Southport Magazine

At Jenny’s Puppy Paws and Kitty Claws, owner Jenny Phillips and her daughter Leana Allen take special pride in their work and attention to their furry clients’ needs. We asked Leana about the business recently and she shared some insights with us.

Q: How long have you been at this location on Howe Street? And what are your hours?

A: We’ve been in this building 11 years, but Miss Jenny has been grooming for 25 years. I’ve been working here with her since I was tall enough to reach over the tub! We’re open Monday through Friday,  8 a.m. til 2 or 3 p.m. – it just depends on the day. We can do nails anytime as a walk-in, no appointment is necessary for that.

Q: How would you describe your clientele?

A: We have a lot of regular customers. Because we book up pretty fast, most people make their next appointment when they’re here for their current grooming. We’re usually booked about two weeks out.

Q: What are the most popular dog breeds you see these days?

A: Probably the doodles – you know the breed that includes a poodle with another breed. There are the Goldendoodle, the Aussiedoodle, the Labradoodle and so on. There’s even a Newfoundland Aussiedoodle. That one is a big fuzzy gorgeous dog with a lot of hair! 

Q: Which breeds are the most challenging to groom?

A: Definitely the doodles. Depending on what generation they are, they can have really thick coats that you have to comb every day. If you don’t, it mats up and causes problems. Most people don’t realize how it can hurt the dog to have to comb out the matted hair. That’s why we encourage people to bring them in more often to get the comb out if they can’t do it themselves on a regular basis.

Q: Do you see dogs with skin allergies or other issues? What do the symptoms look like?

A: We have a bunch with allergies – the yeast or fungal allergies. The yeast is like a yellowish gum on their skin, on their feet or ears. We have special shampoos we can use, but it helps to do that regularly. You need to find out what’s causing the issue; it could be food or fungus from grass that they pick up when walking or in the yard. One easy treatment we tell people about is to dilute regular Listerine, put it in a spray bottle and then spray that on their feet when they come in from the outdoors – that helps keep them from itching and chewing.

Q: You also groom cats? That must be challenging.

A: Cats are harder! They are easier to cut; their skin is paper-thin, so you have to be careful shaving them. Normally it takes two to handle cats – I normally hold them and my mom shaves them. We have more dog clients but we have quite a few cats too. We do them first thing in the morning because we like to get them out before all the dogs arrive.

Q: Are there any new trends in grooming or supplies?

A: We go every year to Atlanta to the grooming show they have there in March. That’s where we can get supplies, like brushes, shampoos and cages. They have classes there too – it’s great, you get to meet other groomers and trade ideas.

Q: It seems like you and Miss Jenny have many furry friends – the walls are covered in pictures.

A: Yes, they’re like family. It’s so sad when we lose one. Jenny adds: “I really love what I do. A big part of my job is being able to bring joy and happiness to the clients and their babies. We get very attached to them as if they were our own. Just recently one of our clients lost his best friend Sadie and his mother a little while ago. Knowing how lonely he was we got him a new baby. We all cried together, but what joy it brought us all.”

Jenny’s Puppy Paws
and Kitty Claws

1206 N Howe St, Southport

910-454-4100

Monday through Friday
8 a.m. til 2 or 3 p.m