Dogs will be taking a butcher's with no paws for thought in Peebles

Janine has operated Paws Perfect by Janine in Newtongrange for the last three years, building up a loyal client base.

But she lives in Peebles and decided that she wanted to move the business to her home town.

After seeking advice on social media she found a perfect outlet – the former WTS Forsyth and Sons butcher’s premises at 17 to 19 Old Town.

Now she’s planning to move into the vacant premises, which has been closed for more than a year, next month.

Janine said: “I’ve groomed for about 20 years and I had a salon in Edinburgh and then opened a salon in Newtongrange. I’ve been here for three years but I live in Peebles.

"Forsyth’s moved to another shop at the other side of Peebles, at Eastgate, and their former premises has been empty for more than a year.

"I put a post on the Peebles pages asking if anybody knew of any shops or units to rent and a couple of people messaged me to say that the old Forsyth’s butchers shop hadn’t been closed for quite some time. I contacted the owner and he was quite happy for me to rework it as a groomers.

"I just cut dogs hair, so owners bring their dog in for a bath, groom, haircut, nails trim, just a wee spruce up. People like to male sure that their dogs are at their best and that they are comfortable. I’m not into the fancy colourings and all of that, just the standard grooming procedures really.

"It’s a a good location, beside a vets. Everybody in Peebles seems to have dogs and is out walking them, so it’s easily accessible without a car and there’s lot to do in Peebles. Sometimes an appointment can take up to two hours and there’s plenty places to go to have a coffee or get something to eat and then pop back to pick the dog up.”

Ironically, Janine’s dog does not require any of her handiwork.

She explained: "I have just one dog myself now. I has four but they all got old and have passed. Believe it or not my own dog, Fernando, is a hairless Chinese crested, so he doesn’t really require my help. I am signing the lease on the property Monday next week and I’m ideally hoping to be open sometime in December.”