Dirty Dawg Opens in Thurmont

Blair garrett

Dirty Dawg DIY Dog Wash had its grand opening this August, with owners Becky and Tim Clarke cutting the ribbon before prominent town officials and excited community members.

Customers got their first peek into the doggie spa, where there are dog treats, toys, pet-themed mats, and so much more. There are even non-alcoholic doggie beers in flavors your pooch is sure to love.

Dirty Dawg’s first day open was a shocking turnout, and certainly more than owner Becky Clarke was expecting. “I want to thank everyone for the huge success we had today at the grand opening,” Clarke said. “We had an overwhelming amount of people here and just a ton of support from everybody in the community.”

The shop’s biggest attraction is the state-of-the-art doggie showers, equipped with all the tools and shampoos you need to have yourself one happy pup.

A DIY style shop definitely has its advantages over cleaning up the dogs in your tub at home and getting to spend time taking care of your pet provides quality bonding time you might not have otherwise.

“If your dog is one of the nervous types with a groomer, or you’ve got to make your schedule work with a groomer, it can be a lot to combine,” Clarke said. “Here, you can bring your dog in where they’re more comfortable with you doing their baths. It’s like a spa day for them.”

Dirty Dawg’s tubs are designed to handle the 50 pounds of golden retriever fluff washing down the drain from your favorite furry friend, so if you don’t have the time or the money to shell out to your local plumber, consider Dirty Dawg as a fun alternative. “The best part is we clean up the mess,” Clarke said.

The Clarke family got their inspiration to enter in the dog-washing business from an offhand thought that blossomed into what it is today. “We’ve used dog washes up and down the coast, and we realized there’s nothing here close to home comparable to what they have out there, so it was my idea and I just said, ‘I want one of these,’ so we looked into it.”

Complementing their puppy showers, the team has a line of gourmet dog treats that rivals human desserts, and they’re sure to have the dogs howling for more.

“We have a lot of stuff that you’re not going to find at your typical box stores, so once you check us out, I think you’ll find a lot of unique and fun things here,” Clarke said.

The Dirty Dawg is open Wednesday through Sunday in the Thurmont Plaza on North Church Street in Thurmont.

Thurmont’s newest do-It-yourself pet spa has locals testing out the waters in the dog wash.