BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Pamper your pooch at a new dog-grooming salon in Bed-Stuy.
Dog Wash N’ Go, a Park Slope-based business, is expanding with a second location on Malcolm X Boulevard and Hancock Street, according to owner Rodrigo Leite.
The 2,500-square-foot space at 233 Malcolm X Blvd. is slated to open at the end of November and will offer full-service grooming with organic anti-anxiety aromatherapy for dogs, along with a self-service dog wash for pet owners to use.
The new spot is more than three times the size of the original store at First Street and Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, Leite said, allowing for cage-free boarding and two dog-daycare sections.
After working as a wild animal keeper in the Central Park and Prospect Park zoos, as well as grooming out of the Prospect Park Animal Clinic, Leite, 39, opened Dog Wash N’ Go in 2014 with his wife, Gabriella.
He grew up in Brazil surrounded by dozens of family dogs, including shepherds, pointers, Rottweilers, Dobermans and poodles.
“As a little kid it was sort of like the story of Mowgli,” Leite said, referring to main character of "The Jungle Book" who lived among animals.
“It was a very colorful memory, my childhood," he added, noting his family owned a Brazilian Mastiff that was more than 200 pounds.
Leite said love for animals comes first at his shop.
“I always remember I’m an animal caretaker before I own a business, and that’s what I tell my staff. We get to see things often before the vets do when it’s superficial, so if I know how to relieve a dog from a bad infection, why don’t I try to help it?”
The Dog Wash N’ Go Bed-Stuy location will offer a selection of dog and cat food, along with treats and toys. The store will also house five customized washing and drying stations.
For more information, visit the Dog Wash N’ Go website.
