Monica Nilles, of Le Mars, grooms Lola, a Yorkshire terrier, at Bow Wow Grooming and Day Spa, recently opened on Central Avenue. Nilles gives dogs more than a shampooing when they come in to be groomed. [Click to enlarge]

She knows how to make doggie toothpaste from scratch.

And she's even trained in pet CPR.

Meet Monica Nilles.

The Le Mars woman is the new dog groomer on Central Avenue, part of the Bow Wow Pet Shop and Bakery's new addition: Bow Wow Grooming and Day Spa.

Nilles, a self-professed dog lover, takes grooming beyond the basics.

A pet appointment starts with a meet-and-greet. Nilles lets the dog approach her.

By the end of the visit, though, she's doling out affection.

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"I don't think a dog walks out without being hugged and kissed a dozen times," she laughed.

Next up, Nilles picks the right kind of shampoo for Fido's fur.

"It depends on their coat," Nilles said. "If it's a Siberian husky or a cocker spaniel, I'd use a protein shampoo because their coat is so thick. If their fur is feeling rough, I'd use conditioner."

She compared picking a shampoo for a dog to a stylist picking a shampoo for a client's hair type.

But don't confuse doggie shampoo with human lather, she said.

"Dogs have a different pH balance than humans," she explained. "Dogs handle chemicals and scents different than humans do."

With the bath done, there's still more pampering to come.

Nilles does the pup's nails -- clipping, and yes, if requested, painting.

She also does doggie teeth.

Brushing a dog's teeth is something owners should do three times a week at home, she suggested.

"But not with human toothpaste," she said. "Dog toothpaste doesn't contain fluoride."

She should know. She makes her own.

You can buy dog toothpaste in stores with poultry or beef flavor, which Nilles said might help if you're just starting your dog on a toothbrush. She prefers more minty. Her homemade paste includes glycerin, baking soda and peppermint.

"I like something that makes their breath smell fresh," she said.

And Nilles would probably want their breath to smell fresh if she had to use her pet CPR training for a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"Mouth-to-snout," she corrected.

Nilles is certified in pet first aid and CPR. She hasn't had to perform it yet, she said.

"But it only takes one time that you wished you would have known how," she said.

There's a lot of similarities between the pet and human versions, Nilles said. She's trained for cats and dogs of all sizes.

Would she perform it on a gerbil that wasn't breathing?

"If I was in the situation, I'd probably try," she said.

She hopes to complete a course so she can train others in pet CPR.

This is Nilles' first venture into professional grooming, although she hopes to earn her Master Groomer degree and even enter competitions around the nation.

She started out grooming her own dog, but found there was a call for more professional groomers.

Still, Nilles' Yorkshire terrier, Shitzu and Jack Russell terrier, take turns coming to work with her.

Bow Wow Grooming and Day Spa, a few doors north of the Bow Wow Pet Store and Bakery, is also planned to host Doggie Day Care and boarding, once renovations are complete. Owner Jason Heck bought the building, formerly the Cyber Cafe, and is building boarding "suites" including themed rooms, some with TVs.

And yes, you heard right, Doggie Day Care.

"Sometimes that holds people back from getting an animal," Heck said. "They can't be with their dog during the day because they're working."

Dogs that come to day care will be put in "playgroups" with other dogs after they are given a "personality profile."

"We test them for food aggression and have 'mommy and daddy' fill out a questionnaire," Heck said.

Food aggression shows up if a dog growls or nips at a person who gets between it and its food.

Heck said the day care isn't something they thought up out of the blue.

"People ask about it, especially if they're going out of town," he said.

They also ask about boarding rooms, and Heck said these won't be ordinary boarding cages.

"It'll be like a high-end doggie hotel," he laughed.

An overly-pampered pooch?

Nilles, who plans to offer dog massage by the beginning of 2009, doesn't believe it can happen.

"I don't think a dog could be too spoiled," she said. "But I DO think dogs can be not disciplined enough."