Success Stories

Dawg Paradise

Laurie Clark and Annette Bloss

Dawg Paradise Seals Successful Deal Thanks to PET|VET

When Laurie Clark and Annette Bloss started their mobile dog grooming business in 2010, they did not expect it to take off like it did. After only a year in business, their books were filled with appointments and they had built a loyal clientele of people and dogs they cared about. Laurie and Annette knew there was an opportunity to expand and jumped at the chance to grow their dog grooming business into more than they ever dreamed it could be.

“We were determined to make it work and be successful,” said Laurie. “We knew people would travel here to Westville— our location is in close proximity to the toll road and the interstates.”

Building Their Pet Facility Business

In 2011, Laurie and Annette broke ground on Dawg Paradise, a full-service pet care facility with boarding, training and grooming. Over the next decade, the business grew and eventually, Dawg Paradise started operating out of a new 9,500-square-foot facility with 32 suites, two indoor play arenas, five outdoor areas, and a heated in-ground pool. In March of 2022, a 4800-square-foot building was added that included 11 additional suites as well as spacious indoor/outdoor play areas.

“We wanted to offer therapy for dogs and were fortunate enough to be able to work with a local veterinarian who is also a Certified Canine Rehab Therapist,” said Laurie. “We started this program for dogs recovering after ACL surgery, or with hip dysplasia, or for weight loss, and it was really successful.” Dawg Paradise began offering aquatic rehab therapy for dogs, a treatment that was previously only available in larger cities like Purdue, Lafayette or Chicago. “To see how effective and quick the therapy works is amazing,” she said. “It’s very gratifying to see a dog recover — happy dog, happy owners.”

Preparing for The Sale

Dawg Paradise’s impact on the community and the team they built is something Laurie and Annette are extremely proud of — and both were contributing factors when the business owners decided to sell. “We wanted to go out on a high note and felt we had a good team and the business was in a good place to sell,” said Laurie. “I gave Teija a call and told her what we wanted to do and that’s how it started.”

Teija Heikkilä, CEO of PET|VET, and her team put together a proposal and all of the details to facilitate the sale of Dawg Paradise. “Teija is so knowledgeable about the pet sales market — she knows who the players are and has the contacts to get the best possible outcome in the sale. Teija and her team always had an answer,” Annette said.

Enlisting the Experts to Broker the Deal

For Laurie and Annette, working with PET|VET meant they could trust in the process and know their best interest was always at the forefront. “We had no idea what was involved in selling and Teija got us into the private equity market where various companies could bid on the business, instead of a private seller transaction,” said Annette.

The PET|VET team took care of brokering the deal from start to finish and tapped into their network of buyers to secure peak value for the business.

Now that the ink is dry on the sale of Dawg Paradise, Laurie and Annette are still trying to decide what their next project will be. “We don’t have a plan per se but we were able to completely get out of debt and may look for another business venture down the road,” Annette said. “It’s a breath of fresh air to not have to worry every time the phone rings.”

While Laurie and Annette make plans for the future, Dawg Paradise continues to thrive and provide much-needed rehab therapy to dogs in the area.