Dog grooming business scales up with £9,000 Development Bank micro loan

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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A Monmouthshire-based dog grooming business has expanded to a fourth salon after acquiring a Chepstow rival, supported by a £9,000 micro loan from the Development Bank of Wales.

Shampooch Dog Spa, which operates salons in Monmouth, Usk and Cwmbran, completed the purchase of Chepstow-based Julie’s Mucky Pups earlier this year.

The funding, provided through the Wales Micro Loan Fund, was used to refurbish the new premises and install updated grooming equipment.

The business was taken over in 2024 by qualified dog groomer Daniel Price and offers a range of services including nail clipping, bathing, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, eye trims and full grooms for dogs of all sizes.

Daniel and partner James Ralph identified the Chepstow salon as an opportunity to build on Shampooch’s growing presence across south-east Wales.

The latest funding follows a £15,000 loan from the Development Bank last autumn, which supported the opening of the company’s Cwmbran site.

James Ralph, owner at Shampooch Dog Spa, said: “We’ve been able to grow quickly because of Dan’s experience and the reputation we’ve built up locally.

“We were very lucky to have the opportunity to take over the business in Chepstow, and the support we had from the Development Bank meant we could refit it quickly for our needs and our brand.

“We already knew the Development Bank from when we expanded to Cwmbran, and we knew they’d be able to help us with this next step in our journey as a business.”

Boni Koneti-Ash, Portfolio Monitoring Assistant at the Development Bank of Wales, said: “Dan and James have built up a fantastic business at Shampooch Dog Spa, with high levels of repeat customers and a good reputation for dog grooming locally.

“The rate at which they’ve grown in just the last year is evidence of how well-regarded they are, and we’re glad to have supported them with the next phase of their growth.”

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