In the Dog Salon With Jess Rona
These are the hallmarks of Jess Rona’s slow-mo dog grooming videos, the content that garnered her a huge following and established her as a hot commodity in the world of professional dog grooming.
Jess Rona has been grooming since she was 18 – her first gig was at a PetSmart – but for years it was more side hustle than full-time career. All that changed when her slow-mo videos went viral in 2015; suddenly Jess had a following – and a wait list of celebrities eager to give their dogs the star treatment.
Jess Rona Grooming officially opened in LA’s Larchmont Village in August of 2020. Decked with antique dog show trophies, pet portraits, custom poodle wallpaper, and couches for the dogs to lounge (no crates), the vibe is “glam, gold, vintage ‘50s and ‘60s,” says Rona, who scoured eBay and flea markets to find the kitsch of her dreams.
We joined Jess at work and tagged along as she groomed Croissant – a red toy poodle and regular client – from start to finish. After waiting his turn while relaxing on the sofa, his first stop was the bath. Every dog is shampooed and conditioned according to their coat and skin type, a spa-like treatment that includes a blueberry facial (seriously), Argan oil face mask (no, really), teeth brushing, and ear cleaning – all which can take up to an hour.
“Make the dogs feel seen, heard, and taken care of. Then you’ll gain their trust, and a trusting dog is a calm dog.”
Known for her calm, loving presence (many kisses are given over the course of a visit) Jess has trained her staff in her energy-based grooming technique: “Make the dogs feel seen, heard, and taken care of,” she advises. “Then you’ll gain their trust, and a trusting dog is a calm dog.”
After his bath, Croissant got a blow dry – or “fluff out” – and a nail trim. Then the real work began. Jess is famous for her detailed sculpting, rounding and shaping work that takes a dog from shaggy to chic (or as she says, “from oof to boof”) – and each dog requires its own approach. Jess brought definition to Croissant’s facial structure, uncovered his eyes, trimmed his ear fur, and lightly sheared excess floof all around.
The transformation was striking. While objectively cute from the start, Croissant hit next level adorableness, donning a natty bowtie and big smile before his G Wagon arrived.
Video by Yayo Ahumada for Kismet
Photos by Cara Robbins for Kismet
Where my dogs at?
