About
Dirty Paws is owner-operated and deeply personal. The person who answers the phone is one of the people caring for your pet, and that trust is never taken lightly.
About the owner
I have had a connection with animals for as long as I can remember. The Akitas next door had a reputation for being mean. I made friends with them anyway, and that told me early on that most difficult animals are misunderstood rather than dangerous.
I also grew up around business. My family ran a custom picture framing shop, and my father was voted BEST OF Pasadena for his work. Watching him build something on craftsmanship rather than volume set the tone for how I run Dirty Paws.
I started my first dog walking and pet sitting business at eight years old and ran it until I was thirteen. Through high school I bathed dogs at my sister's salon. That is where the work took hold. Dogs would arrive matted and uncomfortable and leave looking like a million bucks, and I wanted to be the person who did that part.
While pregnant with my first child I took a groomer position that paid for my training. I left when it became clear the company cared more about lining their pockets than about the animals on the table. Pets were moved through as fast as the schedule allowed. That is not grooming, and it is not safe.
It taught me what I wanted my own business to feel like. A pet should never be treated like the next name on a schedule. One-on-one grooming gives me time to earn trust, adjust to what they can handle that day, and send them home comfortable, clean and still themselves.
About ten years into my grooming career, I trained professionally as a dog trainer. I had seen how pulling, jumping, fear or a dog who simply could not settle could leave good families feeling frustrated and discouraged.
Training gives dogs and their people a clearer way to understand each other. The goal is not a perfectly programmed dog. It is safer walks, calmer homes, more confidence and a bond that feels good again. Helping dogs stay loved and understood in their homes is what makes this work matter to me.
At home I have one dog, one horse and two children. My oldest wants to be a veterinarian, so caring for animals is already becoming a family tradition.
Meet the team
Owner · Groomer · Trainer
With fifteen years in grooming, Dannielle gives every pet patient, one-on-one care from arrival to finish. As a professional dog trainer, she helps families build calmer routines, clearer communication and a stronger bond at home.
Professional groomer
My name is Melissa Bennett. I have been a Professional Dog Groomer for 10 years. Originally from California, my family moved to Arizona almost 20 years ago, so I guess you can say I'm an Arizona native now. I have my Associates Degree in Veterinary Medicine, although I did not practice for long as I realized that I enjoyed grooming dogs and cats more.
With grooming I found my passion, and I develop better bonds and connections with animals. That's what I love the most about this career. I can show my art and make pets feel great after their groom. I bring compassion and patience to every pet, understand their fears, and teach them to no longer be afraid of grooming — that grooming can be something they look forward to and thoroughly enjoy.
When I'm not grooming you can catch me kayaking with my husband, enjoying a good movie or show with all 5 of my pets, and working out.
See the progress
We took a camper trailer down to the shell and rebuilt it as a working salon. It is customized and ready to come to you.
Fully functional and equipped to groom even the dirtiest of pets. The unit carries its own water, power and heat, so nothing runs off your house and nothing depends on your driveway other than a place to park.
Inside the unit
There is no holding area, because there is nothing to hold a pet for. Your pet is the only animal in the unit, from the first brush to the final blow dry, and then they go straight back inside with you.
That is what makes Fear Free handling possible. No crowding, no waiting, no cage dryers, and no rushing a pet through a schedule that was set before we met them.
Book a visit
Book online, or call and we will talk through what your pet needs first.
