• Meet Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins ICMG of Love Fur Dogs in Hubbard Woods Plaza

    voyagechicago staff

    Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins ICMG.

    Love Fur Dogs is a family-owned business opened in May 2014 to immediate rave reviews. By 2015 the Chicago Tribune had named owner/founder Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins Best Groomer in Chicagoland. Jennifer is one of the most experienced and few Certified Master Groomers in the nation, with 4 decades experience in showing, breeding, and grooming dogs and cats. Jennifer is a retired career high school social studies teacher and victim activist who started this business for the sheer joy of working full time with animals and the terrific people who are also animal lovers. Love Fur Dogs is now the North Shore’s Premiere full-service pet grooming shop that also features a popular indoor doggie daycare, and skilled staff trained in catering to all special needs pets. They also offer a Pet Taxi pickup and delivery service. Recently they acquired the region’s only cutting edge technology microbubble machine that provides the deepest, gentlest natural clean your pet could ever have, while performing miraculous results treating a broad array of skin problems pets suffer from- fungal and bacterial infections, allergies, hot spots, excessively dry or greasy skin, and it can even fully remove skunk spray in only one treatment.

    Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
    Love Fur Dogs enjoys excellent word of mouth reputation that has helped keep our advertising budget down, but paying the higher rent in our very convenient location is a constant challenge for any family owned business. Our employees work very hard and paying them a fair wage while trying to provide the very best in services is a constant challenge, but one we are meeting, thanks to our great clients.

    Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Love Fur Dogs – what should we know?
    What sets us apart is the quality of our grooming. Jennifer and her team are specially certified and trained. We do more hand scissoring, longer haircuts and we don’t just shave down more challenging coats. Jennifer is an award winning groomer who was one of the first few dozen groomers in the nation to be tested and declared a Master Groomer back in the mid-1980s. Jennifer also shows dogs and attracts a clientele that is looking for breed standard expertise. Jennifer is published in national grooming magazines, as well as local pet publications. Jennifer trains groomers at grooming conferences, and is a sought after problem solver for some more difficult grooms that others are not able to do. Jennifer and her team know the unique needs and the “do’s and don’ts” of all the different types of pet hair and coat. Love Fur Dogs is also the only grooming salon in the area to be AKC Safety Certified. We are trained in canine CPR and First Aid. We never do anything unless we can do it Best Practices national level of standards. We are grateful for all the many wonderful clients who rave about the quality of our work. Once named “Best Of” in Chicagoland, we work hard to keep that reputation every day,

    Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
    Jennifer’s husband Bill has managed the building and business end of things brilliantly, and has made this all possible. We are grateful to Isar Investments for their early support. We have had great mentoring from the American Kennel Club (AKC), the International Professional Groomers (IPG), and the International Society of Canine Cosmetologists (ISCC). We are getting lots of information and help from all the amazing local North Shore veterinarians, most especially Jennifer’s personal vet at Winnetka Animal Hospital. Most of all our many loyal repeat clients who trust us with their beloved pets who are family members with us every day.

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