Meet Spenser Koenig | Master Groomer Behavior Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Spenser Koenig and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Spenser, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’m unhappy with the traditions and norms of this industry. It is unknowingly riddled with animal abuse, physical and psychological. I started my own business to pursue a different business model and a change in the industry by example.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am often not what consumers are looking for when they search for a local dog groomer. My services vary from the long standing traditional business models that most groomers adhere to.

Grooming is one of those industries that is not really science or research backed. The procedures, practices and methods are very much passed from generation from generation. This is how I was taught and so therefore this is how I will teach, and so on and so on. It is also not a regulated industry, so there are no standards. Often time, safety and the well-being of both the groomer and the dog client are not made priority, because for years, when you think of grooming, you think of a dog with a cute haircut, no matter what.

My services differ in that I will focus on training the dog before grooming. I work with a lot of dogs that have difficulty being groomed, who are overly anxious or have a bite history. I will build the trust of the dog and continue to work at showing them that grooming does not have to be threatening or scary.

I meet challenges in this line of work when pet parents have unrealistic expectations for how quickly a dog can overcome their fears. Alot of times, I am often reminding people that even though PTSD is not always rational, it is still real, and we have to work slowly with it and at the pace of the dog experiencing it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love San Diego! My first stop would 100% have to be our rescue and sanctuary of course! Along with running my mobile grooming business, my wife and I founded and run an all-species animal rescue, home to horses, goats, guinea pigs, pot belly pigs, and more! I may be biased, but I think it’s the coolest place in the city for sure.

I also love to take my visiting friends to see where I grew up in San Diego, as in, where I was finally able to truly come into myself, find who I was and express myself freely. Hillcrest San Diego has so many beloved bars and restaurants, event spaces, local markets, scenic spots, and amazing iconic people who make the city memorable. Places like Gossip Grill, Sipz Restaurant, The Observatory, Queen Bees, vegan pop-ups hosted monthly, Balboa park and everything it has to offer, and so much more.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The woman who I owe my business to, my mentor and an all around amazing human being, Chrissy Neumyer Smith. She is a Master Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS), Certified Professional Groomer(CPG), Certified Behavior Consultant for Canines(CBCC), Certified Professional Dog Trainer(CPDT), Fear Free Certified Groomer and Fear Free Certified Trainer(FFP), SATS certified trainer, instructor at Whole Pet Grooming Academy , and my online program at the Whole Pet Grooming Academy is The Master Groomer Behavior Specialist program.

I first heard her speaking through her podcast, and very quickly recognized just how aligned our beliefs were around animal welfare and safety, and the importance of speaking up for animals who do not have a voice of their own.

Website: www.groommygooddog.com

Instagram: @treatthemrght_rescue