10/01/2026
I started my journey into pet grooming for our family dogs Daisy and Ruby. Daisy developed lymphoma in her throat and Ruby who suffered from joint pain from a very young age had an ACL tear later in life that required surgery. Both of their cases were considered high risk for salons as stress could lead to injury/re-injury. It is from them that I decided “humanity over sanity.” Not every groom was perfect but they were happy, healthy and clean. With positive reinforcement, going at their pace, and not pushing them past their limits, they learned to actually enjoy the grooming process over time! I now take what I learned from them and apply that to my clients. Whether anxious, arthritic, or maybe even missing a paw, I work with that specific dog to figure out how to groom them in a way that they are most comfortable. Sometimes that means getting on the floor, sometimes giving lots of breaks and treats, sometimes they want to lay down and relax. Whatever they decide, we figure out a plan from there. Not every groom comes out show room ready but these aren’t show dogs, these are someone’s pet. They deserve a chance, they deserve patience, and most of all they deserve our humanity. So I will give them that! Of course I want to do every groom as perfect as possible but at the end of the day what matters most is how THEY feel. This way we can build a positive relationship with the grooming process. Working with these cases is how I came up with the name “Misfit Makeovers” because I take in the ones others have turned away. No matter what, I will always give them a chance because they MATTER! 💙