Pooches get pampered in mobile spa

Glenda Custer is living her dream in a big white van with paw prints and doggies painted on the outside.

Her mobile pet-grooming business “U Dirty Dawgs” is an all-service doggie spa complete with air-conditioning, a wash tub and a grooming table.

“I just love dogs. I want to provide a service that is comforting,” said Custer, of Bonita Springs.

She opened the grooming business in February after completing a four-month college course in Kentucky on animals and their pet grooming needs.

“Sometimes at salons, they have to stay so long, but with me I go right to the door and groom the little baby dogs or big dogs,” she said. “It’s like a spa on wheels for the dogs.”

But pampering to Custer is more than just a quick bath and dry-off. She plays soothing music and talks to the dogs as they get massages, their nails cut and a bath.

“I always ask them when I go to put on the bandanna or give them a haircut, ‘So you going on a hot date?’” jokes Custer as she explaining how she relates to her customers.

Keeping the dogs happy is essential to the experience she tries to provide.

That’s why she takes extra care to keep their anxiety levels in check.

“It’s a less stressful way to groom the dog and it’s more personal. I do this one-on-one with the dogs and there aren’t all these other dogs barking (like in commercial places).”

Being able to provide that personal attention is on what Custer has built a business of about 40 regular clients.

“This is very much sought after in Bonita Springs because of the business of everybody’s lifestyle here,” Custer said. “I’m truly blessed to be able to do this for a living.”

Gail Knoblaugh is the owner a Lucy, a 7-year-old Maltese who uses the service every month.

“I like how convenient it is but most of all she gives my dog so much care and love that Lucy just loves her,” said Knoblaugh, of Bonita Springs. She has been using the service since Custer opened shop. “I’ve never had my dog love a groomer but that’s just how much love Glenda has with the animals and Lucy just looks like a show dog and I love it.”

Custer’s dream is now a reality but in the end she says she does it all for the doggies.

“It’s a personal experience with the animals and it’s wonderful because some of the dogs are excited when I come,” Custer said. “They run up to me and lick my face. I just love it when the little babies come back and I get to see them again.”

Reading program meant to inspire back-to-schoolers

Going back-to-school can be rough for kids that have spent months having fun and not worrying about school, homework or teachers.

But school is serious business to Ellen Nichols of the New Horizons Super Kids Club at Rosemary Park in Bonita Springs.

She organized a week-long reading program intended to make sure her kids were up to speed with their classmates.

“This is a getting back-to-school reading camp and it’s a way for them to get some extra skills for school,” said Nichols, who has been running the program for four years. “I want them to be ready for school and be confident.”

During the week, kids spent time reading with tutors, discussing stories and even working on vocabulary assignments on laptops.

“They get technological lessons and by the time they leave here we train them to use computers and they are better prepared for school,” said Nichols whose focus is language, vocabulary and reading.

The children, ages five through 12, attend the program that includes Christian lessons at the end of the four-hour day.

“Everyday they get faith-based lessons,” said Nichols who hosts sing-alongs about Jesus and how he helps kids.

Sally Ritter is a staff member at the club who performs stories that help kids get involved in the Christian lessons.

“I think it’s a great program. I love it,” said Ridder, who helps during the reading time and anything else the kids need. “The kids are great and I know they will do well (in school).”

As part of the reading week the kids also created crafts that they could take to school such as pencil cases, bookmarks and a key chain to decorate their back packs.

They also received a book they could take home for reading time with their parents.

“These kids are going to be ready. We want them to be confident and feel prepared for school with the supplies that they need,” said Nichols who will be expanding her services into East Naples and the Manna Christian neighborhood.

As an added bonus this year, Nichols wrote a letter to the Costco in Naples asking them to donate school supplies.

“I heard that they help the community and these kids need it more than anybody,” she said.

Janie Shirley is part of the marketing team that received the letter and decided to help.

“We help kids that need it and we had some bags left over so we decided to give these away,” Shirley said. “It’s a blessing because as much as the community, we are in business with, we have an opportunity to give back to the kids.”

The donation marked the end of the camp that will recess for a few weeks until more volunteers are secured to help kids throughout the school year.

“Everything they do here is grade level instruction and we make sure they get the extra help they need during school,” Nichols said.