Hayley Allen, founder of new pet grooming parlour Shampooches, in Southend, was a people person before she became a dog person. 
As a team-leader for South Essex Homes, Southend Council’s housing arm, she dealt directly with residents who had issues to raise. 
Hayley, 45, said: “I just loved it. You listened to what the residents told you. You put things they asked for into effect. You got results.” 
Previous jobs, as a PA in London, and on the MOD firing ranges, also involved dealing directly with people. 
It might seem a long jump from housing to hounds, but for Hayley there is a clear connection. 
She says: “It is very much about the way you deal with the owners, as well as how you deal with the dogs. 
“In both jobs, my ethos has been to be absolutely straight with people. I take this approach to my customers at Shampooch, just as I did with residents when I was working in housing.” 
One innovation introduced by Hayley, in her bid to be open with customers, stands out in particular. 
“She works directly behind the shop window. It means that her handiwork is quite literally transparent. 
The idea of starting her own dog grooming business came to Hayley from her previous experiences as a customer. 
She was less than satisfied with the treatment given to her own miniature Yorkie, Clio. 
She says: “I wanted to guarantee other dog owners the sort of treatment I would want my own dog to receive.”
Many dog owners appreciate the chance to check up. 
She says: “Owners will sometimes leave their dog, and say that they’re going off shopping, but then a bit later you’ll see them sneaking past to take a look.”
Hayley also provides a one-to-one service. 
“The dog in the shop with me is the only one, unless they’ve come in as part of a family of dogs,” she says. 
The dog grooming business was started with redundancy money Hayley received when she lost her job at South Essex Homes. She says: “I could have reapplied,  but I thought, no, it’s time to actually live the dream and start my own business.” 
Hayley studied dog grooming under a very experienced teacher, Denise Westbrook.  Having qualified at the first stage, she is now on advanced Level 3 of the NVQ exams. 
She says: “It’s quite tough. For instance you have to learn the Latin names for all those mites and fleas that can affect dogs.” 
Some things however, cannot be learned from study – only by practice has Hayley has become adept at reading “dog body language”. 
She says: “Sometimes a dog may be a bit grumpy or stressed, and the important thing is to allow them a bit of space. By dealing with them on a one-to-one basis, you have time to get it right.”