New Houston grooming salon goes straight to the dogs

Tucked in rugged Houston, away from the hustle and bustle of the Parks Highway, a new business has started, and the clients there have gone straight to the dogs.

Posh Paws Doggy Salon offers pets the opportunity to get pampered-whether it’s a furry shampoo and trim or a more tail-ered option such as a paw-dicure, hair dying and creative grooming to make their four-legged friends the life of the paw-ty.

Owner Callie Courtney recently opened the dog grooming doors and has an extensive background in animal care, starting over a decade ago in Minnesota when she began doing dog grooming part time and attending Iowa State University, where she studied Dairy Science.

“I grew up on a dairy farm, worked on dairy farms my whole life, but dog grooming was just something I always wanted to do. I always tried to incorporate it into the things I was doing.”

Callie moved on to study at the Animal Behavior College, followed by two years of on-the-job training while in Wisconsin. Last year, she and her husband made the trek up to Alaska, bringing not only their dogs, but also

“We just wanted something different, and this seemed like a good place to be.”

She says that grooming isn’t without its own unique hazards, saying she’s gotten bit and scratched, even a few black eyes from furry friends who aren’t keen on the whole process.

“We designed the shop so I can easily groom large dogs and older dogs with a walk-in shower for the dogs that can’t move around as well as they once could. We also have tubs for the little guys and tables that move as I need them, and the dogs, too.”

While many might think that owners having their dog groomed is simply a way to spoil their fur babies, Callie says that proper brushing and grooming of pets is also a matter of health, especially with breeds that don’t typically shed, sometimes leaving the dogs’ fur to ‘pelt’ and causing complications that can include preventing proper airflow, proper temperature regulation, hide parasites like fleas, ticks, maggots, and cause extreme discomfort and pain for the dog.

“The reason people don’t groom some dogs is because the hair doesn’t come off, so it stays on them, mats to them, like dreadlocks. And if you don’t brush them, those knots will get harder and harder. If the dogs are out in the snow a lot, that just adds to the situation, and it can cause bruising to the skin and muscle, cause nerve damage.”

In addition to grooming services, Posh Paws also offers a doggy boutique, where pets and their owners can find an assortment of collars, clips, and locally made gifts for dogs and their humans, and Callie is also looking to add locally made dog treats soon.

The salon also offers goat hoof trimming and horse coloring, as well as veteran discounts.

For more information, and to view the salon’s portfolio, visit

www.poshpawsak.com or their Facebook page.