Through her experiences as a dog owner since youth and a dog trainer for 25 years, Debora Hogan knows a lot about Fido.
So when she and business partner Sherri Knowles had the idea to open Spotless Self-Service Dog Wash, 1121 Emerson St., a do-it-yourself dog grooming shop, she knew why it would be convenient for the surrounding community.
“A lot of families come in where the mom can just have the kids wash the dog,” Hogan said. “It’s a good family outing and a good way to bond with your dog.”
The store held its grand opening Saturday. Set up in different washing and drying stations, the facilities are simple for families and safe for dogs, Hogan said. The raised washing basins, equipped with ramps for big dogs who need to get in, have all different shampoos and brushes for an easy grooming process. Hogan even sets the water at 90 degrees, so dogs are comfortable and children can’t play with the temperature.
The whole experience costs $20 per dog.
Two years ago, Hogan moved from New York to Rockford, Ill., where she grew up. Back then, being surrounded by dogs was a “natural thing,” she said. She remembers dinners where friends and relatives constantly asked her to show them the latest tricks she had taught her dogs.
Her early love for dogs transformed into a career in dog training, during which she lived in Tucson, Ariz., and Westchester County, N.Y. She focused on dogs that had problems with aggression — an area that few trainers specialized in — and taught them to stop biting people and fighting with other dogs.
Hogan said keeping her previous job and owning a store would be too much work.
“Giving up training was a hard decision,” she said.
She recalled a particular dog that she trained while working with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona in Tucson. A pit bull named Bullet had been shot 12 times and left in the desert to die by its owner. As if that wasn’t enough trauma, Hogan said, Bullet was put with a trainer who used a shock collar.
Hogan remembered how Bullet came to her as aggressive toward anyone who resembled his previous trainer but left as a friendly dog.
“He even went to day care and got along great with the other dogs,” she said.
Hogan plans to continue using her background in educating dogs. She said she would like to affiliate with rescue dog groups to foster adoptions in the area and host “canine body language classes” to teach owners more about their dogs.
For now, though, Hogan is focused on getting the dog wash off the ground.
“You bring your dog in. We give them everything they need,” she said.
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Twitter: @paigeleskin
