Kim Murphy liked her job as a mortgage officer, but after 10years, she thought she might be barking up the wrong tree. She lefther job, enrolled in classes, purchased a fully converted van andtook her mobile dog grooming business on the road.
Murphy travels to her canine clients in her mobile pet salon van,brightly emblazoned with "At Your Bark and Call." Inside the van'sstreamlined interior, she trims, snips, washes, dries and cleansdogs, often in their owners' driveways.
"I wanted to be my own boss. I love animals, especially dogs,"said Murphy, who keeps seven dogs, two cats, three horses, chickensand roosters at her Putnam County home. "I was playing around on theInternet and saw this idea."
Her self-contained van, which she purchased from Wag'n Tails, aSouth Bend, Ind., company specializing in mobile groomingfacilities, features a generator that powers the air conditioning,vacuum, lighting and drying systems, a propane tank to operate thefurnace and hot water tank, a power-lift grooming table, and tubwith a two tanks, one for fresh water, the other for gray water.
The compact, efficient workspace is remarkably free of dog hair,due to her diligent tidiness. As she recently snipped and trimmed aYorkshire terrier named Missy, she paused to removed the clippingswith her shop vacuum before moving the dog into the tub for a bath.
"I'm particular about my space," she said. "If people knock on mydoor, and want to see what I'm doing in here, I want it to be cleanin here."
Last January, she took a grooming course, then purchased herconverted van in April. She's been on the road ever since. Her setupcosts, including equipment, products and the van were about $50,000,which she said is less than the cost of setting up a grooming shop.
Her prices are comparable to most local groomers, with theaddition of a $15 mobile fee she charges for the convenience of asession in the owners' driveway. A miniature schnauzer's groomingand bathing session costs about $45, plus the mobile fee. A goldenretriever's base session would be about $55. Potential customerscall for estimates, which are based on three factors: the dog'sbreed, weight and disposition.
Although her lift table can handle up to 125 pounds, Murphyusually imposes a 75-pound weight limit in deference to her ownability to maneuver the animals. If an owner is willing to help herget a larger dog in place, she'll work with them. She grooms onesheepdog.
Most customers make appointments for times when they are home togreet Murphy, but others arrange for her to take their dogs fromhome while they are at work. "I come to their house, and get the dogfrom their home or yard. They then come home to a freshly groomeddog," she said.
Her typical grooming session includes a trim of the hair betweenthe paw pads, a trim and file of the dog's nails, an ear cleaning,brushing, bathing and drying. She dries each dog by hand, instead ofplacing them in cages and turning a blower on them.
Based in Putnam County, Murphy travels mostly to clients betweenMilton and Cross Lanes. She schedules five to six sessions per day.
Dogs groomed in her van are often less nervous about theexperience than those who are dropped off with a groomer and leftfor a full day. Murphy's sessions typically last about 1 1/2 hours,then the dog returns to its home.
Most dogs should be bathed and groomed every four to six weeks.Clients who limit their dogs' sessions to once or twice a year canexpect to pay more for the time it takes to detangle or shave mattedfur. Doodles and poodles have undercoats that are especiallysusceptible to matting.
Murphy rarely has trouble with temperamental dogs. She has beenbitten just once, and that was during a grooming school session.
"This is like a hobby. I'm just hanging out with dogs all day,"she said.
Visit www.atyourbarkandcallwv.com or call 304-545-4724.
lawrence pierce | Sunday Gazette-Mail photos Kim Murphy soothes aYorkshire terrier named Missy as she trims the fur under the dogsneck inside her van, a mobile pet salon.
A customized van contains Murphys mobile pet salon, which sheparks in clients driveways while she grooms their dogs.
Reach Julie Robinson at julier@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1230.
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