Dog Days at the Spa

For pooches looking to shed their winter coats this summer, Doggie Day Spa on Howe Avenue is the place to be. Melanie and Lorraine Kovac, a licensed and insured mother and daughter team run the full service salon.

 With experience in the dog grooming industry over the past sixteen years, the team is able to give pets and owners an enjoyable experience.

“We got into the business for the love of animals,” Lorraine Kovac said. “We have four dogs of our own.”

Doggie Day Spa has been a fixture on Howe Avenue for several years, but the Kovacs are fairly new to the salon. They bought it two years ago after spending time running a mobile grooming business that ran between Darien and Shelton.

“We have about two to ten customers every day,” Melanie Kovac stated. “On Saturdays we get up to fifteen coming in.”

Customers have the choice of washing, drying and clipping their own furry friends at the Doggie Day Spa self-service station, or they can drop their pets off anytime between 9:30-11am. The Kovacs want customers to know they need to call in advance to book an appointment either way.

“People are welcome to use our clippers, our dryers, any tools they need to get their pet cleaned at the self-service station,” Kovac said. “Sometimes we’ll watch what people are doing and give them suggestions if they look nervous,” she added.

If customers opt to leave the grooming and primping to the Kovacs, it is recommended that they make them aware of any health problems or sensitivities before leaving pets in their care. It is also advised that before leaving your pet in their care, you alert them to aggressiveness with other animals. According to the Kovacs, they like to let the animals rest in between grooming procedures and play with each other, as long as they get along with the other animals.

“We like to give pets rests in between [grooming procedures],” Kovac explained. “We let them rest and give them water because grooming can be stressful on an animal,” she said.

As far as grooming animals who are matted, the Kovacs want people to know that it is not possible to keep the hair long. Doggie Day Spa is an appointment only salon with customized and personal service. The Kovacs groom dogs, rabbits, ferrets, and cats.

For appointments or questions call 203-922-0628.