Have you always wanted to get the perfect photograph of you and your pooch?
Then head over to Love 4 Paws Niagara Spa & Boutique between 11am and 2pm on Saturday, October 30, as the dog grooming salon, which recently opened its doors in Thorold South, is hosting a photo booth fundraiser for Niagara Dog Rescue and the SA Front of the Line Project.
Says Josée Bayley, owner of the salon, “We’ve always been involved with animals and helping out, advocating for them. Pet parents absolutely love to see their dogs in pictures and so we thought, ‘Wouldn’t this be a great family activity for everyone to do?’ They’re always in our family photographs, so why not be able to offer that to this neighborhood.”
Love 4 Paws Niagara Spa & Boutique opened its Thorold South location last July, but Bayley says she started the dog spa as a home business a few years ago.
“I was offering it to all of the rescue dogs to begin with and from there on word just spread. It got super busy and then the opportunity just arose that this space was available and we jumped in. It’s been an absolutely amazing experience and the support has been so grand.”
So what does a spa for dogs offer its furry customers that a regular grooming salon doesn’t?
“It’s just taking the time with the dog and learning the way that it is trying to speak to you. It’s knowing that we’re helping them feel better, making sure it’s a positive experience. It’s not just get the dog clean, it’s also taking our time with the dog one on one.”
Bayley points to a blueberry facial which is very popular among the dogs that come into the salon.
“It’s a very gentle and soft dog product that we use, it just helps calm them. A lot of them start falling asleep when we’re massaging around their temples and snout. We are cage free as well so there’s no drying in the cages, it’s one on one the whole (time) they are with us. “
Even though things have gotten really busy at Love 4 Paws Niagara Spa & Boutique, Bayley still makes rescues her top priority.
“We kind of partnered with some of the rescues so a lot of dogs come to us when they’re either adopted or still in foster care to get a little spa treatment and it usually helps with the whole transition because of everything they’ve been through.”
Bayley says the Thorold South community has been very welcoming and points to the other businesses in the plaza where the salon is housed, like The Bagel Oven and Shear Creations, who will also be part of the fundraising event on Saturday.
“We’ll have some vendors who will be here on Saturday, showcasing a lot of their products, some for the parents and some for the pets. We’re in a plaza so there’s other businesses as well and it’s like a small little community. Everybody is helping each other.”
Bayley, for her part, says she will never stop helping dogs get the treatment they deserve.
“There is so much bad stuff going on, and this is just nice to be able to give back and be part of the wellness of a dog. This is such a little part of their life, but it’s just making sure that it’s a positive experience for them.”
