About Us
Golding Barn Grooming Academy was established in November 2024 by two local groomers, Teresa and Linda.
Teresa
After many years in a high-pressure career, I decided to embrace a lifestyle change. Having been a long-time breeder and owner of working English Springer Spaniels, I naturally transitioned into becoming a home boarder and dog walker. This path eventually led me to pursue professional dog grooming. From the very first day of training, I fell in love with grooming and knew I had finally found my true calling.
Since then, I’ve never looked back. I earned my Level 2 qualification in dog grooming, followed by a distinction in the City & Guilds (C&G) Level 3 Grooming and Salon Management diploma.
For several years, I happily groomed dogs from home. When the opportunity arose to start my own school, everything fell into place. I was fortunate enough to partner with Linda, my former grooming lecturer and now a dear friend, to embark on this exciting journey.
Passing on the skills of empathetic, force-free grooming to the next generation of groomers is a gift. At Golding Barn Grooming Academy, our goal is to provide a calm, supportive environment for both dogs and students. Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, our salon prioritises kindness and compassion in every aspect of grooming.
When I’m not working, I spend my free time with my four working English Springer Spaniels: Fern (14), Maya (9), Misty (6), and Mabel (4). I also enjoy caring for our other four-legged family members, including our two horses, Flo and Jez.
​​Linda
My passion for working with dogs began in childhood when I was given my first dog, an Australian Terrier. This passion grew stronger as I moved on to owning Border Collies, which I trained for sheep trialling and agility while living in Australia.
After moving to the UK, my first dog, Rocky—a Collie/Poodle mix—was the inspiration behind my grooming journey. His shaggy coat, combined with his delightful Poodle characteristics, sparked my love for the breed. Soon after, I brought home Buster, my first Standard Poodle, as a puppy and realised I needed to learn more about grooming. I began working in a busy salon, mastering bathing and drying, before pursuing formal training and a career change.
Buster and Rita, my first two Poodles, marked the start of my journey. Today, my companions, Raven and Marvel, allow me to continue exploring a wide variety of grooming styles. I hold a Level 3 City & Guilds Diploma in Grooming and Salon Management, along with a Pet Stylist Award, both achieved with distinction.
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve had the pleasure of showing Raven at Crufts and competing with Buster in grooming competitions. I also owned and ran my own salon, Presentable Pooches, for nearly a decade. However, after the challenges of lockdown, I decided to close the salon and pursue a deeper understanding of dog behaviour, while sharing my grooming knowledge by teaching.
As a certified Tellington TTouch Practitioner, I’ve gained valuable tools to help dogs that are nervous or fearful of grooming. Combining my training with my love of grooming, I became a teacher at a college, where I taught students how to integrate behaviour training with grooming.
Meeting Teresa was serendipitous, and together, we decided to combine our skills and shared vision for compassionate, skillful grooming. Golding Barn Grooming Academy is the result of that vision—a place where kindness, skill, and empathy are at the heart of everything we do.