Gentle Touch Pet Salon
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“We have a new shop,” said Kay, “but we have about 350 regular customers already. We have customers who come from Dunlap and Murfreesboro.”
With several pet grooming salons in the area, finding a specialty is the key to having a successful business.
“We are getting well known in the area for handling hard-to-care-for animals,” Kay said, referring to animals that have a history of biting. “I know what to do with mean dogs but the crazy ones are a little harder. Dealing with these animals seems to be my specialty.”
Along with dogs, Gentle Touch Pet Salon also handles cats.
“All creatures great and small, we do them all,” Kay said. “I think we are one of the only ones who do cats as well. I do need an extra pair of hands to help soothe a cat.”
Contrary to popular belief, big dogs aren’t the ones most likely to bite the hand that grooms them.
“Every bite on my hands has been from a small dog,” Kay said. “I’ve never been bitten by a big dog. It’s always nice if an owner tells me right up front that their dog has a tendency to bite so I can prepare for it.”
Along with a shampoo and cut, Gentle Touch also offers customers extras that don’t cost extra.
“We like to give animals a bandana or a bow as well as perfume after their grooming,” Kay said. “For this holiday season we have been giving both, so the animals walk out of here looking their best this holiday. We always give plenty of service for the price.”
Catering to customers and pampering their pets sometimes is no easy task.
“People love their pets,” Kay said. “In most cases, their animals are treated like babies. Some of them are really picky, so we do our best to give them what they pay for and then some. We always shampoo twice because it makes for a nicer hair cut when we are finished. That’s why people bring their pets back to us because we do these little extras.”
Keeping the shop as clean as possible is also at the top of the list for shop owner.
“We never reuse towels or anything,” Kay said. “We keep our shop as clean as possible. I’ve been told that we have the cleanest shop in town. I don’t know if that’s true but I am a perfectionist which makes it hard to work with me sometimes.”
Gentle Touch Pet Salon has only one requirement. Every animal has to be up to date on their shots.
“We do this for our safety as well as the animals,” Kay said. “Your animal is going to come in contact with other animals when they are here, so it’s safer for them to have their shots. Rabies is also a concern for me. If they do nip me, I feel safer knowing they have had their rabies shot regularly.”
Regular grooming is very important to keeping an animal healthy and early detection of many problems.
“Animals that are groomed regularly are happier, healthier pets,” Kay said. “I get to know these animals very well. I look for changes in their skin and make a note if I find any. It helps catch problems before they get carried away. I look for lumps, infections or ear mites and recommend they see a vet if it looks serious.”
Gentle Touch Pet Salon is located at 139 Hobson Street and offers flexible hours for the convenience of its customers and can be reached at 474-DOGS (3647).