That wet-dog smell? It's money

Every dog has his day spa.

That's the idea behind Haute Dog, the two-month-old dog washing and grooming shop on Highway 50 in Carson City, in The Hone Company strip mall once known for the now-shuttered Hostess Brands Inc. outlet, next door to DOC's Veterinary Hospital & Healing Arts Center.

"It's an excellent location next to DOC's vet and right on the highway with good visibility," says Jan Covey, who owns and operates Haute Dog.

Covey provides everything a dog owner needs to wash and groom their canine, for $12 to $20 depending on the size of the dog, as well as an in-house groomer who will do it for them. The equipment includes three professional tubs with sprayers, four electric grooming tables and the clipping and other grooming tools for rent, if needed.

"You can stay as long as you want," says Covey, who has been a dog handler since 1975 and owned two other grooming shops. "Some shops charge by the time, but my inspiration for this was going to a shop in North Carolina to do my own dogs. I was there for two to three hours and they didn't care."

Covey moved to the area from Greensboro, N.C., with her fiancee, who is part owner in the business, after visiting the area a year ago and after her friend Tori McBride closed her Carson City grooming shop, American Dog Grooming.

Covey showed McBride's cocker spaniel, named Shadowcast n McBride's Design but known as Polo, including at the 2004 and 2005 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

"He was the best dog to show. He had beautiful expressive eyes," says Covey.

The retired, 11-year-old champion now visits Las Vegas nursing homes as a therapy dog, a dream Covey had for the good-natured dog, while she continues to work with show dogs, those with special needs and plain old pets at her new shop.