Feb 12, 2004

Young entrepreneurs offer doggone good deal in Almaden

By Miranda Schultz
Staff Writer

Move over professional grooming businesses, some Almaden girls want a piece of the pie.
Or, according to the neighborhood, they already have it.

Kaitlyn, 13, Emily and Meghan*, both 12, are making their mark with Pup ‘n’ Suds, their dog walking, bathing and grooming service. A fee of $5 per dog gets the customer a slew of services.

“We walk them, wash them and brush them. They get their coat shined…” Emily attempts to finish before her older sister Kaitlyn pipes in, “Yeah, we have this coat shining spray, and they get a treat and a ribbon around their collar!”

All of their supplies are tucked neatly into their canvas tool-belt type aprons, shampoo, brushes, ribbons and don’t forget about the coat spray.

According to Emily and Kaitlyn’s mom, Sarah, it all started due to Kaitlyn’s passion for dogs.

“She would take our dogs out for walks, and meet other people in the neighborhood who had dogs, and it just went from there,” said Sarah. “She’s a dog magnet. We actually met many of our neighbors because of her.”
The girls have been in the business for about three years, so they’ve become pretty well known in the neighborhood and have very loyal customers.

Emily came up with the marketing strategy, “We want to give everyone the idea that we are cheaper than professional groomers, and probably like it more. Why pay $40 when you can pay us $5?”

Customers in the neighborhood say that the girls are very trustworthy. They even have a dog sitting service and a complete three-fold brochure they made up themselves.

Neighbor Rob Boyles is a frequent the services of Pup ‘n’ Suds, “My wife and I travel a lot, and we just wouldn’t be able to do it without the girls. They’re darling little girls and they truly love animals. Sometimes they will come by and just ask to take our dog for a walk, just for fun.”

Sometimes neighbors will board their dogs at Kaitlyn and Emily’s house instead of a kennel, “We could have three dogs running around our back yard,” says Sarah.

Kaitlyn and Emily have one dog, a much loved black Lab named Sadie, and they enjoy the fact that she can have friends of her kind to play with.

“I’ve always loved dogs,” says Kaitlyn, “I know everything about them.”
Emily chimes in with her opinion of her sister, “She’s like a library,” adds Meghan as all three giggle, “of dog books!”

According to Emily, Kaitlyn knows everyone in the neighborhood by their dogs, “We’ll be driving around the block and she’ll say, ‘Oh there’s Max’s house,’ or ‘oh, look at Buster with his face in the window.’”

The girls seem to really enjoy the dogs. They even laugh when a big golden retriever lays a wet slobbery kiss on their cheek.

All three girls claim to like all dogs, no matter what the size, or color.

“Little dogs have more attitude,” says Meghan as she holds her toy poodle, Ourson, “I like all dogs, the big ones can knock you over sometimes, but it’s fun.”

Sarah feels this business will be going on for some time, considering it gives the girls a nice addition to their allowance.

*Last names withheld at their parent’s request.