Who we are and What we believe

 

Compassionate

Dana Kelly was a stay-at-home mom who wanted to rejoin the workforce, while she was working at Downers Grove South High School she began bathing dogs in the summertime and discovered her passion. She embarked on the necessary path to become a dog groomer and has been in love ever since. Dogs by Design started with Dana serving her friends, family, and neighbors but has grown to serve dogs from all across the suburban Chicago area. Here at Dogs by Design, we welcome every and any dog, no matter how shy or stubborn, with open arms, from 5 pounds to 100+ pounds we love and care for them all!

Experienced

No playing around here. No one without training comes close to a dog with clippers. Dana Kelly has 3 years as a professional bather and 3+ years as a certified groomer.

Comfortable

We pride ourselves on making your pup feel safe and calm and work to accommodate any dog who may be fearful of other dogs. Part of the magic here is that we strive to make your pup feel they are not at the groomers. Unlike traditional grooming shops, we do not have a wall of crates to store the dogs, we allow your pup to free roam our shop given they place nice with other dogs. We have large playpens if we need to separate some pups to ensure safety for all.

FAQs

  • No, because we are a one groomer in-home shop we rely on scheduled appointments. Check out the scheduling page to secure an appointment!

  • Our house has stairs, but we did curbside dropoff/pickup during the pandemic and have continued it for those who want/need it. We ask that if you are able, please come to the side door to the right of the front door!

  • A mat is a dense, tangled clump(s) of fur in your pet’s coat. A mat is not simply a knot in the fur, The Urban Hound says that “Mats develop when a dog’s fur tangles into a mass of snarls. If left unattended, these knots wrap together, forming a tight pelt against the skin.” To learn more about what a mat is check out The Urban Hound or to learn how to prevent it in this article from Canine Journal.

  • When we say short-hair we are referring to the breed of dog that has short fur that lies close to the body such as Labs, Great Danes, Greyhounds, Pugs, Beagles, etc. Similarly, long-hair refers to the breed of dog, not the length. Some examples are Bernese Mountain dogs, Shih Tzus, Great Pyrenees, Havanese, Maltese, Yorkies, and so on.