Canine couture

Mike Sciacca

They file in at a steady pace throughout the day. The strawberry

blonds, the mousy brunets and an occasional redhead.

They don’t indulge themselves in the parlor “gossip” that sometimes

infiltrates salons, but there is plenty of sweet talk and reassurance

that the service about to be rendered will leave them looking and feeling

like a million bucks.

Welcome to the Dirty Dog Wash, a one-stop shop where pooches of all

shapes and sizes can drop in for a nice wash and soothing blow-dry.

The hip, modern-looking shop, tucked in to the side of Pecan Street in

Downtown Huntington Beach, is an easy three-block walk from the beach, an

even closer walk from a nearby park and isn’t too far from Huntington’s

famed Dog Beach.

The mosaic-tiled shop was created and designed by two couples, owners

Lorraine and Peter Andriet and Sherry and Randy Wilder.

Dirty Dog Wash opened its doors just four months ago and the foursome

officially went into business when George, an Akita, scampered past the

threshold as the first customer. His picture was the first to grace the

Doggy Wall of Fame inside the shop.

George has since become a regular customer.

“Once an owner brings their dog here, they find out that this type of

wash isn’t hard to do,” Lorraine Andriet said. “One big plus of the dog

wash is that the dog doesn’t have to face the trauma of being dropped off

at the groomer, then picked up at a later time. Bonding between owner and

dog continues, and the dog walks out of here clean and happy.”

It is a nice and easy premise, a self-serve doggy wash.

For $10, owner and dog can come in and use any of the five cast-iron,

antique tubs (one of which was plucked from Lorraine’s grandmother’s

house). They are provided all-natural products, from shampoo to

conditioner, and, for a dollar extra, specialty shampoos are offered.

If you’re worried about back problems, don’t be: each tub, which rests

on custom-painted feet, the work of the owners, is raised three feet from

the floor.

The shop carries Advantage (for the elimination of fleas) as well as

chew toys, bones, collars and various pet supplies.

Warm water, kept at a constant temperature, oozes from nozzle sprayers

that offer a massage setting. There are none of those harsh, caged driers

on the grounds, either. Instead, the shop uses two open drying tables,

one located outside in the open air, and one at the rear of the shop.

On a 10th visit -- a “Frequent Washers” card keeps tabs of this -- the

wash is free, or the owner has the option of receiving a free pizza at

the Huntington Beach Beer Co., where Peter Andriet serves as president.

The owners have not left anything to chance, either: owners of

temperamental dogs can call ahead for a reservation. Large breeds get

into the tubs via a ramp, and smaller breeds can use a stepping stool.

The best part for the dog owners? There is no messy cleanup. Those

chores are handled by the shop’s owners, or three shop helpers: Ashley

Ruiz-Steiskal, 9, Rocky Reed, 9, or Emma Byrd, 8. They mingle around the

shop, as do the shop’s mascots: Fletch, an American Eskimo, and

Shakespeare, a Pomeranian, both owned by the Wilders; and Shadow, the

Andriet’s Chow Chow.

Each dog, in addition to leaving Dirty Dog Wash better for the wear,

receives a customary chew stick treat.

“We want to make this as pleasant an experience as possible,” said

Randy Wilder, who put the shop’s business plan together. “People bring

their dogs in from Dog Beach all sandy and are ready for a wash. They get

to clean up, and are able to return home with a clean dog.”