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by eve carr

for

STAFFORD COUNTY resident Michelle Strong has never known a world without dogs-- plenty of them. As a child, back in her native Scotland, she started showing dogs when she was only 4 and continued to do so until her early 20s.

"I was always helping my parents feed, train, walk and groom all eight Chow Chows," she says in her Scottish accent. "That's a lot of hair!"

In addition to grooming their own dogs, Strong's parents worked with the Scottish Chow Chow rescue league as well.

"We always had some sorry-looking Chow Chow arrive at the house that they would miraculously make beautiful, so I guess grooming is in my blood," she says.

In the five years that she has been in the Stafford County and Fredericksburg area, Strong has worked as a groomer in two different shops, as well as at a dog day-care facility, where she learned about different breeds, temperaments and personalities. Then, a little more than a year ago, Strong took the big step and started her own business: Best Friends Mobile Pet Grooming.

Dog owners like her service because she comes to them with her fully equipped van, with its own generator, water heater and holding tank for waste- water. Their pets are never caged or exposed to other animals, the van is hospital clean and Strong is certified in pet first aid by the American Red Cross.

Best of all, Strong provides lots of loving, individual care, with tons of kisses and treats for each dog. Dogs with special needs, such as puppies, seniors and disabled, get extra care and loving attention.

Fluffy, Sweetie Pie, Rusty and Buddy Basset Carr are just a few of the dogs that benefit from Best Friends Mobile Pet Grooming. While none of them particularly likes having a "b-a-t-h," once they experience the climate-controlled van, with its hydraulic grooming table, warm water, full-size luxury tub, soothing music and state-of-the art dryers, they wag their tails to show that they really do enjoy the process.

They particularly like the fact that Strong uses a Dremel tool on their nails rather than clippers, which makes the process much easier for them.