Dashing Hounds

What Dashing Hounds does

Dashing Hounds is a privately held, founder-owned dog grooming and pet supply retailer operating from a single storefront at 1366 Queen St. E in Toronto's Leslieville neighborhood. Founded by Maria (who began professionally grooming dogs in 2015), the business provides certified dog grooming services — Bath & Blow Dry ($55–$135), Bath & Tidy, and Full Groom ($110–$255+) — priced by dog weight band (XS to XXL), plus add-ons such as nail trimming, ear cleaning, de-matting, teeth brushing, and specialized handling for anxious or elderly dogs. The company also sells premium dog food (Farmina, Acana, Orijen, Open Farm, Fromm, Go! Solutions), treats, toys, grooming supplies, supplements, and paw-protection products through both in-store and online channels, with local delivery, click-and-collect, and 4/5/6-week auto-replenishment subscription options.

The business model is service-led with ancillary retail. Grooming is delivered in-person at the single location, booked via an online appointment system, and supplemented by partner-offered services including anesthesia-free teeth cleaning (Happy Hounds Teeth), relationship-based dog training (Jules Noel / Dashing Hounds Dog Training), and pet photography (Taryn Murray Photography). The team consists of the founder and two named groomers (Sebin, trained in Korea in 2023; Genny, specializing in anxious/elderly dogs). GTM is direct-to-consumer, relying on neighborhood foot traffic, word-of-mouth, and an email newsletter; the company has no app, no API, and no disclosed proprietary technology.

Dashing Hounds is bootstrapped with no external funding or parent entity, operates only in Ontario, and derives essentially all revenue from Leslieville and The Beaches dog owners. Community partnerships — including volunteer grooming for SPIN (Standard Poodles In Need) and alignment with Sunshine Therapy Dogs — support brand positioning in the local pet-care ecosystem but do not constitute scalable distribution.

Name

Dashing Hounds

Legal name

Dashing Hounds

Website

https://dashinghounds.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dashing Hounds is a privately held, single-location dog grooming salon and pet supply retailer in Toronto's Leslieville neighborhood, offering certified grooming services, premium pet food retail, and partner-provided training, dental, and photography services to local dog owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Standard Full-Service Dog Grooming (HSANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Haircut & Styling (Breed-Specific/Custom) (HSANAAAD), Bath & Brush Packages (HSANAAAC), Nail Care (Trim/Grind/Paw Care) (HSANAAAF), De-Shedding & Undercoat Removal (HSANAAAE)

Keywords

• Dog grooming services
• Pet care retail
• Pet food products
• Dog training services
• Pet supplies store

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

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

Revenue model

1. Grooming Services: Professional dog grooming including bath & blow dry, bath & tidy, full groom services, priced by dog size (XS to XXL). Additional services include nail trim, ear cleaning, de-matting, teeth brushing, anal glands, and specialized handling for anxious or aggressive dogs.
2. Pet Products Retail: Sale of dog food, treats, toys, grooming supplies, accessories, and supplements through both physical store and online shop. Products include premium brands like Farmina, Acana, Orijen, Open Farm, and treats from Crumps, Benny Bully, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Dashing Hounds is a neighborhood dog grooming salon and pet supply retail store operating in Toronto's Leslieville and The Beaches communities. The company provides certified professional grooming services (bath and blow dry, bath and tidy, full groom) priced by dog size, along with add-on services such as nail trimming, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, de-matting, and specialized handling for anxious and elderly dogs. It also retails premium dog food, treats, toys, grooming supplies, supplements, and paw protection products, supported by local delivery, click-and-collect, and subscription options.

Product overview

Dashing Hounds is a Leslieville and The Beaches dog grooming salon and retail store offering professional grooming services (Bath & Blow Dry, Bath & Tidy, Full Groom) with add-on services like teeth cleaning, training, and de-matting. The business operates an e-commerce platform for dog food, treats, toys, grooming supplies, supplements, and paw protection products from brands including Farmina, ACANA, Orijen, Kong, Benny Bully, and Wild Vibes. Services include local delivery, click-and-collect, and subscription plans. The company also provides dog training services and partners with Happy Hounds Teeth for dental cleaning and Taryn Murray Photography for pet photography.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog Grooming Services Professional dog grooming services including Bath & Blow Dry, Bath & Tidy, Full Groom, and add-on services such as undercoat removal, nail trimming, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, and de-matting, priced by dog size category. Targeted at local dog owners in Leslieville and The Beaches.
• Teeth Cleaning Services In-person dental cleaning service delivered in partnership with Happy Hounds Teeth at the Dashing Hounds storefront, providing safe and affordable teeth cleaning without anesthesia. For local dog owners.
• Dog Training Services Relationship-based dog training services covering loose-leash walking, leash reactivity, drive outlets, desensitization training, and puppy socialization, led by certified trainer Jules Noel. For local dog owners.
• Dog Food Products Wide selection of premium dog food brands including Farmina, ACANA, Orijen, Fromm, Go! Solutions, Open Farm, and Oven-Baked Tradition, featuring recipes for different life stages and dietary needs including grain-free and limited-ingredient options. Sold to local dog owners.
• Dog Treats and Dental Chews Assorted dog treats including Crumps Lamb Chops, Benny Bully Liver Chops, Wild Vibes freeze-dried treats, Happy Teeth dental chews, Northern Biscuit treats, and Tilted Barn Pet Co. treats. For local dog owners.
• Dog Toys

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Happy Hounds TeethcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHappy Hounds Teeth offers safe and affordable teeth cleaning without anesthetic. Dashing Hounds offers Happy Hounds Teeth Cleaning services at their in-person location as part of their grooming service offerings.
• SPIN (Standard Poodles In Need)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandard Poodles In Need is a rescue organization. Founder Maria volunteers her grooming skills to give freshen-ups to poodles while they are in foster care. Maria recommends rescuing poodles from the organization.
• Sunshine Therapy DogsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunshine Therapy Dogs is a therapy dog organization serving GTA. Founded in 2020, they have 70+ volunteer dogs visiting students, seniors, and employees.
• Taryn Murray PhotographyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPet photography services specializing in capturing pets at all life stages. Offers professional pet portraits from new puppies to senior dogs.
• Dashing Hounds Dog Training (Jules Noel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelationship-based dog training service covering loose-leash walking, leash reactivity, drive outlets, desensitization training, and redirection. Trainer Jules Noel is certified through Mindful Dog Co. and trained with Field Trip! Dogs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pet Valu: Canada's largest specialty pet retailer with in-store grooming salons across Ontario, including Toronto's east end. Most direct comparable given shared geography (Canadian market), overlapping service offering (grooming + retail), and similar premium food brand assortment.
• Pawsh: Toronto-based pet grooming and boutique retailer with premium positioning. Closest local Toronto comparable on premium hybrid grooming-and-retail model in the city's pet-owner neighborhoods.
• Bone & Biscuit: Canadian boutique pet retail franchise with full-service grooming salons, premium food curation, and locally-owned store model. Comparable hybrid grooming-plus-retail approach targeting similar premium-pet-owner demographic in Canadian neighborhoods.
• Bark & Fitz: Canadian specialty pet retail chain offering grooming services, premium food, and accessories. Competes directly for the same premium-pet-owner segment in Ontario with a similar neighborhood-store-plus-services format.
• Global Pet Foods: Canadian franchise pet retailer with grooming services in many locations. Direct comparable on hybrid retail-plus-grooming model with strong Canadian geographic overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Wag Hotels: Multi-service pet care provider offering grooming, daycare, boarding, and training under one roof. Comparable broader pet-care-hub positioning, though anchored on boarding rather than grooming.
• PetSmart: North American big-box pet retailer with full grooming salons, training classes, and broad premium food assortment. Competes for the same Toronto customers with significantly larger scale and buying power.

Others

• Chewy: Dominant U.S./Canada online pet retailer carrying the same premium food brands Dashing Hounds stocks (Farmina, Orijen, Open Farm, Fromm, Stella & Chewy's). Direct competitive threat on retail price and subscription replenishment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Dashing Hounds