Founder History
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​My name is Marie Barker and i am the founder of Absolutely Barkers Grantham.
In 2017 i opened the company with a goal in mind of safety, security and a loving fun environment for dogs to thrive in, we were praised by our local council for bringing something new to the table with a different type of home care environment for dogs, this is because we have included seasonal activity changes for the dogs, indoor soft play, outdoor play areas, ball pit, pools, sensory garden and more.
Dogs receive a mix of activities and social interactions during their time with us alongside basic training, myself and the team are always further developing our skills as handlers through CPD accredited courses to push the boundaries of pet care even further.
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My original love for animals began when i was 15, i started out as most young children do caring for hamsters and Guinea pigs through my childhood which grew into a high passion of mine to provide the best setups and care above regulated guidance, before i began working in the pet care industry my weekends could be found makinig my Guinea pigs hutches from scratch with my dad or making new platforms and play areas for the animals.
Over the summer months when staying at my grandparents in allington i would always be stuck in with gardening and learning about nutrition for ourselves and my pets and visiting the local farm to spend time with the horses and sheep to learn more about other aspects of animal care.
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Outside of the company my hobbies include Professional photography, gaming, diy projects, camping, gardening and exploring........ needless to say the dogs benefit from some of these hobbies themselves, myself, partner and cousin have created the dogs outside play areas ourselves from scratch and are always thinking of new ideas and projects for the dogs enjoyment.
Company History
Absolutely Barkers first opened its doors on the 1st of July 2017 with dog daycare being the only service offered by the company after obtaining our licence from South kesteven district council in June 2017.
Fast forward to December 2018 where we had been accepted for our overnight dog boarding licence by South Kesteven district council after a year of high customer requests for this service to be offered due to the nature of our setup and quality of care, this now ment that from January 2019 we were able to offer overnight holiday care as part of our services.
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At the start of 2019 we had began planning the opening of our new dog walking department and branching out to welcome on new members to the company, this was several months before covid-19 hit fully. As the world went into lockdown and we had already built a register of dog care customers the company quickly responded to the emergency to help provide care for those vulnerable and working in the emergency services, covid-19 protocols were put into place and new health and safety regulations brought out which meant we could still operate during lockdown to support those that needed it most.
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After covid-19 and lockdowns were lifted the company underwent and massive transformation from 2021-2023 with full outdoor facility renovations and play area renovations, we also spent 3 years planning new services, new activity and training plans for your dogs all to include a new level of mental and physical stimulation for your dogs during our care.
We cater for all ages and sizes of dogs due to the careful planning that has been put into place during this time.
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December 2023 we officially opened our Online store which was a massive hit with the community as our goal is to provide high quality products at an affordable price to help those in need with their pets.
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In 2025 we have began to reform and reshape the company by pushing the standards of pet care even higher, all members within the company must hold a pet care qualification or have pet care experience prior to Joining the team and have a devotion to learn and progress their skills further whilst following up to date positive and balanced training methods and following the guidance for animal welfare, Marie, Jake and Jasmine are now following their individual dreams by perusing more CPD accredited courses to further their knowledge base and training to further the company's quality of care offered.
