Stephanie Fuller praises Sammy after laying down to get her back groomed in the Fuller Klipz trailer during an appointment.
Ashlyn Myers | Daily Journal
Stephanie Fuller’s heart tugs every time her phone rings, knowing there’s someone in need on the other line.
“It’s probably someone else calling and asking, ‘Can you please come groom my baby? They need help,’’ Stephanie Fuller said while grooming one of her long-time four-legged clients, Sammy.
On the go, all the time, Stephanie Fuller and her husband, Howard Fuller, travel across the county for their mobile dog grooming business, Fuller Klipz.
Stephanie Fuller first saw the need for a mobile grooming service in Johnson County while working at a veterinarian’s office. People would constantly tell her how difficult their dogs were to groom, whether it be because of the dog’s anxiety, or simply their age. She said that a lot of elderly dogs have trouble climbing into a vehicle and making the trek all the way to a grooming salon.
This sparked an idea. Instead of bringing dogs to groomers, why not bring the groomers to the dogs?
The business idea formed during the pandemic. In the height of 2020, vet clinics weren’t offering simple nail trimmings. Grooming services were mostly at a standstill. Stephanie Fuller had a need to fill, and she did. She said in the early months, she would do home calls for nail trimmings while waiting for her mobile trailer to be finished.
With Howard Fuller’s previous experience building, he was able to renovate a trailer to have a bathing station with running hot and cold water, a grooming table, enough cabinets to house all their necessities and a TV to stream Animal Planet. He said the only pushback he received was due to shipping issues related to COVID-19.
The business officially opened on Sept. 14, 2020. Stephanie Fuller said that right out of the gate, she had customers lining up to get their dogs groomed. With the clientele she built prior to the business’ official opening, her schedule was immediately packed. And it hasn’t slowed down since. Mobile pet grooming is in high demand around the county and the country, industry reports show.
Working with so many anxious pups, one might assume Stephanie and Howard Fuller get scared to groom new, aggressive dogs. Instead, they’ve both gotten used to it.
“It’s just something that you almost become immune to be honest,” Stephanie Fuller said. “There is a dog language, believe it or not. But they have to build a relationship with you.”
That’s why Stephanie and Howard Fuller require their customers to schedule multiple appointments in advance. Stephanie Fuller says it gives the dogs enough time to become comfortable with the trailer. Regardless of the time spent with the dogs, multiple of Stephanie Fuller’s clients have said there’s something special about her.
“I don’t know what she does! It’s just something about her,” client Mary Tooley said, handing her pup, Sammy, over for a grooming appointment on Monday afternoon.
Sammy and the Fullers have developed their relationship since the opening of Fuller Klipz. Stephanie Fuller said that when Sammy first became a customer, she was showing signs of anxiety. Now, although still skittish, Sammy trusts Stephanie and Howard to pick her up, trim her nails and give her baths.
Stephanie said that Sammy is one of dozens of regulars. Their schedule is packed full, and her voicemail is up to 800 messages from future customers.
Looking forward, Stephanie and Howard Fuller want to open up their own storefront, but Stephanie Fuller said she still wants to prioritize her mobile business. She’s just not sure when she’ll be able to trust others enough to help her with grooming.
“I know I have a trust issue. Just like, people don’t want to work. People aren’t going to respect my things and my clients the way I do,” Stephanie Fuller said. “I have dogs that I care about, people that I care about. That’s why I have my motto: ‘I dog, I don’t do people,’” she added with a laugh.
To find out more information about Fuller Klipz visit the business on Facebook.
