Thanks to WCCO-TV for checking in and letting everyone know that we are ready to re-open since we worked with the State of Minnesota to make dog grooming an essential business.
Meet The Crew: Julie
Meet Julie! She is the General Manager at Bubbly Paws. You maybe have seen her hanging out at all the locations. We thought it would fun for everyone to get to know her a little better!
What is your favorite thing about working at Bubbly Paws? The obvious answer is seeing the dogs on a daily basis, how can you not smile when you are around dogs! But I also have the opportunity to work at every store and manage an amazing staff, we truly have an amazing team.
What is your favorite thing about living in Minnesota? I have lived in Minnesota all my life and one my favorite things is watching the seasons change. We definitely have brutal winters but we have so much to do here no matter what time of year!
What do you like to do outside of work? Outside of work I love spending time with my husband and two dogs, Duchess and Thor. We love craft beer and often explore new breweries on the weekend! I also love to cook and try new recipes out!
Thanks Lill
It seems like just yesterday that Lill, our General Manager just started working at our Saint Louis Park store. I remember her first day very clearly, it was almost 6 years ago, the day before Thanksgiving. I remember it so well because she fit right in, and immediately understood how to interact with customers, and really loved the job. Lill has been with us since the beginning and was a huge reason that we were able to expand and she worked her way up to our General Manager position. She was there for each store that we opened, but more importantly, she LOVES Bubbly Paws and coming to work. In a nut shell, Lill is a small business owners dream team member as her passion, and love of the company came through in everything she did! After 6 years, Lill has decided to move on, and we are very excited for her and sad at the same time! She has been such a HUGE part of our work and personal family and know she will go on to great things! Thanks Lill, for an AMAZING 6 years!!
WCCO TV at Paws On Grand
A Big thanks to WCCO TV for stopping out to Paws on Grand at our St Paul store. We love to sponsor such a great event! You can watch the full video below.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — Hundreds of dogs filled St. Paul’s Grand Avenue on Sunday for the annual Paws of Grand event.
Grand Avenue businesses partner with local animal rescue organizations. The event features lots of pet-friendly activities, like a pet photo booth and fashion show.
“Well it’s great, brings a lot of awareness to dog rescue groups and dog related non-profits. It also gets dogs adopted, but also provides a fun, free activity for families to do,” Lill Luce with Bubbly Paws said.
Bubbly Paws and several other businesses along Grand offered special deals and discounts on Sunday.
How involved are the Bubbly Paws Owners?
Our friends from Intuit Quickbooks stopped out and asked how involved the owners of Bubbly Paws are. Watch the response below.
FOX 9 at Boo Fest on Grand Ave
Our friends from FOX 9 stopped out to Bubbly Paws in St Paul to talk about Boo Fest and see some dogs in Halloween costumes.
Get The Mail
Looking for a cool new trick for your pooch? How about having them get the mail? Check out this awesome trick!
Best Pet Groomer... But We Don't Pay For It!
I can honestly say, I love winning awards, especially ones that our customers vote on. Winning these awards really means so much to our staff that work so hard each and every day to earn your business.. We have won numerous "best pet groomer" or "best dog spa" awards from local media, but that is not what this post is about. We received an email last week asking if we wanted to "buy our best of award" for the grooming category from the "Saint Paul Award Program".. Really, who the heck is the Saint Paul Award Program? They basically have award programs for each city, so businesses can buy awards to show that they won an award! Basically it cheapens the real "best of" awards that are given out. The most interesting part of this "award program" is that they don't have a real website where they list all of the Saint Paul winners. The winners they list are just big national companies like Best Buy and The American Red Corss. Basically, they contact all the dog grooming stores to see who wants to buy the award and show it off. If you want to see the nifty award, just click here! So thanks for the award, but we love the real awards where our customers vote :)
Have a great day!
Keith
QuickBooks Video Shoot
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I am so excited to announce that Intuit QuickBooks has selected Bubbly Paws dog wash and dog grooming as a small business to feature on their "Own It Everyday" small business video series. These videos will appear on their Facebook and other social media channels. Yesterday a film crew from LA come to our Saint Paul location to shoot our segments. We had so much fun filming with them and we even came up with a new "jingle" that you will start hearing on Bubbly Paws Radio (you know the station we play when you are bathing your pooch). We don't know when the videos will be released yet, but watch our Facebook page to be the first to know. The film crew was in Minneapolis for the past few days and also recorded segments at two other Minneapolis businesses, The Beez Kneez and Sociable Cider Works!
Have a great weekend!
Keith
Random Acts of Bubbly
Minneapolis dog groomer giving back
When we first opened our first Bubbly Paws location, we always wanted to be much more than just a business. We wanted to give back to the pet community community in which we are located. Over the years we have done this in various ways from donations, silent auction items, fundraisers, sponsorships and more! I am happy to announce that in 2014 we donated over $10,000 in goods, services and money to local pet rescues and shelters in the Twin Cities!
We want to do even more good and help even more people in the community! This year we are kicking off our "Random Acts of Bubbly" campaign. Throughout the year we will be helping out local rescues and shelters! If you have any ideas on how we can help, feel free to contact me! Because we are a small business, we can't handle every request we get, but we will try!
As a small business owner, one of the greatest joys is giving back and helping those in need! Make sure to keep an eye on our facebook page and our blog to see what we have been up to!
In addition to the Bubbly Paws crew giving back, we strongly encourage all of our customers to create their own "Random Acts of Bubbly". Let us know what you have done to help out in the Twin Cities, use #bubblypaws or share it on our Facebook page!
Our first "Random acts of Bubbly" is going to take place this week! I will give you all the details soon!
Keith
Holiday Hours
Happy Holidays from Bubbly Paws
Holiday Dog Wash Hours: Christmas Eve - 10am-5pm (last bath starts at 4pm) Christmas Day - Closed New Year's Eve - 10am-5pm (last bath starts at 4pm) New Year's Day - Closed
Have a safe and happy holiday season! Thanks for all of your love and support in 2014!
Trim-a-Palooza
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Help celebrate the time change this Sunday at both Bubbly Paws locations from 10am-4pm with 1/2 price savings on the following services: $5 Nail Trims $5 Face Trims $5 Foot Trims $5 Sani Trims $7.50 Nail Grinds
Appointments are first come, first served. We get pretty busy, please plan to wait a few minutes. Paw points are NOT given out for discounted services.
Mallory's Pumpkin Spice Latte Ratings
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It's no secret that Bubbly Paws employees LOVE their coffee! This week, we gave Mallory, our dog groomer at our Saint Paul store the tough task of finding the "Best Pumpkin Spice Latte" on Grand Ave. We know there are lots of coffee options on Grand Ave, so we tried the locations within 3 blocks of our store. Here are Mallory's results...
Starbucks - It was ok, a little too spicy and not enough pumpkin flavor.
Caribou - Good pumpkin flavor but a little too sweet.
Chez Arnoud - It was just right... The perfect mix of pumpkin and spice... Just like a pumpkin pie!
Bread and Chocolate - Does not have a Pumpkin Spice Latte ;(
As the Pumpkin Spice Latte season continues, we will update this list as Mallory gets her coffee fixxxxxxxxxx!!
Paws on Grand / FOX 9
Todd Walker from FOX 9 stopped out to our Saint Paul dog wash to promote Paws on Grand.
Flexi Leash Dangers
Flexi Leash law in Minneapolis
Every now and then we have a customer ask "Why don't you carry Flexi or retractable leashes at Bubbly Paws?". We don't carry these types of leashes for many reasons; one of which is that I have seen too many injuries and incidents related to these types of leashes.
If you do use a Flexi Leash, please make sure to lock the leash at about 3 feet long when stopping into Bubbly Paws or other businesses to make sure your dog is easily controlled. Most cities including Minneapolis, Edina, Saint Paul, and Bloomington all have regulations saying the leash can't be longer than 6 feet. Just because your dog is friendly to other dogs and loves to run up and greet them, does not all dogs enjoy dogs running up to them. Always ask dog owners first before the dog runs up. Also, be very careful of getting burned by the Flexi Leash, I have a leash burn on my leg from a dog that was running into our doggy daycare on an unlocked leash. If you are looking for some great alternatives to flexi leashes, we have some great selections at Bubbly Paws. Do a quick image search on Google for "Flexi Leash Injury" and you will see the possible harm that can come to humans and dogs from these leashes. Below is a great article from the Dogginton Post about the Dangers of Flexi Leashes and how to use them responsibly.
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Flexi Leash Dangers
One of the most popular devices used to restrain dogs when taking them out for a walk is the retractable leash. Many owners, however, wonder if such a leash is appropriate or even safe to use. Well, the answer generally depends on a person’s reason for using the device. While there are several ways to utilize the retractable leash properly, it is important to remember that they also pose some danger to you and your dog if not used correctly.
Before using a retractable leash, make certain you’ve got one that’s strong enough to handle your dog. Dogs that have a tendency to bolt or take off running after perceived prey should never be restrained with a retractable leash. Aside from those dangers, there are other things to keep in mind when using one of these popular leashes.
What You Need to Watch Out For
· Prickling leash burns. Retractable leashes, especially the thin string variety, can very easily cause leash burns. This could happen when you let your pooch race past you with the retractable line zipped up across your bare skin. Unwarranted injuries, however, can be prevented if you try the flat, tape style retractable leash. · Entanglement or strangulation. Not only can retractable leashes burn us, they can also get twisted around a dog’s neck or legs. Worse, if your pooch panics and jerks the moment they get hog-tied; it could cause the leash to pull even tighter. Although you can loosen the cords that have wrapped around his neck, the situation could quickly become life-threatening. · Fatal accidents. There are times when our dogs dart away all of a sudden, and with a retractable leash on him, your dog might dart even farther, faster. Nevertheless, it’s the reeling that’s a serious issue here. It is possible that Fido may spot a squirrel or anything interesting across the street, and suddenly take off after it. If you’re not alert enough, his abrupt behavior and an un-sturdy retractable leash could put him smack on the road, right in front of a speeding car.
Other Things You Would Never Want to Happen
· The leash drops. Because these leashes rarely have a wrist strap and are sometimes heavy and bulky, dropping them is a regular occurrence. What’s worse, if you drop the handle, the lack of tension can send the heavy handle hurdling toward your dog. Not only could the heavy leash handle smack your dog in the head, if your dog is spooked by the leash handle zipping deafeningly toward him, he may take off running. · The cord is grabbed. If you grab the cord/tape while it is being pulled from the handle, you might suffer from immediate injury like cuts and burns. · The cord wraps around you. Poor handling can also cause the cord/tape to twist around you or someone else’s fingers resulting in deep wounds, or worse, amputation. · The collar breaks or comes off your dog. The moment this occurs, the leash could retract at top speed while the other end of the line whips around at the same full momentum leading to serious injuries to face, teeth, and eyes.
Twin Cities Pride 2014
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Pampered Pooch Playground and Bubbly Paws Dog Wash are excited to take part in the 2014 Twin Cities Pride Festival. Make sure to stop over to our booth for lots of pride related fun including some cool decorating of your pooch (details very soon)!
Pampered Pooch Playground is one of the founding members of the Twin Cities Dog Daycare Association who will be sponsoring the Doggy Drag Show which is hosted by Falen from the Dave Ryan Morning Show on 101.3 KDWB.
The entire Twin Cities Dog Daycare Association (Downtown Dogs, Dog Days, Dog Day Getaway, Camp Bow Wow - Burnsville and Pampered Pooch Playground) will be collaborating with Twin Cities Pride for this outrageously fun event!
The Doggy Drag Show takes place in the Pet Central Section, conveniently located across from the Beer Garden. Come join the fun at 3:00 PM on Saturday, June 29th. Registration is day of and will open at 10:00 AM. Entries limited to first 20 registrants.
All participants get a ribbon. For Best in Show, Best Male Cross Dresser, Best Female Cross Dresser there will be amazing prize baskets for the winners!
Just go to a thrift store and let your fun and creativity flow! Thrift stores have wigs, neck ties, nighties and more.
The show is in the Pet Central Green Space. Look for the table and the sign.
WCCO-TV at Bubbly Paws
WCCO-TV stopped out to Bubbly Paws Dog Wash and Dog Spa to talk about the self-service dog wash business. 5am Segment
6am Segment
The right time to start grooming your puppy
Coco has been a regular at Bubbly Paws since she was a tiny puppy. When she was ready for her first big grooming she was calm and comfortable allowing Mallory to give her a great cut!
Every dog needs to be groomed, at least a little. We love seeing new puppies (who doesn't?) but it is even better to see young dogs get regular nail trims and baths so they start a lifetime of grooming on the right paw. I often get asked when you should first get your dog groomed and the simplest answer is soon after they have their vaccinations up to date enough to make other trips in public, usually around 10 weeks old. Many dogs do not require regular grooming so as long as bath time and nail trims are done in a positive way a few times during their puppyhood they grow up being calm and comfortable with normal healthy grooming chores. However, if you have a breed that requires grooming it takes a little more planning to make sure your puppy has the best chance at being positively accustomed to grooming.
Breeds that require grooming are anything non-shed, hypoallergenic breeds from Bichons to the biggest doodles. These breeds need to be groomed on a regular schedule for their whole lives. Bubbly Paws offers a great deal with our Puppy Package, for puppies' first groom before they are 6 months old. We offer such a great deal because we believe grooming should be a low stress and fun activity for your dog and the best way to do that is to start early and make the first grooming a good one. In the Puppy Package we get all the good healthy necessities done, like a bath and nail trim and hope to get some more trimming done but we play it by ear. If the puppy is doing great maybe we'll get an all-over haircut done but if the puppy is stressed or too wiggly we focus on using positive reinforcement on calm behaviors and offer breaks for play time and to let out some energy before getting back to business.
Puppy coat is so soft and lovely, it's hard to see it go when they start growing up. You may want to keep your Wheaten terrier's puppy coat until they are 9 months old but it might not be the best thing for your dog. Unless you are brushing your dog thoroughly everyday that puppy coat will matt when the adult coat starts coming in. Nothing is more stressful for your dog and our groomers then having to shave down a matted dog that has never been groomed before and that has all the energy a 9 month to year old dog might have. It's much better to plan regular grooming (even just a bath and brush out or a little trim) every month or two and part of everyday to brush your dog. By preventing tangled fur you can prevent your dog from having to be shaved and keep that soft puppy fluff as long as possible.
Shadow had his puppy's first groom at 4 months old and was so well-behaved Jessica was able to give him an all over trim!
We work hard everyday to make grooming fun and we (and your puppy) hope you do too! Grooming is offered daily at both our locations.
Muddy Mutt Contest
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Now through Sunday, April 20th, we are searching for the muddiest dogs in the Twin Cities. Simply upload a picture of your dirty dog to our Facebook fan page, or use #bubblypaws on Instagram. We will pick one lucky dog to win the grand prize: a free self service bath at Bubbly Paws and a photo shoot with Eva Noth Photography! This prize package has a value of $250! And now... The rules
- The Bubbly Paws staff will be judging the pictures and looking for the dirtiest dogs in the Twin Cities. Have fun and get creative, we know there are lots of dirty dogs out there! Extra points are given if your dog is at Bubbly Paws, heck we will even take the picture for you on your phone!
- Photos must be uploaded to the Bubbly Paws Facebook Page or use #bubblypaws on Instagram.
- The photo has to have been taken this spring.
- You must be a resident of the Twin Cities.
- One entry per person.
- We might re-post the entries that have been submitted, or your pooch might be used for promotional purposes by Bubbly Paws or Eva Noth Photography.
- Decision of the Bubbly Paws judges is final.
Flea and Tick Season is Coming
Don't let these creeps make a meal out of your pooch!
It's no secret I'm not a fan of winter. I don't like the cold, snow, ice or any of it except that we get a break from the pesky insects Minnesota is known for. It may not feel like spring is really here yet, but the temperatures have warmed up enough that it is time to prepare for flea and tick season. The increased temperatures mean all the creepy crawlies are coming back and it's better to be ahead of the game. Fleas can cause skin irritation, flea dermatitis and spread tapeworms in addition to being a major discomfort to you and your pet. Ticks can spread over a dozen diseases and can also cause infection at the bite site. Like most health and wellness concerns for our pets (and us) prevention is the best medicine. There are so many great preventatives on the market. Talk to your vet to find the best option for your dog and start it when they recommend (usually April or May in Minnesota though some vets recommend using a parasite preventative year round).
These are the types of ticks you may find on your dog.
Once your dog is on flea and tick preventative medicine check regularly as your pet can pick up pests before they are killed. Fleas can be caught from wild animals or eggs laid in the environment (even your backyard). Ticks are often found in long grass and wooded areas, although I know many dogs that have picked them up at local dog parks. Regular bathing and grooming your dog is a great way to get a look through their coat for any unwelcome pests.
The life cycle of the common dog and cat flea.
Bubbly Paws is a flea and tick free zone so make sure you are covered before coming in. If we find fleas on your dog we will ask that you take your dog home ASAP. If there is a tick on your dog let us know and a Bubbly Paws team member can remove it, dispose of it properly and clean the bite area. Stay protected with good prevention and enjoy a summer free of worry about pests on your pet!