Divine Dogs Is A Heavenly Experience For Dogs And Owners

By Nancy K. Crevier

The first thing one notices, walking into one of Newtown’s newest spas, is the display of colorful accessories and the wealth of natural light brightening the atmosphere. A flowery bouquet of shampoo is in the air, a not-off-putting scent. The artwork that decorates the walls is clever and colorful — every picture, one of dogs.

It is also obvious that the customers at this spa are not the usual clients that frequent area day spas.

That is because the clientele waiting for owner Cori McNerney to pamper them are dogs: this spa is for Newtown’s canine residents.

Divine Dogs, located on the lower level of the Highland Plaza on Route 25, opened for business in July 2011. A sales executive for three decades, most recently for Pitney Bowes, Ms McNerney gave up her high-salaried job in 2009 to pursue a second career as a dog groomer.

“I have always been a dog lover,” said Ms McNerney, “and I’ve had a dog ever since moving to Connecticut from New York, 33 years ago. What started me thinking about this, though, was right after a ‘significant’ birthday, when I noticed a dog grooming business one day and thought, ‘I’d like to do that.’ I had always done what I was supposed to do for years, and it wasn’t fulfilling.”

From there, one thing rolled into another. “I picked up a book on poodle grooming and clipping when we were on vacation. I don’t know why; it just looked interesting,” Ms McNerney said. She then took on an internship at a local groomer, working weekends, to find out if this was truly her calling. She found out about a groomer’s conference and attended it, and researched dog-grooming schools. “I settled on one in Kentucky, the Nash Academy, that had a satellite in New Jersey,” she said.

The initial work was online, learning everything about dogs, from anatomy to styling. When that coursework was finished, she began traveling to New Jersey for hands-on work that lasted all day Saturday and Sunday. “I was still doing sales. It was hard to give up the good salary and benefits,” she recalled. Two things gave her the courage to do so. Her brother told her she would never regret what she had done in life, but she might regret what she had not. “And then I read a book and one thing stuck with me: If you hate what you do, what is the benefit?”

She became a certified member of the National Dog Groomers Association, graduating from Nash Academy in 2009. Then she quit her full-time job, took her savings, took on a few private clients, and began looking full-time for a place to open “a heavenly spa” for dogs, one that was a true salon experience. “I want people to walk into a clean, pleasant environment, where they know their dogs will be well cared for, and where they and their dogs will be treated respectfully,” Ms McNerney said. Her logo says it all, she believes. A simple outline of a puppy with a yellow halo glowing over its head is accompanied by the saying, “A heavenly spa where all dogs go.”

With the help of friends and husband Kevin, she has turned the 750-square-foot space beneath Snap Fitness into what she hopes is a pleasing environment for dogs and dog owners. The usual shampooing, clipping, and nail care is done at Divine Dogs, but clients also have additional options not available at all grooming facilities.

Grooming is by appointment, not an all-day commitment as at some grooming facilities, said Ms McNerney, and clients are welcome to bring their own dog beds and toys. Early morning and late evening appointments are available for dogs that have any kinds of health or social issues.

Ms McNerney has installed two grooming tables, one for large breed dogs, and one that is for small dogs. An elevator tub can be lowered to allow a large dog to simply walk in. The side closes and the tub is raised to a comfortable height for her to shampoo the dog. A hydrotherapy system delivers a shampoo and water massage, omitting the need to wet down the animal before shampoo is applied. “It is great for dogs that are nervous,” said Ms McNerney.

Mutt Muffs cover dogs’ sensitive ears from the noise of the blow drier.

Divine Dogs also features dry and oily skin treatments. The mudpack, for breeds with oily skin, involves massaging red clay into the wet fur, then wrapping the dog in plastic wrap. Hot, wet towels then swathe the animal while the mud works its magic. “The dogs really enjoy it,” said Ms McNerney. The hot oil treatment, to treat dry skin, or the sauna wrap, when medicated shampoos are required, also involve wrapping the pets in plastic.

The spa can also take care of one of those nuisance grooming issues that come up for dogs that spend time in the great outdoors: getting rid of skunk odor.

Thursday, October 20, Hanne Raby of Sandy Hook rushed Sir Chancelot, her golden retriever, to Divine Dogs for deskunking. Using a natural shampoo infused with Neem, an oil pressed from Indian evergreens, and a “Divine” combination of cleaners, Ms McNerney was able to transform Sir Chancelot from stinky to stunning before Ms Raby returned to pick him up.

“He smells so good,” said Ms Raby. “He was a skunk when I brought him in this morning. Now I know where to recommend people bring their dogs,” she said.

Facials and “pawticures” — with a rich cream massaged into the paw pad — are also offered at this dog spa. Divine Dogs is also a certified Puppylocks salon, a division of the human counterpart, Featherlocks, for real feather fur extensions. Ms McNerney’s terrier mix, Joey Baga Donuts, was happy to show off some bling available through Divine Dogs, a sparkling diamond earring semipermanently glued to his ear.

Ms McNerney specializes in geriatric grooming, she said. Elderly dogs often have problems walking and seeing, and can be incontinent, giving groomers some real issues with which to deal. “I groom the older dogs right in the elevator tub,” said Ms McNerney. “It’s a much more secure environment for them than on a grooming table, and they can walk right in. Older dogs need very gentle handling,” she said. Because her older clients often have trouble standing for long periods of time, Ms McNerney breaks up the grooming session into shorter time periods, with frequent rests on cozy pillow dog beds in the one of the five “penhouses” that line one wall of the dog spa.

Rather than metal cages, every guest of Divine Dogs is housed in a roomy pen that looks more like a homey fenced-in section of yard than a prison.

At Divine Dogs, Ms McNerney tries to use only natural or organic grooming aids, made in the USA. One exception is the shampoo for her geriatric clients, which comes from Italy. She has not found another product that is as effective in rejuvenating the skin and hair of older dogs.

Along with elegant leather leashes made by a New York company and colorful nylon collars and leashes from Vermont, Divine Dog carries several other USA-crafted gift items for dogs and dog lovers. Breed specific note cards, pop-up notes, and magnets, necklaces with sparkling rhinestone dog bone pendants, aromatic candles, including a memory candle to commemorate the loss of a pet, puppy print makeup bags, and bone-shaped luggage tags make buying for the dog aficionado in the family easy. Colorful harnesses for tiny Chihuahuas or oversized Labradors are a comfortable alternative to a collar for one’s favorite pup.

“I try to be as cheerful and upbeat as I can be with all of my clients, canine or human,” said Ms McNerney. It is not a difficult task for her, now that she has found her calling. “It is different every day. I could never decide what kind of breed I liked best, but now I get to have different dogs all the time.”

She is confident that her strong business background and extra services will make Divine Dogs a success. “Every day it gets a little busier, and that’s great,” she said. But best of all, Ms McNerney said, she is providing a needed service in a wonderful environment, “And I am so much happier doing this!”

Divine Dogs is at the Highland Plaza, 123 South Main Street, lower level. The spa is open Tuesday and Friday, 9 am to 6 pm; Wednesday and Thursday, 8 am to 6 pm; Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm; or by appointment. Closed Sunday and Monday. For appointments or information, contact Ms McNerney at 203-270-9999, or visit DIVINE-DOGS-CT.com.