Meg the pup is nervous. She’s getting her hair cut at Good Dog Manitou Dog Grooming, and she isn’t sure about the man wielding the clippers and razor.
She doesn’t need to worry, though. Everette Andrews knows what he’s doing — more importantly, he absolutely loves animals.
“I’ve just always felt like I can communicate almost better sometimes with animals and specifically dogs,” Andrews said.
He grew up on a Michigan farm, where he was expected to get up at 4:30 a.m. to feed the animals. Later, he worked various jobs, including restaurants and an automotive assembly line, before he realized that he would be much happier working with animals.
Andrews trained at Petco and was certified in 2014. He’s been grooming dogs for 10 years, but couldn’t wait to start his own business.
In March 2024, he opened Good Dog in Manitou Springs, where he’s been able to implement the goals he’d thought about while working for other people. He won’t take an assembly-line approach, which causes stress in humans and, therefore, the dogs.
Andrews focuses on one dog at a time, but multiple dogs from the same family are welcome to lounge on the couch or play with toys while waiting for their turn.
Another goal: using all-natural products.
“A lot of the products that most places are using are just the cheapest you can buy. And it can kind of burn the skin,” Andrews said.
He ordered organic dog-grooming products from the Earthbath company and tested them for eight months without any problems. The shampoos and conditioners can help brighten coats, deodorize and control shedding. He also stocks balms for paws and noses.
Let’s start fresh.
Baths include shampoo, facial wash, nail trimming and ear cleaning, and start at $45 for small dogs and at $95 for extra-large breeds like St. Bernards and Great Pyrenees.
Haircuts start at $65 to $150 — the more dog, the more it costs.
Don’t want to brush your dog’s teeth? Andrews can do that, too. If your dog just needs an ear cleaning, that’s on the a la carte services list for $10.
After all these years, Andrews knows how often dogs need to be groomed.
“I’m not trying to get your money. I’m telling you, I know how long this dog can go before it gets matted up again,” he said.
In the long run, it’s so much better to get ahead of mats and other problems — twice-a-year grooming isn’t enough, he explained.
“I’ve tried to tell people, you have hair over your entire body, and someone’s tugging at your entire body for two to three hours, pulling the skin,” Andrews said.
“It just traumatizes dogs and then they come back in next time and they’re already afraid of you. … Let’s start fresh, and then get them on a schedule.”
Andrews’ gentle spirit with animals extends to his own home and family. He and his wife, Briana, have a daughter named Lavender, who will be 4 years old in August. They’ve been pleasantly surprised at how gentle she is with baby chicks without being told.
Their menagerie has grown to seven full-grown hens, two rabbits, three dogs, three cats and a ball python. Oh, and two hissing cockroaches that Lavender named Flower and Lizard.
He and Briana met in Chicago, where Andrews spent eight years. No surprise, she loves animals, too.
During a visit to Colorado, they came to Manitou, where they walked Manitou Avenue and fell in love with the community.
“This space that I created here, it’s nine out of 10 for what I’d like. I would like a little bit more space, but this is perfect.”
Eventually, Andrews hopes to take on apprentices; that way, he can share his philosophy of tender loving care for animals.
It’s a long way from an automotive assembly line, but he’s right where he belongs, doing what he’s meant to do.
IF YOU GO
Good Dog Manitou Dog Grooming, 1107 Manitou Ave., Suite 6, is open by appointment Mondays-Saturdays. Information: gooddogmanitou.com or 719-318-4604.