I opened Spaw 5 years ago. I have been living in King West for 15 years and have slowly watched the neighborhood grow. When my dog T-Bone was young, I would take him to the local parks like Stanley Park and Trinity Bellwoods. Some days there were only a few friends for him to play with, but with every year there would be a few more puppies. Today, at any given time there are dozens of dogs playing in either park.
In 2005, I started grooming at a vet clinic in the East end while trying to find the perfect place in the King West Village to open my business. Finally, in the fall of 2006, we found it: 852 King Street West – the perfect location to support a professional and stylish grooming salon while maintaining a homey environment.
Shortly after opening in the Spring of 2007, I got some great news. My teacher and mentor Amber was also looking for a change and joined me here at Spaw. Slowly, by word of mouth and the support of our local dog community at Stanley Park, we grew from a staff of 2 to a full service grooming salon and daycare with a staff of 12.
I have been grooming for 6 years. Not only is it a way to express myself artistically but I also find it to be therapeutic. I find it gratifying and very rewarding to work with dogs. I especially enjoy working with dogs who can be a challenge; where I need to build a trusting relationship. I think terriers (Schnauzers, Welsh, Wheatons) are my strongest because their patterns are a little more technical. I also love grooming drop coats (Yorkies, Shih Tzus…).
My dog T-Bone is an 11 year old bulldog; you may spot him chilling out and sleeping in the window. It’s hard to believe he was super spunky in his younger years! Now he is more of a manatee with an air of wisdom – like a doggie Yoda.
My hobby and passion outside of dogs are Triathlons and I am currently training for my first full Ironman in Mont Tremblant for the summer of 2012. I guess I should have gotten a running dog!