FARGO — Oakley, a 7-year-old Australian Shepherd, may look like a whip-smart cattle dog, but he may have the heart of a Kardashian.
When his owner, Haley Wahl, told Oakley he was going to have a “spa day,” the shepherd was instantly delighted. Then he parks himself in the doorway, barking and wagging his tail enthusiastically, until groomer Ariel Kreilkamp rolls into the driveway with his Spiffy Clips Mobile Pet Grooming van.
“He really likes it,” Wahl said.
This is a welcome change in behavior, as Oakley used to be very nervous about grooming appointments and wouldn’t let a groomer touch her nails.
But Oakley seems to prefer the one-on-one attention and privacy of mobile grooming compared to a busy salon.
“I have dogs that come in here that are terrible at regular salons and here, they have no problem,” said Kreilkamp, a soft-spoken 32-year-old who started grooming 11 years ago. “It’s just that they’re overstimulated in salons and this is exactly what they need.”
Kreilkamp seems to be keeping pace with her mobile grooming service, which seems to be less stressful for some pets while also more convenient for their owners.
“It’s really good for seniors or moms who don’t really get out easily,” Kreilkamp said.
Perhaps that’s how Spiffy Clips has attracted 200 “super-regular” customers around Fargo-Moorhead in the two and a half years since Kreilkamp launched his business.
Wahl, a married mother in West Fargo with 2-year-old twins and a busy work schedule, appreciates not having to drive Oakley to and from appointments.
Contributed / Haley Wahl
After learning that their dog’s previous groomer was no longer available, Wahl began searching online for someone who could offer mobile services.
When he read positive reviews about Spiffy Clips, he contacted Kreilkamp. “I never really looked back,” he said. “Ariel is amazing. He is very professional and treats Oakley like his own dog.”
The mobile vs. brick-and-mortar debate
A lifelong animal lover, Kreilkamp was born in Valley City and moved with her family to South Carolina when she was young. He enrolled in college to study biology with hopes of one day working with animals. As a way to earn money in college, he also trained to be a pet groomer at a chain pet store in Bluffton, South Carolina.
Soon after, he dropped out of college and began grooming full-time because he realized it was the perfect vocation for him.
David Samson/The Forum
That was 11 years ago. Kreilkamp returned to the area in 2020 with aspirations of starting his own grooming business.
Although Kreilkamp has long wanted to be a mobile groomer, he contacted the North Dakota Small Business Center to see if that was the smartest route to take. The experts there helped him prepare a business plan and compare the pros and cons of a mobile business versus brick and mortar.
Kreilkamp finds that the down side to a mobile operation is its maintenance. But the upside is its flexibility. “I can choose where I want to work,” he said. “If I decide to move, I can take the whole business with me.”
He also discovered Wag’N Tails Mobile Conversions, a company in Granger, Indiana, that specializes in building grooming and veterinary-care vans of all sizes.
He ordered a DynaGroom, the company’s most popular model, for $98,000. He then waited half a year for the company to build and winterize the 22-foot-long Ford Transit van.
Once he had the van, Kreilkamp didn’t have to market to attract customers. He parks in busy areas like grocery store parking lots, where interested pet owners can’t miss the white vehicle decorated with bubbles, happy dogs and the Spiffy Clips phone number.
Finding clients may not be difficult, but Kreilkamp still has to navigate the learning curve of a salon-on-wheels.
David Samson/The Forum
“It takes a lot of trial and error,” he said. “The first six months were really difficult. I had to figure out how the van worked, how not to run out of water.
Now, he can shampoo, condition and rinse five to six dogs a day in the van’s 50-gallon water tank.
The Van stays warm, even at -15 degrees
He moves easily in the van, where it feels like he’s only a few steps or an arm’s length away.
David Samson/The Forum
A stainless steel grooming table automatically raises and lowers with a foot pedal.
A ramp extends from the table and extends to a raised, stainless steel grooming tub in the back of the van so Kreilkamp doesn’t have to lift each dog.
Closets for grooming equipment are located upstairs, as well as a long hose that allows him to dry off the dog.
There’s also a small desk for papers, switches to turn on the generator if heat or air is needed, and a roof top if the van gets too hot or humid.
David Samson/The Forum
The small space makes blow drying noisy, so Kreilkamp wears headphones and the dog gets a Happy Hoodie — a fabric tube that slips over the dog’s head to protect its ears.
“It kind of makes them look funny but they actually work,” Kreilkamp said. “Every dog gets a new one, to make sure nothing gets transferred, especially with dog flu going around. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m not taking any chances.”
David Samson/The Forum
One element dog owners don’t have to worry about is the cold. The heater and hot water warm the small space so quickly that Kreilkamp often keeps the ceiling ventilation open.
“A good question I get is ‘Is it hot enough?'” He laughs. “I’m wearing short sleeves.”
The van stays consistently toasty even when it’s -15 outside, he said. If the mercury drops further, he postpones appointments “for safety’s sake” or asks owners to bring their dogs to the heated store in Moorhead where he keeps his van.
Spacious, but not ‘St. Bernard Luwang’
Although the DynaGroom is efficient and compact, it has its limitations.
For one thing, he was busy enough to hire another fixer, but there just wasn’t room.
For another, Kreilkamp learned early on that the van was not made for large dogs. “When I first started, I made St. Bernard here and it barely fits in the tub. It was a mistake,” he recalls, laughing.
Now she sticks to clients 50 pounds or less, and only accepts clients in the Fargo-Moorhead area. He also grooms some regular cat clients, but doesn’t take on any new ones.
Although Kreilkamp is already busy, he maintains a waiting list for future clients. His rates range from about $110 for a smaller dog, such as a Shih Tzu, to $130 for a medium-sized Golden Retriever. Prices are also affected by factors such as coat condition and temperament, he said.
“I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t get any dog bites, so that’s pretty good,” he said.
With business booming, one wonders if he’ll want to invest in one of Wag’N Tails’ larger vehicles — like a bus or maybe an RV?
“If I had another one, I might get a second one,” he said. “But that’s far in the future.”
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