Let’s face it: there isn’t a soul on this planet who doesn’t love to be pampered every now and then and the same goes for our beloved “fur-babies.” There isn’t anything quite like the feeling of cuddling with Petunia the pug after she’s been freshly showered and had her nails done. And Jackie Cormier, the owner of Paws N Noses, will not only do a spot on job of finding Fido under all that fur, but will also create a positive experience for your loved on at the same time.

After graduating from high school, Jackie went to work as a kennel tech with a large pet store and worked her way up to assistant manager. She often found herself staying after her shifts to bathe the puppies, cut their nails, and in some cases, she’d give them a full-on haircut. Jackie soon noticed that the dogs she groomed seemed to be adopted a lot faster. “I can’t even explain the feeling of joy having a puppy bond with me and entirely trusting me as I groomed them”, says Jackie. She quickly realized this was what she was meant to do so off to Alberta she went to obtain her certification.  

Wanting to move back to the East Coast soon became a reoccurring dream of hers and in 2011 she came back to Moncton where she was promptly hired at a local pet supply/grooming shop. By the time July of 2017 rolled around, Jackie was ready to take the plunge into entrepreneurship (or grab the business world by the tail, pardon the pun!) and opened Paws N Noses which now operates out of their permanent home at 70 Waterloo Street, Moncton, NB.

When asked why her grooming salon is different, Jackie is quick to state that she tries to maintain a positive energy flow throughout the salon at all times. “It’s crucial to establish a good relationship with the animal you’re working on right from the initial moment you meet them. You need to make the pet feel safe and welcomed, not scared and afraid. It’s important that you ensure that both the pet and their owner are happy. We even post pictures of the client’s fur-baby on social media to create their very own fifteen minutes of fame,” she says laughingly.

Jackie has nothing but praise for the folks at CBDC Westmorland Albert who were instrumental in assisting her in a number of ways during her start-up phase. “From mentoring me to helping me manage my cash flow, I couldn’t have asked for better assistance from them. Any time I had a question I knew I could pick up the phone and talk to my mentor and he’d help me sort through my dilemma. As an entrepreneur, they’re my ‘go to’ people for all things business-wise.”

Jackie has some fabulous new things coming down the road for Paws N Noses. She recently was asked to be the sole distributor for the Maritimes of Beau grooming products, a Canadian company located in Vancouver, BC, which will bring another revenue stream into her business. It’s the perfect fit for her since 90% of the products she sells at her location are either local or Canadian made, and contain all natural products – something that is very important to her.

In April of 2020 Jackie will be hosting the Canadian Professional Pet (CPP) federal registration workshop to finally obtain her masters in grooming. She hopes to become herself a certified academy trainer and have others groomers join to obtain there certification as well.

We’re certain that “spaw” days at Paws N Noses will continue to be gratefully received by pets (and pet “parents”) for years to come.

©Marlene Oulton 2019