Mrs Stringer is a relief school teacher by trade, working at schools across western Victoria. 

Mrs Stringer said she had started the dog grooming business, called Edenhope Pawfection, as a side project because she is currently on maternity leave. 

“I needed something to do at home to make a bit of money but also spend time with my boys,” she said. 

Mrs Stringer said the business launch was a return to a previous career. 

“I worked in the pet industry for about seven years while I was studying to be a teacher, so I went with that,” Mrs Stringer said. 

“I did a course, got my certificate and started grooming.” 

Mrs Stringer said it was not a requirement to have a certificate to start operating a pet grooming salon. 

But she said she would prefer to be able to prove her credentials to customers if she were asked. 

Mrs Stringer said her mother loved dogs. 

“My mum always wanted a poodle and as soon as she got one, I decided I need one, too,” she said. 

“I went with a standard poodle which prompted me to want to do the grooming professionally again.” 

The salon has had success in Edenhope.

Mrs Stringer said she had welcomed people from as far as Horsham and Naracoorte travelling to Edenhope to have their dogs groomed through her business. 

“I didn’t really know how many dogs were around that needed the services but I’ve managed to get people from Horsham, Nhill, Naracoorte and Bordertown coming to me,” she said. 

“It’s worth it. They love what I do.” 

Mrs Stringer said Edenhope Pawfection was open seven days a week, by appointment. 

She said she worked weekends and public holidays. 

Pawfection Edenhope’s headquarters are already in the process of going through a makeover.

The salon currently operates from the Stringer house.

“We’re in the process of building a separate salon out the back of our property to do my grooming out of it and have a little showroom for products which is very exciting,” Mrs Stringer said. 

Mrs Stringer hopes her separate salon is up and running before the summer period starts in 2018. 

She said that would allow her to provide walk-in appointments to clients. 

Mrs Stringer said the level of grooming a dog required could depend on its breed.

She said the amount of home grooming done by the owner could also factor into the frequency of grooming the dogs required.