Introducing

At A Pleasant DogⓇ we offer both standard grooming for pets who are accustomed to being happily groomed and who do not have a history of aggression when being handled, as well as concentrated cooperative care training for those dogs who do struggle with being groomed, including nail trims, brushing, bathing, and clipping. Our team of credentialed trainers and our master groomer, Emma Tinklenberg, will keep your dogs looking fresh, clean, and most of all, feeling happy and confident.

we are proud to bring you west michigan’s first force free grooming at our school for dogs, a pleasant dog’s force free beauty. 

tm

if you are an existing client of a pleasant dog or emma tinklenberg

for new clients

meet our groomers

emma tinklenberg, ncmg

monica adair

we will periodically offer workshops and classes to help you learn how to condition your dog to love participating in their own care, because consent for all creatures   is a central part of our mission.

tm

If you are not yet a client, and your dog does not have a history of having bitten a person, please call or complete our contact form to schedule a one time grooming evaluation appointment with Emma or Miriam. These half hour appointments with either a trainer or groomer will help us to assess your pet’s needs for grooming, and training surrounding grooming. These sessions are billed at $45. This includes training sessions for coated puppies who will require substantial grooming in their lives.

If your dog has bitten or attempted to bite a person (even if they did not make contact) either during a groom or under other circumstances, you must first schedule a one on one private behavior session with Jenn, Tara, Lindsay, or Gin in order to begin our grooming program. These sessions are billed at our normal training rates, and involve an investment of $150 to $250, depending upon your dog’s needs. 

Once you are approved for entry in our Force Free program, your trainer and/or groomer will recommend regular cooperative care training sessions to work toward helping your dog feel comfortable enough for a full groom. In each session, your trainer or groomer will work toward consensual, cooperative care, in which your dog is an active, joyful participant in their own care. Each session will be billed in 15 minute increments at $45 per quarter hour increment. This includes our recommended weekly 15 minute sessions for coated puppies who will require substantial grooming care as adults, including our doodle, poodle, portie, collie, and like coated friends. 

We reserve the right to stop a grooming in order to maintain your dog's comfort and bill you a prorated portion of the groom cost.

At A Pleasant DogⓇ, we are passionate about cooperative care and grooming.

Please feel free to call our offices or fill out our contact form to book a grooming appointment or cooperative care training session. Rates are dependent upon your dog’s comfort level, coat type, and coat condition, and will be quoted at the time of booking. We reserve the right to stop a grooming in order to maintain your dog's comfort and bill you a prorated portion of the groom cost.

Monica Adair Doyle graduated from Grand Valley with a Bachelor's degree in BioPsychology. She then worked as a vet tech for many years, eventually developing a behavior training and consulting business in which she focused on shaping force free grooming well before the fear free movement was ever developed. While she never set out to be a groomer, helping terrified pets not only accept but enjoy grooming through sound behavior principles and compassion became her passion. Monica and her husband Kevin have been married for forty years and have bred and shown their Hotlick’s Kerry Blue Terriers as long. They show on a National basis, and Monica is an AKC Conformation judge. Monica has been a generous mentor to many groomers and trainers in West Michigan, and we are honored to have her on our team.

Emma Tinklenberg is a Certified Master Groomer through the National Dog Groomers Association of America, and is certified in pet first aid and CPR/CPCR. She has been grooming since 2015 and is passionate about continuing her education through continuing education seminars, workshops, and classes. Emma is currently studying with Iv San Bernard to become a certified pet aesthetician. Emma is also the author and illustrator of a children's comic series called Basil and Bobbin Comics. Her newest picture book is titled "Basil Stew" and is based on her own pets. Outside of her career, Emma trains and competes with her personal dogs in many avenues of dog sports and dog shows. She also enjoys hiking, camping, and paddling.