Chattagroomer owner Lora Jernigan worked on this dog, rescued from a puppy mill in Arkansas, for around an hour to safely remove its matted fur and long nails. The dog was one of almost 50 rescued by the local Humane Society.
Although this pup most likely has dental issues because of mistreatment at the puppy mill, Chattagroomer owner Lora Jernigan was able to clip all the matted fur away safely and quickly. She even spent the time to give him a more aesthetic trim and make him more adoptable.
Chattagroomer owner Lora Jernigan’s real specialty is breed-specific cuts. Here, she’s carefully clipped a pug to meet the breed standard.Regardless of whether she’s giving a poodle a unique look or trimming a Shih Tzu so its fur is perfectly uniform, Chattagroomer’s Lora Jernigan likes to add a finishing touch: a pretty bow nestled right between the ears of the pooch she just pampered.
“I do really like to make them look cute,” said Jernigan, who operated a mobile grooming service – driving around 600 miles a week to care for pets in rural Texas – before moving to the Hixson area with her family in December.
She was going to continue her mobile grooming business here, but her new location at 2203 Hamill Road was too perfect to pass on, she said.
Jernigan apprenticed under Tracy Duncan – of Groom Team USA fame – years ago. Team USA is one of the premier competitive grooming organizations in the world, and Duncan is a Hall of Famer. Jernigan studied with and learned from Duncan for years, and is now bringing that experience in pet grooming to the area.
One of the keys she’s learned is how to ensure the dogs and cats she grooms are relaxed while they’re at her shop.