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| > About the Chamber > Member Profiles > Furry Feet Pet Grooming |
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Furry Feet Pet Grooming
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There's a new beauty parlor in town and it's not for those on two legs but four.
Furry Feet Pet Grooming opened its doors at the Hayden Station Shops in July 2005.
Owner operator Laura Maxon grew up surrounded by a family devoted to the care of animals. Her great grandfather and grandfather were both veterinarians. Her mother is the kennel owner and dog groomer of the Whirl Wind Farm Kennel in Amherst Massachusetts.
"The kennel is on the same street that my house was when I grew up. If I was sick and couldn't go to school, I would have to stay at the kennel. When I was twelve years old, I started to work with my Mom at the kennel helping out." Maxon said.
Maxon moved to the Windsor area and worked in a Suffield grooming parlor. There she met fellow dog groomer and friend, Tanya Lang. The two women discovered the available space at the Hayden Station Shops when Maxon's car broke down and was being serviced by Lang's father who owns C.A.R.S. on Palisado Avenue.
Both women agree that grooming a dog is an essential part of pet ownership.
"We see much more on an animal then their owners do. We find a lot of growths, cysts and lumps. We find skin and ear infections. We are checking for parasites like fleas, ear mites and ticks. We know what is not normal and we can advise owners to have their pet seen by a veterinarian. If you bring in your dog on a regular basis, you won't have problems like matted fur. Mats are a big problem this time of year. Some people believe that it is better for the dog to have long matted fur to keep them warm rather then shave them, but that is incorrect. Mats are not insulating, air needs to be in between the individual hairs to insulate. When the mats get wet, they freeze and the dogs has balls of ice stuck to them and sores can develop under the mat from the pulling on the skin. Regular grooming can prevent all this." Maxon said.
Lang added, "We have found some strange things tangled up in those knots, like pieces of plastic, twigs and leaves, it cannot be comfortable for that animal."
Maxon has special concerns for the senior dog. "Older dogs need special attention with their feet. Many aren't wearing their nails down anymore and are prone to ingrown nails and have excess fur in between their toes so they don't get a good grip. They are weaker then a young dog and can injure their joints if they slip and fall." She said.
The parlor offers specials for frequent flyers and 10% off for the pets of emergency personnel. Furry Feet will groom any size or breed of dog or cat and offer little extras like nail polish or the use of a special shedding brush called the Fur-minator.
Maxon hopes for the New Year is to continue to build her client base and add on more retail.
Maxon said, " We mostly want to focus on the quality of our work, we want to give people what they pay for and we want every pet to get the individualized attention they deserve."
For more information call Furry Feet at 860-688-0012
By Shari King
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