A HAWICK dog breeder is seeking permission to convert old agricultural buildings on her farm into kennels for her 35 dogs.

Claire Nowicka-Price, of Carlenrig Farm, to the south of Teviothead, has applied to Scottish Borders Council for permission to use her farm buildings as a kennel and grooming salon for her dogs, and stables for her horses. 

Mrs Nowicka-Price uses the money from selling puppies to pay for show competitions, where she competes with her poodles, and is currently selling chocolate ‘spoodles’ for £895 on pets4homes.co.uk

In a supporting statement, Mrs Nowicka-Price writes: “My horses are only private/pleasure use with no business attached. 

“I have five in total at the moment, three that I compete with in dressage and two aged, retired horses. Due to their breed they all require stabling during the winter months. 

“The grooming salon/treatment room is solely for private use on my own dogs.

“We have around 35 dogs at the moment, all owned by ourselves, whom we intend to house within the steading buildings.

“Seventeen of these are male dogs and not breeding bitches. I show my poodles and my husband trials his gundogs. This is for pleasure only.

“Our business is selling our pups which pays for the upkeep, training, and competing of all our dogs. 

“We have been a registered business for some years and have always been a licenced breeding kennels, established 24 years at a previous address, known as Abergwenllan. 

“We do not carry out any day care or boarding so the only visitors to our home are to visit pups when we have them. 

“This is very variable as we can go months without any pups at all.”

The application will now be deliberated upon by Scottish Borders Council planning officers.