Interview with Denise Bailey, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I’ve been grooming dogs for 25 years. I started the business in Dallas, then opened Gentle Loving Care Dog Grooming after I moved to Aurora 12 years ago to be closer to my family.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: I cater to special-needs dogs in particular. A lot of my dogs are on oxygen or have some kind of disability. We do a curbside service here where clients don’t have to get out of their car. We go out to the car, we get their dog and take their payment later when they come back. Customer service is my No. 1 thing. We get personal with the clients and personal with their dogs and the particular needs of the dogs. My groomers have been with me for the last five or six years. There is very little turnover.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: The satisfaction of the client and their dogs. You hear a lot of dog stories in this business because people want to tell you about their animals, which are pretty much like their kids. So it’s important to me that my clients know that we are taking excellent care of their dogs, and it’s the best when they let you know how pleased they are with the work.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Finding the right kind of groomers who really, truly care about the dogs instead of people who are just doing it because it’s a job. I’m very selective when I hire people because I want to make sure that they are going to give the same level of care and attention that I do to these dogs.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: When I worked in Dallas, we were located in the same building as a veterinarian. We learned a lot of things from them, and we learned the animal from head to tail. So we know how to look for abnormalities or infections or other illnesses that the owners may not be able to spot on their dogs. We have saved the lives of many dogs by finding growths or tumors that clients didn’t know were there. We tell the clients to get them checked out as soon as we find those things, and so many people have come back to me saying that it really saved their dogs.
Profile
Business: Gentle Loving Care Dog Grooming
Address: 14480 E. Sixth Ave.
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Founded: 2004
Contact: 303-361-6464, glc-dog-grooming.com
Employees: 4
