Pet Paws Self Serve Pet Wash, Lexington

Phyllis P. Allen and Victoria Martin have mad shampooing and blow-drying skills. But they aren’t working their magic on human heads. Instead, the owners of Pet Paw's have set out to prove that dog washing doesn’t have to be a pain, welcoming pet owners into a spacious grooming studio stocked with everything they need to get Fido clean quickly, calmly, and without cash bribes.

Each deluxe doggie bathing station features a raised tub that dogs can easily scramble into via a special staircase, and gentle restraints keep each pooch in a stable position during the duration of the scrub-down. Customers can don aprons to protect outfits from sudsy splashes, created from three varieties of natural earthbath shampoo blended with ingredients such as aloe and tea tree oil to leave coats fragrant and shiny. After the last rinse, towels and special air-blowers dry off fur, as special perfumes replace that wet-dog smell with something more snout friendly. Treats reward each well-behaved customer and the staff will clean up all the mess left behind, freeing each chic pup to focus on more important tasks such as showing off at the dog park or attending modeling go-sees.

The pet specialists at Pet Paw's can also help busy or apprehensive pet owners by giving dogs professional grooming services upon request.