The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co.

What The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co. does

The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co. is a women-owned, single-location boutique pet retail and services business founded in 2023 by Jenn Marotta in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company operates a hybrid model combining a curated pet retail storefront, a grooming salon differentiated by Fear Free Certified methodology (particularly suited to nervous and special-needs dogs), and a dog walking service — all delivered from its 3180 Isleville St. location in the Hydrostone District. The business is staffed by approximately 6-7 groomers and dog walkers and serves primarily local Halifax dog owners, with named sub-segments including students, working professionals, and owners of anxious or special-needs pets.

The company's core revenue mechanics span three streams: grooming services priced from $25 (bath) to $190+ (full-service large dog), retail sales of curated boutique pet brands (including Canadian and indie labels), and recurring dog walking subscriptions. Distribution is omnichannel-light: physical retail and grooming drive the bulk of revenue, with online shopping and gift cards supported via LoyLap. Operations run on third-party SaaS platforms — Moego Pet for booking, MangoMint for digital intake forms, and LoyLap for retail/gift card transactions — indicating a thin proprietary technology layer. GTM is community-rooted: local SEO, neighborhood word-of-mouth, a cluster partnership with three other women-owned Hydrostone businesses, and curated third-party press (Papa Draftsman's Atlantic Canadian product guide) drive customer acquisition rather than paid digital acquisition at scale.

The business model is fundamentally a high-touch local services retailer with limited scalability levers absent a second location. Capacity (groomer hours) is the binding constraint, evidenced by reports that senior groomers are fully booked with new clients placed on waitlists, which is the central driver of 2025 hiring of additional senior groomers (Jennie, Haley) and geographic expansion of the dog walking zone into Halifax's West End. No external funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional capital signals are disclosed; the company appears to be founder-financed and organically grown.

Name

The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co.

Legal name

The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co.

Website

https://eastcoastdog.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co. is a women-owned boutique pet store, Fear Free Certified grooming salon, and dog walking service in Halifax's Hydrostone District, serving local dog owners with a focus on nervous and special-needs pets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)

akta.pro primary industry

Standard Full-Service Dog Grooming (HSANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Supplies Retail (CRALAIAI), Haircut & Styling (Breed-Specific/Custom) (HSANAAAD), Bath & Brush Packages (HSANAAAC)

Keywords

• Pet grooming services
• Specialty pet retail
• Dog walking services
• Fear free grooming
• Pet supply store

Headquarters

HQ city

Halifax

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Sale of pet food (raw, dry, wet), natural treats and chews, health and diet supplements, artisan baked goods, pet apparel, equipment and gear, boutique toys, and general care items. Products emphasize all-natural, high-quality, local and Canadian sourcing.
2. Professional Dog Grooming Services: Full-service grooming packages (Full Outline Trim, Full Cut & Style), bath and dry services, Puppy Intro sessions, Intro Sessions for anxious dogs, Hand Stripping, and walk-in quick services. Revenue is earned per appointment/service.
3. Dog Walking Services: On-leash, one-on-one neighbourhood dog walking with in-home pick-up and drop-off, using Fear Free–inspired handling and positive reinforcement. Services are offered to active members of dog walking services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co. operates a Halifax-based premium boutique pet store, a Fear Free Certified grooming salon, and a professional on-leash dog walking service. The retail shop sells all-natural, high-quality, local and Canadian pet food, treats, supplements, baked goods, apparel, and gear. The grooming salon offers full-service grooming, puppy intros, hand stripping, bath & dry, and walk-in quick services. The dog walking service provides one-on-one neighbourhood walks with in-home pick-up and drop-off.

Product overview

The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co. is a Halifax-based premium boutique specialty pet store offering three interconnected service lines: an Online Shop featuring all-natural, high-quality, local and Canadian pet products (including raw/dry/wet food, natural treats, supplements, artisan baked goods, apparel, equipment, and toys); a Fear Free Certified grooming salon with comprehensive services (Puppy Intro, Full Service Grooming with Outline Trim and Cut & Style options, Junior Grooming, Hand Stripping, Bath & Dry, and Walk-in Quick Services); and professional on-leash dog walking services with Fear Free-inspired handling. The company operates as a unified boutique concept, combining retail products with professional services, all built around a Fear Free philosophy emphasizing pet emotional wellbeing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Shop (Premium Boutique Pet Retail) Halifax's premium boutique specialty pet store offering a wide selection of raw, dry, and wet pet food; natural treats and chews; health and diet supplements; unique artisan baked goods; pet apparel, equipment and gear; boutique toys and games; and general care items. All products are all-natural, high-quality, and locally or Canadian-sourced. Customers can purchase in-store or online with same-day local delivery (orders before 11am) and Canada-wide shipping.
• Professional Dog Grooming Services Fear Free Certified grooming salon offering a comprehensive range of services including Puppy Intro sessions, Full Service Grooming (Full Outline Trim and Full Cut & Style), Junior Full Service Grooming (Groomers-in-Training), Hand Stripping for wire/rough-coated breeds, Bath & Towel Dry and Bath & Blow Dry services, Intro Sessions for Anxious Dogs, and Walk-in Quick Services (nail trim, paw trim, ear cleaning, etc.). All staff are Fear Free Certified and use science-based, behaviour-led handling to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress.
• Professional On-Leash Dog Walking Services Fear Free–inspired dog walking service featuring gentle handling, positive reinforcement, and calm experiences. Includes on-leash, one-on-one neighbourhood walks with in-home pick-up and drop-off. Available to active members of the dog walking service, with planned expansion to Halifax's West End.
• Digital Gift Cards Open-value digital gift cards (loaded with $5.00 or more) sold through the LoyLap platform and redeemable at East Coast Dog for retail products and walk-in grooming services. Physical gift cards are also available in-store.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Aura Women's WellnessminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2025A women's wellness centre located in Halifax's Hydrostone District. East Coast Dog and Aura Women's Wellness are two of four women-owned businesses that have formed a community cluster in the Hydrostone, united by shared ethos of high-quality service, strong community values, and creating safe, welcoming spaces. No formal business partnership described; co-marketing and community affiliation.
• Michelle Ashley's BakeryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2025A custom cake and pastry bakery located in Halifax's Hydrostone District. East Coast Dog and Michelle Ashley's Bakery are two of four women-owned businesses in the Hydrostone community cluster. No formal business partnership described; co-marketing and community affiliation.
• Alben Lane Candle Co.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2025A candle and curated gift shop located in Halifax's Hydrostone District. East Coast Dog and Alben Lane Candle Co. are two of four women-owned businesses in the Hydrostone community cluster. No formal business partnership described; co-marketing and community affiliation.
• Halifax Seed CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2024Halifax Seed Company partnered with East Coast Dog to co-author a blog post titled 'A Guide to Dog-Friendly Plants.' The partnership leveraged Halifax Seed Company's horticultural expertise to provide educational content for East Coast Dog's blog audience. No formal commercial partnership described.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Wag!: On-demand dog walking and pet care platform operating across North America. Comparable on dog walking demand aggregation and recurring service subscriptions, but as a marketplace rather than a vertically integrated in-house handler model like East Coast Dog.
• Rover: Online marketplace connecting pet owners with dog walkers, sitters, and groomers. Comparable on the dog walking service line via a different business model (asset-light marketplace vs. employed handlers); indirect competitor for the dog walking subscription revenue stream.

Direct peers

• Fetch! Pet Care: Franchised pet care provider offering dog walking, pet sitting, and mobile grooming services across North America. Directly comparable on the dog walking and at-home pet care services dimension, though operates via a franchise model with mobile-only delivery versus East Coast Dog's fixed storefront plus walking model.
• Boutique Pet Shops (e.g., Hipster Pet, Dog & Co.): Canadian boutique pet retailers offering curated, premium, and locally-sourced products combined with grooming services. Directly comparable as premium, community-rooted pet stores, though typically without East Coast Dog's Fear Free certification emphasis and dog walking subscription line.

Broad incumbents

• Pet Valu: Canada's largest specialty pet retail chain with grooming services in many locations. Directly comparable on the retail and grooming dimensions but operates at national scale with a much broader, lower-priced assortment rather than the premium, locally-sourced, women-owned boutique model East Coast Dog uses.
• Global Pet Foods: Canadian franchise specialty pet retailer with stores across multiple provinces, many offering grooming services. Comparable retail-plus-grooming model, but positioned as a mass-market franchise rather than a premium boutique, and lacks the Fear Free-certified, women-owned community positioning.
• Dogtopia: Canadian-founded dog daycare, boarding, and spa franchise with locations across North America. Adjacent on grooming services and Fear Free-style pet handling practices, though anchored in daycare/boarding rather than retail-plus-grooming-plus-walking.
• PetSmart: Mass-market North American pet retail and services chain offering grooming, training, and adoption. Overlaps on retail and grooming categories but targets value-oriented customers and operates at scale, contrasting with East Coast Dog's premium boutique positioning.

Regional players

• Woofs 'N' Whiskers / Local Halifax Grooming Salons: Independent grooming salons and boutique pet retailers serving the Halifax regional market. Most directly comparable on Fear Free–style grooming and premium local retail, and represent the primary competitive set East Coast Dog competes with for Halifax grooming waitlists and pet supply dollars.

Others

• BarkBox / Bark & Beyond: Subscription-based pet product and toy retailer that competes for share of premium, natural, and curated pet product spending. Not a direct service competitor but is an indirect threat to the boutique retail revenue stream, particularly for treat, toy, and gift categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eastcoastdoghfx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-east-coast-dog-shop-grooming-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/eastcoastdoghfx
• TikToktiktok.com/@eastcoastdoghfx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The East Coast Dog Shop & Grooming Co.