Bromley Cross dog training creche set to open as salon shuts

Estilo in Darwen Road will close next month to be transformed into Paws For Thought which will train up to five dogs at a time.

Leah Kellett, who opened the hair salon a decade ago, started studying canine behaviour after one of her rescue dog was not responding to training.

Sean, a stray, would react out of fear to other dogs and although there was no history on him, his behaviour and scars suggested he had been attacked in the past.

Miss Kellett is now qualified in canine first aid, puppy training and is currently doing a masters in canine behaviour management.

She said: “My idea is to help people. Having worked and now owning rescue dogs, I want to try and help people have well-behaved and mannered dogs so they do not end up in rescue centres or become a problem to their or anyone else’s lives.”

The Bromley Cross business owner has struggled to keep the firm afloat by herself after her colleague left to open another salon back in March.

She later decided to leave the trade, which she said is becoming saturated, and make her pastime profession into a full-time job.

The dog enthusiast decided to name her new business Paws for Thought because she “paused for thought” before embarking on her studies to help Sean.

But the plans have not come without controversy as rumours that Miss Kellett was opening kennels spread in the neighbourhood.

She said: “I had to put a few things right with the objections I got towards this by informing the concerned residents that in fact I am not opening kennels but a dog training facility holding just a small number of dogs.

“I do not wish to cause any nuisance to anybody but merely just to help people train their dogs so they have manners and obedience.”

Miss Kellett already runs training classes from Monday to Wednesday while running the salon.

Estilo will shut on August 9 and work towards the new venture will start immediately.

The planning application is awaiting determination.