About the Groomer/Owner
My name is Hilary Evans, and I am the gal behind The Pampered Pooch. At the age of six my parents surprised my brother & I with our very first puppy, a rough collie we would name Star. This is the beginning of my journey, from the very minute we picked out Star I was completely and udderly drawn in. From that day forward I’ve been in love with dogs. Now there are a lot of people out there who “love” dogs, but folks, when I say I “Love” dogs what I really mean is I eat, sleep & breath them! There has never, and probably will never, be a day where I am not excited to see dogs. So of course as I grew, it was only natural that in my pre-teens I would watch people’s dogs in our home from time to time. As a teenager I would walk dogs for the area’s local Humane Society and others. I would also talk my parents into my “own” dog! Once I got to college I worked at a Petco. I originally started in Cosmetology school but I just wasn’t feeling a calling in the salon atmosphere. At this time I accepted a job as a bather/brusher for a groomer. This is where I truly discovered my Niché.
At the time dog grooming wasn’t what it has become today, and after I decided to move back home I had to put my dreams on hold. Schooling was just not an easy find. I settled into adulthood, got married and started a family. It wasn’t until one day in 2001 that I was reading the local classifieds that I saw an ad that Ridgewater in Willmar would be hosting a grooming course over the summer/fall. I applied right away! I opened my shop in April of 2003,right after finishing school. My shop started from humble beginnings and I built The Pampered Pooch through much blood,sweat and tears! Not only do I have 20+ years of grooming experience, I also have attended several years worth of obedience classes, love to soak in and watch everything I can when I’m at the vet with my own dogs. I have a deep knowledge of dogs and their behaviors, with a thirst to never stop learning more. I am a handler to an amazing “therapy” dog, Oakley, and we volunteer our time between two hospice programs and our local elementary school.
I am so thankful to have the most wonderful mentors that I have who continue to quench my thirst of knowledge.
Apart from my dogs, I live and breath my amazing family! My husband & three sons can often be spotted out in the shop. Along with my family, we also own and operate Doodles on the Ponderosa. We breed Goldendoodles, Sheepadoodles and Golden Retrievers and love every minute of it!
Check out our webpage here: https://www.doodlesontheponderosa.com/
At the time dog grooming wasn’t what it has become today, and after I decided to move back home I had to put my dreams on hold. Schooling was just not an easy find. I settled into adulthood, got married and started a family. It wasn’t until one day in 2001 that I was reading the local classifieds that I saw an ad that Ridgewater in Willmar would be hosting a grooming course over the summer/fall. I applied right away! I opened my shop in April of 2003,right after finishing school. My shop started from humble beginnings and I built The Pampered Pooch through much blood,sweat and tears! Not only do I have 20+ years of grooming experience, I also have attended several years worth of obedience classes, love to soak in and watch everything I can when I’m at the vet with my own dogs. I have a deep knowledge of dogs and their behaviors, with a thirst to never stop learning more. I am a handler to an amazing “therapy” dog, Oakley, and we volunteer our time between two hospice programs and our local elementary school.
I am so thankful to have the most wonderful mentors that I have who continue to quench my thirst of knowledge.
Apart from my dogs, I live and breath my amazing family! My husband & three sons can often be spotted out in the shop. Along with my family, we also own and operate Doodles on the Ponderosa. We breed Goldendoodles, Sheepadoodles and Golden Retrievers and love every minute of it!
Check out our webpage here: https://www.doodlesontheponderosa.com/
Meet groomer Lydia Sullivan! Lydia grew up near Franklin, MN and is a recent graduate of Rio Grooming school in Hastings, MN. Lydia is super excited to join the team at The Pampered Pooch as she has always liked dogs and being around them. Her true passion towards dogs began when she started in the MN-4H dog program years ago, with her fur baby Ruger. Lydia has a special place in her heart for dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds! Lydia has been at The Pampered Pooch since June 2020!
Meet Chalese! Chalese is a graduate of Rio Grooming school.
