FARGO — Oakley, a 7-year-old Australian Shepherd, might appear like a whip-smart cattle canine, however she would possibly simply have the center of a Kardashian.
When her proprietor Haley Wahl tells Oakley that she’s going to have a “spa day,” the shepherd instantly perks up. She then parks herself by the door, barking and wagging her tail enthusiastically, till groomer Ariel Kreilkamp rolls into the driveway along with her Spiffy Clips Mobile Pet Grooming van.
“She absolutely loves it,” Wahl stated.
It’s been a welcome change in habits, as Oakley used to get extraordinarily nervous about grooming appointments and wouldn’t let the groomer contact her nails.
But Oakley seems to favor the one-on-one consideration and privateness of cellular grooming vs. a busy salon.
“I have dogs that come in here that are terrible in regular salons and here, they’re no problem,” stated Kreilkamp, a soft-spoken 32-year-old who began grooming 11 years in the past. “It’s just that they’re overstimulated in the salons and this is exactly what they need.”
Kreilkamp appears to be on a roll along with her cellular grooming service, which appears to to be much less aggravating for some pets whereas additionally being extra handy for his or her homeowners.
“It’s really good for seniors or moms who can’t really get out easily,” Kreilkamp stated.
Maybe that is how Spiffy Clips has managed to draw 200 “super-regular” prospects round Fargo-Moorhead within the two-and-a-half years since Kreilkamp launched her business.
Wahl, a married West Fargo mother with 2-year-old twins and a busy work schedule, appreciates not needing to take Oakley to and from appointments.
Contributed / Haley Wahl
After studying their canine’s earlier groomer would not be available, Wahl started wanting on-line for somebody who may supply cellular companies.
When she learn the optimistic evaluations about Spiffy Clips, she reached out to Kreilkamp. “I never really looked back,” she stated. “Ariel is amazing. She’s very professional and she treats Oakley like her own dog.”
The cellular vs. brick-and-mortar debate
A lifetime animal lover, Kreilkamp was born in Valley City and moved along with her household to South Carolina when she was young. She enrolled in faculty to check biology with hopes of sometime working with animals. As a method to make money in faculty, she additionally skilled to change into a pet groomer at a series pet retailer in Bluffton, South Carolina.
Before lengthy, she’d give up faculty and began grooming full-time as a result of she realized that was the proper vocation for her.
David Samson/The Forum
That was 11 years in the past. Kreilkamp moved again to the realm in 2020 with aspirations to begin her personal grooming business.
Although Kreilkamp had lengthy wished to be a cellular groomer, she contacted the North Dakota Small Business Center to see if that was the neatest path to take. The specialists there helped her put together a business plan and examine the professionals and cons of a cellular business versus brick and mortar.
Kreilkamp discovered that the down facet to a cellular operation was the upkeep of it. But the upside was its flexibility. “I can pick and choose where I want to work,” she stated. “If I ever decide to move, I can bring the whole business with me.”
She additionally found Wag’N Tails Mobile Conversions, an organization in Granger, Indiana, that focuses on building grooming and veterinary-care vans of all sizes.
She ordered the DynaGroom, the corporate’s hottest mannequin, for $98,000. She then waited half a 12 months for the corporate to build and winterize the 22-foot-long Ford Transit van.
Once she had the van, Kreilkamp didn’t should market a lot to draw prospects. She parked in busy areas like grocery retailer parking tons, the place pet homeowners couldn’t miss the white automobile adorned with bubbles, pleased dogs and the Spiffy Clips cellphone quantity.
It might not have been arduous to seek out purchasers, however Kreilkamp nonetheless needed to navigate the educational curve of a salon-on-wheels.
David Samson/The Forum
“It takes a lot of trial and error,” she stated. “The first six months were really hard. I had to figure out how the van works, how not to run out of water.”
Today, she will be able to shampoo, situation and rinse 5 to 6 dogs a day on the van’s 50-gallon water tank.
Van stays heat, even at -15 levels
She strikes simply across the compactly appointed van, the place nothing appears greater than a few steps or an arm’s attain away.
David Samson/The Forum
A stainless-steel grooming desk routinely raises and lowers with a foot pedal.
A ramp pulls out from the desk and extends to the raised, chrome steel grooming tub behind the van so Kreilkamp doesn’t should raise each canine.
Cupboards for grooming provides are positioned overhead, as is the lengthy hose which permits her to blowdry the canine.
There’s additionally a small desk for paperwork, switches to activate the generator if warmth or air are wanted, and a rooftop vent if the van will get too heat or humid.
David Samson/The Forum
The small area makes blow drying extra-noisy, so Kreilkamp wears headphones and the canine will get a Happy Hoodie — a tube of material which slides over the canine’s head to guard its ears.
“It kind of makes them look funny but they really work,” Kreilkamp stated. “Every dog gets a fresh one, to make sure nothing transfers, especially with that dog flu going around. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m not taking any chances.”
David Samson/The Forum
One factor canine homeowners don’t have to fret about is chilly. The heater and scorching water heat up the small area so shortly that Kreilkamp normally retains the ceiling vent open.
“A good question I get is ‘Is it warm enough?’” She laughs. “I’m in short sleeves.”
The van stays constantly toasty even when it’s -15 exterior, she stated. If the mercury falls much more, she’ll both postpone appointments “for safety” or ask homeowners to carry their dogs to the heated store in Moorhead the place she retains her van.
Roomy, however not ‘St. Bernard roomy’
While the DynaGroom is environment friendly and compact, it does have its limitations.
For one factor, she’s busy sufficient to rent one other groomer, however there merely isn’t room.
For one other, Kreilkamp discovered early on that the van wasn’t constructed for extra-large dogs. “When I first started, I did do a St. Bernard in here and it couldn’t hardly fit in the tub. It was a mistake,” she recalled, laughing.
Now she sticks to purchasers who’re 50 kilos or much less, and solely accepts purchasers within the Fargo-Moorhead space. She additionally grooms some common feline purchasers, however isn’t taking up any new ones.
Although Kreilkamp is already a lot busy, she does keep a ready listing for future purchasers. Her charges vary from about $110 for a smaller canine, like a Shih Tzu, to $130 for a medium-sized Golden Retriever. Prices are additionally affected by elements like situation of coat and temperament, she stated.
“I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t get any dogs that bite, so that’s kind of nice,” she stated.
With business booming, one wonders if she’s going to ever need to spend money on considered one of Wag’N Tails bigger autos — like a bus or perhaps an RV?
“If I got anything else, I might get a second one,” she stated. “But that’s far off into the future.”
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