By SIMON HENDERY
Kath Fitzpatrick first thought about setting up a self-service dog-wash several years ago when she saw a television documentary about a similar business catering for apartment-dwelling dog owners in New York.
The concept appealed to Fitzpatrick who, like numerous other dog owners, had wrestled with a smelly, soggy,
shaking labrador in the family bathtub.
"There was always a glimmer of an idea of how better I could handle this situation but never the time or money to do anything about it."
Last year she took the plunge and set up the business, Nose To Tail Dog Wash, in Albany.
Clients pay from $18 to use one of seven dog-sized shower cubicles, towels and electric blow-driers supplied. Adding a "hydrotherapy pool" was the idea of her daughter, who had seen them in Britain.
The pool, which provides exercise for arthritic or injured dogs unable to walk far, has been well-received. Dog owners can pay thousands of dollars for their animals' operations, but then find options for post-operative rehabilitation are limited.
Vets often recommend swimming as an ideal non-weight-bearing exercise, but some dogs cannot manage the walk to the river or beach.
Fitzpatrick said convincing some vets of the benefits of the pool had also been a challenge.
"You find vets are a lot like doctors - drug-oriented and incentive-driven by the drug companies. We can't compete with that, but as the vets are seeing the [hydrotherapy] improvements for themselves, we are getting a spin-off."
Fitzpatrick said marketing a fairly specialised service was a big challenge.
"Word of mouth is the best way [to generate business] but it's the slowest way - we want to stay in business long enough so we're still here for the people who hear about us in six months' time."
Targeting potential customers through city council lists of dog owners had mixed success.
Councils are prohibited by law from supplying name and address details of dog owners, but some will allow advertising flyers to be included in mailouts of dog licence fee invoices.
Nose to Tail
