I have two dogs and a cat, and whenever it’s time to bathe, clip or clean them, they usually run around the house trying desperately to escape, jump out of the bath tub three or four times and shake smelly dog water all over the house, which is why I make my husband do it. So when I went to Karen’s Grooming Parlor on Tuesday, I was expecting a long day of chasing animals and trying to avoid the wet dog smell.

Luckily for me, I learned that Karen Crowell is one of those people that animals seem to instantly like, and she had the dog grooming routine down to a science.

Our job for the day was to groom two Pomeranians. I arrived just as the dogs and their owner were walking in the door. The owner sat with Karen and described the temperament of the dogs and what she wanted done for each. It reminded me of my own conversations with my hair dresser.