Groomingdales opens in Sisters

Kellie Landers is no stranger to dog grooming, and her latest endeavor is a sudsy step up for Sisters dogs. Landers recently moved her business -formerly Grooming by Kellie -to the Sisters Industrial Park and renamed it Groomingdales. The space is in a large building with concrete floors and includes self-serve dog washing.

Customers are welcome to bring their dogs in any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and use the washing area. Landers supplies everything except clippers and scissors to make a dog look and smell lovely.

Landers wavered between semi-retirement and expanding her business into the self-serve washing. She attributes the decision to hold off on retirement to her employees. "I have an exceptional bunch now," she said. They make it possible to offer the extended hours of the self-serve facility.

An aspect of Groomingdales that isn't seen at many grooming businesses is Landers' willingness to groom her clients in view of the front desk. She wants her human customers to see what she is doing. The demeanor of the dog being groomed gives a clue about the groomer's ability. The day The Nugget visited Groomingdales, the clippered client stood happily, wagging her stubby tail and smiling throughout the entire procedure.

Conscientious groomers add another set of eyes to spot health issues, said Landers. In the course of a grooming session, every inch of a pet's body is examined, right down to the skin. Irregularities are often spotted before they become serious.

She encourages potential customers to be curious before bringing a dog in for grooming. There is no industry standard or certification procedure for dog groomers, so owners need to be satisfied that the groomer they choose is competent. "You should never hesitate to ask questions or ask to see behind closed doors," Landers said.

One closed door that clients should definitely look behind leads to Central Bark, a dog day-care and boarding business that shares the building. Customers can make arrangements for their dogs to stay on grooming day if necessary.

For more information, call 549-8836.