Rockville Maryland Humane Society's: The Ark A refuge for dog and owner MD Yesterday, I took our two chows for grooming to The Ark: , the Rockville, Maryland, Humane Society's grooming and pet supply store. I had trepiditions, after recently being refused grooming services by other groomers (because they were afraid of the chow breed); my fears were totally unfounded. On the phone, the store's volunteer staff assured me that breed was NOT a problem: '...we ARE the Humane Society, after all..."
The store's manager helped me unload the two furry chows (a very difficult job for one person because our gimpy dogs require a ramp). Jenny, the Ark's professonal groomer (a grooming instructor with almost 20 years of grooming expertise), took us all back to the grooming room, which was spotlessly clean and cheerily arranged. Both dogs immediately received water bowls which totally impressed me and both dogs settled in right away... amazing. When I picked them up later in the day, both exquisitely groomed dogs greeted me with contentment.
The Ark's small store is chock full of cool pet supplies you won't find anywhere else. For example, the Ark sells emergency dog and cat kits for a nominal fee; all proceeds go to the Humane Society's rescue fund. Their grooming supplies range from organic oatmeal shampoo and conditioner, great for itchy dogs with allergies, to vanity shampoos to bring out the luster and shine of specific show dogs.
If you own a chow, you know groomers charge more for chows than just about any other dog. I realized we had to do something, if we wanted to keep two chows in tip-top condition, so we decided to tackle the grooming ourselves. In a quest to save money, we bought professional clippers, a grooming table (a folding table to which we added with a grooming pole) and a dog dryer. I soon found that for us, grooming our dogs was an all day affair, and I didn't enjoy the aches and pains of kneeling in the shower with a squirmy dog. We also made the mistake of drying our dogs on the kitchen floor and soon found all the house afloat with dog hair and dander (well, at least it was clean); a separate grooming room would have isolated the 'hair' pollution and made cleanup easier. When it came to clipping, forget it; we purchased Andis clippers, but the instructions for assembly and cleaning are so small and unreadable, that we haven't tackled it yet. And assembly really requires hands on training... (okay, so I'm a dummy; I can take apart a computer and put it back together, but I haven't figured out dog clippers).
If you live in the DC Metro area, check out The Ark. You can pamper your pet and save homeless and abused animals with your purchases and volunteer services. The Ark occasionally holds garage sales (one coming up very soon) where you can pick up unique gifts at a cool price and you can unload those unwanted, but quality, items cluttering up your home....
The Ark: 601 S. Stonestreet Ave.
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Phone: (240) 453-0624
Fax: (240) 453-0626
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