The KIDS + PETS Issue
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Innocence and Whiskers
Hello my friends,
Welcome to our much-anticipated Kids and Pets issue, celebrating the smallest and furriest members of our Mount Clemens and Clinton Township families. Creating this issue has me reflecting on the simple yet profound ways they enrich our lives.
My home is filled with the entertaining energy of my beloved ‘fur babies’—Spooky and Boo, two black cat sisters, and Spooky's charming kittens, Wolfie and tuxedo cat Mr. Carson of Downton Abbey. Their antics never fail to bring a smile to my face; they enhance my life each and every day.
Inside this issue, you’ll find ways to enhance kids’ and pets’ lives right back.
The remarkable Mount Clemens Montessori Academy imbues children with self-esteem and self-reliance. Michigan Works! and Macomb County Planning and Economic Development both offer extraordinary opportunities for young residents to find occupations that light them up.
We’ve even sprinkled a bit of whimsy into our pages with a likely-fictional tale about Mount Clemens’s own William Kibble, whom we dubiously credit with inspiring the famous dog food brand Kibbles 'n Bits. Read it with a grain of salt—or maybe the whole shaker.
Hollywoof Pet Salon’s Katherine Zielinski has channeled her love of all animals into heartfelt pet salons, whose award-winning grooming stems from their deep expertise in making their pet clients look fabulous by building trust, with both the animals and also their sometimes-anxious parents.
For those of you looking to create magical moments at home, imagine your family’s laughter and wonder under the stars when you set up our DIY backyard theater. We also harken back to a memory that’s sweet and cool for us all: the simple, nostalgic pleasure of enjoying a popsicle on a warm summer day.
Children and pets have in common qualities essential to a fully realized life: they’re both ready to play, constantly curious, and unconditionally loving. They constantly remind us to cherish the present and find wonder in the everyday.
Thank you for being a part of our City Lifestyle family! We hope this issue brings a smile to your face and warmth to your heart, just as our fur babies and little ones do for us every day.
Warmest regards,
August 2024
PUBLISHER
Kimberly Janowicz | kimberly.janowicz@citylifestyle.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Marshall Zweig | marshall.zweig@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Kevin Shea | kevinshea56@gmail.com, Jacob Sciacchitano | taylorjacobscc@gmail.com
STAFF WRITER
Marshall Zweig
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Leann Parker, Linda Ditch
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen
St. Clair & Wayne Counties klohmann.soldbyfirst.com Klohmann@remax.net
inside the issue
Kibble’s Nibbles: A (Possibly) True Story
Did Mount Clemens resident William Kibble inadvertently name a legendary dog food brand?
Mount Clemens Montessori Academy empowers children to live their best lives
Lost to Launched: Guiding Young Careers
Michigan
and His Dog,” the sweet fountain statue in Rotary Park across from the Macomb County Building, gave us a perfectly ontheme cover for this issue.
Kevin Shea
Animals
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN AUGUST 2024
city scene
1: 3-year-old mixed breed Bodhi Harrington loves to play hide-and-seek with his human sister. 2: Layla is a winter white dwarf hamster with a sassy attitude who loves other pets. 3: 11-year-old Leo has been Courtney’s constant companion, from starting a business to falling in love. 4: Nala was rescued during the pandemic shutdown. 5: 8-year-old rescue American shorthair Dash loves napping under blankets. 6: 14-year-old rescue Uma, of Uma’s Market & Cafe, is a local legend. 7: Lisa loves everything about her rescue Mary…although she can be a little sassy sometimes.
LAUREN MARIE
ALEX HARRIS
BARB WEINTZ
COURTNEY SZYMKIW
MELISSA LAVENDER
MELISSA LAVENDER
8: Rescues Evelyn (left), 5, and Ozzy, 18 months, are admittedly (and constantly) spoiled. 9: 4-year-old Baby Oreo, a Frenchton who gives great snuggles. 10: Boston terrier Roscoe, 11, is a kiss-loving, belly rub-demanding goofball who snorts when he eats! 11: Max, a pit bull/ boxer mix, loves camping while he fights cancer. 12: Penelope, a 2-year-old Shih Tzu rescue, loves squeaky toys, belly rubs, and dog park friendships. 13: 5-year-old Flash (left) loves sleeping in sinks, and Ahsoka is a fiesty little wild thing! 14: 8-year-old Boston terrier Sonny has mastered the art of opening the screen door.
GAIL WILLINGER
ANGELA MARIE
KARAN BATES-GASIOR
KAREN GROTH
ENZA FATTORE
MELISSA LAVENDER
ENZA FATTORE
Summertime Solutions
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“A Starry Night” ArtParty at the Anton Art Center
Come enjoy the Anton Art Center’s 33rd Annual ArtParty fundraiser, “A Starry Night,” presented by First State Bank, on Thursday, September 19th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel will serve as Honorary Chair. The ‘open air’ evening will feature entertainment, artistic performers, activities, and a strolling dinner. Proceeds support the Anton Art Center. Tickets are $80 each or $150 for a pair, available at www.theartcenter.org or by calling (586) 469-8666.
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A (Possibly) Kibble’s Nibbles: True Story
Did Mount Clemens resident William Kibble inadvertently name a legendary dog food brand?
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG
Tall tales, urban legends and folklore often start with nuggets of truth—or in the case of our yarn, ‘bits’ of truth.
In the annals of Mount Clemens history, the name William H. Kibble recalls a curious mix of controversial showmanship, philanthropy, and quite possibly a contribution—in name only— to one of the most famous dog food brands ever.
Our story, and Kibble’s journey to supposed pet food fame, begins after the American Civil War. Traveling entertainment was all the rage, and William Kibble was dazzling crowds as a bareback rider for the Leon Washburn traveling circus.
At the same time, Kibble was also a performer in Al Fields’s minstrel shows. While a minstrel show is shockingly out of step with modern sensibilities, it’s important to view Kibble not only through the lens of his era— when even progressive citizens like Kibble were often blind to the harmful effects such performances had on Black communities—but through the lens of what Kibble is best known for (outside of his alleged contribution to pet food): the acclaimed anti-slavery play Uncle Tom’s Cabin
In 1880, Washburn transitioned from the circus business to show business, starting a road company which performed Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Washburn offered Kibble the manager position. Kibble chose to hire a Black actor named Gus Collins for the title role—a very progressive move for the time. The play was a bold, abolitionist statement that captivated audiences across the Midwest.
In the 1890s, Kibble purchased the rights to Uncle Tom’s Cabin and settled in Mount Clemens, which became the home base for the traveling show. Performances were often at the historic Bijou Theater.
For the play’s chase scenes, Kibble mined his history as a bareback rider to create a riotous spectacle involving live ponies and dogs—the epitome of a ‘dog and pony show.’
In Kibble’s era, dog and pony shows were small traveling circuses featuring performing dogs and ponies as their main attractions. Dog and pony shows captivated audiences, but were not terribly expensive to produce.
Over time, the term ‘dog and pony show’ has evolved to describe any event that is all flash and no substance. But in the late 1800s, before streaming, gaming, TV or movies, dog and pony shows like Kibble’s were simply what people did for entertainment. In fact, dog and pony shows were already losing audiences to another form of American entertainment taking hold: vaudeville.
Vaudeville was a kaleidoscope of comedy sketches, musical acts, dance routines, magicians, acrobats, and novelty performances. Audiences delighted in the ever-changing whirlwinds of talent and eccentricity, from the slapstick hilarity of clowns to the melodious charm of crooners. It’s likely Kibble incorporated the dog and pony portion of Uncle Tom’s Cabin to compete with vaudeville’s burgeoning popularity.
Training dogs and ponies for the shows required rewarding the animals with treats. While the ponies gobbled up their biscuits, the dogs were a different story: they would only eat the biscuits if they were broken into smaller pieces.
Kibble had neither time nor patience to break down hundreds of biscuits himself. So, in his frequent biscuit orders, the Mount Clemens showman would request that the biscuit factory break the treats down into bite-sized pieces.
The factory workers began to recognize Kibble’s specific and unusual orders, referring to the process as ‘kibbling’ the biscuits into little ‘bits.’ Over time, according to legend, the name stuck in the factory.
Kibbles? Bits? It sure sounds like the quirky nomenclature was inspired by William Kibble’s special orders. But was it?
Well, Kibbles ‘n Bits’ parent company, Post Consumer Holdings, did not reply to repeated requests for comment. So if you’re looking for verifiable proof of where the name came from, you’re not going to find it. But Kibble died in 1928, and it wasn’t until 1982 that Quaker Oats created a dog food called Kibbles ’n Bits. Further, the Oxford English Dictionary records the use of the verb ‘kibble,’ meaning to grind coarsely or crush into small pieces, as early as 1826, long before William Kibble was born.
Let’s just say this: if you’re looking for a heck of an anecdote about Mount Clemens’s history, the name’s origin is entirely and delightfully possible—though not very likely.
When it comes to Kibble, let’s not quibble. Let’s call this a bite-sized fable that we in Mount Clemens will simply consider to be true, because it fits perfectly with our colorful and richly layered history.
We appreciate the Mount Clemens Public Library and Detroit Historical Society for their contributions to this article.
MOUNT CLEMENS MONTESSORI ACADEMY EMPOWERS CHILDREN TO LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES
Future Leaders Start Here
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN SHEA
Ashley Lesage, principal of Mount Clemens Montessori Academy
“
We don’t say ‘I’m proud of you.’
Instead it’s ‘You must be proud of yourself.’
“You feel it the moment you walk in this building,” says Mount Clemens Montessori Academy’s principal Ashley Lesage.
“This school is something different.”
Charters allow parents to make decisions about their children’s education. Mount Clemens Montessori Academy wants to stand out to parents who want a more customizable environment for their children.
“The Montessori philosophy is to follow the child’s individual needs, with individualized attention, meeting the kids where they are," says Mrs. Lesage. "For example, in kindergarten, if one student comes in knowing zero letters, and another student comes in reading, the teachers are going to differentiate for them. They will do the group lesson together, but when they meet with them individually, they're going to allow them to learn at their own speed.”
The customization goes beyond what the children learn. Montessori focuses on the way children learn.
“We had a boy who was interested in nothing academically," says Mrs. Lesage, "but he was super into cars. So in preschool, they made counting, one through five, out of cars for him, so that little boy would actually do the learning with his cars. The teachers put hours and hours into making sure that these kids are getting where they're supposed to be.”
As much as Montessori’s philosophy is to customize education, Mrs. Lesage says the end result is the same for all children.
“We want to create a sense of internal motivation. You're doing things for yourself, to make yourself proud, to be independent. We try not to say, ‘I'm proud of you.’ Instead, it’s ‘You must be really proud of yourself. Look at what you did.’ It makes the kids find their own happiness with the things they are learning."
Mrs. Lesage explains that Mount Clemens Montessori Academy is a Restorative Practices school. Restorative Practices focus on resolving conflict,
repairing harm, and healing relationships. The psychologically safe climate these practices create prevents bullying and reduces disciplinary incidents.
“It's being able to say, 'Listen, I hurt this person. I understand. I did this. And here's how we're going to fix it.’"
Learning from mistakes is at the center of Restorative Practices. In her first year at the school, Mrs. Lesage recalls two fifth grade girls coming to her office because of a disagreement.
“The way they spoke to each other was at a higher level of respect and understanding than the middle school I came from. And they were in fifth grade.
“I remember sitting there after they left for a few minutes and saying to myself, ‘Holy cow.’ The way that I just kind of sat back and let them handle the conversation with respect and understanding. It was amazing. I'm getting chills thinking about it.”
I’m impressed with the psychosocial aspects of the school. I want to know what the classrooms are like.
“When you walk in, you see these students all doing different things. But they are all doing different things for a reason. They get a checklist, and they need to grab their different Works and make sure they do all the different Works. All of their Works go together."
What are Works?
“Works are centers or activities. At the beginning of the year, their classrooms are empty. They build the classroom together, with one or two Works a day, so that the students get the ownership of their classroom. Each classroom has probably 30 Works out at a time.”
I ask Mrs. Lesage for some examples of Works.
“One preschool Work is these little rods that are magnetic. So that's a science Work. They can just play with it, trying to understand magnetic force: do they connect on this side or that side?”
I wonder if children from other schools would find the Montessori atmosphere unusual. Mrs. Lesage says with a smile that they're often uncomfortable with the freedom at Montessori, at first.
CONTINUED >
“When we have a new student coming in, say the new student's waiting for snack time—well, we don't really have snack time. If you're hungry, grab your snack.”
Mrs. Lesage says Montessori enrollment is 80 percent based on word of mouth.
“If someone says on a Facebook group, ‘Just moved in the area—where should we go to school?’ 40 of our parents will comment on there to advocate for us.”
Whatever it is Mrs. Lesage feels at Mount Clemens Montessori Academy, she says parents will feel it too.
“We may not be for everyone. That’s why I always say, ‘Come to the building.’ You'll know in a matter of five minutes whether this is the place for your family. Visit, and just go with your gut and your feelings."
That’s what Mrs. Lesage did. Her oldest son attended Montessori, and her youngest just finished preschool. Mrs. Lesage tells me most Montessori instructors enroll their own children here.
Teacher Allison Klemm brings both of her sons to school with her.
“It’s a 40-minute commute for them," Mrs. Klemm says. "But MCMA understands that all students learn in a different way, different pace, and have different needs. And as a teacher, being given freedoms to find the best ways to deliver instruction to my students is special. It’s what keeps me wanting to teach here.”
It’s not simply the teachers who keep returning, Mrs. Lesage tells me.
“We probably had nine seniors last year come back, high school seniors. They had their caps and gowns and they walked through our halls for one last time and we clapped them out.”
I had actual goosebumps, imagining their former school mattering that much to someone.
So now I understand Montessori’s philosophy. But before we’re done, I ask Mrs. Lesage what Montessori’s goal is with their children. Mrs. Lesage doesn’t hesitate.
“To develop them into people that will be able to choose to do something that matters to them, be successful and make a difference. You know…those good kind of humans.”
Lost to Launched: Guiding Young Careers
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG
I’ve been fortunate to have a career as a creative professional. But in high school, I had no career guidance. I had to attend university for an extra year, because I declared my major too late.
After college, I moved back in with my folks, without a feel for what I was here to do, to be. An adult in age, I remained an adolescent in psyche. I was, to paraphrase Dustin Hoffman’s character in The Graduate, just drifting in the pool.
So as I interview Cris Robson of Michigan Works! and Jennifer Weot of Macomb County Planning and Economic Development, it is with the bittersweet wisdom of hindsight that I say: these programs would have absolutely transformed my life.
“Eight kids came today,” Jennifer tells me, "to look at the different areas of marketing. It was really interesting to hear their feedback afterwards; 'I thought I really wanted to get into graphics…now I don't know if I want to get into marketing at all.' That's great, that’s fine.”
“That's exactly what a business tour is supposed to do: help young people learn about the choices they have,” says Cris.
“And that's what we tell people,” Jennifer adds. “‘It’s still a win. At least you didn't figure it out two years into college.’”
Jennifer runs an initiative called ‘Fueling the Talent Pipeline.’ The goal: connect Macomb County businesses to school districts, to expose the kids to industries and careers. In the two Ford NGL (Next Generation Learning) Academy districts, high schoolers get to narrow down their career path through experiences.
Cris and Michigan Works! help young adults from 18 to 24 who are, like I was at that age, drifting.
Jennifer’s program, which supports Ford Motor Company's Ford NGL, started in Nashville two decades ago.
“Nashville was In big trouble as a district,” says Jennifer. "Almost 20 years later, they’re at a 90 percent graduation rate. It's really amazing.”
I ask how Ford NGL works.
“Every kid in ninth grade, they do a ton of career exploration. At the end of ninth grade, the students have to choose an academy for the rest of high school. Then their curriculum completely changes.
"They're all now taught through the lens of the academy that they're in. So a math class for a health program is going to look completely different than a math class for manufacturing.”
In tenth grade, the kids experience what a career is like in their chosen ‘academy.’
“They have to go on an industry tour in whatever academy they've chosen,” Jennifer explains. “So if they've chosen medical, they'll do a tour of a hospital maybe.
“If they still feel like they're on the right track, in junior year they go on a job shadow, spending the day with someone in the field to see what a day in the life would be like.
“Senior year, the ultimate goal is some sort of internship, work-based learning where they actually get paid. So they can decide, ’Is this the route I want to take?’
“Now some students will say yes and some no, but we see it as a win because even if they change directions, it's done at no cost while they're young. They've learned what they don't want and that's still checking off a box.”
Every student in the Ford NGL districts has to participate. Ford NGL is now worldwide, but as Jennifer says with pride, "Macomb is the only county in the United States that has two Ford NGL districts.”
So if I’m a Macomb high schooler, I’m set up for success. But what if I’ve gotten past high school and I’m still lost? Michigan Works! programs will help me get found.
Cris starts with a history lesson: in 2014, federal workforce development, traditionally focused on high schoolers, shifted focus to 18- to 24-year-olds struggling to launch into the labor force.
"We run programs for young adults," Cris says, "who we call ‘Young Professionals.' These are 18- to 24-year-olds who need help figuring out, ‘What am I supposed to be doing?'
“A lot of young adults feel that somehow they’ve missed it, they've messed up. Young Professionals provides mentorship to help young adults make informed career choices, and supports them as they take steps toward their employment goals."
Both programs help young adults find what they love to do
So if I’m that young adult without a career plan, in what ways would Michigan Works! help me? Cris tells me about tours, guest speakers, work experience and internships.
“We’ve got a lot of different hands-on career exploration opportunities to support them in making a good solid decision."
Cris says the support doesn’t stop once these young professionals find a job.
“We follow up with our alumni for a whole year to make sure they have all the support and mentorship they need to thrive at their job. 85.5 percent were attached to the workforce six months after they participated, and a year later, 87.7 percent,” Cris tells me proudly.
So if you’re a young adult who hasn’t figured out their path in life yet, Cris wants to reassure you: Michigan Works! is a safe place to admit ‘I don’t know.’
“It’s perfectly okay to not know all the answers,” Cris says. That’s exactly what we help do—help you find the career that best fits you."
Color me impressed. Both programs are helping Macomb County young adults find what they love, so they can do what they love. Jennifer agrees.
“I’ve mentioned to students for 20-some years: if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life,” Jennifer says. “Don't pick a career because it's what anyone else wants you to do. What's gonna make you happy?"
DIY At Home Theater
Our family had so much fun creating this At-Home Movie Theater party for our son Ezra’s 8th birthday. All you need is a projector and an outdoor space, but I wanted to jazz it up just a little bit more.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEANN PARKER
TICKET BOOTH
I created a ticket booth and concession stand for a full movie theater experience to ensure that our movie night felt like our guests were actually going to a movie theater and not just our house. In an attempt to achieve that, we set up a ticket booth at the front door using our kids’ old puppet theater.
Materials:
• Tickets
• Ticket Booth (optional)
Before entering our theater (aka our backyard), I set up a shadow box for guests to place their entry ticket.
PEGBOARD DISPLAY WALL
I love displaying food in a creative way at our parties. I made this simple DIY Popcorn Display Wall as a statement piece in our concession stand. We have also used it in many other ways for other parties such as a donut wall, bagel wall, pretzel wall and more. You can easily recreate your own for your next party.
Materials:
• Pegboard. I chose the 4ft square size at Lowe’s for $10 and spray-painted it white.
• Frame (optional). I bought two 1x4’s for $5 each, cut two pieces 4ft long and two pieces 3.5ft long, stained Minwax walnut, attached to pegboard with screws through the back.
• Twine to string popcorn bags. Or, if you’re using the pegboard display for donuts, bagels or pretzels then use golf tees hot-glued into holes from behind!
• Clothespins to hang popcorn bags.
• Popcorn bags
SET THE SCENE!
CONCESSION STAND FINISHING TOUCHES
My daughter handed out tickets for guests to use to “purchase” their popcorn, candy and drinks at the concession stand.
Materials:
• Popcorn Machine (optional)
• Popcorn
• Popcorn flavors for guests to get creative!
• Candy - Use boxes rather than bags for movie theater vibes!
• Soda - Use bottles rather than cans
• Napkins
• Cupcake toppers & plates (if it’s a birthday celebration)
• Reused boxes and spray-painted them white for guests to easily carry their snacks
I cut out red stars (from foam sheets) and stuck them to the floor (with adhesive putty) to lead guests through the house to the concession stand and back outside to where our movie was going to take place.
Finally, our guests could choose their seating on chairs or blankets around our yard. I also set up a little bug-spray table for people to grab as needed. Dramatic play, even as an adult, is so much fun! Who says staying home can’t be just as entertaining?
I hope you have as much fun at your party as we did! I’d love if you tagged me @silvertoothfarmhome so I can see your At-Home Movie Theater too!! In reflecting on the party, my son said that “the best part of the night was eating candy with my friends.” After all, people are what matter most!
summer is POPSICLE SEASON
KIDS AND POPSICLES ARE THE PERFECT SUMMERTIME PAIR
ARTICLE BY LINDA DITCH PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
As temperatures rise, children race to the freezer for this frosty treat or wait anxiously for the approach of the musical ice cream truck. Making homemade popsicles is a fun, kidfriendly activity. These recipes feature kid-favorite flavors with an added taste twist. The only tricky part is waiting for them to freeze.
SPICED GRAPE POPSICLES
ingredients:
Makes 18 to 24
• 2 quarts Concord grape juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 12 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 3 tablespoons whole allspice
directions:
Put all of the ingredients into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to barely a simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the juice through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl or pitcher to remove the spices. Allow the juice to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until well chilled. Pour mixture into popsicle molds. Freeze until firm.
CHERRY LIMEADE POPSICLES ingredients:
Makes 18 to 24
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup lime juice
• 2 cups tart cherry juice
directions:
In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Add the cherry juice and taste. Add additional sugar or water if needed. Let come to room temperature and then refrigerate until well chilled. Pour mixture into popsicle molds. Freeze until firm.
GURUS OF GROOMING
Animals were Katherine Zielinski’s best friends as a child. Now they’re her valued clients
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOB SCIACCHITANO
When I interview Katherine Zielinski, master groomer and owner of HollyWoof Pet Salons, she’s driving home with a shiny new trophy, after finishing second in a highly competitive grooming competition.
“That is somebody’s best friend on my table. I want them to know that your friend is in good hands.”
“I was hoping for honorable mention,” she says.
Katherine has always had a way with animals.
“I used to ask my parents if I could have different kinds of animals,” Katherine tells me, “and their favorite thing to tell me was, ‘If you can catch it, you can keep it.’”
Katherine heard that as a green light, finding a bird, a turtle, a snake, a bunny.
“My parents were like, ‘What is going on here?’"
Katherine remembers.
The story sounds sweet. But Katherine is also a child of divorce. For comfort during those difficult times, her animals were her best friends.
“You could talk to them, cry to them, and there would be no judgment ever. It's like they could tell there was something wrong, and they would try so hard to cheer me up. Every emotional need that I had, they helped to fill.
"They gave me a feeling of connection when I felt pretty lost. I wanted to repay that.”
Katherine became a groomer. But she wasn’t satisfied with the level of care she saw.
“I worked in salons locally where the prep was not there. Inexpensive products, get the dogs in and out. And it really didn't matter what they looked like, what kind of experience the dog had.”
With her grandmother supplying the clever name HollyWoof, Katherine opened her first salon.
“I really wanted to offer quality to pet owners who value a positive experience for the dog. We have two groomers at both of our salons that are fear-free certified; they specialize in working with dogs who actually need that extra TLC. And every groomer has the expertise to prep and maintain a dog’s coat on a deeper level.”
CONTINUED >
From Katherine's words, it seems to me that everything at HollyWoof is done on a deeper level.
“If you show kindness and you make sure they're having positive experience after positive experience, you can build trust," Katherine says. I ask her for an example.
"One dog I was able to rehab went from having to be muzzled the entire groom, to trusting me enough to not have a muzzle on," she recalls. "It was just understanding the dog's body language, the psychology behind the grooming—how to make things a better experience. And I was the only person the dog would trust, because they knew they had good experiences with me.”
Katherine calls the HollyWoof experience 'drab to fab.'
“So many of them are happy when they're leaving, and happy when they're coming back,” Katherine shares. “I love that.”
Katherine’s own happiness is important to her too. She has four dogs: Bentley, Brian Edward, Tamagotchi (“his nickname is Tommy Tsunami,” Katherine adds) and Teddy. I ask her if her fiancé is also a dog lover.
“it never ceases to amaze me because he is allergic to dogs,” Katherine says. Her soon-to-be husband's solution: prescription allergy medication.
“He's six foot two, and I rented a Chevy Spark for us to drive to Arkansas—to go pick up a poodle.”
That kind of love is rare. Yet it seems to match Katherine’s and HollyWoof’s loving care for animals.
“Kindness and compassion really drive our company. That is somebody's best friend on my table that I'm grooming, and I want them to know that your friend is in good hands.”
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