I always knew I wanted to work with animals. As a child I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I got older my interests became geared towards wildlife rehabilitation. I even applied to and was accepted to a college specifically geared towards that but we couldn’t afford it. When I was 19 I was looking to go to a community college and prepare myself for vet school in a larger city so I could work my way through school. I inquired at several veterinary clinics who were only looking for people with experience. One office told me to check with the pet salons. Having never had dogs as a child, I knew nothing about grooming. I got halfway through the 40 or so grooming salons when one told me to come in for an interview. I was hired and had no idea what I was getting myself into.
That was June of 1995.
I fell in love with my work. I worked under a wonderful team of groomers and learned valuable skills from each of them. When I branched out I took those skills and learned even more. I developed my own style, honed my skills and still search out ways to improve my knowledge and skills. When I opened my business in 2015, I was tired of working for people who didn’t share my philosophy for pet grooming. I had my own approach and needed the freedom to groom the way I felt comfortable with.
I consider myself a holistic groomer. Holistic grooming means looking your pet as a whole, rather than just focusing on 1 or 2 aspects of the pet. Yes, there are some groomers who only focus on the bath and haircut. My first priority is the pets well-being. Dogs are not just pets, they are our friends. I talk to them as such. The key to a successful grooming is to have a dog that is mentally and physically comfortable in our salon. And that takes trust and attention to their needs.
I always tell people I want dogs to walk out of my salon happy to come back. I want them to associate me with a positive experience. I want them to like me. I know this can’t be the case for every dog as some dogs have trauma or other issues, but for most dogs this is a place they enjoy coming to. They go home feeling as good as they look.
I have built an environment that is comfortable for your pets. I always get compliments on how homey our salon feels. Not only is this my home away from home, but pets are more comfortable in a home like setting. Some even try to sneak into our kitchen if given the opportunity.
One thing that has always been important to me, and something I learned back in 1995, is what we use on the pets. My original employer was very natural in her use of products. I took what I have learned from her and have done my own research as well. I do this for both myself, my staff and your pets. Our hands are in these products all day every day and I promise everything we use is gentle enough for us to use on ourselves daily. We have several shampoos to fit your pet’s skin and coat needs.
I also advocate owner education. Open communication with your pets groomer is very important to your pets well being. I will always be up front and honest about your pets experience and relay to you all health or behavioral observations we have made. If you ever have any questions or concerns or just want general information on bettering your pets health and wellbeing, feel free to ask.
We hope you and your pets enjoy their visits to our salon and we appreciate you coming back and recommending us to your friends.
~ Nicole
Hi there;
I was reading about your grooming business, and thought I would reach out to you; let you know I admire your parenting style, and business style! We are in Laguna Beach, California, and make the world’s most beautiful pet bowls. They are one of a kind, hand painted bowls for our furry loved ones. Lead free, food/water safe. We paint all sorts of breeds of dogs, as well as make custom order pieces for customers who with to have their own pet painted. Please let me know if you are interested in carrying some of our products in your Botique! Pictures to follow.