After losing mobile grooming clinic to car troubles, Conception Bay South woman back with home-based facility, offering unique experience for anxious dogs

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CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH, N.L. — When car trouble hit Laura Dunford’s mobile pet grooming service, The Fetch, she said the logical thing to do was transition from her wheels to a home-based business for pet pampering.

She closed The Fetch in April, but the loss of the business became a catalyst for another. She transformed her home in C.B.S. into a one-on-one pet grooming facility, inspired by her experience through adopting a dog with separation anxiety. Realizing the need for personalized care, Dunford is back with The Shed Grooming Inc.

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“I know the closer dogs are to home, the better they do,” said Dunford. “With this, I find it’s best for dogs and owners who are nervous. They know exactly what to expect.”

Predictability and trust

Dunford said she judges each dog’s energy and behaviour to determine predictability and foster trust.

“If I have a dog that’s super nervous, the No. 1 thing I will do is touch the area before doing anything. This gives the animal a roadmap of where you’re going. You have to make everything as predictable as possible,” said Dunford.

“Another thing that makes things easier in building trust is it’s always me, it’s never a stranger. It’s the same place, and the same person — you get them into a routine.”

Dunford has years of experience as a groomer, and believes in the power of empathy, recognizing the anatomy and needs of each client.

“There are a lot of people in this business who just go into it without any real experience or training,” said Dunford. “If you’re around pets using sharp objects and you don’t understand their anatomy or how they move, you can injure them.”

When it comes to nervous dogs, particularly those with a history of surgery or insecurities, Dunford adopts a methodical approach.

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“You have to understand your pet. If a dog had hip surgery, you have to groom them low to the ground. If you lift up the table, the dogs are going to get snappy,” said Dunford.

Assessing comfort levels begins with gathering information from owners about the dog’s grooming history.

“Once you get to know their history, you figure out how to manoeuvre around their insecurities,” she said.

Satisfied with service

For Renate Wahrenburg of C.B.S. and her dog, Tilly, The Shed Grooming has been a source of trust and satisfaction.

“I am content as a customer. She knows my dog and knows exactly what she needs,” said Wahrenburg, who has been with Dunford since the days of The Fetch.

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While Tilly is quite used to Dunford and how she operates now, it took time to build that trust.

“Laura took time to understand what made Tilly nervous, and she found a way to work around it,” said Wahrenburg. “And thank God for it because it’s so hard to find someone to trust with your fur babies and someone your fur babies trust.”