The Hairy Hound

The Hairy Hound sits on North Hercules Avenue in Clearwater, not far from Countryside, and it has built a following among dog owners across the Tampa Bay area who want a groomer that treats grooming as more than a quick trim and a bath. The shop is run by Michelle and Guido Morfesi, and the emphasis on “Pet Approved Pampering” shows up in how they describe the work: not rushing dogs through, and paying attention to how a dog reacts to the whole process, not just how the coat looks at pickup.

Three main services structure most visits. The Hydro Spa Bath is the lighter option, a proper bath and dry without a full haircut, useful for dogs that just need cleaning up between full grooms or for breeds that do not need much coat work. The Deluxe Mini Groom steps things up with a bath plus some trimming, typically around the face, feet, and sanitary areas, without a complete cut. The Elite Full Groom is the complete package, bath, full haircut, and finishing work, the kind of appointment owners book before a holiday, a family visit, or simply because the coat has gotten shaggy enough to need real attention.

The shop’s hours run a little differently than a typical retail schedule, which is worth knowing before showing up unannounced. It is closed Mondays and Sundays, open Tuesday from 9 to 5, open later on Wednesday from 8 to 6, and open Thursday through Saturday from 9 to 5. That Wednesday stretch gives working pet owners a bit more flexibility to drop off or pick up outside a standard workday.

Because The Hairy Hound is independently owned rather than part of a regional grooming chain, appointments tend to be with groomers who know the dogs by name and by temperament, not a rotating staff working off a corporate script. For anxious dogs, senior dogs, or dogs with skin issues that need a gentler touch, that kind of continuity often makes a real difference in how the whole visit goes, both for the dog and for the owner picking up the phone to book.

The shop draws clients from well beyond its immediate Clearwater neighborhood, with owners driving in from Tampa, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, New Port Richey, Largo, Pinellas Park, and Clearwater Beach. That kind of pull from across Pinellas County and into Hillsborough County says something about word of mouth in the local dog-owner community, since grooming is one of those services where recommendations from other pet owners tend to carry more weight than an ad ever could.

For anyone newly moved to the Clearwater area and searching for a groomer that is not attached to a big-box pet store, The Hairy Hound is a straightforward option worth a phone call, especially given the shop’s set appointment structure and the owners’ direct, hands-on involvement in day-to-day grooming.