Business Profile In The Beach Reporter

Wes Murph at work at The Studly Pooch.

(photo by Chris Miller)

Business Profile

The Studly Pooch

The Beach Reporter – July 12, 2007

by Eric Michael Stitt

If you’d like your pet to feel less like a number and more like royalty when visiting a grooming shop, then try out The Studly Pooch.

This pet grooming business prides itself on being an appointment-only shop, which gives owner Wes Murph the chance to see that your pet gets the attention it deserves.

Murph said he always wanted to have his own business and because he’s loved pets since his childhood, he decided to open up a pet grooming business. After going to grooming school, he opened The

Studly Pooch last November. But this is no ordinary “chop shop,” he said. The Studly Pooch is an appointment-only shop for two reasons, Murph said.

Accepting walk-ins creates an atmosphere that is very disruptive and chaotic because there are numerous pets, therefore making the animals feel uncomfortable. The other reason is that walk-in shop owners

aren’t able to commit as much time to taking care of the pets because they’re constantly backed up with incoming clients, he said.

“I don’t want to run a shop like that,” Murph said. “I want it to be peaceful. I want it to be a positive environment for pets.”

Self-proclaimed as the “South Bay’s Friendliest Pet Spa” Murph said he’s in the business to make pets and their owners happy. He said pets make people happy. So when the pets are happy after a trip to The Studly Pooch, then the owner is content, and that’s very important to him.

The quickest way to make a pet happy is to have it groomed on a regular basis, he said. This is especially vital during the summer months. Having a full coat during the summer jeopardizes the pet’s safety. Murph said most dogs will get different skin conditions like hot spots, which cause them to vigorously itch over their entire body, when their coat needs to be groomed. Murph urged that all breeds need some type of grooming and a pet’s nails should be clipped or ground every month.

During a visit, The Studly Pooch offers a variety of different shampoos and conditioners along with skin and hair treatments for cats and dogs. It even has berry facials, which the animals really enjoy, he said.

Besides going to the shop, the business’s Web site informs pet owners how to seek optimum nutrition for dogs, gives tips for training and obedience, and provides a list of different activities owners and their dogs can enjoy in between visits. Murph periodically sends out newsletters to his customers.

Diane Chow has been a customer since The Studly Pooch opened and she loves taking her dog there because she said Murph is very caring with the animals and goes out of his way to see that the owners feel completely satisfied.

“He treats them so special and he’s really good about special instructions,” Chow said. “He’s very personable and adjusts to your needs.”

She said prior to going to The Studly Pooch, she’d take her dog to shops that accepted walk-ins, which resulted in her dog staying from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. sometimes. But with Murph, she said her dog is cared for in a couple of hours because it’s an appointment-only shop.

One thing Murph has noticed about pet owners in the beach cities is that their pets are part of the family.

“It’s unbelievable, the pets are the people’s kids,” he said. In some situations, “pets are a replacement for kids.”

That’s why Murph takes such pride in his work and exhausts a lot of energy to see that the animals and their owners are satisfied because they’re part of the family, he said.

“There’s very high emotions involved because people love their pets,” he said. “We try and make it friendly, and make it a fun place to come to.”

The Studly Pooch is located at 1127 Aviation Blvd. in Hermosa Beach. Prices for grooming vary by size of animal from $35 to $70. Business hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit www. thestudlypooch.com or call (310) 376-7033.