Located in Enmore and surrounded by cafés, restaurants, and boutique retail stores, Hair of the Dog opened its doors in 2019. In 2020, Hair of the Dog was a finalist for ‘Outstanding New Business’ at the Inner West Local Business Awards, a feat Leonie, owner of the dog salon, proudly displays on her front window. Before Hair of the Dog, Leonie managed a successful hairdressing salon for five years. Leonie jokes about how much more she enjoys tending to dogs and that managing a dog grooming business was less stressful and more rewarding.

I first met Leonie in late 2020 when I brought my dog in to get groomed. Considerate and friendly, Leonie is well known around the neighbourhood, often waving hello to customers walking past her salon window. I spent a couple of days in September 2021 with Leonie and her groomers to chat about the pandemic and photograph them at work.

The COVID pandemic has seen an influx of new dog owners in Australia as record numbers of dogs have been purchased, adopted, and fostered. The demand for dog groomers has naturally grown because of this. Thankful and humble of her business’s success, Leonie explains that she could have never anticipated the outcome of the COVID pandemic and the increased business it has given. She reveals that through the continued support from her customers, Hair of the Dog has managed to remain open during the pandemic. This also meant providing ongoing employment for her staff, who she treats more like family.