04/28/2025
We are open to taking new clients!
We’ve added an adorable mini tub to help create a smoother flow in the salon, and we’re ready to welcome new clients!
My heart has always been drawn to animals with fear or even aggression, and naturally, my career fits my heart’s devotion. I listen to dogs when they show me they are uncomfortable and work to decipher what they need so they can better understand the process. The beauty in the outcome isn't just healthy skin and a cute appearance — it’s the contentment that comes from feeling understood.
Because so many of our longtime and newer clients have followed either Rachel's work, mine, or both, we wanted to take a moment to share a little of the backstory about how we came together as a team. It’s been a natural evolution, and we thought sharing it would give a fuller picture of what makes our salon different.
Since moving to Tucson and settling into the Prince location, I’ve been working alongside Rachel, who owned Sol Dog, a boarding and training facility, at the time. She specialized in helping troubled dogs, and while I was building my grooming clientele, I also helped her with pack work and training — and often groomed the very same dogs we were working with.
I’ve known Rachel since I was a bather at my very first grooming job, and I was blown away by how her animal training skills had evolved. It opened my mind to an even deeper understanding of human and dog communication. Fast forward many years, and her business merged with a nonprofit and grew exponentially. While managing a full team and an intense schedule, Rachel felt the pull to scale way back and focus again on the things that really mattered to her — the one-on-one, unpressured time with the people and dogs who needed her most.
Rachel left Sol Dog, and in late March of this year, we officially joined forces to continue following our passion for working with more challenging dogs.
Something really special clicked when we combined our commitment. We realized that the dogs who benefit the most from our approach aren't necessarily the ones who have had a truly traumatic experience — often, they’re the pets whose owners are simply the most worried. Worried that grooming or handling will stress their dog out, worried about setting them back, worried that their dog won't be able to handle it. Those are exactly the dogs who thrive with us.
Many pets have never experienced going somewhere for care and leaving with a truly positive memory. Even if nothing overtly bad happened in their past — maybe they received treats after a stressful vet visit, or tolerated being handled without protest — their nervous system can still hold onto that tension. Each time they go through something similar, that stress can come rushing back.
When dogs come to be groomed with us, they experience something different: they feel seen, understood, and safe. It might take several visits to fully gain their trust, but when you look back at how far they’ve come, it feels almost magical. Even when a dog reaches a moment of high stress — whether it's toenail trimming, being touched, or feeling unsure about water — they are still feeling heard and cared for.
A huge part of what makes this possible is the calm, grounded energy we strive to maintain throughout the entire grooming process. Emotional control isn’t just important for us — it’s crucial for the dogs. They take their cues from our energy, and when we stay steady and patient, it helps them find their own sense of calm too.
How do we help them feel understood? By making adjustments based on what they are telling us with their body language and expressions. If they react to loud noises, we lower the sound or place cotton in their ears. If they’re scared of water, we lower the pressure and hold the nozzle close to their body so the water feels less aggressive. If they're fearful of nail clippers, we use a dremel — even if it means ending up covered in toenail dust — because if it feels safer for them, it’s absolutely worth it. That’s how they feel our care.
It’s not a science — it’s a connection.
We’ve been listening to animals' needs since we were children, and now we have the privilege of making them feel beautiful and understood.
If you have a nervous or fearful pet you think might benefit from this kind of care, we would love to listen to them. Every groom that comes through our salon receives the attention I’ve spoken about, and we also offer additional services for pets with more extensive needs. If you’re unsure, you can schedule a consultation by phone or in person, and either Rachel or I will be happy to help you figure out the best plan for your pet.
