What You Learn On Vacation

Marley Bear is one of the many dogs we got to meet while on vacation!

The past few days, Trycia and I were on vacation enjoying some warm weather and taking a few days to de-stress. I love going away because I feel it really gives me time to get away from both of our businesses, but also lets me focus more on how to improve what we are already doing and re-focus on things that we can improve on.  I guess some of your best work can be done on the beach, drinking a cocktail while using an iPad (can you tell it is hard for me to disconnect).  Anyway.... Many of our customers know how much we try to have our employees provide an amazing experience each time someone walks through the door.... Well, for once we were on the other side of it.  Trycia wrote a Tripadvisor review of the hotel we were staying at, which was a very honest review. She gave the hotel 4 out of 5 stars and mentioned that not all of the hotel staff we extra friendly, but just were going through the motions of their job (nothing bad, nothing good, they were just there).  She posted this review the day before we left.  Our last morning at the hotel, 3 members of management (at different times) came up to us to make sure everything was ok.  They mentioned they saw the review and wanted to know how they could improve.  Each person we talked to really did care about the review, and they were not just going through the motions to make us happy.  They comped our lunch and just wanted to make sure we left with a smile on our face, which we were already going to do before they talked to us!   This was a great lesson in customer service for us, and made us think about how we would handle the same situation of we were running the hotel.  All this being said, we had a great vacation, and would recommend this hotel to friends even before they reacted to the review we wrote.

I mention all of this because we always want to go above what is expected at Bubbly Paws, and 99% of the time we do! If there is ever an issue, please feel free to reach out to myself, or Lill (our general manager).  We always want everyone to be happy when they leave (including the dogs).  This blog post is not me asking people to go on Yelp, Facebook or Foursquare to write a review (Personal note, I am not a fan of review sites, and always take the reviews with a grain of salt, we can go into more detail about that another time), but let us know how we can make things better!

Have a great day, and we are so excited to be back in the snow!

Cold Weather Pet Safety

Shop dog Dolly loves playing in the snow!

We Minnesotans are used to the cold winters but over the next few days we are going to have record cold temperatures. This extreme weather can pose a risk to our pets, just like high heat in the summer. While dogs have fur coats to keep them warm most inside dogs do not have thick enough coats to keep them warm outside for long periods. The most important thing to do in this weather is keep your pets indoors as much as possible. Some health conditions can be aggravated by the cold like arthritis so keep a close watch on your pet and if they are shivering, seems anxious or weak contact your vet right away. The salt and ice can be hard on your dog's paws so protect them with our Winter Paw Treatment or booties and make sure ice does not accumulate on your dogs paws. Also be sure to wipe off their feet when you come in from a walk to remove the salt so they don't lick it off. Antifreeze and de-icers can be deadly for pets so keep them away from common winter chemicals. Trimming the hair on your dogs' legs and feet can also help prevent them tracking in snow and ice (may we recommend a professional to do it :). If you'd like more information about keeping your pet safe this guide from the American Veterinary Medical Association is great.

Frank is fine with the cold but Lois has to wear a jacket!

When coming in for self-service baths please make sure to leave extra time for drying, we want our customers to be clean and safe! Stay warm out there from all of us at Bubbly Paws!

Winter Dog Safety Tips

Twin Cities Live stopped out to Bubbly Paws Dog wash in Saint Paul to get some tips on how to keep your pooch safe this holiday season!  

Twin Cities Live stopped out to Bubbly Paws Dog Wash in Saint Paul, MN to catch up on some cold weather dog tips!

Winter Dog Safety at Bubbly Paws Dog Wash from keithppp on Vimeo.

Feeling Thankful this Holiday Season

Franklin and I at the Pride festival representing Bubbly Paws.

I really like the holiday season. Not the cold or the snow or the icy chill but because it is a great time to reflect back on the year and spend time with the people (and dogs) that are most important. Franklin and I have so much to be thankful for this year. In addition to celebrating three years since I started being his caretaker we also had our two year anniversary of working at Bubbly Paws. It has been such a big year for Bubbly Paws! We were so happy to work in the opening of the new St Paul store and see it become a great success. We also started Give Back Week to take time every month to help local pet rescues. We have added two amazing groomers and many new staff to our team. We just found out we are again up for two awards in the Best of St Louis Park Magazine and we could not be more proud of the hard work that everyone put in to make it happen. Providing great service, gentle touch and low stress grooming to the twin cities makes us so happy!

Maybe you've noticed Frank hasn't been around much over the last month. He had a health crisis when we discovered an aggressive tumor on his hip. With help from family and friends, many Bubbly Paws related, we raised funds for his surgery and he is now on the road to recovery and has a great prognosis. It means so much to be part of a community that loves dogs and is ready to step up and help when the need arises. I know Franklin has been really wanting to be back at work but right now he needs rest to recover from surgery but we are both very hopeful that Frank will be back in action towards the end of December.

Here’s hoping you and your pooch have a very happy holiday season! We have all sorts of goodies here to let you show your dog how much you love them and even photo sessions if you need a cute picture for a holiday card. We are also sponsors of the Great Minnesota Pet Food Drive if you have extra pet food or to help get into the giving spirit. We are so thankful for our awesome customers and clients!

Holiday Photo Session and Grand Meander

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On Saturday, December 7th, make sure to check out the Grand Meander on Grand Ave in Saint Paul. Trolly Rides, Sales, and lots of entertainment will be available from the stores on Grand Ave.

Bubbly Paws has teamed up with Eva North Photography to offer a holiday themed photo shoot at our Grand Avenue location on Saturday, December 7th and raise money for The Pet Project.   For more information and to sign up, please click here to be re-directed to the Eva North Photography website.

Christmas Cards or Prints Sessions

$85 Session Fee (plus tax)

15 minute holiday themed studio session for 1-2 pets

8+ digitally enhanced and finished images in an online gallery

$15 donation to The Pet Project

25 Holiday Cards with envelopes (choose design below) or 2 5x7 archival quality prints

$5 coupon off a bath at Bubbly Paws

Digital Download Session

$50 Session Fee (plus tax)

15 minute holiday themed studio session for 1-2 pets

8+ digitally enhanced and finished images in an online gallery

$10 donation to The Pet Project

1 image file digital download

$5 coupon off a bath at Bubbly Paws

CLICK HERE FORM MORE INFORMATION OR TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE.

Meet Lois, our (very special) featured adoptable

Lois' modeling debut at Bubbly Paws.

You may have seen her in our news feed over the last few weeks, Lois is living with Frank and I while she waits for her forever home to find her. Since I personally know Lois, her bio here will be a little more detailed than most of the featured adoptables we do.

Lois is about seven years old ended up at the pound as a stray this spring. She is about 35 pounds and is a pit bull mix. After sitting there for way too long for such a nice middle-aged girl she was rescued by Save-a-Bull Rescue and fostered by a veterinarian and animal behaviorist where she was put through basic obedience class and readjusted to living in a home. Her other foster needed somewhere for Lois to go in October and Frank and I stepped up to care for her.

There are so many good things to say about Lois I will start with the bad: Lois should not live with cats. That's about it. She has a big bark but does not use it much, she loves food and should not be left unattended in the kitchen but shows great restraint when supervised. Lois has wonderful house manners, she won't make a mess or eat your shoes (or anything else she shouldn't). She is fine in a kennel but will bark for the first few minutes after being kenneled. While working at Bubbly Paws she has shown that she loves people of all ages and even mail carriers, delivery people and uniformed police officers. She is also good with dogs of all sizes and attitudes. Lois walks very nicely on a leash and will politely greet dogs or walk on by, whatever you feel like doing is fine with her.

Lois taking a walk on a pretty fall day.

Lois does love food! She gets very excited for treats and bounces around but when you go to give her one she takes it so very gently. She knows most basic commands. Lois really wanted to help herself to all the goodies we have at Bubbly Paws when she first started but quickly learned "leave it" which also works at home. She snores, even when awake, and is happy to sleep on her bed but wouldn't say no if you invited her up to sleep with you. She also knows not to go on the couch but if you are relaxing there she may want to snuggle up and join you. Lois is great because she can take long walks and be quite active but is also happy to hang out at home and is perfectly calm (until it's treat time!).

What Lois loves most (even more than treats) is attention from her people. She wants to be in the room you are and nicely follows her favorite person. She is happy to get pats, praise, even being picked up or bathed just so she is getting attention. I think Lois' perfect home would be an only dog home or have one other mellow dog. She likes to cuddle up to Frank so the dog she lives with will have to be ok with that. But she would be happy with a single person or a big family, living in a house or an apartment, she could fit in anywhere. Most important is someone to give her all the love she deserves (which is a ton since she is such a nice and well behaved dog)!

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If you are looking for a ready made family dog, consider Lois. Here bio is here where you can read more about her and submit an adoption application.

Chicken Jerky Treat Warning

As you know at Bubbly Paws Dog Wash, we always put the health and safety of your pooch first.  The past few days, there has been lets of news about Chicken Jerky Treats that are imported from China.  We do sell chicken jerky treats, but the chicken is sourced from local farms outside of Boston.  They are 100% manufactured in the United States of America.  I just contacted the company where we get our bulk treats, and they re-confirmed everything I stated above.   As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the products we sell, please ask.  You can read more about the imported Chicken Jerky treats here, or watch the NBC News story below.  

From The AP:

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration is asking dog and cat owners to report any problems their pets have had after eating jerky pet treats.

In a notice to consumers and veterinarians published Tuesday, the agency said it has linked illnesses from jerky treats to 3,600 dogs and 10 cats since 2007. About 580 of those pets have died.

The FDA says its Center for Veterinary Medicine has run more than 1,200 tests, visited pet treat manufacturing plants in China and worked with researchers, state labs and foreign governments but still hasn't determined the cause of the pet illness.

The FDA says pets can suffer from a decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting and diarrhea among other symptoms within hours of eating the jerky treats.

Low Cost Vaccine Clinic

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Just because Give Back Week is over it doesn't mean we are taking time off from helping our community. This low cost vaccine clinic helps people in Minneapolis get affordable vaccines and microchips for their pets. Bubbly Paws is giving volunteers $5 off coupons for self-service baths for their help. Spread the word to help dogs and cats get the preventative care they need and if you can, volunteer! Don't forget that Woof n' Treat  is a fundraiser for Homeward Bound Rescue, we hope to see you and your pooch out in your best costumes for lots of treats (and maybe you can show us some of your dog's tricks)! 

Give Back Week for MN Boxer Rescue

September sure flew by and now it's time for give back week again! When we asked for suggestions of rescues to sponsor we got many people asking for Minnesota Boxer Rescue. We love these intelligent and gregarious dogs and the people dedicated to getting needy dogs proper vet care and loving foster homes until they find their forever homes. MNBR is excellent at finding the right homes for each dog based on their disposition and needs. MNBR takes many unwanted or abandoned dogs and is sworn to their rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing. Stop in through October 7th, do a self-service bath and say you want to give back at the register and we will donate $5 from your bath to MNBR. It's easy and free to you, we hope to see you!

Twin Cities Live in Saint Paul

Our good friend Emily Engberg from Twin Cities Live stopped out to our new Grand Avenue location to see how much fun it is!  Check out how much fun it is!  

Twin Cities Live at Bubbly Paws in Saint Paul from keithppp on Vimeo.

Blu - Up for Adoption

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Say hello to Blu, who is being fostered by Emily (one of our staff at the Saint Paul Dog Wash) for Pet Haven.  Blu loves being one of the "shop dogs" at Bubbly Paws, but is looking for a forever home.  She is your typical high energy puppy and is about 7 months old.  Blu knows a few basic commands and gets along well with other dogs. For more information on Blu, click here to visit the page on Pet Finder.

Fun in Saint Paul

We had some fun filming at our new dog wash in Saint Paul today... A big thanks to Babe and Keenser with his green mohawk (who belongs to Bri, our groomer) for being the stars of the video.  And thanks to Bruno Mars for a great song.  

FOX 9 @ Woofstock

It is no secret... The Linden Hills Woofstock is on of our favorite events of the year, which is why we have sponsored it for the the past 3 years!  Last Saturday, Todd Walker from FOX 9 stopped out to the Bubbly Paws booth to see what fun things we had going on.  A big thanks to Off Leash Collars for use of Ping (the black lab).  Also featured in the segment is Kay Elliott who wrote the children's book, SunDogs.  

Featured Adoptable Knight

Last night I saw a familiar little dog, it was Minnie! I featured her in June and she has since gotten a new name and a great forever mom. Congratulations to both of them!

Today featured adoptable is dear old Knight. He reminds me of Franklin because he is an older guy who lived in a home and for whatever reason he ended up in a shelter. Knight is 12 years old and a lab springer spaniel mix and he is just looking for a nice quiet home to live out his golden years. Adopting an older dog is easy and hard: they don't need a lot of attention or exercise, they are past the naughty stage and just need a little love and a nice bed but they can also break your heart. Even if it seems like you might not have a lot of time with them they will pay you back tenfold in love and sweet companionship. And just maybe (like Frank) they will surprise you with how long they stick around. To get more information about Knight contact Mutts & More Animal Rescue and check out his cute photos on Facebook.

If you are thinking of adopting but Knight's not the dog for you or if you just want to enjoy the last dog days of summer stop by WoofStock where there are a ton of rescues and dog and family events. Don't forget to stop by and say hi to Franklin and I at the Bubbly Paws booth!

Instagram To Win

For the moth of September, snap a picture of your pooch at either of our Dog Wash locations... Upload it to Instagram and tag @bubblypaws and #bubblypaws.  We will pick our 10 favorite pictures from the month for great prizes!  Make sure to follow @bubblypaws on instagram!

Linden Hills Woofstock 2013

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Bubbly Paws Dog Wash and Pampered Pooch Playground are proud to be the PRESENTING sponsors of the Linden Hills Woofstock.  We have sponsored this great dog event for the past 5 years and this year will be even better!  Stop back soon to see what great events we have planned at our booths this year!  For more information on Woofstock, click here.

Saint Paul Dog Wash

We are so excited to finally be open at our Saint Paul location on Grand Avenue.  For the longest time, Trycia and myself were looking for a great spot in Saint Paul, and we found it at the end of April!  Construction started May 1st and finished last week.  We have tried to bring many of the things people love at the Saint Louis Park location and incorporate them into the new dog wash!  We have the same waist high tubs, professional equipment, locally made shampoo and our drying room.  One thing that we wanted to remain the same was our level of customer service.  All of our new staff have been trained at the Saint Louis Park location and are ready to help spoil your pooch!  In addition we have Bri, who was doing some grooming with us the past 4 months, who will now be our full time dog groomer in Saint Paul!  We are so excited that this store is open and can't wait for everyone to check it out!  Yesterday was our first day with the Saint Paul dog wash being open and it was a huge success!  We had so many people stop in to check it out and we even did a few baths!  Our new space is at 949 Grand Ave, just a few blocks away from Anthropology and LuluLemon (shocking how everyone knows exactly where these stores are, and all those stores are dog friendly).  A big thanks to Lill, our general manager of both locations, she has spent lots of time working hard to make sure everything works just right!

Thanks again for all of your support as we grow our small family business!

Keith

Paws on Grand - Twin Cities Live

We sent some of our doggy beer over to our friends at Twin Cities Live to promote Paws on Grand... You can see the segment below.

FOX 9 - Paws on Grand

M.A. and her dog, Red, from FOX 9 stopped out to check out the brand new Bubbly Paws on Grand Ave and talk about Paws on Grand.  Watch the video below!  

FOX 9 - Paws on Grand - Bubbly Paws from keithppp on Vimeo.

Saint Paul Dog Wash - Grand Opening Event

We are very excited to opening our 2nd Bubbly Paws location on Grand Ave. in Saint Paul on Saturday, August 17th.  Stop out for lots of fun including our famous doggy bar!  $5 from every self service bath completed on the 17th will be donated to The Pet Project!  Our new Saint Paul location is located on historic Grand Ave. between Lexington and Dale (Right next to TruBerry Yogurt, which is amazing). The first 20 customers will receive a Super Buddies prize package which will be out on DVD soon from Disney!  Click here for a map.