Papieri People

Dog salon «Little Monster»

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Kerstin Arnold, dog salon «Little Monster»

A dog salon for pampering our four-legged friends

The dog salon «Little Monster» in Papieri is run by Kerstin Arnold and dedicated to delivering first-rate grooming services for four-legged friends. In an interview, the salon founder talked about her journey into dog grooming, its psychological aspects and her connection with Papieri.

As soon as we walked in, we were greeted and inspected by two curious and friendly furry friends of Kerstin’s. Momo and Mogli are an integral part of the »Little Monster» salon team. Little Mogli is also the very reason Kerstin ended up setting up her own dog grooming salon in Papieri. «I always found visiting a dog groomer quite stressful, and Mogli was never very keen. So I took matters into my own hands, started learning about dog grooming and found that I really enjoyed it.»

Kerstin subsequently learned everything she needed to know as a professional dog groomer during an intensive five-week training course in Innsbruck. Afterwards, she acquired the requisite practical experience by working in a veterinary clinic before opening her own salon in December 2022.

Having previously worked as a human resources specialist, what fascinates Kerstin the most now are the unique personality traits of her clients and their owners. «The trick is being able to connect with both, and that’s something I have a knack for. I also love working in a way that produces a tangible result. That is, the dogs walk out of here looking much neater than when they arrived – or at least most of them do», laughs Kerstin.

«It’s not just about beauty and dog grooming. It’s also crucial to be able to connect with the dogs’ owners, and that’s something I have a knack for.»

Kerstin Arnold, professional dog groomer and founder of «Little Monster»

 

Sensitivity, strength and a healthy measure of respect are key skills for a dog groomer.
A bathtub for the mud bath, a grooming table for the perfect style and a plenty of care products to add the finishing touches.
[Translate to Englisch:] Das «Little Monster» Momo ist ein routinierter Stammgast auf Kerstins Frisiertisch.

However, dog grooming is not just a creative job: it also requires a lot of sensitivity and strength: “The dogs are not familiar with the salon and don’t know me, which is why they can be a bit on edge to start with. Hence, there is also a huge psychological component to skillful dog grooming”, explains Kerstin. About half of Kerstin’s four-legged clients are pretty large and can weigh as much as 60 kilograms. That means there is no room for mistakes.

«The dogs are not familiar with the salon and don’t know me, which is why they can be a bit on edge to start with.»

Kerstin Arnold

However, grooming a dog goes beyond mere appearances: they also get their ears cleaned and checked for infections, nails trimmed, teeth cleaned and, on request, are given a spa treatment, aka a mud bath with added essential oils, which they always love.

In Kerstin’s salon, the medical aspect of the grooming treatments is just as important as the dogs’ looks. It is also something that is very close to Kerstin’s heart, and she is planning to volunteer and offer her services for free at the animal shelters in the region in the future.

The salon includes a shop which sells a unique range of handmade accessories for both large and small four-legged friends. All of the collars and leads are made by Kerstin herself, while the coats are knitted or sewn by her mother. The shop also sells dog treats produced in the local region and exciting toys for our canine companions. All of this is housed in the same space inside Little Monsters, which means that dog owners can browse the range on sale while enjoying a coffee and watching their dog being groomed. It is very important to Kerstin that both the dogs and their owners feel at ease in her salon.

The salon’s shop section sells attractive accessories, organic care products and dog treats.

«I have a real connection with Papieri and was incredibly pleased when I heard about the plans to develop it.»

Kerstin Arnold

In addition to her love of animals, music also plays an important role in Kerstin’s life. Before the development work started at Papieri, she used to practice with her band in a rented room in one of the buildings’ basements. «I have a real connection with the site and was incredibly pleased when I heard about the plans to develop it. I am now really excited to see what else might be in store. I anticipate that Maschinengasse, the street in which my salon is located, is going to see a lot more development,» she says. Kerstin is convinced that Papieri will once again become an important district for Cham and the Zug region.

Anybody curious about Little Monsters is very welcome to pop in for a coffee – even without a dog. «Or we might bump into each other on one of my walks around Papieri with Momo and Mogli. I keep finding new paths and routes. I absolutely love it here,» smiles Kerstin.

«Feel free to pop into the salon for a coffee. Or look out for Kerstin on one of her walks around Papieri with Momo and Mogli.»

 

Contact

«Little Monster» by Kerstin Arnold
Maschinengasse 16
6330 Cham

Phone   078 246 50 93
Mail       info@little-monster.ch
Web      little-monster.ch

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