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Puppy Love and Paw Powered Friends
Easter baskets and weddings for dogs of the North Country.
Story and photo by Nicole Weber
Searching high and low for the perfect dress. Inviting close friends and family. Writing vows of commitment to the one you love. Finally the big day has come. Everything is white, covered in lace and trim, and now the music starts.
Eva, the bride, looks stunning. She has flowers in her hair and around her neck. Bryson, the groom, is wearing the appropriate tuxedo and bow tie. The nervous energy is stirring and Eva is wondering…Will Bryson really never sniff another dog’s butt again?
Eva wondering if Bryson will ever sniff another dog's butt again? Photo credit: Cindy Cross and Brittany Collins. |
February 27 is Bryson and Eva’s anniversary. They were married in Bow Meow Pet Grooming Boutique in Winooski. They kissed —with a little peanut butter encouragement— and they walked down the aisle together to the applause and barks of both their two- and four-legged friends and family.
The owner of Bow Meow —and Bryson’s mother—, Cindy Cross comments that the wedding was “all about them Bryson and Eva.” “It was very fun, and they love attention,” Cross says.
At the reception, where Eva and Bryson's party of 35 guests were invited, they had their first dance to “Puppy Love.” There were presents and desserts for their two legged friends. There was also a cake for the stars of the wedding themselves.
Both Bryson and Eva are around one year old. The two were wed not only as a symbol of their love for each other, but also as a project. Bow Meow sets up classes for aspiring dog groomers, and each of them do a project involving creative styling. The idea for a creative styling wedding was brought up and the class thought it was great. Bryson’s fur coat was dyed to look like a tuxedo. Eva was styled with a French manicure on her paws, pink dye in her ears and flowers dyed on her hips.
“It’s all about spending time with your pet; and having a good time.”
Cross says she would love to be a dog-wedding planner once again just because she had so much fun. As Bryson’s owner, she says she believes people in Vermont are “stuck in their routine,” and wishes she could do more events such as pet birthday parties.
Photo Credit: Cindy Cross and Brittany Collins. |
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Parties can get expensive, and during a recession, throwing a party may not seem like a necessity. Cross understands both of these things. She says she would work with the pet owner's budget and would arrange the party for a minimal price— charging just enough to buy all of the supplies necessary for setting up the salon. “It’s all about spending time with your pet; and having a good time.”
“One thing people are always going to take care of is their pets.”
Even during a time of recession, pet stylist and Eva’s owner Brittany Collins comments that business in Bow Meow has stayed “pretty steady.” Collins says she believes people sacrifice things for themselves over their pets. “One thing people are always going to take care of is their pets.” Collins also says that Bow Meow has a lot of new clients.
Another pet lover, Plattsburgh resident Stacey Farrington, has five cats, one dog, and one rabbit. “Sometimes people spend more money on their pets than they do their own kids, which, to me, is ridiculous,” Farrington says. All of her pets are treated well though. “[My pets] do get an Easter basket full of toys and treats. Same goes with the other holidays,” Farrington says.
Betty Clark of Animal House Pet Shop in Plattsburgh, says she thinks pets are so popular because, “Pets provide companionship, a healing [for some] and a stress reducer.”
Some would argue it’s an obsession, while others would say it’s just love, but most pet owners agree that their pets are a part of their family.
Behind the Scenes of Pet Styling at Bow Meow
Q: What is the average price for styling?
A: "A standard poodle cut is between $70-75, and it's a little more ($80-90) for a creative style," says Collins
Q: Are the dogs well behaved while they're being styled?
A: "Yes, they're very tolerant. They just love attention," says Collins.
Q: What other animals have you styled?
A: "I haven't done a cat, but I think it would be cool." "I would definitely do some creative styling as well [on the cat]," says Cross.
Q: What are some commonly requested styles in your area?
A: "One client gets [the dog] a mohawk, and another gets their dog's tail dyed pink," says Collins.
Q: What are some unique styles Bow Meow has done in the past?
A: "We did [a styling with] patchwork squares with all different colors, and a snake design," says Cross. We also did a race track design with the name on one side and the number on the other, " says Cross. "We did a tie-dye styling," says Collins.
Q: Does Bow Meow do any styling for show dogs?
A: Collins says that Bow Meow does not do show grooming mainly for the reason that, "not a lot of people around who do shows, or they do it themselves or they're away traveling."
Q: For the wedding Eva had flowers sprayed on her hips. How was that done?
A: "It's a multi-step process. It took a couple of days. We had to bleach out [the area of fur] first," says Collins. "We used Pet Edge (A dog dye that's non-toxic)," says Collins. Collins adds that color dyes lasts from six to eight weeks, and can be touched up afterward.
You can find Bow Meow Pet Grooming Boutique at:
355B Main Street, Winooski, VT
For more information call: 802 654-7118