Rosie the Yorkshire Terrier is a far cry from her wild ancestors.
She scampers around in her 7-, maybe 8-pound frame, ponytail bouncing with each step.
Her favorite trick is to sit pretty.
And when it comes to food, if it’s not dehydrated chicken, she doesn’t want it.
That makes her the perfect customer for Posh Pawws Grooming Services, where her owner, Brenda Hank, has been taking her since the Buffalo Township pet salon opened in October.
After years working as a dog bather, Posh Pawws owner Jackie Micholas, 53, set out to provide a premium experience, perhaps inadvertently chasing a trend in how Americans view — and spend on — their pets.
Luxury experiences are the main force behind an anticipated explosion in the nation’s spending on pet grooming and boarding services, from just over $10 billion in 2023 to a projected $16 billion in 2029, according to a recent report from analyst Research and Markets.
“I’ve had dogs my entire life, and I’m like, we need to step up the game,” said Micholas, who has four dogs and two cats of her own. “Let’s make this a positive environment, a clean environment and make it feel more like a home environment.”
Micholas strives to accomplish this by only allowing one dog at a time in the building, which sits behind her home and down the sloped gravel driveway.
This allows her to work efficiently, she said, bathing, grooming and performing other requested services on dogs in less than three hours. The timing depends on the dog’s size, breed and temperament. It only takes Rosie about an hour and a half to work her way around Posh Pawws, which is designed like a loop, compared to three hours for a husky with a fluffy coat.
Dogs enter the bathing area through the waiting room, then head to the grooming station before being walked through another room and back to where they started.
The final bill also depends on these factors. Rosie is taken care of for about $50.
The one-dog policy also makes the experience less stressful and more predictable for pooches that become anxious in new places or without their owners, Micholas noted.
“One of my biggest pet peeves is taking a dog into an unfamiliar place,” she said.
No expense was spared to make grooming a pleasant experience for dogs and humans alike.
Take, for example, the $7,000 acrylic tub. Or the top-of-the-line, quiet blow dryer.
“I don’t like those metal tubs,” she said. “And the majority of dogs, they’ve normally been bathed at their tub at home, so that’s more familiar to them as their regular bath tub.”
Posh Pawws also sells dog-safe “beer,” “cigars,” edible holiday cards and other off-the-wall treats — all made in the U.S., Micholas proudly pointed out.
And, for people, Micholas has what she called a “boujee bathroom.”
Her philosophy is simple: “I like nice things, and I want my customers to be able to experience nice things.”
Posh Pawws, located at 188½ Beale Road, operates by appointment only. To schedule a visit, call 724-540-1016.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.
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