Classy Clips Dog Grooming Salon and Boutique was established in 1984 by owner/operator/groomer Sandy Orford CMG with the help of her husband/bath-boy Bob Chopey. Sandy was an established professional dog handler and wanted to open up a grooming salon that offered show trims and expert scissor finishes that she was known for in the show ring.The shop has stayed in the same area for 25 years and has established a clientele of over 2 generations!

Classy Clips started off as a small salon with one groomer and a bather to four full-time staff and Sandy's daughters, Beth and Courtney, coming in to help out part-time as well. It is a family run business with the dog's and owner's well-being put first with professional services and quality that people have come to expect.

Sandy was the #1 groomer in Canada for 2003-2004, competing in the World Grooming Competition for that year as Team Camptain. She placed 4th in the world with an American Cocker in the sporting class. In 2007, Snady qualified for the World Grooming Champtionship and won 2nd with an English Cocker in the sporting class. She has won many "Best in Shows" and "Best All-Round Groomers" throughout Canada, as well as being an IPG Certified Master Groomer, IPG Certifier and a Grooming Competition Judge.

As well as being invloved in grooming and handling in the show ring, Sandy is working towards her Canadian Kennel Club Judging Permit, while her daughters are quickly becoming known for their handling. Beth won the 2006 Manitoba Junior Handling Provincials with a 7 month old Airedale Puppy who had never been in a dog show before, and for Beth, it was her first time competiting at the Provincial level. Although Courtney was not as involved in the Junior Showmanship Ring as Beth, she became more interested in showing and conditioning her own dogs, including her Pomeranian, Bunny, whom she handled to her Canadian Championship when Courtney was 10.

Staff The staff at Classy Clips are all IPG Certified Groomers (International Pet Groomers Association) with their certification levels ranging. Sandy is a Certified Master Groomer and Certifier for I.P.G. There are four full-time staff who enjoy the different areas of dogs, including showing, handling, obedience, breeding and Shutzhund training. Sandy is also a member of CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) IPG, and the Canadian Shih Tzu Club.

View Sandy's Bio

Sandy Orford was born to a non-showing home, but took an interest at the age of 16, holding Poodle noses for handlers. Some of her first breeds that she showed and owned were Airedale Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Shih Tzus and Pomeranians. She was an assistant for Elaine Mitchell for seven years before becoming a Professional All-Breed Dog Handler.

Sandy opened her own grooming salon, Classy Clips Inc. 1984 with a hand from her bath-boy-boyfriend, Bob, who has stayed by her side every since. They had two children, Beth and Courtney, who are actively involved in the Dog Show scene, assisting for handlers and helping out at the Grooming Salon. Once the children were older, Sandy took an interest in Dog Grooming Competitions, competing and winning top awards at the World Grooming Competition 2005, 2007 and 2009, as well as becoming a Certified Master Groomer.

Within recent years her oldest daughter, Beth, got a Shih Tzu from Shaunna Bernardin, winning the 2004 National Specialty and sparking an interest between the two to breed and show Shih Tzus. Since then, they have multiple Canadian and American Championships, Best Puppy in Groups, Group Placings and a Best Puppy in Show!

Sandy works with Bernice Lucas of Dalnavert Kennels showing Bichons. She has won Reserve Best In Show's, Group First's and multiple Group Placings with their shared breedings. Her most recent starts have been DeeDee, Hugsy and Tony. Sandy and Tony just won the only Award of Merit at the Bichon National Specialty this past summer.

Between showing and grooming, Sandy is working on her CKC Judging Licence and hopes to have a future on the otherside of the ring. She also loves collecting antiques, drawings and is working towards her Fine Arts degree.

View Beth and Courtney's Bios

Beth's Bio

Beth started her interest in dogs by being raised in a pile of hair at the Grooming Salon. At the salon, she began washing and folding dog towels then graduated to bathing , blow-drying and grooming as she got older. She is now a Certified Groomer with IPG.

She was Manitoba's Top Junior Handler in 2006 and has assisted Professional Dog Handlers in the US and Canada. She has been more active in the dog show ring, showing for select clients as well as working towards her Commerce Degree at University of Manitoba. Beth has won multiple Group First's, Group Placements and a Best Puppy in Show with her Shih Tzu, Kitty. Sandy and Beth have been working together with the Shih Tzu's, showing their breedings to Championships in both Canada and the USA.

Courtney's Bio

Courtney as well, started out by being raised in dog hair at the salon. She has mastered bathing and drying, as well as learning to finish dogs. Courtney has won many firsts in Junior Handling competitions, finished her own Pomeranian when both were very young and got the Canadian Champion title on her Toy Poodle, Dixie. She has assisted Professional Dog Handlers in the US and Canada, and is the best assistant to her sister, Beth.

With her Toy Poodle, Dixie, Courtney is part of the Prairie Toy Fanciers Association. She hopes in the future to be back in the show ring with a Brussells Griffon, and to retire her Dixie into a short trim coloured pink!

Courtney has gone to University of Manitoba to work towards her Fine Arts degree, and being even more creative with her hair. She has been a hair model multiple times, and has even been featured on the cover of a hair magazine.

View Staff Bios

Brenda

Brenda has worked for Classy Clips over 13 years and is a Certified Groomer. She breeds and shows German Shepards, as well as worked and trained with tio Schutzhund kennels in Holland and Germany. One of her shephard girls, “Bruja,” had her Schutzhund 3 KKL1A title, and her other girl, “Sunny,” had attained her C.D. Title in obedience.

Barb

Barb has worked at Classy Clips for over 10 years now! She is a Certified Groomer and is a “Best Groomer in Show” winner. She has two lovely children, a daughter named Lilly, and a son, Lucas. Barb is part of the Shih Tzu family as well, owning one of Sandy's puppies, Daphne, a Canadian Champion!

Crystal

Crystal is the newest member of the Classy Clips crew, and she has been with us for a wonderful 3 years. Crystal is very at home with the creativity needed for dog grooming and has become a master at colouring dogs!

As well as working at the shop, Crystal is actively involved in the movie business, working behind the camera on movie sets. She has been a Set Manager, worked designing sets, special effects makeup, and varioius aspects of the industry.