‘After a haircut, owners sometimes hardly recognize their own dog!’

Zoetermeer Anouk van Grooming salon IJdelsnuit has been pampering dogs for twelve years. With the motto ‘We treat your dog like a celebrity‘ she gives dogs a real spa treatment. Of course, indebuurt is curious about Anouk and her salon, and we drop by for an interview.

Anouk Pena (32) is a purebred Zoetermeer. She lives with her new husband and miniature dachshunds Peanut and Noodle in the Oude Dorp. According to her, the nicest place in Zoetermeer! In her salon at home, Anouk works together with a very special colleague, her mother Adrie. Together with colleagues Kim and Luna, they groom the dogs in the IJdelsnuit grooming salon.

Animal friend

From an early age she wanted to work with animals. She didn’t yet know exactly what she wanted to do: “I wasn’t the type to work in a field. I was already known at school as the ‘vain’ girl, which is where the name of my salon came from. After an internship at a grooming salon, it was immediately clear: I am going to groom dogs.”

From slob to star

At IJdelsnuit, customers and their dogs can receive various treatments. From washing, to cutting, trimming, shaving, nail clipping, but also coloring. That’s what Anouk likes the most: “I think it’s all nice and crazy and extravagant.” She prefers to change dogs from crazy to one celebrity. “Sometimes the difference is so big that owners no longer recognize their own dog. We then have to prove that we did not secretly exchange them,” she says, laughing.

Each dog is put in the spotlight during an appointment: “I see myself as the dog’s stylist. Hair back in shape, nails neatly trimmed. After the treatment there is time for a photo opportunity.” According to her, there is never a dull moment in Anouk’s salon. “We only had a dog that started howling like a wolf when the air raid siren went off on the first Monday of the month.”

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From nervous tendon to zen

What kind of four-legged customers does she have? “That varies quite a bit. Dogs come that find it very exciting, so we have to be extra careful. Other dogs almost fall asleep and enjoy their zen moment.” Some dogs provide an extra challenge, but Anouk knows what to do with that: “We put a basket on dogs that bite. Then we still manage to trim the coat.’

Owners first!

The customers of Grooming Salon IJdelsnuit often come from Zoetermeer, but also from The Hague, Leiden and Rotterdam. Some people find it exciting to leave their animal behind, especially if it is the first time. “Clear communication is very important, owners must trust you,” Anouk explains. “Fortunately, that always works out, and some owners proudly display their dog on Instagram.”

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