About

The story of Bath to Bows LLC began in the late 2000s, when a soon-to-be college graduate realized she didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk forever. Yep, that was me!

While trying to figure out what to do with my life, I stumbled upon a fascinating show on Animal Planet entitled It’s Me or the Dog. I gravitated towards it instantly, as I was an animal lover since I could remember! Making a deeper connection and strengthening the dog/human bond seemed like a great path for me… until I realized that dog training ISN’T about training dogs as much as it is training the humans to train their dogs!

In the late winter of 2007, commercials for a new Animal Planet feature began popping up. It was a reality competition that brought canine stylists together to see who was worthy of the title Groomer of the Year. The name? Groomer Has It.

Once again, I was enamored. Only there was something different this time. Grooming seemed unachievable to me – it was something I thought you needed a pedigree lineage to even have a chance. Listening to some of the competitors’ stories – indeed, rags to riches, from the bottom to the top, from random chance to canine stardom – set the wheels in motion. Could I get in on some of this too?

In May I signed up to volunteer at the local animal shelter. Fate sent me a loud, stubborn, and surprisingly cuddly Norwegian Elkhound mix. We quickly became friends, looking forward to seeing each other every week, and on the 28th of July 2008, he became my first dog, as well as my heart dog, Xavier!

It was his love and companionship that lit a spark of confidence within me. At the end of Groomer Has It, all the contestants were talking on Animal Planet’s message boards about a delightful-sounding trade show for groomers: Groom Expo, held annually in Hershey, PA. I knew I had to go.

My first Groom Expo was purely electric. Vendors, products, competitors, and speakers came together from all over the world to make for a wild, energizing, and inspiring weekend! Although my time spent there was short, I was officially hooked, and started to believe there was a place in this industry for me.

Just before graduating college in the winter of 2008, I enrolled in the Nash Academy, the premier school for groomers with an international following. I spent the first nine months of 2009 doing one online class per month. I gathered important theories including but not limited to handling, safety, coat types, first aid, anatomy, and salon management. The last three months were spent in Lexington, Kentucky, gaining valuable experience and dexterity!

I began working for a small shop in 2010. The times spent there were good, but in 2014, I was ready for a new adventure, and to become my own boss. Fate smiled upon me once again and sent me a small corner on the intersection of 46 and 165. After some cleaning, demolition, reconstruction, painting, building, planning, and many more behind-the-scenes details, Bath to Bows LLC was born on September 10th.

Over the years, I’ve grown by leaps and bounds. Not just in the business sense, but as a canine stylist and as a person as well. I have attended many annual trade shows, including but not limited to Groom Expo, PetQuest, Intergroom, Ann Stafford’s Atlanta Pet Fair, and the Pittsburgh Pet Expo. Because of the Covid-19 crisis, I spent 2020 and 2021 attending virtual classes. I am competing online through the International Judges Association, and working on something BIG with our president, Vivian Nash. There are no signs of slowing down any time soon!

Although my beloved Elkhound, Xavier, passed away in 2018 at age 13, his memory still lives on in my every day activities. His torch is now carried proudly by a wild Shiba Inu named Tony Tony Chopper – anime fans will know the reference!

I am thrilled to continue to grow my business online, and connect with so many more pet owners and groomers! Can’t wait to connect with YOU!

~J.C.