My first Beer with your Buddy

Last Saturday was my first time at Beer with your Buddy. I didn’t know quite what to expect and I didn’t know anyone else who was going but I found out quickly that this wouldn’t be a problem. People were so ready to talk with their comrades on the bocce court while the dogs first sniffed and milled around before everyone loosened up and the dogs and their people started the real fun of getting to know each other. I met someone who had just moved from the West coast who came alone and made a few new friends by the end of the night. I ran into Bubbly Paws customers and had a good time chatting and getting to know their dogs outside of the context of the dog spa. When the weather turned stormy we leashed our dogs and brought them inside The Nomad. It was awesome to see more than twenty leashed dogs in a small space behaving so peacefully. I got treated to a great night of Minnesota nice and it seemed like everyone else did too. I am so glad to be a part of such a welcoming and dog loving community!

Trip to Chicago

20120521-152426.jpg As many of you might know, I really love the Chicago White Sox and I grew up in Chicago. So this past weekend, Trycia and I took a short trip Chicago to see the Cubs / White Sox Game. Oh, did you know the White Sox won the series?? (sorry, needed to brag for a moment). Anyway, we also checked out a few dog businesses while we had some time to kill. One place we looked at was described as an upscale dog wash. After walking in and seeing how it worked, there is no doubt in my mind that we are one of the friendlier, nicer dog washes in the country. Their staff was showing us around and it seemed like it was a chore for them. I asked a few questions and they seemed annoyed. Oh, you also have to lift your dog about 4 feet high into a tub. I now have a new respect for our tubs that the dogs can walk into. I think trying to lift Roxy who is over 95 pounds would kill my back. OUCH! As always, we strive to be the best, friendliest, and most fun. If you ever have a comment or suggestion let us know. I want each customer leaving our dog wash saying, "wow, i really had fun there".

Have a good day.

Keith

Featured Rescue Dog

featured rescue dog in minneapolis, mnBubbly Paws Dog Wash believes in giving back to the pet community in the Twin Cities and every few weeks we will feature a new dog that is up for adoption from a local pet rescue.  To help promote adoption, we will donate a free self-service bath to the person that adopts the dog.  Stop back soon to see our first featured rescue dog.

The Joy of Brushing your Dog

It’s shedding season. Franklin (like most labs and lab mixes) sheds so much, no matter how often I brush him it seems like it doesn’t make a difference. But I still brush him every day because it is good for both of us. Brushing your dog will make him more comfortable in hot summer weather, alert you to any skin problems, bumps or scrapes she may have picked up and allow you to check for fleas and ticks. Regular brushing also prevents matting in long coated breeds. Matted hair is not only unsightly; it irritates your dog’s skin and in severe cases causes loss of circulation to the skin. Brushing is best done when your dog is dry; we recommend you thoroughly brush your dog before starting a self-service bath. The best brush to use on your dog depends on coat type, we would be happy to recommend an appropriate brush out of the many types we have here at Bubbly Paws.

 

Grooming your dog should be enjoyable for both of you, so starting to socialize your puppy to getting groomed is vital at a young age. If you have an adult dog that does not care to be brushed positive reinforcement training can greatly improve his or her behavior. First, start slow by asking your dog to stand still while you gently touch the dog with a brush. Reward your dog with small treats. If your dog is doing well, start brushing the body of your dog in the direction her hair grows. If your dog or puppy is squirming, wait for him to relax, then give him a treat and try again later. Gradually increase the time and intensity of your brushing but wait to brush sensitive areas like behind the ears, armpits, belly and rear until your dog is comfortable getting brushed. Try to integrate brushing into times you give your dog affection. The best thing you can give your dog is your time, grooming should be part of the way you and your best buddy bond.

Meet Lill!

minneapolis dog wash managerHi, my name is Lill and if you’ve been to Bubbly Paws recently you have probably seen me. I will be writing our blog posts for a while so I thought I would take a minute to introduce myself and tell you about why I love Bubbly Paws. I grew up in south Minneapolis and have always loved animals. My passion for dogs started in high school when I began volunteering for the Golden Valley Humane Society. Since graduating from college and retuning to Minneapolis I have been fostering and volunteering with Secondhand Hounds. In that time I adopted Franklin. I really love being able to bring Frank to work with me, he is a special dog and enjoys being the shop greeter. It means a lot to me that I can support rescues while at work. Bubbly Paws regularly hosts fundraisers for local rescues and sponsors events like Beer with your Buddy and encourages employees to do the Walk for the Animals and other dog-centric events. I also love that Bubbly Paws tries to be as green as possible from the big things like using natural laundry detergent, high-efficiency washers and driers, and locally made Topline shampoo and conditioner that we buy in bulk and dilute in-house to the little things like recycling receipts, reusing gift cards and not using bottled water. We are always looking for ways to be greener and support our local dog rescues, if you have an idea feel free to email me!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary, Jessica!

Minneapolis dog groomerWow... I can't believe that Jessica, our AMAZING dog groomer has already been with us for a year.  It feels like just yesterday she was impressing us with her test groom.  Finding a dog groomer is such a hard task and one that I never look forward to.  IT is really hard to find a great groomer, that has a good personality and is willing to deal with customers.   It is basically like finding a great hair stylist, but harder!!  Jessica is the total package and we absolutely love having her at Bubbly Paws.  Thanks again for such a great year!!!  For more on our grooming services, visit our dog grooming page. Keith

Project Day

Roxy and Bindi at Bubbly Paws Dog Wash in Minneapolis,mn Sometimes I think small business owners forget how important it is to keep a business looking like it is brand new!  We always work hard at Bubbly Paws Dog wash to make sure thinks are as fresh and clean as the day we opened.  Last sunday, on Easter was the perfect day for us to touch up some of the paint around the tubs and other places around the dog wash.  So on Sunday afternoon we took Roxy and her best friend Bindi to the dog wash and re-painted all the tubs.  We often find going in on a holiday that we are closed is much easier than going in late at night.  So we hope everyone enjoys the updates and know we are always working hard to be the cleanest and freshest dog wash in the Twin Cities.

Have a good night.

Keith

Dog Friendly Patio's

Patio season is here and there is nothing more fun that taking you pooch to dinner and drinks. We often take Roxy out to dinner with us and people always ask where some of the best places to go are....  We have started to compile a list of dog friendly patios around the Twin Cities, please feel free to comment with anything we have missed as this is a work in progress. --- ROXY APPROVED PATIO'S ---

These are patios that and establishments that we have visited with Roxy and know the staff go the extra mile to cater to the dogs.

Pizzeria Lola - SouthWest Minneapolis

Chang Mai Thai - Uptown Minneapolis

McCoys - St Louis Park (Excelsior and Grand)

Yum Kitchen and Bakery - St Louis Park

Cafe Maude - SouthWest Minneapolis

Sebastian Joe's - Linden Hills Minneapolis

Bar Abeline - Uptown Minneapolis

Tiger Sushi - Uptown Minneapolis

 

--- CUSTOMER SUGGESTIONS ---

These are suggestions customers have given us on our Facebook page.

Psycho Suzi's - Northeast Minneapolis

Happy Gnome - St Paul

The Loop - Downtown Minneapolis

Park Tavern - St Louis Park

Wilde Roast - Northeast Minneapolis

Barbette - Uptown Minneapolis

Burger Jones - Lake Calhoun

Herkimer - Uptown Minneapolis

Lyndale Tap House - Uptown Minneapolis

Tryg's - Lake Calhoun

Vic's Bar and Grill - Victoria

Loring Kitchen and Bar - Dinkytown Minneapolis

Tin Fish - Lake Calhoun

Toast Wine Bar - North Loop Minneapolis

Urban Eatery - Lake Calhoun

Mill Valley Kitchen - St Louis Park

Birchwood Cafe - Seward Neighborhood

Town Hall Brewery - West Bank Minneapolis

Lucia's - Uptown Minneapolis

Joe's Garage - Loring Park Minneapolis

Tosca Trattoria - Linden Hills Minneapolis

Bob's Java Hut - Uptown Minneapolis

Staff Night Out

Dog Friendly patio in Minneapolis,mn This past Sunday night Trycia and I took our staff out to celebrate our 1 year anniversary of being open.  I really believe that it is our amazing staff that makes Bubbly Paws Dog Wash such a success and we could never do it without them.  So to celebrate being open 1 year, we headed to Northeast Minneapolis to Psycho Suzi's.  We picked this place for a variety of reasons but the main reason was that they have a very dog friendly patio right on the river!  We counted 7 dogs that were dining or drinking with their owners.  Thanks again to our wonderful crew for such a great past year!

Keith

Protect your pooch this spring and summer

Flea and Tick season is here and we want to make sure your dog is protected. Every spring Jessica our groomer sees a good share of ticks and it has already started!  Our friends at FOX 9 did a great story on how to make sure your dog is ready!  

Warm Weather Brings Fleas, Ticks Out Early: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Dog Friendly Gym?

Roxy had a big adventure today... We started the afternoon off with checking out the dog wash and making sure everything was running smooth!  Once Roxy got a few treats and other goodies, we went to the gym.  I have been training with a personal trainer for the past 2 years and decided to bring Roxy in to surprise her.  Roxy ran, and was so excited to see Trycia and Lori (our trainer).  Roxy ran right into her studio like she owned the place! Trycia then took her home as I began to workout!  Lori is a wonderful trainer and I love going to her! For more information, you can visit her website.

Small Dog Rescue Pictures

A few weeks ago we had a fundraiser for Small Dog Rescue and Becky from Lucky Mutt Photography stopped out to take some pictures.  Some of her work is below!  Becky is a great pet photographer and we were so glad she was part of this great event!  Thanks again to everyone that stopped out!

A Busy Weekend

This past weekend I worked at the Dog Wash both days and had so much fun.  Saturday night we had our Bubble Bath Party for Small Dog Rescue and there was an amazing turnout and raised money for a great rescue.   Then Sunday was busy all day long with lots of self-service baths, full-service baths and grooming.  I nicknamed today "black dog day", because it seemed like almost every dog that came in for a bath was black.  Crazy I tell you!!  Roxy even made an appearance both days at the dog wash and enjoyed greeting everyone! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Keith

The Bubbly Bowl

Yesterday was the Bubbly Bowl at Bubbly Paws Dog Wash and what a great turnout!  So many happy dogs and so many happy owners!! All the dogs that came received a digital trading card from Modern Life Photo.  Owners got to decide which local pet rescue would receive a $5 donation from their bath and the rescue that received the most donations would receive a Bubbly Paws gift package with gift cards for self-service baths and other goodies!  The winning rescue was Retrieve A Golden Of Minnesota (RAGOM).  The other rescues that the Bubbly Bowl benefited were The Pet Project, Pet Haven, Greyhound Pets Of America- MN, and The Minnesota Boxer Rescue.  What a great time and I promise we will keep doing events like these that give back to the pet community!

Have a good weekend!

 

Every Gift Has a Story

When Keith and I first discussed having me write for the Pampered Pooch Playground blog, he shared, “Every product we sell has a story." I always enjoy a good story, so that made me curious. A couple weeks ago, I met Keith at Bubbly Paws to learn more. One thing I enjoy most about talking to Keith is his passion for dogs and his customers. He believes in promoting local and regional products, and in giving his customers unique options. Many of the products he offers actually came about in a sort of random way. For example, both Bubbly Paws and Pampered Pooch Playground use shampoo and conditioner from Top Line Canine Care. Originally created by owner Todd Pearsall for horses, the products were formulated to soothe and revitalize. Todd is a local guy who brought his dog to day care at Pampered Pooch Playground. After a while, he asked Keith if he would try his Top Line Equine Care products. Keith liked the shampoo and conditioner so much, both Pampered Pooch Playground and Bubbly Paws were the first to offer the line for dogs and to use them for dog washing. The conditioner is a personal favorite of mine--it smells great and leaves Leo’s Goldendoodle hair very soft. I especially like that the smell lasts about a week after Leo gets washed. Now that’s good stuff!

Bubbly Paws also offers Treat Smart™ dog snacks by Lincoln Bark. This company is owned by a couple out of Chicago, Illinois. Their snacks are made by hand and baked in small batches for freshness. Top Line Canine Care and Smart TreatsThey contain no wheat, soy, corn, preservatives, additives, artificial colors, or flavors. But they are packed with nutrition. As their website says, they “are loaded with protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, phytonutrients, all 9 amino acids, age-defying antioxidants, are gluten free and contain more calcium per ounce than milk." Keith met the owners at a dog show, was impressed by the quality of the chewy nuggets, and brought them to Bubbly Paw so our dogs could enjoy them, too. Because they are chewy, they make great treats for training. Since the treats contain human-grade ingredients, Keith has even sampled Treat Smart nuggets himself. He says they taste pretty good!

Bubbly Paws also offers a variety of collars, leashes, and sweaters for your dog. During our visit, we decided to dress up Leo in his first sweater, just for fun. I’m a fan of argyle (much to my husband’s dismay), so when I saw the green argyle, he had to try it!

Leo sporting some argyle

Then we added a collar with argyle and skulls plus a leash. You can just see a little of the collar above the sweater. Very stylish! Go to Bubbly Paws and have fun trying different things on your dog. The people who work there are nice and will help you with ideas. All you have to do is ask.

I saw a random fact quoted recently in an article, about 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets. Will you be one of them?