Salty Dawg Groomer Q&A: Shelby Huneycutt
Salty Dawg Pet Salon + Bakery is having a fantastic start since our grand opening in September, and I’m proud to have an amazing team of groomers who are vital to our success.
This month, I invite you to get to know one of our wonderful groomers, Shelby Huneycutt – she is excited to meet and work with your dog!
Shelby grew up in the foothills of North Carolina and arrived in Wilmington after the 2020 shutdown. She’s been grooming animals her entire life, but didn’t begin professionally until 2021. Shleby was a bather for years and became a professional pet stylist in 2024. She’s AKC Safe Certified and Fear Free Certified.
What do you love about dog grooming?
“My favorite thing about dog grooming is….Dogs! I have always felt a strong connection with animals, and I love getting to build relationships with the babies. Learning their individual personalities and needs is the highlight of my life.”
What kind of pets do you have at home?
“I have two Belgian Malinois mixes, currently a foster Great Pyrenees Mix, five cats, a corn snake, and a leopard gecko.”
What do you love about Salty Dawg?
“Everything! The salon is top-of-the-line and dog-centric. Being able to focus more on the dog in my care rather than an expected quota is a total game changer.”
What’s the most unusual grooming request you’ve ever received from an owner?
“To dye their poodle into a Skeleton for Halloween! It was the best day of my life.”
What’s one thing about your job that would surprise most people?
“How much emotional weight comes with the job. Having the same clients for years means getting to go through life with them; good times, sickness, stress, moving, and even losing them. Working on a dog after they’ve lost a sibling or an owner is always hard, but what’s harder is learning you won’t be seeing the baby anymore.”
What’s your favorite transformation — before and after — to create?
“I LOVE to do anything funky. My favorites have been dye jobs, mullets, mohawks, bell bottoms, anything fun!”
What’s your favorite spot in town to take your dogs?
“I love taking my dogs to Carolina Beach State Park, Brunswick Nature Preserve, Flying Machine Brewing Company, and Brunches. Wilmington seems to have a never-ending list of dog-friendly places, and I love it!”
Find more information here.
