March 14, 2017

Meet Lorena Robinson of Dandy Dogs with Happy Paws in Smyrna

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorena Robinson.

Lorena, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
From childhood I loved dogs and cared for them as pets. As an adult I and went onto become a Dog Fancier, attending dog shows and becoming a hobby breeder of Yorkshire Terriers. After spending more than 30 years in the Construction industry starting as a trailblazer for women in Construction Management, in 2008 I needed to reinvent myself because the construction industry bottomed out.

While I could groom Yorkies for show I needed to learn to groom pets of all breeds. I ate, slept and drank everything about canine pets to learn the proper care and cuts for the pups. I attended dog shows, trade shows, weekly webinars and watched grooming videos daily to learn the different pet trims and breed standard cuts to become proficient in the trade.

In the beginning I groomed dogs for free in my home. I took all the dogs no one else wanted. I would walk up to people and ask them if they wanted a free groom for their dog. A lot said “no”, others said “my dog is really badly behaved when it comes to grooming.” Those were the dogs that I took and learned how to handle, the ones that had been traumatized in previous grooming experiences. These dogs would snap, bite and growl before I was able to gain their trust to do a complete groom.

I crammed a lot of learning into a short period of time, learning about dogs anatomy; best practices in handling dogs so not to make them uncomfortable during the grooming process; how to use clippers and shears; to determine what shampoos and conditioners and sprays should be used for different coat types, and so much more. Today, I am considered a Pet Stylist. I can complete any breed standard trim, as well as all pet trims including the latest Asian Fusion trims. I teach grooming techniques and help pet parents learn how to care for their fur babies at home.

Today I am a successful small business owner of “Dandy Dogs with Happy Paws” a full service Pet Grooming Salon/Spa in Smyrna/ Vinnings area.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been a challenge from the start. I tried to get other groomers to take me on as an apprentice, no one would take me on. I tried to get hired by Pet Smart for more than a year, when they finally hired me I found it was not the place for me and left after only 3months. I brought a mobile grooming van and found that was not a great fit for me. When I finally found a place to set up shop I didn’t have enough equipment to outfit the shop and couldn’t afford to do it all at once.

I opened anyway with a small grooming table, a used beauty salon cabinet, one set of shears and one clipper. I borrowed money from friends to do the build out of the space and prayed that things would go well. It took 3 years to pay the money back. I worked harder than I’ve worked in a very long time. Grooming dogs is a labor intensive job and at my age it was not easy. I worked six (6) days a week from 7:30am to 6:30pm. There were many days in the first couple of years that I did one dog or no dogs in a day. I was relatively new and my skills were not where I thought they should be. I was still taking a long time (by industry standard to complete a groom), so I wasn’t able to do the volume that I needed to be successful. When I tried to hire another groomer, I could not find anyone who met my standards in either grooming, pet handling or customer service; that met that I would have to train someone to do what I’d just learned and was still learning. Little did I realize that continuing education in this field is extremely important to keep growing.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Dandy Dogs with Happy Paws story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a full service Pet Spa that offers premium-grooming services for dogs. Pups are kept by size in open areas in the grooming room and not crated all day. We use top of the line products such as Chris Christensen products that are used in competitive grooming and at dog shows.

We provide services for Puppies, Adults and Seniors. At Dandy Dogs with Happy Paws Pet Spa all pets receive the tender loving care of a professional stylist whose passion is grooming. Our goal is to keep each furry friend happy, healthy, safe and looking their best.

When pets are in our care, they always receive individual attention from start to finish. This makes the grooming process calm and relaxed. More than just a “haircut and a bath” we want Fur friends to enjoy the time they spend with us and we want clients to know that the health and wellbeing of their pet is of the utmost importance.

We specialize in pet grooming of all breeds (except pit bulls because of optics). We are very competitive when it comes to grooming Doodles of all kinds and Bichon Frises. (I compete with Bichons). Every pup gets a Blueberry facial, shampoo and conditioner for their specific coat type, dremeled nails, is hand toweled dried and hand blown dried. We then cut hair according to breed standard or pet trim according to the owner’s specification. As a result you have a completely pampered pup at an affordable and very competitive price. As oppose to shops that nickel and dime clients for services the pups need at every grooming appointment.

We encourage new customers to come in before their first appointment to meet the staff and we can meet their pup. This allows us to do hands on interview with the pup to provide an accurate estimate of pricing by checking the condition of the coat and temperament of the pup. It gives the customer a chance to provide information regarding any special needs, desired cuts and to see the shop before committing grooming services.

Too often pups go to grooming shops and are rinsed off and shaved down to the skin without consideration to the breed, the condition of the skin or even what the client wants. We are proud of the fact that we listen to our clients and try our best to meet or exceed their expectations.

We make referrals to places that can provide information on nutritional and training education to our clients. We make sure to the same diligence that I took on when considering to enter the industry is same diligence that we maintain today by attending Continuing Education seminars and workshops throughout the year, so that we can stay on top of the latest products and procedures that are ever changing.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I was lucky to have discovered the Pet Care industry when I did. I opened Dandy Dogs during the recession, a time of uncertainty for everyone. It proved to be recession proof. I was lucky to be able to take a hobby, something I really enjoyed and create a business that has been able to sustain me and my employees.

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