Day spa for dogs

Love for animals inspire area groomers to keep dogs looking and feeling good

By Alicia Carmichael, acarmichael@bgdailynews.com — 270-783-3234

Friday, May 14, 2004

One day a month, Gayle Westerman takes her 4-year-old Shih Tzu named Bandit into a local doggie day spa for a little tender lovin care. At TLC Grooming on U.S. 31-W By-Pass, Bandit gets bathed with special Hydro Surge hoses, made so dogs can get comforting jets of water and suds sprayed on them in a therapeutic way. Then he is dried and carefully groomed. At the other groomer I took him to, he shook like he was having a seizure because he was so scared, Westerman said. He doesnt shake one bit with Tracy Irvin, who owns TLC Grooming, she added. It means a lot when you leave your dog and hes not shaking to death. Irvin has loved dogs all her life. But the former secretary didnt decide to work with them until a couple years ago, after the doctor she was working for moved away, leaving her without a job. Irvin thought about making dog grooming a career because shed always wanted to groom her own dog, Panda, but hadnt had much luck learning to do it by reading books or watching videos. In 2002, Irvin took the first step toward becoming a dog groomer by enrolling at Nash Academy of Animal Arts in Lexington, where she graduated in December 2002 after undergoing 600 hours of study. Last spring she opened TLC, and has loved the job ever since. To make (dogs) look like theyre supposed to look, as best I can, is fun, Irvin said. And I love the dogs personalities. Theyre like children. Well, they are children. Theyre peoples babies. Cheri Hodge-Wilcox, owner ofBest Friends Pooch Parlor on Scottsville Road, feels the same way about her job, and she loves to make doggies feel good. When you see dogs that are horribly matted, they feel terrible, she said. But when you get that off them and give them the Hydro-Surge, they feel wonderful. Theyre hopping out of here. Hodge-Wilcox began working in the pet grooming business in 1980, when she was 19. Her first job, as a dog bather, was at a now long-gone shop where she apprenticed under a pet groomer. She got the job as part of a government program that found jobs to match peoples interests, and immediately loved it. It was just like helping out the helpless, she said. After the grooming shop she worked in closed, Hodge-Wilcox worked at several other places. She opened her own shop seven years ago. She now cant imagine doing anything else, even though the life of a groomer isnt always easy. The (average) career span of a groomer is five years, she said. They usually burn out. For a dog groomer, there are occasional scratches and bites to contend with. Then, there is the lifting. Also, carpal tunnel syndrome caused by all those clipping and brushing motions can end or slow a career. There are also impatient owners to accomodate, who think their dog should be groomed quickly. Finally, there is the problem of doggie death, which causes groomers to grieve lost clients. Its really a tough situation when a dog who comes in regularly dies, Hodge-Wilcox said, getting choked up. I had a little Pomeranian named Rudy that came in. He was Mr. Outgoing. He loved everybody. He was happy, happy, happy. Then, one day Rudy wandered into a yard where there were some much bigger dogs. He was killed, and Hodge-Wilcox was saddened, she said. To this day it tears me to pieces, she said. I just hate it. Irvin feels the same way. Whenever a customers tells her a dog wont be coming in because he or she has died, she gets choked up, and even sends a sympathy card. But the good things about grooming keep groomers going. Lori Young, a pet groomer at A Cut Above on Lovers Lane, said she cant see herself doing anything else. She became a pet groomer 11 years ago after graduating from the Nash Academy. It was after she had worked as a kennel attendant at the Humane Society Animal Shelter, and had long dreamed of working with animals. I wanted to be a veterinarian but there were seven kids in my family and it wasnt possible for my parents to afford that kind of schooling, she said. The Job Training Partnership Act paid for Youngs tuition at Nash, she said. She got grants and student loans to pay for the rest. Now, she also enjoys doing continuing education classes so she can learn about the latest tips and tricks of dog grooming. It helps her to help the dogs better, she said. Young maintains significant bonds with both the animals she grooms and their owners. Some of them call me Aunt Lori, she said. They say some of the dogs will bring them their leash when they hear my name. Its the kind of thing that makes her feel good as she adds a scarf or bow to a dogs coat. Youve got to accessorize, she said.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700