Buy Local: Amherst’s soothing salon for furry friends
The retail section at Reba’s With a Personal Touch Pet Salon features toys, treats, and Wisconsin-made pet food.
By Tracy Johnson
A colorful sign in the entryway of Reba’s With A Personal Touch Pet Salon reads, “Cultivate relationships, not just appointments,” highlighting the philosophy of the salon’s owner, Rebecca (Reba) Newby. On April 11, Reba’s held a grand opening at its new Amherst location, 118 County Road KK. Along with dog grooming, the salon offers boarding and a retail shop selling Wisconsin made pet food, toys, and other goodies. Customers within a 30-mile radius of the store can order pet food online for delivery. In the future, Newby plans to add Wednesday cat grooming sessions as well as cat boarding.
Newby grew up around animals and dedicated a lifetime to understanding and serving them. Besides her grooming career, which she began as an assistant at age 12, she breeds standard poodles, recognizing their potential as therapy dogs. One currently trains as a companion for someone who has diabetes. Rescued and adopted pets hold a special place in Newby’s heart, too. Visitors to her salon might be greeted at the counter by SK, short for Shop Kitty, who came from the Portage County Humane Society. Buddy, her elderly rescue dog, eagerly follows her around the shop, tail wagging.
The salon emphasizes comfort and well-being over volume. Groomers focus on three to five dogs per day and pay careful attention to the dog’s state of mind. “If a dog is fearful, we work with them; we don’t push them to a point where they’ll hurt themself or me,” Newby said. Since dogs may need up to 45 minutes to relax in a new location, the salon books extra time at no charge so stylists spend time with the dogs before grooming. Then, stylists pamper pets using a five-step bathing process that incorporates ingredients chosen to nourish their skin and coat, ideally making the groom last longer. Bathing is important because “if you don’t have a good bath, you don’t have a good groom,” Newby said. She has also designed spaces to calm animals: cats enjoy quiet, dog-free rooms, and dogs dry off without kennels or cages.
Furthermore, education makes up an essential component of Newby’s mission. Although dog grooming is a mostly unregulated industry, she strives to maintain a high level of professionalism. Stylists attend the All American Grooming Show each year to refine their skills, and they complete certification courses on such topics as first aid, bathing, and sanitation. Before the salon’s grand reopening, employees were trained in a variety of subjects, including reading dog body language. All this practice prepares them to care for and relate to pets.
Reba’s With A Personal Touch Pet Salon is located at 118 County Road KK in Amherst. The salon opens from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Cash, checks, and cards are accepted. Clients are encouraged to set up appointments and request price estimates at rebaspetsalon.com. A first visit is typically $75 an hour, but pricing is ultimately based on a pet’s individual needs.
During training, Rebecca (Reba) Newby demonstrates how to correctly place a bandage on a dog’s ear using a Happy Hoodie.