Today we’d like to introduce you to Saramelia Murray.
Hi Saramelia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my career as a hairstylist in 2012 and spent years behind the chair developing my skills and love for working with people. When I decided I was ready for a career change, I went back to school through Paragon Pet School and discovered that so many of the haircutting skills I already had could be applied to dog grooming. It gave me the opportunity to take something I already loved and use it in a completely different way.
At 29, an opportunity came up for a small storefront in Hanover, and I decided to take the leap and open my own LLC. My mother, who owns CIS Tax & Notary Services here in Hanover, helped guide me through the business side of getting started.
In the beginning, my clientele was mostly friends, family, and word of mouth. Social media eventually became a huge part of growing my business. I started sharing bits and pieces of my clients’ dogs and their grooming experiences, especially through TikTok videos, and over time I built a beautiful and loyal clientele.
One thing that has never changed is how personally I take the care of every dog that walks through my doors. I always joke that they’re like toddlers—they each have their own personalities, likes, dislikes, fears, and funny little quirks. I treat them like family and do my best to provide a grooming experience that is not only beautiful, but also safe, comfortable, and focused on quality.
I’ve now been in business for about four and a half years, and a year and a half ago I was able to move into a larger storefront. One of my proudest milestones has been being able to bring my husband, Greg, into the business after 14 years of working at Utz. Since February 2026, he has worked alongside me as my bather, thoroughly bathing, blow-drying, and brushing out each dog so I can focus on the detailed grooming and finishing work. He’s really embraced the grooming world, has a whole new appreciation for what goes into our work, and takes just as much pride as I do in the quality of every service we provide.
Looking toward the future, I’d love to continue growing the salon and eventually find the right groomer to join our team, someone who shares the same standards for quality and care. My bigger dream is to one day open a small boarding and doggy daycare facility where we can provide the same level of personalized care for overnight stays while also offering grooming services. I don’t necessarily want to be the biggest; I want to continue building something that families trust with their dogs and that I’m proud to put my name behind, a true small family business built on quality, care, and love for what we do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall, I would say the road has been pretty smooth, and I think a lot of that comes from how intentionally I chose to run my business. For most of my journey, I’ve worked independently and scheduled only one family’s dog or dogs at a time. That has allowed me to create a more relaxed environment for the dogs while also giving me the ability to focus completely on the quality of my work and the experience each pet receives.
One of the biggest challenges of owning an appointment based small business is that your expected income depends on clients showing up for the time they’ve reserved. As a small business, if an appointment is missed or canceled at the last minute, that income can’t always be replaced. It can be a little scary knowing that part of your livelihood is dependent on someone else keeping their commitment.
Learning to enforce no show and last-minute cancellation policies was definitely an adjustment for me, but I’ve learned that those policies aren’t about being harsh, they’re necessary to protect the business and allow it to remain sustainable.
Thankfully, I’ve built an amazing clientele that respects my time, values my work, and, most importantly, trusts the care I give their fur babies. I think that mutual respect is a huge part of why my experience as a business owner has been such a positive one overall.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a professional dog groomer, and while I wouldn’t say I specialize in one particular breed or grooming style, there are definitely certain transformations I really enjoy.
I love working with well maintained Doodle / curly coats because my hairstyling background really comes into play. I love creating those adorable, fluffy teddy bear bodies and round faces that give them that fresh from the groomer look. Of course, I always remind clients that those longer, fluffy styles can only be achieved when the coat is well maintained and thoroughly combed between appointments. No exceptions.
I also LOVE a good deshed and tidy trim on breeds like Golden Retrievers, Australian Shepherds, and Huskies. It’s messy, we jokingly call it a “furnado” when we’re blowing all that undercoat out, but seeing the before and after is so satisfying. I know they have to feel so much cooler and lighter afterward!
More than anything, though, I genuinely enjoy the dogs that come through my doors and getting to know each of their personalities. I want grooming to feel like a pampering experience rather than something they have to be afraid of. Because safety is extremely important to me, I don’t accept aggressive or highly reactive dogs. I never want to put a dog, myself, or anyone working with me in an unsafe situation.
I think what sets my salon apart is the environment I’ve created. I’ve intentionally kept things smaller and more personal rather than trying to groom as many dogs as possible. I want my clients to know who’s caring for their dog and to feel comfortable leaving a member of their family with us.
What I’m most proud of is the trust I’ve built with my clients. Some of these dogs have been coming to me for years, and I’ve gotten to watch them grow while building relationships with their families. Seeing clients come back appointment after appointment, recommend me to their friends and family, and trust me with their fur babies means more to me than simply having a busy salon.
At the end of the day, I want every dog to leave looking adorable, feeling good, and having been treated with the same patience and care I’d want someone to give my own.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t necessarily believe in luck. I believe I’ve been very intentional about what I wanted my small business to be, and I’ve prayed throughout the process for good clientele, good dogs, and the ability to build something that I genuinely enjoy, and I truly believe God has answered those prayers.
Of course, there are still crazy, hectic days when everything doesn’t go perfectly, but even on those days I try to remind myself how blessed I am. I’m able to wake up and work in something that my family and I have built for ourselves, doing something I enjoy while caring for so many wonderful dogs and meeting some really amazing people along the way.
I definitely believe hard work and consistency have played a huge role in getting me here, but I also give God the glory for opening the right doors and bringing the right people into my business. I’m extremely grateful for what we’ve built, and I never want to lose that appreciation as we continue to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://booking.moego.pet/go/?name=dirtypawspetsalon103971&utm_id=97759_v0_s00_e0_tv3&fbclid=IwRlRTSATtjstwZG9mAWZkaWQWUMjbMqgwfksqwShB1St6-45FwgDLF2V4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7iQRC9SUBmvKSW0yiw08_Al6Bf__YonYI_FrqtT6tJoa59C5U1rEEBTttAtQ_aem_Y0bw-QKveHV3qow8ZsJK8Q
- Other: https://m.facebook.com/fbsafety/userlinksafety/?to=https://tiktok.com/@dirty.paws.petsalon&wtsid=rdr_0gu9ymTxpOmOPuUhN?fbclid=IwRlRTSATtjn9wZG9mAWZkaWQWUMiH-nc661uF1aQksyTuGPYotLP6pWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6fEGGOTl0r0YWZ_dZ7_nSAKjwfAEx0rvg-TGWAPyNIpfej8Eu7NJVowF90pw_aem_TegZuJxddQq3kOlISxAwag
