County Durham woman wins award for thriving pet salon

Millie Mckean-Halpin, now 20, opened her dog grooming salon, The Hound Hygienist, in Lanchester last September and has already built up a strong clientele.

The young entrepreneur was recently crowned best pet care business in County Durham at the England Business Awards, which took place in Gateshead in March.

Millie Mckean-Halpin was recently crowned best pet care business in County Durham at the England Business Awards (Image: Millie Mckean-Halpin)

Millie said she decided to start her own business after struggling in traditional workplaces after being diagnosed with autism and anxiety, and wanted to put animal welfare at the heart of her work.

She said: “I worked in quite a lot of different places and a lot of the time I didn’t like being told how to look after pets, I didn’t feel that it was the right way to do it.

“When I opened my own, it was always going to be that the pet health and well-being was the priority, not targets or how many dogs you can get through the door in a day.

“I wanted somewhere calm where the dogs come first and owners feel they can really trust me with them.”

Millie, who was diagnosed with autism as a child, found school overwhelming and was later homeschooled because of her mental health.

Millie Mckean-Halpin (Image: Millie Mckean-Halpin)

She said: “I couldn’t handle school. I couldn’t handle speaking to people, big crowds, just day-to-day school life.

“It caused a lot of stress for my parents and me, and I was always told that there would never really be a place for me, and that I’d always struggle with a lot of stuff.

“But in a way, I think the things I struggle with have helped me. I see things very differently to other people, and that has actually worked in my favour with animals.”

She believes her challenges now help her in her work with anxious dogs, allowing her to read their behaviour.

The Hound Hygienist in Lanchester (Image: Millie Mckean-Halpin)

She added: “With animals, I watch their body language and how they’re feeling rather than just trying to rush them through an appointment.

“Understanding dogs has helped me loads, especially when they’re nervous. I can pick up on how they might react to getting their teeth done or being groomed and adjust what I’m doing.”

Millie began offering sedation-free teeth cleaning for dogs from her back garden in early 2025 after completing specialist training, before taking on a salon in Lanchester which she renovated and opened in September.

She specialises in non-invasive, sedation-free teeth cleaning and has treated more than 300 dogs.

The Hound Hygienist in Lanchester (Image: Millie Mckean-Halpin)

She said: “A lot of owners would leave it until the point where vets would have to sedate and take teeth out, which is really worrying for them because there is always a risk with sedation they won’t make it through.

“This is really good preventative care and owners feel trusting when I explain how it works and what they can do at home too.”

Millie said the response so far has been “a whirlwind” since opening in September.

She said: “It’s been an absolute whirlwind. I don’t think I could have asked for it to go better.

“My books are absolutely packed and I’m already looking to see if I might need to hire someone in the future.”

The Hound Hygienist in Lanchester (Image: Millie Mckean-Halpin)

Speaking about winning the County Durham title at the England Business Awards, she said she arrived with “no expectations” and had not prepared a speech.

She said: “I was so anxious, it was just me and my friend that went and I honestly thought I’d just have a nice night, a glass of gin and that would be it.

“Then they called my name and I had to go up on stage and do a little speech.

“For my age and for the difficulties that I’ve had, I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. I’m just so happy that I’ve proved a lot of people wrong and shown what I can do.”

Millie now hopes to use her experience to inspire other young people with mental health difficulties or neurodivergent conditions who struggle in education or work environments.

She said: “I wanted to help young people that have mental health issues because I think there’s so many blocks in place for people.

“If even one person can see what I’ve done and think ‘maybe there is something out there for me’ then that means a lot to me.”

The young business owner will go on to represent the region at a national England Business Awards event in Birmingham later this year.