Bentley's Dog Wash and Fine Grooming Spa

3013 W. Spring Creek Parkway
Plano, TX 75023
(972) 964-9274 (WASH)
BentleysDogWashSpa.com

Anyone who has bathed their own dog knows that it's not high on the "favorite chores" list. Even if your dog loves to take baths, it's still a hassle to get your beloved pooch in the tub - or *gasp* the sink! - lather up, rinse, and dry. You're very likely to need to change clothes afterward, not to mention clean up the water spills in your bathroom. Bentley's Dog Wash and Fine Grooming Spa is the solution for those of us who love our dogs, but not giving them their baths. This innovative facility provides dog owners a place where we can make a necessary chore as painless as possible...and if you have a dog like my Buster, who HATES baths, anything to make this process easier is worth checking out.

Bentley's is located in the shopping center at the northwest corner of Spring Creek and Independence in Plano. The company is named after Bentley the dog, shown on the logo, who I had the pleasure of meeting on my visit. Bentley's makes a great first impression. This state-of-the-art facility is bright and airy, clean, and extremely well-organized. A first-time visitor would have no problem locating all the necessary instructions and, after a quick introduction to the process, could jump right in and begin the wash. Bentley's has six bays with a shampoo and rinse sprayer, a flexible drying hose, a waterproof apron, and hooks to hang up your leash and other belongings. To prevent slips, there are rubber mats at the end of each ramp (if your dog is so willing...mine wasn't) and on the side of the bay. The owners, Michelle Musallam and Katrina Wollenberg, also pointed out that the floor itself has sand granules in the finish to provide more traction.

The self-service dog wash operates much like a car wash. You'll need quarters or tokens to operate the bay, and there are three change machines located at the front of the facility where you can get either. As an added bonus, you don't have to stop for cash before you arrive; one of the machines accepts credit cards and will dispense $1 tokens. You must insert $4 in tokens or quarters to start, and then you can keep adding money for additional time as you go. Be sure to insert your tokens before time runs out, or else the system will stop and you'll need to add an additional $4 to start it back up. One dollar buys you a little over a minute in wash time, so you can estimate anywhere from $4 to $15 dollar to completely wash and dry your dog. Drying takes the most time, so washing a long-haired dog will likely cost more than a short-haired breed. On my visit, I took my time and was walked through the process in great detail by the owners (as well as had to keep an uncooperative Buster in the bay) and I used 14 tokens. When I first arrived, a customer was already washing his dog and they were all finished and dry by the time we hit the first rinse cycle. She looked great too!

First select a bay suitable for your dog's size. If you have a smaller dog that is easier to bathe at waist-level, choose the taller height. There are seven available cycles, but you will only use six at the most because there are two different drying settings - one for small dogs and one for big dogs. The first cycle is a wetting rinse to get your dog's coat ready to be shampooed. Michelle gave me a helpful tip and advised me to grip the sprayer sort of like you were holding a football rather than holding it like a water hose. This gave me a lot more control over the sprayer. After getting your dog's coat wet, switch to the Shampoo cycle and allow a few seconds for the soapy solution to begin dispensing. The Cucumber Melon hypo-allergenic shampoo is standard in all the bays, but you are welcome to bring your own if you like. I personally loved the scent and it did a great job at getting Buster nice and sudsy. You can stop spraying the shampoo solution and use your hands to work the shampoo into your dog's coat, but just keep in mind that the timer is still ticking even when the sprayer is not being used.

After shampooing, you will switch to the Rinse cycle and get all the shampoo out of your dog's fur. Then you can opt to apply conditioner or just go straight to the drying cycle. I chose to apply conditioner, because Buster tends to have dry and flaky skin. The conditioner is also hypo-allergenic and after Buster's bath I didn't see any flakes anywhere on him, so I was very impressed. After the Final Rinse to remove any conditioner, you can select "Small Dog Dry" or "Big Dog Dry". The dryer takes about 30 seconds to warm up so make sure to test the air flow on a dry part of your arm before turning it on your dog to avoid getting cold air on him while he's wet. Be aware that this hose is a bit noisy so if you have a jittery dog, he may not like it. Buster is of the jittery variety and didn't seem to mind the sound too much. I did towel-dry him for a bit before I started the blow-dry to help speed up the process. Note: Bentley's does not provide towels and brushes available to borrow so you should bring your own, although there are some for sale if you forget yours. And that was that - 14 minutes later I had a fresh and clean doggie, who seemed to forgive me quickly...I think it was the aromatherapy provided by the cucumber melon scent that mellowed him out.

After Buster's bath, I spent some time in the grooming office - which has to be the cleanest grooming area I've ever seen. Michelle and Katrina explained that they thoroughly clean and vacuum the area after each groom, and it shows. Unlike many groomers, they take the dogs outside for some fresh air and a potty break immediately after their session and also provide water bowls to make the experience as stress-free as possible for your fur-baby. They like to get the dogs back to their owners as quickly as possible after their grooms so that they aren't sitting in a kennel for too long. Traditional grooming services (baths and cuts) are available, but you also have the option of adding a spa package to their groom. The most luxurious of these is the "Spoiled Rotten" package which includes their signature Blueberry Facial (removes tear stains like nobody's business), a French Strawberry Milk Bath (great for dry skin), a 10-minute full body massage, teeth brushing, nail Dremel, an crate-lined spa towel. The price for this package ranges from $23 to $37, depending on the size of your dog. You can purchase each of these services a la carte, with the Blueberry Facial being $4 for small dogs. (Don't tell Buster's brothers but he got a Blueberry Facial and loved it. I think it must be tasty too.) Other spa services include European Mineral Treatments for dogs with severe skin irritation and allergies and Soft Claws, whih are natural-looking plastic tips applied to the front nails. This prevents scratches on floors, furniture and skin, which would be extremely helpful for those with very frail skin like elderly dog owners.

Other items to note:
- This self-service facility is open seven days a week, from 8 AM to 8 PM, so you can come in at your convenience.
- There is not always an attendant on duty so make sure to clean up after yourself and your pooch when you're finished.
- If you decide to take your dog for a quick walk after his bath, you can grab a poop bag from the dispenser by the door if you don't have your own.
- If you want to try out one of their fabulous spa packages, please book your appointments about two weeks in advance.
- There are two neck harnesses in each bay; one is made of cloth cord and the other is made of rubber. If your dog tends to pull during his bath, use the cloth cord neck loop which is softer on the neck.
- If your dog has small paws or longer nails, grab a rubber mat from the back of the dog wash to lay on the floor of the tub prior to the bath to stop his paws or nails from going through the drainage holes.
- There is a wall separating the two rows of bays. If your dog is not fond of other dogs, you may want to select a bay on the more private side of the wall so that your dog is not distressed by other dogs coming and going.

For more information about Bentley's Dog Wash and Fine Grooming Spa, you can visit their website at BentleysDogWashSpa.com. I highly recommend that you stop by to experience a self-service dog wash for yourself. Your back and bathroom floors will thank you for it!


August 17, 2008