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• 'Losing is dying'

• Delta official's status a puzzle

• 'I-5 Strangler' charged with six murders

• Police release identities of two suspects in paving scam

• Parents respond to court's ruling on home schooling requirements

• Woman robs F&M Bank

• Former principal of Mokelumne River confronts board member over lock-out

• Easter Bunny to visit

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• Regional Roundup

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Group investigates reports of haunting

October 31st, 2009

• Area schools have no plans of closing due to H1N1 virus

• Tokay High evacuation

• Gated communities in Lodi

• Finishing touches on Hill House replica

• Regional Roundup

• In remembrance of Kyle Coumas

• Lodi-area Halloween events

• City of Lodi settles case of mistaken identity

• Lodi a reflection of Halloween's retail emergence

• Izzy Laviola and Seth Siddle-Mitchell crowned Tokay homecoming queen and king

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (63)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (60)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (56)
• Universal health care solves big problems (42)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
• Words from our forefathers (26)
• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home (18)
• Falcons trample over Galt's playoff hopes (17)
• Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (17)

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Mobile pet grooming services becoming more popular with busy lifestyles

In today's fast-paced, on-the-go world, the things we care about most can be overshadowed by our hectic schedules. Namely, our pets.

Pet health extends beyond regular feeding and exercise into the realm of hygiene. Since it's not always possible to take pets to the groomer, two local companies have made it possible to bring the groomer to the pets. It's a service that's becoming more and more as days become busier.

A little over seven months ago, Scott Stephens was looking for a business that would make a difference and be fun to run. Having moved from Danville to Valley Springs with his wife, Vicky, Stephens left behind a career in commericial real estate. Through a franchise consultant he found Aussie Pet Mobile, a pet grooming service that comes to the client's home. Aussie Pet Mobile begain 12 years ago in Sydney, Australia, and has since opened operations in 13 countries.

Ronnette Nielsen, who owns Your Place Mobile Pet Grooming, has run her business for the past three years, and discovered the trend while at a grooming convention in Burbank.

"There were a lot of mobile groomers," Nielsen said. "Instead of buying a unit, I decided to go with an RV." Nielsen has converted a 32-foot RV to allow for more space and comfort for her fuzzy clients.

Stephens purchased two Mercedes Sprinter vans from Aussie Pet Grooming, which come completely fitted with a grooming table, bath tub and all the necessary grooming equipment.

"These vans are completely self-contained," Stephens said at a client's home in Lodi. He said that the vans have all the power, water and disposal units needed, so the business doesn't rely on a client's water or electricity.

Clients for both companies range from business owners who can't get away from the daily grind to take their pets to a groomer, to retirees and people who just can't bear to be away from their beloved pets.

"Most clients book through the entire year," said Nielsen, who services Lodi, Acampo and Galt.

Darcy Hedger and Jessica Eaton are grooming specialists for Aussie Pet Mobile who service Lodi, the Foothills, Stockton, Manteca and Tracy. Stephens usually handles all the scheduling, administrative work and marketing for the company.

Hedger services Lodi and the Foothills, and takes care of clients like Charlie, a terrier-mix. Mobile grooming makes sense for dogs like Charlie, who tends to be a bit skittish. He was rescued by his owners from the side of the road and given a loving home.

Some pets tend to get freaked out, so Hedger has taken classes on how to calm dogs and cats to make grooming a more pleasant experience.

"The biggest dog I have is a 120-pound German shepherd," said Hedger. "Once he gets into the tub, he's fine. His mom has to coax him in, then he's fine."

Stephens points out that one of the benefits of mobile pet grooming is the lack of cages. Pets are brought from the house, groomed in the vehicle — a process that take 45 minutes to an hour — and then returned to the house. Nielsen says that cages tend to be the nature of the beast when it comes to grooming shops because of having multiple animals in one environment.

"I wouldn't want to leave my pet (in a shop) for several hours," Nielson said, explaining that she can't stand being away from her pets. She spends about an hour and 15 minutes to groom her clients.

Aussie Pet Mobile offers a 15-step bathing process and specialized breed clips — that is, haircuts for specific breeds of canines (although they will shave down the pets when the weather starts to get hot). They also offer a service called the FURminator, which eliminates 80 percent of shedding fur from your pet, and they offer pawdicures.

Nielsen, who has been grooming pets for 25 years, has her own specialized services, and will get to know a pet and what looks best on them. Some of her clients have been with her since the day she opened.

Hedger and Eaton will also check pets' health and make recommendations that owners can take to their veterinarian.

Mobile grooming makes particularly good sense for aging pets and elderly or disabled owners, according to Stephens.

"It costs a little more than normal pet grooming," Stephens said, "but it's worth it for the convenience." Stephens' prices vary depending on the size and condition of the pet, and it's typically something they can't determine until Hedger and Eaton have a chance to examine the animal.

Likewise, Nielsen's costs depend on the size and condition. Her base price starts at $45 per pet.

Aussie Pet Mobile also does charitable work in each community by going into local animal shelters once a week and grooming potential adoptees for free, something Stephens says the company prides itself on.

None of that seems to matter to Charlie as he wagged his tail, freshly bathed and smelling sweet.

For more information on Aussie Pet Mobile, call 785-6399 or visit http://www.aussiepetmobile.com, and for information on Your Place Mobile Pet Grooming, call 747-1252.

Contact Business Editor Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.