Glam Star Grooming, a Mobile Pet Service
Daniel Garrido’s mobile dog grooming service is more like a visit to the spa than a simple shampoo and cut.
Having recently purchased a fully equipped van from Yorktown Pet Grooming, where Garrido was employed, the young new business owner is set to bring his full service to customers at their convenience and to their homes. Services include cutting and trimming, bathing, brushing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, teeth brushing and spa facials.
All services are provided in the van, which is about the size of a mini school bus, supplied with a 40-gallon water tank, tub, hoses, sprays, hair dryers, clippers, a hydraulic rotating table and an assortment of shampoo and conditioning products to make the experience easy and pleasant for the dog being cleaned and buffed. Garrido even plays soothing music and uses an aloe or cucumber aromatherapy scent to relax the animals coming in to his care.
“Each dog is unique,” Garrido explains. “When we meet for the first time I take some time to get to know them and figure out how to approach their session. Each animal is given a seven-point check to determine general health and also to get a sense of what the animal is like. Some dogs have greasy hair; others are dry. There are long and shorthaired breeds. Big dogs and small dogs, each dog has a personality.”
In advance of the session Garrido talks with the pet’s owner to find out what they want. Pricing is based on the breed and size of the dog and the time frame is usually from one and a half to two hours for a complete spa treatment.
The van pulls up in front of the owner’s home, Garrido helps the dog in and the private session begins.
By servicing each pet on an individual basis, the stress of being in the same room with many other dogs, machines and loud noises, makes the experience pleasant, especially for pets who are high strung or have difficulty around other animals.
Since each dog has different needs, Garrido asks if there are allergies or if the animal has any sore spots, so he can be especially gentle.
A special oatmeal and baking soda shampoo and conditioning treatment seems to be a favorite, giving the dogs a nice clean feeling that you can see from their body language is something they enjoy.
Depending on the activity level of the dog, the seasonal weather and the breed, Garrido will cut or trim the hair to suit individual needs. He also is up on all the designer breed trends and will style a coat according to an owner’s wishes. “I begin with the body and legs and work around the animal, ending with the tail and face,” he says.
Bows and bandannas come with the grooming and often reflect the time of year, such as holiday themes and colors in the winter and beach themes colors in the summer.
Garrido is also adding color highlights to his list of services, which will be available soon.
“The dye is not permanent,” he says. “It is a chalk and can be applied just behind the ears or on the tail for a new trendy look.”
For dogs that have had a run in with a skunk or landed in a mud puddle, the van will make an emergency visit. But Garrido prefers a few days notice before appointments.
Because he is a stickler for cleanliness and insists on doing a full cleaning with disinfectant before every appointment and a full van cleaning on days off, Garrido makes sure there is room in the schedule before each new appointment.
Glam Star Grooming serves all of Westchester. To set up an appointment call 914-410-1168.
