The Whole Pet Grooming Academy

Great place very knowledgeable about different breeds and cats. They also are amazing with dogs with anxiety. I would recommend them to friends and I do.

I brought my 18 year old long haired tuxedo in for grooming. She was extremely matted. My initial phone call was friendly and patient as I asked lots of questions. I was able to get an appointment for the next day.
Lauren did a great job with my not easy to handle cat. She even clipped her nails.
The cost was slightly higher than quoted over the phone but I was happy with the appointment

I am beyond thrilled with the skill level, kindness and attention to detail that Lory extends to her clients. By far, the best cut that my standard poodles have ever had, and I've lived in a number of states. Lory is sweet, kind, skilled, on point and a kind human. We've found our "furever" groomer!

We love you guys! I’ve been bringing my two year old dog here since the beginning. He gets extremely nervous, but everyone there is so warm and gentle to all animals. Faith always does a wonderful job ❤

Laurie takes the best care of my long haired cat and is very gentle with her. She is super accommodating as well and does a great job with my cats groom!

Our newfie is beyond happy with his giant femur bone I bought at the shop today! It is a challenge to find safe and digestible treats for our dog, especially since he is so large. Grooming By the Sea's shop offered a great variety of treat options and the piece of mind that I was giving our dog something safe and wholesome. The pricing was affordable too! The boutique has an amazing selection of pet apparel and quality shampoos, sprays, and brushes. It is a one stop shop for your pet. Great place!

Lory is fantastic! My elderly dog's haircut was perfect in every way and his coat has never been so soft; 3 weeks later he still has that "just groomed" look and feel.

Almost two years ago to the day on March 8, 2016, we brought our dog, Jed, to Pearly Pond Pet Salon in Rindge. Shortly after dropping him off he was dead. The owner was charged with animal cruelty. Two years later, she remains open for business and Jed remains dead. There was no justice for Jed. Since Jed's death we have adopted two more rescue dogs and have fostered many in Jed's memory. Over the past two years, we've had many suggestions on where to bring our dogs to be groomed. I've made a bunch of appointments and always cancelled them when the date came around. How could I ever trust someone with our dogs again? Today, I brought Moochie and Keepa to Dara's Paw Spaw in Peterborough, NH. Dara and her assistant groomer were fantastic. They were kind and patient, not only with the dogs, but with me as well as I hovered over them while they groomed our dogs. If anyone is looking for a dog groomer, I would 100% recommend Dara's Paw Spaw.

I’m a recent graduate of The Whole Pet Grooming Academy and it was a great experience! The salon is a pleasant environment for learning with friendly staff, clients and instructors. I had the privilege of learning from Lory Belanger. She is a wealth of knowledge and her passion for grooming is infectious. After a week into the Intermediate Canine Stylist diploma program, I was obsessed with grooming!

I enjoyed the many course offerings that were included in the diploma program and was so grateful to learn from industry leaders like Michelle Knowles and Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins. I highly recommend the Esthetician Courses with Michelle Knowles! I gained so much knowledge of skin and coat care and I feel that I’m a better groomer because of her classes.

I will be forever grateful to have found The Academy and for providing me with foundational knowledge to begin my journey as a Professional Pet Stylist and Esthetician.

I love The Whole Pet Grooming Academy! My dogs, Annie & Java get such wonderful care from Lory and the rest of the staff. They are so caring and kind. Thank you!

I'm so happy that I found Lory Belanger and the Whole Pet Grooming Academy. I was ready to give up on the idea of learning to groom before I found my way to the school. Lory's kindness and patience isn't just for the dogs in her care-- she extends it to all the people she teaches, working with many types of learners of all experience levels-- from those who have never worked with animals before, to those going for master groomer level training. From young people not long out of high school to those in their 50s trying to pull off a mid-career pivot (me!). I had some experience before WPGA as a bather but, all told, found it pretty demoralizing. Working as a bather was nothing like what I had learned in the Paragon distance learning course. Dogs hated what we were doing to them, and I hated man-handling them, feeling under constant pressure to hustle them through the bath, dry, and prep work. It was a joyless and sometimes dangerous experience for the dogs and the bathers. I hoped against hope that there was a better way to do it and a better way for me to come up in the industry, and I found it at WPGA.
I felt such relief just walking in the doors of the salon. It was a little chaotic from their recent move, but I could feel it was a special place where the needs of the animals in their care were truly respected and prioritized over speed or perfection.
I think the dogs were grateful to find themselves in such a special place and so was I! It's the work of Chrissy Neumyer Smith that sets the tone for how humans and dogs work together in Lory's salon to accomplish a great experience and a great groom, and I'm grateful to Chrissy as well. It was such a welcome relief to know that having a dog who is calm, comfortable, and cooperative was a goal of every groom.
Shout out to Emma, Faith, and Jennifer in the salon-- each of them shared their knowledge with me and the other students and were always kind and patient with us newbies, as well as with the dogs (and a few cats!).
Lory was able to tailor the program to the unique needs of each student, challenging us to grow and take on more, while respectful of our differing skill levels and abilities, and careful never to overwhelm or pressure. I don't know how she holds all that in her head and heart, while always remaining calm and confident. I'm truly sad to leave, and I hope to be back one day in some capacity. Lory is an extraordinary educator and WPGA is an extraordinary place to learn.

The Owner cares very much about the quality of the products and employees craftsmanship. They will go the extra mile if asked.

Phenomenal Experience! This is a seriously professional operation... starting from the look and feel of the first room you walk into (you seriously feel like you're walking into a spa), to the relaxing guitar music they have playing, to the attentive and incredibly positive/loving staff, to the actual grooming rooms that you're able to see through window. Everything's neat, modern, pristine. I've been there twice now, and our two cats have come back looking like a million bucks. Lory, in particular, has really impressed us: she's kind, fun, funny, and obviously LOVES every animal who comes through the door. Oh... and she definitely knows her stuff when it comes to grooming and care. I cannot recommend this place more highly. It's worth every penny of its already-reasonable-rates. Those who actually attend the academy portion of the operation are lucky to have such a perfect example of how things should be run. 5 Stars All The Way!

I have had the absolutely best experiences with Lory and her associates at the Whole Pet Grooming Academy. My dog is very difficult to groom and it's been very hard to deal with past groomers telling me they couldn't finish the entire coat of the dog because he couldn't take it.... (sigh 😔)
None of this happens with Lory, my dog loves her and isn't apprehensive going back. Lory always be takes her time and lets me know in advance of the grooming end time. I couldn't speak more highly of her and associates in light of my various experiences with them.

So grateful we found this place. Our dog is phobic of having his nails trimmed, but with the help of the very patient staff here, he has improved dramatically in just a few short months. A special shout out to Lory, who is SO professional and friendly and truly puts our pup at ease. Highly recommend!

I went here today because I needed help cutting my new kittens nails. I was greeted so kindly at the door. The young lady who helped my kitten was wonderful! I was in and out. Will be back and highly recommend!

I brought my 9 year old Cavalier King Charles, Gigi to the shop for the first time after searching for a new groomer. Her grooming was exactly what we asked for and most of all Gigi loved it (especially her blueberry facial), Dara did an awesome job!

I found Dara and her staff highly knowledgeable, caring and professional. We will definitely be back, as well as recommend this groomer to others!!!

The best experience with a groomer! The customer service was amazing even though we had to call and tell them we would be late. One of our dogs is iffy with other dogs but they were so accommodating. I will always recommend 10/10

I have had my Goldens and Great Pyrenees groomed by Dara for years. You couldn’t ask for a better experience. She is a dog whisperer. She’s awesome with my dogs, patient with them, and knows when they need a break. They are beautiful when they are done. My dogs that were initially anxious and fearful were completely comfortable with her after a couple visits. I now live in northern Maine and drove almost 4 hours to see her with my Great Pyrenees, Zoey, for a grooming. I’d highly recommend her. She’s a pleasure to deal with!! She has a variety of products she uses. She also has an extensive retail selection of treats, toys and other products.

Mary Stefanik
Greenville Junction, Maine

THE best grooming experience my 9 year old lab has had. They fit me right in last minute and did an incredible job at a great price point. I don’t think my dog has ever looked better and I think he knew it!