Just Fur Paws, a Salon for Your Fuzzy Friends

Any pet owner can tell you, our furry little friends can get themselves dirty, their hair grows long and their claws become uncomfortably long. Sometimes, a bath just won't get them back to their original luster.

“Just Fur Paws," opened in Burlington in April of this year, is ready to help. The name is an appropriate pun on words as fur and paws are the areas that get worked on the most at this doggy salon.

On the day when she down with Burlington Patch, Karin Mosca, owner of Just Fur Paws, welcomes a Yorkie, brought in by her owner, to be trimmed down for the summer. Molly, The Yorkie, doesn’t mind at all being left in the hands of Mosca and has a good natured disposition. Soon enough she is out the door, looking fresh and happy, another satisfied canine customer.

Not all dogs brought in to Mosca are easy going. Mosca was been bitten once by a dog while grooming him. He just didn’t like having his nails cut and took a bite out of her arm. Nails and paws are a sensitive area for the dogs.  It’s not a problem grooming the dogs the majority of the time. There are many different types of dogs with distinctive personalities.  

Just Fur Paws gets a combination of older dogs and puppies. The puppies are naturally more excitable and the older dogs get tired from standing up for a long time so they get a rest during their grooming session.

“Dogs are like children” Mosca relates, “while their owners are with them, they’re fussy but as soon as they leave, the dogs are fine”.

Mosca started out in the pet field doing dog walking and pet sitting. She has always been an animal lover and decided to step up her career with animals by being trained in dog/ pet grooming at Dapper Dawg in Stoneham. At Dapper Dawg it’s hands on learning. A grooming student can learn while watching a professional at work and doing the regular projects, assignments and tests that comes with regular schooling. Mosca learned grooming styles and tips on handling dogs.

Business has been good. Mosca’s marketing is paying off and word is getting out about her pet grooming place. The location, 392 Cambridge Street, is convenient to working people. Clients can park easily and drop their dog off before work. The other businesses in the strip mall where Just Fur Paws is located are referring their customers and friends- also helping to bring in business. There are not a lot of pet groomers in the area since Barking Boutique moved away from the Burlington area and now Just Fur Paws is getting many of their customers.

At the present time, Mosca is grooming just dogs but hopes to extend services to rabbits, birds and cats. She had a parrot for 15 years so has the experience with them. Just Fur Paws plans to open a few nights a week for cats only, doing nails, brushing and washing. This scheduling will eliminate any stress that would occur if the dogs and cats were kept together. Mosca has seen Coon cats have their heavy fur coats shaved for the summer, making it more comfortable for them.

Mosca was once a manager of a bank before she had her 2 children: a son 15 years old and a daughter, 12. “It took me a while to be doing what I love” she says.

Her children help out on weekends cleaning up the grooming salon or doing client cards. Mosca’s pet family members are a Yorkie and a Pomeranian.

Future plans for Just Fur Paws are to have a donation box for the Humane Society making it convenient for customers to donate much needed supplies for animals housed and taken care of there.