Barking for beauty

FOR PETS in the US and the UK, a trip to the canine beauty salon has long been replaced by a more personalised service – home grooming – and now pooches in Thailand can also enjoy a trim and pedicure at home thanks to The Paw Pals.

The business is the brainchild of Thitikhun Yoovidhaya, a scion of the Red Bull family, and her veterinarian friend, who were quick to recognise the business possibilities of a mobile grooming service and launched Paw Pals back in 2011. 

Their premonition proved right on the button and before long the phone lines were humming with local and expat residents booking a shampoo and all the trimmings for their canine companions.

The service couldn’t be more convenient: you just ring the call centre and arrange an appointment and a professional dog groomer will come knocking at the door ready to pamper your pooch from head to toe. 

 “I studied in the UK for 11 years and when I came back home, I was determined to set up my own business. After seeing how miserable my two dogs were when I left them at a pet grooming shop, where they had to wait in a cage until it was their turn, I decided to offer a home service,” says Thitikhun.

“My friend, who’s a vet, thought it was a good idea and that’s how The Paw Pals was born. We’ve been lucky too as the good feedback from celebrities pet owners like Natthawut “Poh” Skidjai, Benjapol Chueyaroon and Chollada Mekratri, has helped our service become known.

The pair invested Bt2 million into turning two trucks into functional pet beauty salons, equipped with air-conditioning, a large bathtub, water heater, anti-slip rubber mat, foldable table and other grooming essentials.

Prices are calculated based on breed and weight and range from Bt300 to Bt480 for bathing and blow drying to between Bt420 to Bt1,200 for a shampoo and cut. The customer also pays a Bt100 to Bt300 supplement based on the distance between Paw Pals headquarters on Chaeng Wattana Road and their homes.

“Right now, we have more than 2,000 members. All our groomers are fully trained and the service takes between 30 minutes and two hours depending on the treatment the dog requires. A full programme includes a cut, shampoo brushing, nail trimming and ear care,” Thitikhun says.

“For small breeds like Pomeranian, Beagle, Chihuahua and Scottish Terrier, we charge Bt300 for bathing and Bt800 for large dogs like the Siberian Husky and Golden Retriever. We’re also planning to expand and eventually hope to have seven or eight branches in residential areas across town.”

Owners are asked to provide parking space and easy access to electricity and water.

We took along our Pomeranian for the works and for Bt480, she sat through a 75-minute beauty treatment that began with a haircut from tummy to rump with an electric clipper.

Twenty minutes was spent on the dog’s bath, which included a shampoo with an apple-scented moisturising shampoo developed by a veterinarian. Gentle and with a pH-balanced formula, it’s 

 enriched with aloe vera and vitamin B5, which help hydrate and protect dry coats while eliminating excess oil.

“We offer three shampoos. The apple-scented moisturising one is gentle and suitable for all breeds, the oatmeal soothing shampoo and conditioner is specially formulated for dogs with sensitive skins and we also have a bamboo charcoal mud wash that makes the skin soft and eliminates that musty smell,” Thitikhun says.

Our little Pom patiently sat through the blow-dry, ear cleansing, nail trimming and even the closing act: a quick trim with scissors 

Office worker Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong, 34, says she’s just signed up for regular canine makeovers. 

“I usually bathe my dog by myself and take her to a pet grooming shop to have her coat cut once a month. But I’ve been disappointed with the treatments, with the dog sometimes emerging with a damp coat. It’s not cheap either. I pay Bt150 to Bt200 for a basic shampoo and styling and nail trimming adds another Bt250 to Bt400,” Mayuree says. 

“This is the first time I’ve tried the mobile service and I’m impressed. It’s more expensive but the groomer is professional and patient and more importantly, the dog is happy.”

Later this month, Thitikhun is spreading her wings with the opening of Petpro Supermarket on Ratchapruk Road. Here dog lovers will be able to stock up on high-quality foods and snacks, as well as doggie fashion, toys and grooming supplies, both local and imported.

“My eventual goal is to build a lifestyle complex, where owners can enjoy fun activities with their pets,” she says.

The Bt20-million pet supermarket will also feature a dog hotel and a breeding farm of Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, Golden Retrievers, Shih tzu, Siberian Husky and Beagle as well as Persian, Scottish Fold and Exotic Short-hair kittens.

“In the future, we will also offer a pet cremation service called Pet Mater. In the meantime, dog and cat lovers can read about us and other pets in our free lifestyle magazine Petple,” she says.

 

PAWS FOR THOUGHT

>>The Paw Pals is located at 200/25 Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi.

>>To book a grooming session, call (02) 576 1588 extension 101 or visit www.ThePawPals.com

 

Pet owners might also like to check out pet taxis:

>>Dog Taxi, (02) 318 4107-9

>>Pet Transport, (089) 452 7535, (02) 561 4725

>>Pet Express Transport, (081) 404 9556

>>Blessing Pet Service, (085) 116 2283