Before I even stepped foot into Salty Dogs DIY Dog Wash, I was impressed. Social media posts displayed happy dogs being fussed over in what seemed to be large lavish bathtubs surrounded by adorable doggie décor. Walking into the spa did not disappoint. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by both the groomer and the owner who were overjoyed that Dozer, Molly, and Harley were coming to spend the morning getting pampered. This doggie spa offers many different options for bathing our furry families including Professional Grooms, Professional Washes, and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Washes. The Professional Groom includes bathing, blow drying, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and a custom haircut. The Professional Wash includes bathing, blow drying, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. I opted for the Professional Wash since, of course, my frenchies do not need their hair trimmed. I could tell right away my fur babies were comfortable with the groomer who took them back to get their nails trimmed in preparation for their baths. We left the spa and came back an hour later just as they were finishing up. They opted to bathe them all in the same tub and I am glad they did. It was just the cutest thing seeing their little heads pop up to see that their mama and daddy were there waiting for them. They looked more than content, they looked happy, and I could tell they were in good hands. When the owner walked them over to me, they looked great, they smelled clean, and their nails had been grinded nice and short. To top it off, the girls had adorable neckbands with little flowers attached and Dozer was outfitted with the cutest little bow tie. What a nice personal touch that was! After meeting and speaking with the owner, I would not have expected anything less.
The start of this adorable little hometown doggie spa was the product of everything happening in the right place at the right time. You see, Keir (short for Keirsten), the owner, has a strong background in the corporate world. She has a business degree and had been working in the corporate world as a Gallery Director and most recently as a Senior Talent Coordinator. She was at the point in her life where she felt this career had plateaued. She was thinking about her next opportunity and was pondering making a move to Florida. Right around this time, Keir was approached by family friends who happened to own the Salty Dogs DIY Dog Wash in Palm Coast. They gave her the opportunity to open a second Salty Dogs DIY Dog Wash as a franchise. Keir, being an animal lover and a businesswoman loved the idea and went on the search for the perfect location. She originally found a location in New Smyrna Beach, Florida which seemed perfect. However, the zoning did not work out in this location. Once she found the current location in Ormond Beach, Florida, she staked the place out watching the activity and found that many local residents were walking their dogs in the area. The fact that there were many dogs in the area and that the landlord was easy to work with made this location the location she ultimately chose. After a more than four-month buildout, Salty Dogs DIY Dog Wash – Ormond Beach opened its doors on February 6th, 2021 to what we see now.
Remember when I said the social media posts seemed to show large lavish bathtubs surrounded by adorable doggie décor? Well, it was even better in person. The place was indeed outfitted with adorable decor, it had the large lavish bathtubs which hold up to 250 pounds, and it was extremely clean and pristine. If you are worried about your pooch jumping out of the large tubs, no need to fear as they are all outfitted with leads to keep your pup in place. Keir did not only put a lot of thought into the appearance of the spa, she also put a tremendous amount of thought into how she wanted to run the spa and who she would bring on board with her.
Customer service is the name of the game with this new dog spa owner and that is evident the moment you step into her shop. I not only got to experience this myself, but I was also able to watch her interact with other customers as they walked through her doors. She is patient, she is kind, and she is genuinely happy to see the animals who come through her doors. When Keir was looking for groomers, her main priority was hiring groomers who would provide the same level of customer service she planned to provide. Elizabeth is currently the main groomer at the spa. She not only has grooming experience, but she is also a licensed vet tech. Elizabeth takes on most of the Professional Grooming appointments. Jess is also a licensed groomer who is currently working at the spa part time. She assists with the DIY washes, assists Elizabeth, and takes on one or two of the grooming appointments herself. You can find Elizabeth talking to the dogs to give them the best experience possible while you will find Jess singing to the dogs to make sure they have the best experience possible. Keir could have brought on other groomers. However, she brought on Elizabeth and Jess because she knew they would provide the best care to her clients, both furry and not.
If you do not have a dog, don’t feel left out as this gem of a dog spa takes all animals, furry or not. So, stop on by, give them a warm welcome, and tell them The Frenchie Mama sent you!