D’Tails Pet Salon opens to take care of furry friends

“Dogs leave paw prints on your heart.”

The phrase stenciled on a blue wall, next to a pair of paw prints, at D’Tails Pet Salon may be about owner Shelley Clark’s personal preference for our canine friends but it is just as applicable to about any animal an owner might bring through the doors of Cheney’s newest pet salon.

“One guy called about getting his guinea pig shaved,” Clark said with a shrug. “I guess I could do that.”

Clark draws the line at anything bigger than some of the larger dog breeds, with the focus mainly on traditional pets, something she’s been doing professionally for over 13 years and for the last year and a half at Doggie Do’s just down First Street. She worked for dog handlers with show dogs during junior and senior high school in Western Washington, eventually opening a shop in Roy, a small town southeast of Fort Lewis.

D’Tails has only been open a couple weeks on a part time basis but so far Clark said business has been good. The shop located at 207 First St., next door to In Style and A Creative Touch, will eventually be open Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., unless customers need to make other arrangements.

Clark said a dog’s hair grows pretty quickly, so there’s always time to make changes. It’s something she and her husband Jeremy probably know well as the couple have six dogs of their own.

“They all have a job,” Jeremy Clark said. “They all have a purpose.”

Jeremy Clark has been helping get D’Tails bright, well-lit interior set up over the winter while his construction job awaits the seasonal start up.

Shelley Clark hasn’t settled on any specific prices yet, keeping things affordable for people to bring their dogs and cats in while also acknowledging the variety of styles owners choose for their pets. Clark said she could do just about any style, from breed cuts associated with specific animals to unique styles, working off customer-supplied pictures sometimes.

“I think people are more particular about their dog’s hair than their own,” Clark said. “You can usually figure out something that works for them. (Just) try to make it interesting.”

Clark said she could do either appointments or walk-ins, whatever works for the pet owner. To contact D’Tails Pet Salon call 499-0605.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.