Keeping canines looking great is Folsom’s passion

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
A DOG’S BEST FRIEND — Karen Folsom has kept dogs looking their best for the past 25 years with her business, Karen’s K-9 Clipping and Mobile Pet Grooming service in Ludlow.
Karen’s K-9 Clipping celebrates 25th anniversary this year
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    LUDLOW — Dog owners in southern Aroostook County can rest easy, Karen Folsom, owner of Karen’s K-9 Clipping and Mobile Pet Grooming service has no plans to slow down anytime soon.
    This year, Folsom will celebrate her 25th year in business. Located on the Ludlow Road, Folsom has taken great pride over the years in providing quality service for both dogs and cats, with a caring hand. She groomed her father’s dog on a whim and when he took the dog to the veterinarian’s office for shots, the vet commented on what a fine grooming job it had. That set the wheels in motion to open her own business.
    “I always loved being around dogs,” she said. “This seemed like the perfect job for me. The rest is history.”
    At that point in her life, Folsom was a road warrior working for Ames Department Stores, traveling to various locations around Aroostook and Penobscot counties.
    “I used to go to Presque Isle on Mondays, Caribou on Tuesdays and Millinocket on Wednesdays,” she said. “On Thursdays, I drove to Portland to attend classes and on Fridays I practiced on dogs.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
MOBILE SERVICE — Roger Folsom, Karen’s husband, offers the same services found at Karen’s K-9 Clipping on a mobile basis. He travels as far north as Caribou to give pets a trim.
    She attended dog-grooming school in Portland from May to September where she logged 200 course hours.
    “We had bought a new car that spring because I was traveling so much and by the fall we had 60,000 miles on it,” she said. “That was a long summer. I’d leave Ludlow around 3:30 in the morning and get home before 10 p.m.”
    Folsom said she averages anywhere between five to 10 animals a day, depending on the season.     Business tends to be steady, with customers bringing their canines in for a trim every month or two. Spring and summer are the busiest months as the warmer temperatures lead to more trimmings. Conversely, January is often the slowest month.
    A simple grooming job takes about 45 minutes, but can last longer if the animal’s fur has not been taken care of. A typical grooming session involves cleaning the ears, cutting toenails, bathing the animal, and then trimming the hair. Some clients bring their animals in every four weeks, while others come every two to three months.
    “I am not one that will hurt a dog by trying to pull out matted hair,” she said. “If it’s matted, I’m trimming it. If the owner let the dog get like that in the first place, chances are they’re going to let it happen again.”
    For some dogs, grooming is an enjoyable event, while others can prove to be more difficult, Folsom said.
    “We have some that can’t wait to come in and then there are others that you have to drag,” she said.
    Dogs are hooked with a leash system while in the bathtub and are also restrained while on the mechanized grooming table.
    “Over the 25 years I have been in business, I’d say there have only been maybe three dogs I couldn’t groom because they were just too nasty,” she said.
    Getting nipped is part of the job, Folsom added.
    “You can’t be afraid of the dog or afraid to get bit because it’s going to happen,” she said. “You have to really love animals to do this type of work.
    While in the bath, the dogs are treated to high-end shampoos and conditioners to clean the fur. The animals are then treated to a high velocity air dryer that fluffs the fur.
    “If you don’t use good quality products, the animals skin can get all flaky,” Folsom said. “There are some shampoos in the retail market that will make dogs itch like crazy.”
    “The job hasn’t changed much over the years, only that it’s gotten a lot busier,” she said.
    The Folsoms added kennels to their business after the first six months of operation to supplement their income. There are currently 15 kennels on the property.
    Newfoundlands and St. Bernards are the largest dogs she has worked with and they pose several challenges due to their size. The most common dogs brought in for grooming are shih tzus, cocker spaniels and Yorkshire terriers.
    “Yorkies are nice because they are quick to do,” she said. “Every day is different and that’s why I like it so much.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
JUST A TRIM — Giving her dog Speckles a trim is shop owner Karen Folsom of Karen’s K-9 Clipping and Mobile Pet Grooming service in Ludlow. Speckles is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
    Her husband Roger followed Karen’s business lead and opened a mobile branch of the dog grooming service, traveling to Presque Isle, Caribou and other Central Aroostook locations.
    “I really got into this because of Karen,” he said. “I started 18 and a half years ago. I was working a factory job in town and I am just not an indoor person. One day I had enough and came home from work and told Karen I was going to work for her.”
    Roger said he was very nervous when he first started. But after training in the Ludlow Road shop for a short time he felt comfortable enough to hit the road with the mobile grooming service. He hits the road four days a week, but could go even more days because of the demand.
    “It takes a certain type of person to do this job,” he said. “You have to take bites; you have to love animals; and you simply can’t be afraid of dogs.”
    For Roger, there is no lack of business.
    “I can do maybe 10 dogs a day, but the average is about eight or nine,” he said. “There are only so many hours in a day.”
    Roger said he also travels in inclement weather since rescheduling appointments can prove difficult with so many days already booked. Business is so great for the mobile grooming unit that Roger is already booked for a full-year in advance.
    “If I can get out the door, I hit the road,” he said.
    “If there’s a bad storm, that’s why we have Fridays left open to move appointments,” Karen added.
    Jenna Carr, who has worked with the Folsoms for about two years, also has a mobile grooming van to provide greater coverage. Although it has Karen’s name on the van, Carr is her own independent groomer.
    Because her love of animals is so great, and her customer base is so dedicated, Folsom admitted she wouldn’t be getting done anytime soon.
 “This is one of those jobs that will be very hard to retire from,” she said.
    For more information on Karen’s K-9 Clipping, call 532-9649.