jackie Crozier, Manchester Pride festival Director added: "We had the first Pink Dog Show back in 2007 and one year, I think it was in 2008, someone actually dyed their dog pink for the event – not recommended! Some dress up their dogs and a few dress up AS their dogs. It’s a really fabulous day.”
Not only is Angel organising this year’s Pride Dog Show, by way of supporting the dogs’ home, but he is also covering all the associated expense so that the dogs’ home can use its resources in other ways.
This dog owner not only cares about his own dog – who,
incidentally, was having dinner out, a long run and play on Formby beach for his birthday – but he is passionate about giving great service to his clients and looking after their dogs. In this day and age a very rare commodity.
Lisa Graham, manager of the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home told me: “Angel is just great; he helps us out and works with us so much that we wonder where he finds the time. But he does and that’s great. He has a way with dogs that is just amazing.”
Maternity wing!
Some 10 years ago the dogs’ home was needing more space so bought a property in Knutsford in Cheshire, to create its very own “maternity wing’ where all the
pregnant and mothers with puppies are taken to.
With a capacity of 600 and an average of about 350 dogs at any one time it is difficult to see how the dogs’ home copes, let alone Angel. Luckily, some 250 dogs do get adopted and only the dogs who the dogs’ home cannot support medically or the aggressive ones are euthanised. The relationship Angel has with the dogs’ home is a favoured approach that Lisa works to. Lisa says: “We want to encourage more people to work in partnership with us and so help each other in a mutually beneficial way.
‘We work with eight different councils and deal with strays or the dogs that people just throw out onto the street because they don’t want to or can’t afford vet’s bills as the dogs become older.”
Having met Angel and Lisa you can see straight away that the chemistry works well between the respective businesses and is a good lesson for others to learn.
Does this reporter have a dog? No! One thing however is for sure: if he did there is certainly only one grooming boutique to go to and that would be Barking Barbers.
An incredible experience!
Lions and tigers . . . And dogs? Oh my!
Report on the Manchester Pride Dogs Show
in Sackville Park, Sunday 22 August 2010
by Philip Woolley
Months of planning and organising paid off on Sunday 22 August when the ribbon was cut announcing this year’s Pride Pink Dogs Show, allowing everyone to walk down the red carpet, with Cruella De Ville and Viva La Diva
hosting.
This year’s theme of “the land of Oz” encouraged 1,000 people and their dogs to turn up and with the help of the good witch Glenda to ensure that the weather stayed fine, it had all the makings for a great day out. People from across the country made their way to Sackville gardens in the heart of the gay village for a bit of campery and fun with their stunning pooches.
Angel Moore, from barking Barbers, who were organising this year’s event on behalf of Manchester and Cheshire dogs’ Home, said: “We have had a fantastic response to this year’s event, with some great entries, and we are already looking forward to next year’s even bigger dog show.”
Manchester Dogs’ Home received £915 from this year’s event with Pickles, the show’s mascot, making sure all went well and that everyone had a great time.
Surprise visitor was Jennie McAlpine (who plays Fizz in Coronation Street). She presented the “Six Legged” prize and stayed to pose with pickles.
Doggy bags provided by sponsors James Wellbeloved were given out to 200 lucky owners. Main prizes were awarded to: Biggie, an English Bull Terrier, owned by Jad for The King of Show and to Fifi, a Miniature Poodle, owned by Bernie Owens for Queen of show.
Check out: www.pinkdogshow.co.uk/what-is-on.html
