New Owner With Passion For Animals Takes Over Wet Paws In Trumbull

TRUMBULL, CT — Jenna Wittenberg has always been passionate about animals and what goes in to keeping them clean.

Having worked as a veterinary technician before coming to work at Wet Paws Dog Grooming in 2017, she also has a wealth of experience in making sure animals are comfortable while being cared for.

"I love animals," Wittenberg said to Patch. "I love helping animals...I'm just very passionate about animals in general."

This week, Wittenberg was able to combine her passion for dog grooming with her long-held dream of owning her own business when she took ownership of Wet Paws, located at 4244 Madison Avenue in Trumbull.

Having worked at Wet Paws since its first year of operation, Wittenberg had spoken with the previous owner before about taking over the business, however the timing was not right until now, she said.

"It was always my dream to have my own place," Wittenberg said. "I've worked with animals my entire life...and just I love the industry. I love grooming dogs, it's my passion."

Though there are a number of pet grooming services in town and the surrounding area, Wittenberg said Wet Paws stands out by having a very open facility where nothing is done behind closed doors, including grooming.

"Everything can be seen," Wittenberg said, "there's nothing behind doors. Dogs get to interact with each other...if it works with them. We're very flexible with our schedules. We fit people in wherever we can. All of our staff is very friendly and outgoing. We're very open and we communicate very well with our clients."

Wittenberg noted Wet Paws also specializes in taking care of dogs who might be considered more difficult than others. The facility even has clients that travel to Trumbull from Norwalk and areas further away because other groomers would not take their dogs.

Wittenberg also brings her own short-hair dogs into Wet Paws to be bathed.

Rina Bakalar, the town's director of economic and community development, said she thinks Wet Paws provides tremendous care and concern for the pets they groom.

"Jenna has been working there since 2017, so she has strong familiarity with existing customers," Bakalar said. "That kind of continuity is important to pet owners. They know who is caring for their pet. I know folks come [to Wet Paws] from as far away as New York."

According to Wittenberg, patience is the key to being a successful groomer; talking the animals through the process and giving them as many breaks as necessary.

"It's building a bond," Wittenberg said. "Having them stay with the same groomer, so each time they come in they know that groomer, and just talking them through it. It's really just about making them feel more comfortable and that we're really not trying to hurt them. You do have to be stern and firm, but it's really just a matter of doing whatever it takes to make them feel more comfortable."

Wet Paws services both dogs and cats, however Wittenberg is the only groomer who specializes in cats, which she noted are "much more difficult" to groom than dogs.

"Dogs are much easier," Wittenberg said. "With cats, it's a much different restraint. They don't just stand up like a dog. You always kind of need another person on hand. It's very different skin. When shaving at cat, their skin is very thin, so you have to be very careful and you have to have the right technique."

Now that she has taken ownership of the facility, Wittenberg hopes to start a retail program that sells some of the grooming products they use, including brushes, collars and treats.

She also plans to continue offering customers the caring and attentive service they have come to expect when bringing their dog or cat to Wet Paws.

"It's very rare that we have an unhappy customer," Wittenberg said. "Sometimes the dogs, when we bring them out, they just want to run right back in."