Are your tired of coercing your dog into the family shower or bathtub?
Tired of the soapy hairy mess in your bathroom?
Tired of dragging out the hose and making a mess all over your yard and your neighbors? yard?
Fear not, for relief is a short drive away!
The Happy Hound’s self-serve dog bathing and grooming facility makes washing your dog a fun event.
Located behind the Metamora Canine Academy in downtown Oxford (same address: 14 N. Washington St.), The Happy Hound offers four private bathing facilities, each outfitted with a custom-made bath tub featuring a special walk-in design for dogs
This walk-in design prevents owners from having to lift their dogs over the side and risk injuring either themselves or the canines.
Both the tubs and drying platforms are elevated so the owners won’t have to stay in an uncomfortable bending or kneeling position while cleaning their dogs.
Owner and operator Lisa Noel said the elevated custom tubs help reduce the amount of stress to both the dog and the owner.
She said trying to wash a dog in a home’s bath tub, which is low to the ground, is often difficult, time-consuming, messy, awkward, uncomfortable, and stressful for everyone concerned.
‘At home you say its bath time and the dog runs away. It’s usually a fight to get him in the tub and he’s usually flailing around, splashing water and dirt everywhere, making a mess and stressing you out,? Noel said. ‘It’s a bad experience for both of you.?
‘Bringing your dog here will be more of a treat for him and you. He’ll look forward to it and so will you,? she said. ‘You can bring your dirty dog here and leave the mess behind. We will take care of everything. It’s all about convenience and a safe, clean environment.?
For a modest fee based on the weight of the dog, customers receive a private bathing room, shampoo, conditioner, towels, washcloths, dryers, nail trimmer, brushes, combs, ear and eye wipes and aprons. No appointment is necessary and the friendly staff is always available to offer assistance.
Prices are as follows: Small dog (under 30 pounds) $14; Medium dog (under 60. pounds) $16; Large dog (under 100 pounds) $18; and Extra-large (100 pound and up) $22. ‘For a small price you can wash and groom your dog in a safe, clean, private, stress-free environment,? Noel said.
Noel also wanted to stress that families are not only welcomed, they’re encouraged to come and take care of the family dog together. ‘Washing the dog should be a family affair. It is one way to teach children about the responsibility of pet ownership,? she said.
Full-service Bathing is also offered, by appointment only. For about double the amount of the self-serve prices, customers can drop off their dirty dogs and pickup clean ones. Please call for further details about this service.
The Happy Hound also offers bathing and other miscellaneous supplies on consignment from Oxford Farm and Garden and unique dog-related gift and novelty items from Canterbury Tails Pet Collectibles, located inside historical Olde World Canterbury Village in Lake Orion.
‘We have selected items at our location and encourage our customers to stop in at these local businesses for a full range of products,? Noel said. ‘Oxford Farm and Garden offers a wide variety of pet-related supplies and Canterbury Tails Pet Collectibles guarantees to offer an item in your breed no matter how rare!. You can check out their website at www.canterbury-tails.com, and if your prefer, we can have the item delivered to our location for your convenience.?
The Happy Hound is open 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. No appointment is necessary, however, they do request that you arrive at least 45 minutes prior to closing time. Accommodations can also be made for Sundays by appointment only. Noel urges people to stop in anytime for a tour of The Happy Hound facility which offers convenient parking and easy, safe access for dogs.
‘You can enjoy a cup of coffee in one of our comfortable chairs and thumb through one of our many canine-related books,? Noel said.
‘Make sure Fido takes home a free sample of our homemade dog biscuits,? she added.
For more information call (248) 236-9300.