Local News - December 2003

Dog groomer coddles canines like kings

Pampered pooches

By AMY WADSWORTH, Staff Writer

————————————

Teddy, a beige Pomeranian dog, gets his fur brushed. Once completed, a groomer will tie a Santa Claus bandanna  around his neck.

He will also get a pet report card on how well the visit went.

Jeff Martin has opened a grooming salon for dogs and cats in Denver called “Companions Grooming.”

The salon, located on N.C. 16, has previously housed a post office and a barber shop. It has now been transformed into an animal haven. The walls are covered with blue paw prints and the animals have to come through a fence into the grooming area.

“It gives the atmosphere of coming into a backyard,” Martin said.

After being a technical manager for an office supply company in Concord for 14 years, Martin decided to open the grooming shop.

“I have been grooming my own dog Samson for 14 years,” he said. “My mother suggested I would be good at grooming other dogs, so I took the idea and went with it.”

Martin attended Lake Norman School of Pet Grooming and is also licensed by North Carolina for removal of parasites.

His shop officially opened on Monday.

Martin said he wants his shop to focus on early drop off and late pick up.

“It is hard to find a groomer that has this,” he said. “I would like to stress this because I know it is hard with people traveling to Charlotte to work.”

He also does his grooming in an open area. Nothing is done behind closed doors.

“I treat all the animals like they are my own,” he said.

Martin says having his grooming business is like running a daycare.

“There is always a pet who is the bully of the day,” he said. “And whenever one animal gets upset, everyone else gets upset too.”

Before grooming the animal, Martin likes to spend some time with them.

“I think it is traumatic for an animal to come in here, be thrown in a cage and then on a table,” he said. “I like to spend some time talking and playing with them first.”

Eventually, Martin would like to do boarding and also move to a larger location.

For now, he is where he needs to be.

The grooming shop is located at 3835 N. N.C. 16. For more information or to make an appointment, call 704-483-4375.

 The hours of the shop are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Early drop off and late pick ups are available.
 

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

Terms and Conditions