For many pet owners, grooming is another item on the to-do list—a routine appointment to keep your pet looking clean and tidy. But for Ben Kinning, owner of Woofies Denver East, grooming is about something much deeper: trust, comfort, and the emotional well-being of every animal in his care.
His perspective wasn’t shaped by business school or market research. It came from two rescue dogs who carried the scars of a traumatic past.
“My family adopted a mother and daughter,” Kinning recalls. “They had grown up in an environment where the large dogs were kept outside because they would attack the small dogs inside. They thought other dogs were a threat.”
Every trip to a traditional grooming salon became an ordeal.
“They would be shaking, crying all the way to the groomer. They would have accidents in the car. They didn’t want to go inside. They were terrified of the loud noises, the other dogs, everything about the experience.”
Like many pet owners facing anxious pets, Kinning found himself delaying appointments as long as possible.
“We would wait until the very last second because every grooming appointment was so traumatic. Their coats would become matted, and we’d end up having to shave them down.”
Everything changed when one of his dogs finally experienced mobile grooming.
“It was night and day,” he says. “She actually came out smiling and happy. There was no car ride, no crowded salon, no chaos. She received gentle, individualized care, and seeing that difference made me want to become an advocate for this type of service.”
That personal experience ultimately inspired Kinning to open Woofies Denver East, where mobile grooming, pet sitting, dog walking, and drop-in visits are all built around one philosophy: every pet deserves individualized attention.
Unlike traditional salons that often operate on tight schedules, Woofies slows the process down when needed.
“A lot of grooming salons have turned into an assembly line,” Kinning explains. “Dogs are handed off to multiple people, multiple dogs are being groomed at once, and many places use crate drying, where a cold, wet dog sits alone in a kennel.”
Woofies takes a different approach.
“It’s one-on-one the entire time. We monitor the dog’s behavior, their skin and coat, and if they’re struggling, we don’t rush the appointment. We spend extra time with them because making sure they have the safest, most comfortable experience possible is what’s important.”
Sometimes that even means inviting pet parents into the grooming van.
“If a dog struggles with nail trims or the dryer, we’ll let mom or dad come in and comfort them. Having a familiar person there is something you simply can’t do in a traditional salon.”
That same philosophy extends beyond grooming.
Kinning says he expanded Woofies’ services because he understood firsthand how stressful it can be to leave pets behind while traveling.
“My own dogs couldn’t go to daycare because they were reactive around other dogs,” he says. “Finding someone trustworthy who could care for them in a home environment wasn’t always easy.”
He also witnessed another common challenge among pet owners.
“I’ve heard so many horror stories about sitters canceling at the last minute. That’s why we built a team. If one sitter isn’t available, we have backup support. We want to be the first place families think of whenever they need someone they trust to care for their pets.”
Trust, Kinning says, begins long before the first appointment.
Every new pet sitting client receives a complimentary meet-and-greet to discuss routines, medications, and preferences, while grooming appointments begin with a detailed consultation.
“We really believe in listening first,” he says. “Every pet is different, every family is different, and understanding what works best is incredibly important.”
When hiring staff, technical skills aren’t the first qualification he looks for.
“The number one thing is love and care for the pet,” Kinning says. “When our groomers and sitters finish their day, they don’t talk about schedules—they talk about the relationships they’ve built. They get excited when they see repeat clients on the calendar because they genuinely love those pets.”
Although many owners think grooming is simply cosmetic, Kinning believes regular grooming is essential for a pet’s overall health.
“Even dogs that don’t need haircuts benefit from professional grooming,” he explains. “Bathing, nail trims, ear cleaning, teeth cleaning, skin checks, undercoat maintenance—those all contribute to a healthier dog.”
He also encourages owners not to wait until coats become severely matted.
“Mats are extremely painful,” he says. “I’ve heard it compared to wearing a really tight ponytail all day long. When those mats come out, there’s relief. Waiting too long doesn’t just affect how they look, it affects how they feel.”
For owners unsure how often their dog should be groomed, Kinning recommends consulting breed-specific guidance from the American Kennel Club and working with a trusted groomer to establish a regular schedule.
Above all, he hopes owners carefully consider who they trust with their pets.
“Think about them as family members,” he says. “Do your homework. Make sure the people caring for your pet are treating them with the same love and respect that you would.”
For Kinning, that’s the heart of Woofies.
“It’s one-on-one the entire time. We monitor the dog’s behavior, their skin and coat, and if they’re struggling, we don’t rush the appointment. We spend extra time with them because making sure they have the safest, most comfortable experience possible is what’s important.”