Bark Side of the Groom

12/18/2025

We’re officially in the home stretch! 50 dogs left between us and Christmas.
So grateful for every pup, every family, and another busy holiday season at Bark Side of the Groom.

12/16/2025

Happy Holidays from the Bark Side!

The lights are up, the coats are fluffy, and the pups are feeling festive.
If you’re cutting it close, don’t panic, Kate still has room on her schedule to get your pup holiday-ready before Christmas!

Book online at barksidegroomer.com
Shine on, you crazy canines😉 💜

12/12/2025

Please keep pets inside as much as possible with the extreme cold we're coming into! We will be rescheduling everyone with appointments tomorrow, as we feel everyone should stay home, stay safe, and stay warm!

**Dangerous Cold This Weekend**

Alright folks, we want to sneak this in real quick. The ongoing snow event currently will help pave the way for another winter storm Saturday, then dangerous cold Sunday.

A clipper system Saturday will bring several inches of snow to central IL this Saturday, then pull in arctic cold behind it.

Temps Saturday night will plummet behind the storm, with temps bottoming out below zero across the northern half. Combined with light winds, wind chills will be quite dangerous.

Sunday AM wind chills of -10 to -30 are expected across the state. This cold will lead to frostbite in under 20 minutes and potential vehicle failure.

Expect widespread event cancellations this weekend across central IL. Most churches I suspect will close.

Next Monday AM will be cold too with wind chills of -10 to -20. School delays are likely in northern parts.

Make this a stay home and watch movies weekend.

12/07/2025

We are so thankful for Sharp Edges Grooming for making sure our equipment is sharp, and we have all the tools we need to power through the busiest time of the year🐾✂️

As always, you can book online anytime barksidegroomer.com

11/29/2025

I’m usually behind the table working this day every year, but sometimes Mother Nature steps in with her own plans. Today, that means slowing down, staying safe, and taking a much-needed snow day. 🌨️

As a small business, days like this matter — but so does making sure our clients, our pups, and our families aren’t out on dangerous roads. Thank you for always understanding and supporting what we do here on the Bark Side. 💜

Stay warm, enjoy the quiet, and give your dogs an extra cuddle for us. We’ll be back soon.

11/27/2025

Today, we’re feeling extra grateful for every wagging tail, every trusting pet parent, every kind review, and every moment spent doing what we love.

Thank you for supporting our small, local, slightly Pink Floyd-obsessed grooming salon. You’ve helped us build a community we’re so proud of. 💜

From our Bark Side family to yours — we wish you a cozy, joyful, and delicious Thanksgiving.
Shine on, you crazy canines😉🐾

11/24/2025

As we slide into the busiest (and coziest) time of the year, we want to remind everyone of our upcoming holiday closures:

🦃 Thanksgiving Eve & Thanksgiving Day
🎁 Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
🎉 New Year’s Day

We’re taking these days to reset, recharge, and spend time with family—two-legged and four-legged alike. 💜

Please plan ahead when booking so your pups can get their spaw time before the holiday rush hits.
Booking link: barksidegroomer.com (Lets fill up Kate's schedule!)

11/22/2025

A Huge Thank You to Refuge Ranch 💜

We just wanted to take a moment to thank Refuge Ranch for not one, but two incredibly thoughtful thank-you letters. Your kindness truly means the world to us.

We were honored to support your recent fundraising event and help contribute to the growth of such a compassionate, impactful organization. The work you do for animals and the community is nothing short of inspiring.

We’re looking forward to partnering with you again in the future — here’s to continuing to make a difference together. 🐾

— Bark Side of the Groom

11/21/2025

🌟 Team Spotlight: Kate 🌟
Every day, Kate shows up ready to learn, grow, and shine — and she’s doing exactly that. Her talent is leveling up fast, her confidence is blooming, and she’s loving (almost) every moment of this wild, wonderful grooming world.

Working on live, wiggly, opinionated animals isn’t as easy as it looks from the outside. It takes patience, grit, skill, and a special kind of human to do what we do — and Kate is absolutely one of those humans.

We’re so proud of the groomer she’s becoming and grateful to have her on the Bark Side. 💜✂️🐾

11/20/2025

Running a small business isn’t the same as running a giant corporate machine — and sometimes I think people forget that.

Bark Side of the Groom isn’t a big box store with a full staff, endless storage, or someone sitting at a desk all day answering phones.
It’s a small, family-run salon where one person (hi 👋)
• grooms full-time
• runs the entire back end
• handles messages
• orders supplies
• manages policies
• and still goes home to be a mom.

I love what I do — truly — but please remember that small business owners wear every hat… and we’re humans with families, limits, and actual lives outside the salon.

So thank you for your patience, your kindness, and your support.
We can’t mass-produce magic — and we don’t want to. 💜

— Ashley
Bark Side of the Groom

11/18/2025

Christmas just got a little sweeter on the Bark Side! This year, we are putting together your favorite colognes and perfumes for your furry friends to smell good even when they're not here😉

11/13/2025

Ashley only has 6 small dog appointments left before Thanksgiving!
If your little pup needs to look their best for the festivities, now is the time to snag a spot.

Kate also has plenty of openings and is taking all breeds, big or small — perfect for anyone who still needs in before the holiday.

Book online anytime at BarkSideGroomer.com 🖤