Local Dog Groomer Gets Two Paws Up

Shaggy hair. Broken nails. Flaky skin. Sometimes even Fido can use a day at the spa.

And for nearly three decades, dog groomer Lora Bendik has made it her goal to turn out four-legged furry friends with tidied up manes, clean ears and sparkling teeth.

“I love making animals look beautiful,” said Bendik, owner of grooming company, 691 N. Bridge St., in Yorkville. “It’s very rewarding.”

Bendik took over Happy Hounds last year, after working at the business for three years. An animal lover, she has also been showing and breeding Irish Setters for 40 years. She has been in the dog grooming business for 27 years.

“It’s always been in my family,” she said. “My sister owns a groom shop in Morris, and my niece has one in Peru. I come from a long family of dogs and maintaining pets.”

While at work, Bendik spends the morning grooming her clients, before helping run the Happy Hounds retail store, where customers can find holistic dog food and treats, leashes, toys, collars, cleaning products and supplements, among other items.

Happy Hounds also offers in-home pet care.

Although Bendik said the pet industry had been “pretty recession-proof” in the past, she said that has changed in recent years.

“People want to do the right thing by their dog but they’re struggling and feeling the pinch,” she said.

But others are still splurging on extra services for their pets, including facial scrubs and tea tree treatments.

“All of our products are natural and soap free,” Bendik said. “And we have different shampoos for different pet needs.”

Want to keep your pet current with the latest style trends?

“There isn’t a haircut we can’t do,” said Bendik of herself and the other professional groomers at Happy Hounds.

Even her own dog, a Shihpoo named Elvis, can be found roaming Happy Hounds with a design shaved into his coat.

“He had a heart for Valentine’s Day,” Bendik said. “People like to see what Elvis has on his back.”

There are also two shop cats, Purrcasso and Whispurr, whom Bendik rescued from the Kendall County Animal Control shelter.

“They can do tricks,” Bendik said proudly. “They can give fives, and one of my cats can make change. They’re really neat.”

Elvis and the cats are the official Happy Hounds greeters.

“Everybody who comes here knows them,” Bendik said. “Sometimes they get more visitors than I do.”

Frequent customer Lisa Hill Brudnicki said she feels like she's walking into a friend's home at Happy Hounds.

"You will find furry little friends around that greet you," she said. "The staff is so knowledgeable and will help you find just what our four-legged friends need and love."

For more information about Happy Hounds, visit www.happyhoundsyorkville.com.