Salty Dog Mobile Pet Grooming

09/09/2024

🥰🥰🥰

09/07/2024

I had to pack it in early today which isn’t the worst thing on a Friday, so Rosie was my first and only groom today! She has eyes, she was just super happy and smizing! I forgot to get a before picture, but her momma had her well maintained so I was able to do a long attachment on her body and hand scissor and shape her legs and head! Her coat was a dream to work with and she stood like a statue! Her sister, Luna, was rescued at 6 months old and has some grooming trauma so we had her consultation today and I spot shaved some matting, she was a sweetheart and I was able to figure out most of her triggers! She’ll be back next week for her grooming session!

Have a great weekend everyone! 🥰

09/04/2024

I love turning Maya into a parti-pug a couple of times a year! This stinky little dust bunny loves to get gross, so it works best for everyone if she just stays nekkid! She absolutely loves her shavedown and acts like a crazy puppy and zooms around the yard and is happy as a clam! Her momma loves her like this and is one of my oldest clients 🥰

Something interesting is that some pet owners seem to think shaving is a “lazy” move on the groomers part… ❌WRONG❗️You couldn’t be more wrong!

Shave downs are hard! It is much easier to nick a wiggly pet that is being cut short, and you have to be able to get your clippers right up against their legs, face, toes, ears with SUCH PRECISION to get all those little hairs, and if the pet is MATTED on top of that, it’s even harder and more dangerous! Not to mention you need to have an experienced groomer (💅) who makes sure to keep their blades cool, clean, and sharp to avoid skin irritation from the shave down. Shaving a matted pet is harder on our tools and equipment as well!

I use a hairvac system to keep my blades cool (completely eliminating risk of “clipper burn”) and pick up each individual little hair and can do these grooms without even getting my scissors out, so I love them mixed in with my styled groom pups! The only part about a shavedown that makes the groom “easier” is that they dry quickly.

I have absolutely no problem with doing shave downs and I love all of my seasonal groom kids and their parents who understand that a short cut is the only way to maintain your pet when grooming isn’t done frequently 🛁

Other pet parents who like to blame a “lazy” groomer because your dog was matted and needed shaved down, respectfully, stay in your lane with this one 😜 and keep in mind.. you no brushy-brushy and I’ll take your pup naked too 😌 it is what’s best.

Salty Dog is a humanity before vanity salon! If I find mats that do not easily come out with a blow dryer and some conditioner, I am SHAVING THEM🥰🥰🥰 not because I am a “lazy groomer”, but because it’s what is best for your dog!

Book your shave down now if you’ve been putting it off! That way your dog will have time to grow some coat back before the snow flies.

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09/04/2024

How cute is Axl! This sweet kid was such a good boy. He had some anxiety in the tub in the beginning but by our second scrub was turning on command for me and standing happy and proud for his shampoo and massage! He was a little freaked out when I turned the blow dryer on but very quickly chilled out, I respected his wants of not wanting the nozzle on the dryer and dried him on a low setting without the concentrated nozzle on and he respected me by letting me get him all fluffed and fab ☺️ he was absolutely perfect for his haircut! I took a couple of years off him by giving him a sweet short round teddy bear muzzle and angled puppy ears 🥰

09/01/2024

I had a family member make fun of me for “scrubbing dog balls” 🫥

"Stay in school, or you’ll end up like him."

This is what a teacher told her elementary school class as they walked past my dad, who was in the middle of pumping out their lift station. The pumps had burned up, and my dad and his pump truck were the only things preventing sewage from overflowing. The pumps were on backorder, so my dad ended up babysitting that lift station for about six weeks. In those 6 weeks, my dad made about $36,000, which would have taken that teacher 32 weeks to earn. You might not want to be so quick to judge people, especially if they’re out there trying to make an honest living.

09/01/2024

Happy Sunday! This is a complete non business post but I’d like to shamelessly take advantage of this platform and my wonderful web of clients!

I’m on the hunt for an at least 3 br 2 ba home in Fairbanks to RENT for my lil family and doggies to move into sometime in the coming months! We are super flexible 🙂

I am also on the hunt for a heated garage in Fairbanks for the bus!

Sean is working away in the bus this holiday weekend buttoning up some things and finishing mounting my cabinet doors! Next steps will be making everything pretty 🥰

Thank you so much everyone for your continued support and patronage! You have allowed me to completely rebuild my life after losing almost everything I had during my injuries. Writing this is making me tear up.

Seriously, at this rate, me and Briana will need another bus before the New Year. So crazy!

Picture of my sentient pillows for dog tax! Bruno, Jujubee, and my old man Boosie!

08/31/2024

OMG🥰

08/31/2024

Working with Whitley was so wonderful! We both learned so much from each other. She was so inspiring and positive to be around and wonderful apprentice 🥹 I’m so happy to have made a friend for life and cannot wait for her to come back to visit!

We played with some non-toxic washable hair chalk on her baby Ember on our day off! 🌈 It came out super cute and is fading nicely! I want to be able to offer some safe non-dye options for Halloween so I’m practicing 😉

I have over 40 clients to schedule for September this weekend and I’ve got room for more! You guys are all so amazing, thank you for leaving reviews and spreading the word about my lil bus! Thank you so much for trusting us to care for your babies!

📲 9073859060 Shoot me a text if you’d like an estimate or appointment! I won’t be grooming tomorrow through Monday but I will be doing booking and answering messages 🥰

08/29/2024

I’ve had this client and they’re the absolute best 🤣

08/28/2024

Let’s talk about MEEEE! (Buckle up- long post)

My name is Angie! I was 14yrs old on a work permission slip when I first started getting paid for grooming dogs. My mom is a pet groomer and I grew up crawling around the salon at home or shop 😊 I always would watch all of the groomers from a very young age, and even would take naps on kennel floors in front of warm dryers on cold winter mornings 🤣 My mom always tells stories that I’ve been grooming pups since I was in the womb!

My first paid Bather position was in a town called Fallbrook, CA and I would do flea dips, sulfur dips, and farm dogs! My mom was a “large breed specialist” and loved working with Newfoundlands! I would brush and clip down dogs with her on the floor. After that salon, I was hired as a bather at a super high class salon owned by a wonderful woman who remained my mentor for most of my career, she bred and showed miniature poodles and worked with local toy poodle breeders regularly. I was preparing toy poodles for their show grooms and shaved what felt like thirty-million teeny tiny poodle toes before I ever picked up scissors while I worked for Emma! I didn’t even want to be a groomer, I saw how hard my mom worked and didn’t want to 🤣

After awhile of working for Emma as a bather and attending college (majoring in biology with a planned focus in neuropharmacology), she finally asked me “why don’t you want to groom?!” And I simply said “I don’t wanna!”

A couple of weeks later, she had me try and start doing haircuts on her yorkie and show toy poodles, and I naturally had a knack for it all. I was terrified of “bad” dogs, but I digress. I fell in love with grooming, dropped out of college, and never looked back😂

Fast forward a decade or so, I adopted an old and angry Shih-Tzu mix named Oriole. Oriole was the best dog on this earth and was my entire heart. He was amazing and loving with all humans and dogs, quiet as a mouse, and even had been trained prior to his adoption to hop in the bathtub for a potty break if he couldn’t get outside!

But.. of course.. Oriole f*^%ing hated being groomed!! He would spin in circles, bite, alligator roll, claw me with his front paws, you name it, he would do it. He knew every dirty trick to get out of getting a haircut. It literally blew my mind 🤣 I had to find a better way!!! He was so distracted in the grooming salon by the other dogs and sounds and sights and people coming in and out.. it was IMPOSSIBLE and so frustrating for him and I both.

Because of Oriole, I started thinking of other ways to groom dogs in the most stress free way possible. I wanted to start a mobile business back in San Diego, but the start up was super expensive and mobile grooming in CA with all the traffic was daunting. I had to figure out another way to open a stress-free pet grooming salon! I ended up finding a small commercial space for rent a couple blocks from my childhood home and signed a lease.

The first Salty Dog was a boutique & groomery, we offered one on one, cage free grooming appointments, and were the first in the area to be a salon with this business model. We quickly took the city by storm, and I was overbooked even faster! One of the first assistants I ever hired was Briana!!

During COVID, the government in California forced my small business to close. I had 4 full time employees and no way to pay them, and no income for myself. I fought the closures as best I could, but ended up inevitably losing staff (including Briana🥹 no hard feelings tho!). The salon had to close for over 3 months. We could not open without facing fines. The whole situation understandably made me lose it, feeling betrayed by the government of my state. It was clear they did not want us small businesses to succeed in their state anymore, so I said 🤬 this and moved up to ALASKA!

Alaska was supposed to be my retirement from grooming, I had just had my third wrist surgery in January 2020 and did not think I would ever groom again. Once I got up here, I was bored as hell, and tried to work for a couple of salons. I realized that there was a huge stress free/cage free need in Fairbanks and there was nowhere I could work.. so I decided to take the plunge and go mobile up here with lots of encouragement from Doggoneit Mobile Grooming LLC 🥰 and never looked back!

Salty Dog Boutique & Groomery survived COVID, and I just handed over ownership to one of my previous employees earlier this year so that I can devote all of my time to my customers here in Alaska 🥰

Thank you Fairbanks for welcoming me with open arms and allowing my business to grow and thrive here! The people here are so amazing and the dogs are even better! When Briana came to work with me for the summer, she fell in love too- so guess what folks, you’re now stuck with BOTH OF US! Briana is moving up permanently next week, and will be working the bus FULL TIME with me! We are both so excited to expand and continue to take care of all the pups of Fairbanks, North Pole, and Fox!

Here’s to you if you made it this long 😉

The whole inspiration for this post was this handsome man, Copper! I don’t often get to flex my “fancy grooming” skills from California up here in Alaska, but when I can I always have fun, and Copper is the best boy!!!

One of my favorite reviews I ever received was “You WILL be stopped for a good looking dog”- Consider yourself warned!😉

08/23/2024

I’ve got the back to school flu but I packed my magic wand for my new buddy Jasper today! Jasper was a bit standoffish and shy and wasn’t sure about me when we first met this morning, I went extra slow and got to know him and by the end of his groom we were besties! As soon as I clipped the hair away from his eyes he could not keep the kisses away, and he wanted me to hold and hug him while I chatted with his mama.

This town has a serious shortage of dog groomers, I understand that life happens. I will never shame anyone for an overgrown baby. Jasper had two adorable fluffy siblings I will have to snap pics of next visit now that they are part of the Salty Dog crew! Thanks for trusting us, Sherwin!

We would love to meet you and your pups and be a part of their care team!

Shoot me a text any time 📲907 385 9060

I feel like 💩 so we are headed home early today and will be back to our regular schedule next week!

Have a great weekend everyone 🩷

08/21/2024

I love a “tall & small” combo! For most of my clients, dogs are like potato chips.. you can’t have just one! Piper and Jaxon are the stinkin cutest and I genuinely look forward to their appt day every month 🥹 They are as happy to see me as I am to see them!

Consistency is key when it comes to your pet being comfortable being professionally groomed! With Salty Dog, you can rest assured that whether or not you are home for your pets grooming appointment, that your pet is with the same stylists they know and are happy to be around! 🥰🥰

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08/20/2024

Miss Whitley got the best job in the world today, getting to be baby Natalie’s first ever groomer! We always spend extra time making sure puppies are happy and comfortable, we give lots of sweet snuggles and kisses and treats! Natalie was so calm she took a nice lap-nap after her grooming while I finished grooming her brother, Jazzy!

Thank you to their mom Nina for always trusting me!

(Natalie was just adopted from Forget-Me-Not Animal Rescue ! )

Counter conditioning and desensitization is so important to set dogs up for a lifetime of stress-free professional grooming appointments! Whitley is also a Fear Free Groomer (just like me!) and has completed the additional training and certification process ✔️

Also, no pet is too old to learn about being groomed comfortably! ❤️ I (Angie) specialize in rehabilitation grooming and table training. It is very rewarding for me to earn a dogs’ trust and seeing the turn around in their behavior from being too scared to step into the bus- to yanking me in the door, on to the table, and into the tub.

Dogs love routine and thrive with gentle rules and respecting their boundaries!

Whitley and I have a very small handful of openings left for August, and September is filling up quickly!

Shoot me a text if you’d like to sneak on the books! 📲 907 385 9060

08/19/2024

08/15/2024

There is nothing I love more than gaining a dog’s trust! Chip is always relaxed and cozy during his spa 🥹

08/12/2024

Omg.

08/10/2024

One of my favorite Fairbanks celebrities!

08/10/2024

Scruffies are my favorite !

08/10/2024

We’ve got a new face in the bus for the rest of August! Meet Whitley with Tailored Tails Groomery 🐶

Whitley flew out from Ohio to assist and apprentice with me and to explore Alaska, get a taste of mobile grooming, and pick up some more grooming knowledge!

Briana flies home Sunday night 😔 we will miss her so much!! Whitley has big ol shoes to fill, let’s welcome her to our Golden Heart City! 💛

08/09/2024

Did you know that pet grooming is a completely unregulated industry? There is no requirement for formal education, no required continuing education, and no required testing or certification?

Anyone and everyone can just pick up a pair of clippers and start advertising themselves as a groomer and charge people for a service they aren’t trained to perform.

It’s completely up to you, the owner, to do your research and make sure the person you are trusting with the health and safety of your pet is qualified to care for them.

Every groomer should be trained, and that very basic training takes months.

It takes years to truly master the ins and outs of grooming and everything that goes along with it.

Pet grooming is so much more than just a hair style.

*It’s knowing dog behavior and how to safely handle all the different personalities and quirks.

*It’s recognizing health conditions that would be better suited seeing a vet such as skin or ear infections.

*It’s being prepared for any and all emergencies that can happen, from seizures to allergic reactions, to nicks and cuts and quicked toenails without panicking.

*It’s knowing how to best deal with a variety of coat types properly.

*It’s being able to know when to stop a service on a particular dog due to behavior or health.

*It’s having the knowledge and patience to handle a different species while holding razor sharp clippers or 8 inch long scissors.

At the very least, the groomer you use should seek out continuing education to make sure they are current on the changes in the industry, from upgrades in products to tools that make the process easier for the pet and them.

They should be current on their pet cpr/first aid certification which needs repeated every couple of years.

They should be able to answer your grooming related questions with knowledge and confidence and if they don’t know the answer they should know where to find it.

They should have an emergency plan in place with a local veterinarian in case anything happens, because when working with animals it’s not a matter of if something happens, but when.

They should come recommended by other pet owners and pet professionals.

And it’s worth noting that there is nothing wrong with using a groomer that is still in training, but they should be working alongside an experienced groomer and under their direct supervision.

Ask the questions, after all you are paying them for a service. A groomer who has spent time and money to be as educated as possible is excited to share their knowledge!

08/07/2024

Not much to say except check out these babies having the times of their lives today! ❤️❤️❤️ Chip, Buddy, Billie Rose, and Louie! We can handle anything from puppies to special seniors, and all the in betweeners!

Your pup is never to old to start professional grooming, and I like to recommend puppies that need haircuts start around 12-16 weeks! Geriatric pets are my favorite to work with, no matter how spicy or grumpy. Puppies are always a fun time in the bus! We sing, we dance, we play, we give and get kisses, it’s crucial that your pet’s first professional groom is a positive experience to set the tone ❤️

Many of our first timers try to break back into the bus after we give them back to their owner, and it’s the best review we will ever get 🥹

📲9073859060

08/06/2024

08/05/2024

Are your dogs obsessed with each other!? Mobile grooming is perfect! My assistants and I are happy to have multiple babies in the bus while we work! Our goal is to keep the grooming as stress free and calm as possible! Eliminating causes of anxiety such as car rides, separation from furry family members, even things like wearing scrubs can cause anxiety in a pet if they don’t like they vet!

Dogs are HUGE on vibes. We keep the experience as positive as possible and try to act as though we are a friend of the family, not a scary stranger trying to snip their toenails off!

Staying calm, cool, and collected with all dogs is something that truly sets us apart. We will spend as much time as needed to make sure your pet is comfortable, absolutely no rushing or stopping to answer phones or check in clients.

A Salty grooming is a true pet spa experience and you will LOVE the results 💅🐶

I’ve got a couple openings this week in Fairbanks, next week on Chena Ridge, and the following week on Nordale!

📲9073859060 let’s get your pups primped!