Nothing is better than hugging your dog after he’s been to the groomer. But it’s always hard to get an appointment. And getting there is never easy. And although my sweet dog is happy to meet new friends, the experience typically makes him nervous. We recently spoke to Billy and Anelise, the owners of Zoomin Groomin, a first-class service that is taking the anxiety and difficulty out of grooming for both pets and their owners.
FLM: Have you always been dog lovers?
A: I have always loved dogs, I grew up in a family of five kids and two dogs which made for a pretty lively household. I wouldn't have had it any other way. Billy and I have a Goldendoodle named Oso who has become the Zoomin Groomin mascot. I love working with dogs of all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Being surrounded by dogs every day is so much fun, and really rewarding.
B: I have always been a huge dog lover—life is definitely better with dogs around! Growing up, we always had family dogs. I got our dog Oso about 8 years ago while I was living in Oregon. We do something fun together almost every day like trail runs, beach swims, or hikes. Getting out together and sharing these activities makes us both happy!
FLM: What was the inspiration for starting Zoomin Groomin?
A+B: It all started with our dog, Oso. He is incredibly easygoing and loves the attention of being groomed, but he absolutely hates being crated. Dropping him off at the groomers for hours at a time was always really stressful for him. It was also really time consuming for us both working full time jobs to coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups. Having a groomer come to our home and provide one-on-one attention was really intriguing because it was so much less stressful for Oso and much easier for us. Being involved with dogs while providing customer service excellence was incredibly appealing to both of us. We both come from the customer service industry so we aim to provide the best possible customer experience, which we felt was largely lacking in the grooming industry. We started in March 2024, and have been loving it ever since. We have been growing fast, and are excited to be getting our second van!
Q: What sets you apart?
A+B: Our goal is to provide the most stress-free and convenient grooming experience for both pets and their owners. We come directly to your home, eliminating the need for time-consuming drop-offs and pickups. Being on their own turf helps a lot of dogs remain more calm and comfortable. We customize our grooming approach to fit each dog's unique needs to help keep the experience pleasant. Every dog is different with a distinct personality and we tailor our approach to each individual dog. We have a fully contained state of the art van, so there is no need for us to hookup to water or power. We meet you at the door, bring the dog to inside our van to groom, and then bring the dog back to the front door when we are done. A lot of our regular customers will leave us a key if they are not home, so we can just get the dog from the house and drop the dog right back off inside without the owner having to be there. We are always one-on-one with each pet and never use crates or cages. Some of our favorite feedback comes from customers whose dogs typically have issues with grooming but felt more comfortable and happy with our service. We take pride in our customized approach to customer service for pets and pet owners, which is the foundation of why we started this business.
Q: What services do you provide?
A+B: We groom all breeds. Our van is spacious enough to comfortably groom even extra-large dogs, like the 100-pound Bernese Mountain Dog we regularly see. Our most popular services include a bath and blowout with a tidy trim, or with a full cut. All of our services always come with an ear cleaning, teeth cleaning, and nail trim. We also offer a range of custom services, such as tick and flea removal, and oatmeal shampoo baths. For clients interested in more artistic grooming options, we love offering creative grooms like sculpting and coloring. Mats are a really overlooked aspect of a dog’s health and can cause a lot of discomfort, bruising, hot spots, and infections. Maintaining a regular grooming schedule for dogs with long hair coats and brushing at home is essential. Services like de-shedding for dogs with shorter double coats, are also important. It helps prevent hot spots and promotes the distribution of natural oils in the skin.
FLM: What advice can you give new pet owners?
A+B: If you have a puppy, get them comfortable with being handled and groomed as early as possible! Start brushing, getting them used to baths, handling their paws/nails, and getting them used to being blow dried. We work with a lot of puppies, and take an easy, slow approach to get them used to everything at first. Once they get comfortable with things, they love their grooming appointments!
Q: What do you find the most rewarding?
A: I love seeing the reactions of freshly groomed dogs when we drop them off back at their home. A lot of our clients are busy parents, so seeing their kids hugging their pet, saying how soft they are or how they look like a puppy again, brings me so much joy. Dogs are part of our families, so seeing that affection and excitement from family members after a grooming session really makes me happy.
B: For me, it's the most rewarding to groom older dogs or those with health complications where traveling to a traditional groomer is too difficult or stressful. I love helping pet owners who have struggled in the past to get their dogs groomed and now feel relieved to provide that care for their dogs. Hearing their stories and receiving feedback about the positive impact of our services for those dogs is amazing. It’s wonderful to see both the dogs and their owners feel good after a much needed spa day.
Zoomin Groomin Fairfield
203-405-0036
@zoomingroominfairfield
I love working with dogs of all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Being surrounded by dogs every day is so much fun, and really rewarding.
I have always been a huge dog lover—life is definitely better with dogs around!