New Grooming Service at PetSmart – Pet Expressions

Espn before being groomed.

We have a dog named Espn (pronounced Es-pin). He’s named after the sports channel ESPN. Can you guess which family member named him? LOL! If I had my way his name would have been Obi, as in Obi Wan from Star Wars. We already have cats named Anakin and Padmé.

Espn was adopted from our local animal shelter. All of his brothers and sisters were brown with short hair. Espn was the only puppy who was white with longer hair and a pudgy belly. He looked like a Panda. We let our son pick out any puppy he wanted and he chose Espn.

I still remember the man at the shelter who told us NOT to adopt Espn because he would need to be groomed often and that could be expensive.

We wouldn’t trade Espn for any other dog in this world. We love him dearly – but – the man wasn’t kidding about the grooming issue. Espn needs to be groomed every other month.

We were told Espn was part Maltese, part Rat Terrier. We jokingly refer to him as the “hairy rat dog”. LOL!

Espn has been going to PetSmart to get groomed since he was a few months old and had his first puppy grooming. Since then he’s being faithfully going to PetSmart to be groomed every other month (in the winter months we extend it a bit longer). We used to get him trimmed. Now we get him shaved because he looks better and it lasts longer.

Espn before going to PetSmart today to be groomed

I love taking Espn to PetSmart to get groomed because they offer so many services including brushing your dog’s teeth, clipping their nails (or filing them down), wash, trim, shave… anything you need to get your pup looking their best. Not only that the people who work in the grooming salon have always been wonderful to work with and they take great care of Epsn, even if he’s not happy to be there.

Another thing I love about taking Espn to PetSmart to get groomed is that they are open early and have weekend hours. Today for example I was able to drop him off at 7:30 AM. They opened at 7:00 AM. They are open from 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM on Sundays (check your local store for their hours). That means I can get Espn groomed whenever it’s convenient for me.

Grooming time ranges from 2-3 hours usually.

PetSmart has added a new grooming service to their menu – one that is sure to be a hit with many customers. It’s called Pet Expressions.

The new Pet Expressions service includes chalking, stenciling and feathering – a safe, creative way to show off dogs’ personalities with temporary fur color accents and accessories.

The three core services of Pet Expressions build on the popularity of human-inspired trends. Everyone from celebrities to kids’ classmates has been spotted with decorative feathers or streaks of color in his or her hair.

• Chalking: This colorful, non-toxic product has a composition similar to sidewalk chalk that can be easily washed out of a dog’s fur. Available in a variety of hues, a typical application will last from one to six days and is best for dogs with longer fur. Prices range from $2 for a streak and $6-15 for custom ears, tails or other areas.
• Stenciling: This pet-safe, temporary color is sprayed onto shorter fur in fun shapes such as stars, hearts and paw prints that will change with seasonal trends. They are easily removed with soap and water. Prices are $4 for one stencil, $6 for two and $8 for three.
• Feathers: Similar to a human’s hair extension, these ethically sourced feathers are handmade into designs in the U.S. and affixed into dogs’ fur to withstand brushing or bathing. Prices are $10 for one feather and $18 for two.

Pet Expressions will be available at almost all grooming salons in PetSmart stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Trained PetSmart groomers can help select the style, colors and placement of chalk, stencils or feathers that will show up best on dogs’ fur. All dogs must be 12 weeks or older, and is currently only available for dogs. Pet parents can share their pets’ experience with Pet Expressions with hashtag #petexpressions.

I took Espn in earlier today for a much needed grooming. We held off getting him groomed because we normally get him shaved and we didn’t want to shave him with the bitterly cold winter we were having.

Espn was washed and conditioned, had his nails trimmed and he was shaved (yeah!). He looks like an entirely new dog. I prefer him this way.

I also had Espn try out the new Pet Expressions service. We had him “tattooed” as our groomer called it. He was chalked using stencils that I selected from a book. I opted for a football because my husband is a huge football fan and a star. I was hoping the football would have been done in brown and I requested the star to be done in blue, but she might not have heard me because it was a bit chaotic because Espn was fighting me (he didn’t want to get groomed). It’s OK. The football is blue (my hubby is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan) and the stars are a neon orange (I’m surprised they could get the orange so bright like that).

Bright, neon orange stars

Espn’s football stencil

I asked if the chalk would come off on the furniture. I was told it shouldn’t but if it did just wipe it off with a little water.

A smidgen of chalk came off on my son on the ride home from the groomer. He simply dusted it off his jacket like he would regular chalk dust. It didn’t leave a mark or a stain.

I’m not sure how long the chalk will last. I’m assuming a few days as long as he doesn’t get wet.

Some people might question why you would want to add color or stencil images on your dog. It’s the same reason why people like to dress their pet up. It’s just something fun to do. Plus it’s only temporary and it’s not harmful and it’s non-toxic.

I think stenciling or chalking your dog would be fun to do for the holidays (red, and blue on a white dog for the 4th of July, green and red for Christmas, a heart for Valentines Day, a shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day…). It would be fun to have your dog where your favorite teams colors (they have sports balls stencils). Or maybe chalk your dog to match your wedding colors if you are having your pet be a part of your special day.

The services are not expensive. Chalking stars at $2.00 and the stencils start at $4.00. Feathering is a bit more ($10) because it’s more involved. With five cats I don’t think putting feathers on my dog is a good idea. LOL!

The flash from the camera washed out the stars a bit. He looks so much better after he’s been groomed.

You can see a lot of examples of Pet Expressions on PetSmart’s Pinterest page.

Please remember that regular grooming leads to a happier and healthier pet, plus happier pet owners. You local PetSmart groomers can evaluate your dog and help address issues like matted fur, problem nails, bad breath, skin problems and shedding.

For more information about salon services, or find a PetSmart groomer near you, visit pets.petsmart.com/services/grooming.

You can also visit www.PetSmart.com. Look for PetSmart on the various social media sites and don’t forget to check out the hashtag #PetExpressions to see other people’s pets.

Espn is much happier now that he’s groomed.

Kimberly

*I received a free salon service in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.