Perfectly Paw-Some

They say it takes a village to raise a fur baby.

If you live in Charm City, you’re in luck—there’s no shortage of dedicated animal lovers to call on for everything you need for your pet, from training to grooming. And also everything you didn’t know you needed.

The first and most important order of business is finding a vet you trust. According to Bernadette DeJarld, dog trainer and owner of Paws and GO, pet “paw-rents” should vet potential vets with a few key questions: How long does it take to get an appointment? What is the cost of a wellness visit? Do you have evening or weekend hours?

DeJarld recommends doing a cost comparison of local vets for basic services and talking to others about their experiences. (If you’re the lone pet owner in your friend group, you’ll find community in Facebook groups like Barktimore and Dogs of Charm City.)

It’s also important to plan ahead for potential emergencies. Talking to your vet about pet ERs with 24/7 service—ideally located as close to your home as possible—can save you a world of future stress. For added peace of mind, keep the phone numbers of the vet and pet ER on the fridge and saved in your phone.

Once you’ve handled the medical necessities, it’s time to find your glam squad (read: groomer). Regardless of your pet’s breed or hair length, regular grooming is essential for removing dead skin and dirt from their fur and adding shine.

It’s not just about looking extra floofy though, says Katie Cavanagh, owner at Happy Dog Spa + Salon. Due to the intimate nature of the job, groomers are often a dog’s first line of detecting skin, nail, ear, and behavioral issues. This could mean everything from finding ticks to noticing skin irritation.

“To set your pup up for success, start early and get them used to being touched, brushed, and wet,” says Cavanagh. “Try touching their paws, face, and tail, massaging their paws, and brushing them with a soft brush. We also encourage new clients to ease in and start with a shorter session.”

Cavanagh says that your pooch’s personality and needs will determine the right grooming environment. To find the optimal fit, ask about a groomer’s philosophy, environment (how many dogs will be there? will they be separated?), and the kinds of products they use. Don’t skimp on TLC for the teeth, either; Cavanagh shares that over 80 percent of dogs over the age of three have active dental disease. She recommends an annual dental cleaning for most dogs, noting that the bacteria from plaque and tartar seep into the gum line, which can potentially cause harm to the organs.

Whether you’re traveling to the vet or the groomer, remember this: A tired furball is a better-behaved furball. DeJarld says a successful day for your pet involves enrichment of some kind. This can be in the physical sense, like jogging together or swimming, or mental enrichment such as new games or puzzles. It can also be social or even occupational—say, picking up trash together (aspirational, we know).

PET OWNER’S GUIDE
Don’t worry, you don’t have to go at it alone. Pet pawr-enthood in Baltimore is far from lonely. Behold, our guide to some of the city’s amazing trainers, pet shops, groomers, and dog walkers.

DOG TRAINERS

BEST FRIENDS FUR EVER
Dog daycare, grooming, and training services
246 Cockeysville Rd., Cockeysville
(410) 773-7529
bestfriendsfurever.com

B’MORE DOGS HON
Dog training services
5923 Shady Spring Ave., Rosedale
(443) 830-7255
bmoredogshon.com

BUCKWILD DOG TRAINING
Dog training services
1126 S Charles Street
(410) 205-5025
buckwilddogtraining.com

DOG CRAZY LADY
Dog training services
Serves areas of Baltimore County
(443) 613-1994
dogcrazylady.com

MONUMENT CITY DOG
Dog training services
Serves the greater Baltimore area
(443) 204-1687
monumentcitydog.com

PAWS AND GO
Dog training services
Serves the Baltimore area
(443) 799-7854
facebook.com/pawsandgobmore

PAWSITIVE BEHAVIOR SOLUTIONS
Dog training services
Serves the Baltimore area
(410) 701-0296
pawbehaviorsolutions.com

POLITE POOCHES
Dog training services
2211 Commerce Dr. #1b, Forest Hill
politepooches.com

PREMIER DOG TRAINING
Dog training services and boarding
7175 Montevideo Rd., Jessup
(301) 461-5508
thedogtrainingpro.com

SIT MEANS SIT DOG TRAINING
Dog training services
10912 York Rd. #200, Cockeysville
(443) 998-4045
sitmeanssit.com/dog-training-mu/towson-dog-training

LOCAL PET STORES

LOCAL PET STORES BALTIMORE DOG BAKERY
All-natural dog treat bakery
3918 Vero Rd., Suite J Rear
(410) 737-6533
baltimoredogbakery.com

CLIPPER’S CANINE CAFE
Pet supply store
8407 Main St. Suite A, Ellicott City
(410) 465-3200
clipperscaninecafe.com

DOGGILICIOUS DONUTS
Dog donut shop
100 South Main St., Bel Air
(443) 649-7659
doggiliciousdoughnuts.com

HOWL
Pet supply shop
3531 Chestnut Ave.
(410) 235-2469
howlinhampden.com

KARA’S K-9 WAFFLE TREATS
All-natural waffle treats
2402 Rocks Rd., Forest Hill
kck9waffletreats.com

MY CANINE CUCINA
Natural dog and cat food and treats
Abingdon
(410) 808-1221
mycaninecucina.com

PET DEPOT
Pet supply store offering a wide range of services
2151 Greenspring Dr., Timonium
(410) 561-0931
petdepotmd.com

SCRATCH AND SNIFF PET SUPPLIES
Pet supply shop with all-natural food
3336 Paper Mill Road, Jacksonville
(410) 667-6433
scratchandsniffpetsupplies.com

THE BARKSDALE BOUTIQUE
Pet supply shop
thebarksdalebarktique.com

TODAY’S PET
Pet supply shop
8221 Gateway Overlook Dr., Elkridge
(443) 878-1920
todayspet.com

PET GROOMERS

PET GROOMERS CAMP BOW WOW
Dog grooming, daycare, and boarding
7165 Oakland Mills Rd., Columbia
(410) 964-2275
campbowwow.com/columbia-md

CATONSVILLE DOG CO
Pet grooming services
25 Mellor Ave., Catonsville
(410) 744-7211
catonsvilledogco.com

CRUISIN’ GROOMIN’ LLC
Mobile dog grooming service
(443) 600-0981
facebook.com/cruisingroominLLC

DIAMOND DOGS GROOMING SALON
Dog grooming services
5424 Harford Rd., Baltimore
(206) 372-1965
diamonddogsbaltimore.com

HAIR OFF THE DOG
Grooming salon and spa
6200 Holabird Ave.
(410) 522-0050
hairoffthedog.myonlineappointment.com

HAPPY DOG SPA + WELLNESS
Holistic wellness services
1820 Lancaster St., Suite 100
(410) 814-0964
happydogbaltimore.com

HEART + PAW
Vet care, daycare, boarding and grooming services
1822 Aliceanna St.
(410) 216-0970
heartandpaw.com/locations/fells-point

LUCKY 3 DOG & CAT GROOMING
Dog and cat grooming services
534 S Conkling St.
(410) 276-6666
lucky3petgrooming.com

PAWTIMORE
Dog grooming services
863 N. Howard St.
(410) 340-0306
instagram.com/pawtimore

PET CARE EXTRAORDINAIRE
Dog grooming services
8305 Harford Rd., Parkville
(410) 668-0364
pcxgrooming.net

PRINCE BENJI
Dog grooming services
1007 W 41st St.
(410) 562-2945
prince-grooming.edan.io

RUFF RIDERS MOBILE GROOMING
Mobile grooming salon
(443) 863-8898
ruffridersmobile.com

SCRUB A DUB DOG
Dog grooming salon
3500 Ash St., Unit B
(443) 919-7909
facebook.com/dubdogMD

WASH THE WAG
Dog and cat grooming services
3510 Harford Rd.
(410) 366-7297
washthewag.com

WOOFS AND WAGS
Pet lodge, grooming, and more
504 S Haven St.
(443) 563-2174
woofsandwagsbaltimore.com

DOG WALKERS

DOG WALKERS BMORE BEST BUDS
Dog walking and pet care
Serving Southeast Baltimore City
(920) 527-9411
instagram.com/bmore_best_buds

BRAZEN TAILS
Dog walking
Serving areas of Baltimore City
(443) 621-5445
brazentails.wordpress.com

CUDI’S CANINE CREW
Dog walking and dog/cat daycare
Serving areas in and around Baltimore
(443) 376-6749
cudis-canine-crew.com

DOGS OF CHARM CITY
Dog walking, training, overnight care, and enrichment
Serving Baltimore City
(410) 881-8466
dogsofcharmcity.net

DOGHOUSE GIRLS
Dog walking
Serving Southeast Baltimore City
doghousegirls.com

GRATEFUL DOG WALKERS
Dog care company offering dog walking
Serving the Baltimore area
(443) 692-7611
gratefuldogwalkers.com

MOHR PAWS TO PLEASE PET CARE, LLC
Dog walking and pet sitting
Serving Baltimore and Harford County
(443) 579-4784
mohrpawspetcare.com

WOOFIE’S OF COLUMBIA
Dog walking, pet sitting, and mobile grooming
Serving Columbia and surrounding areas
(443) 201-1341
woofies.com/columbia

YOUR PET AUPAIR
Dog walking and cat sitting
Serving Harford County
(410) 989-1533
belairaupair.com