Every wienerwurst should have the fortune to be so glamorous .
To think all this come out for Jess Rona when she was a teenager just looking for a way of life to give for a car .
You may not bonk her , but she may be your preferent famous person ’s personal dog groomer . Have you seenKaty Perry ’s dog ? That ’s Rona ’s work — thanks in part to a cad bather chore post that catch her center and some help from her mom .
Photo: Courtesy of Jess Rona
" I was like , ' Oh this is nerveless , fun , and weird , sign me up , ' " Rona tell Daily Paws about her first foray into the pet clientele — at age 18 at a PetSmart in California .
Rona is an actress and comic — with aNew Girlcredit to her name — who eventually turn herdog - groomingday job intoJess Rona Groomingin Los Angeles . That ’s where she ’s catered to her sensation clientele and finally make HBO Max’sHaute Dog — a serial publication with over - the - top groom rival where there ’s $ 10,000 on the line . And her slo - mo videos of bounder blowing in the wind have get the attending of andiron buff everywhere .
We talked to Rona about her journeying to the top of the dog - train man , how Instagram helped her take off , and what dog-iron owners can learn from watchingHaute Dog .
Courtesy of Lindsey Byrnes
you’re able to also catch Rona on the Royal CaninPuppy Pre - Showhosted byWayne Bradyon Jan. 12 acrossRoyal Canin ’s social transmission channel . Ahead of theAKC National Championship , she will help select the finalist for Puppy Best in Show .
It All Started at PetSmart
When Rona was 18 , she call for a job to get a car . Her mom regularly drove 20 minutes to a local PetSmart to get cat food , and on one trip she saw they had a " help want " preindication posted . Being , as Rona described , " a distinctive Judaic mother , " she called over the director and told them that her daughter call for the job .
" I looked at their app program , and this moment changed my sprightliness , " Rona tells Daily Paws . The PetSmart software required applier to select the department they would like to work in . One of the jobs caught her eye , weenie bather . Despite knowing nothing about dog , she think the job would allow her to be creative and have sport .
" On my first Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , my manager was like ' Can you go put the lead on theLabin the back and take him out ? ' and I was like ' What ’s a confidential information ? ' and ' What ’s a science lab ? ' " Rona articulate . Over the year , Rona encounter generous groomers who were unforced to cultivate her . " It took years of trial and fault , being terrible , go on solitaire , and just essay to get good at it , " she say .
finally , Rona was groom dogs during the mean solar day and waiting tables at Nox . She moved to New York for a short stint , but after moving back to L.A. she dove into groom and on - stage improvisation . She started to compete in grooming competitions , and she would bug mentor by e-mail Before and After mental picture ( this was before you could text photos ) and asking for critiques .
The coming of Instagram radically change Rona ’s preparation . " I was like holy cannoli , I can look at all of these groomers from around the world , " she says . By this time she had been dress for 15 year , but she had n’t perfected the expert side of equilibrise hot dog and bringing out their formulation . She set out to simulate and learn from groomers on social media . " I was so divine , " she says .
Everything came crash down when Rona was kindle . " Working for a non - groomer who want you to be really fast , does n’t wish about your style , and just require you to get it done was not a right scene for me , " she read . So , she get a house in the Hollywood Hills with a washer - dryer hookup in the garage . " I was like , this is where I ’m going to groom hound so I can pay off my bills , " she tell .
The Magic of Instagram and Slo-Mo Videos
One day , Rona was neaten aPekingesenamed Noodle in her garage and listening to music . " Her ear fly up in the atmosphere as I was listening to music , and I was likethis is a import , " she say . She grabbed her phone and fascinate what looked like a music picture . That video cheer her to create an Instagram story just for grooming photo and videos . She also take off sending the hilarious videos of dog during grooming sessions to their owners .
The responses come flooding in from Rona ’s online audience . Some mean the videos were Reddit - desirable , but everyone agreed they brought them joy .
In no time , slo - mo post - grooming videos of dogs blowing in the wind became her social media specialty , and that ’s when the celebrity start out calling .
Star-Studded Groomer
In 2016 , she directed amusic videofor duo Tegan and Sara . Afterwards they introduced her to Katy Perry ’s assistant . After Rona groomed the assistant ’s click , Katy Perry requested that she groom her pup Nugget .
Rona describes Nugget , a teacup poodle dog , as her " lilliputian little muse . " She always bends her schedule to receive the needs of Perry and Nugget — whether the bounder needs to be ready for a medicine telecasting show or cartridge holder photoshoot . Perry ’s revue is prominently featured onRona ’s website : " Jess Rona is to dogs as Vidal Sassoon is to the bob cold shoulder . "
" I started doing one fame , and then another fame , and the buzz came in , " Rona says .
As celebrity clients have mouth off about Rona ’s study , her client list has continued to grow . Celeb vetPatrick Mahaney , VMDintroduced her to Jane Lynch , one of Rona ’s comedy idols . She has groomed Maya Rudolph ’s , Megan Mullally ’s , and Judy Greer ’s dog as well asPopeye the Foodie .
" They are just wizard , sparkly humans that I look up to so much , and I ’m just blown by that they ’re in my lifetime and they ’re all dog lovers , " she says . " I attract the most dog - loving dog lovers of all . "
" That is what I ’m really passionate about , being of overhaul to frankfurter and being of service to client , " she say . " It feels as though I ’m give gifts to citizenry all day . "
After six years grooming in her garage , Rona recently opened a brick - and - mortarJess Rona Groominglocation . She expend each day neaten a few very important person dogs and overseeing the functioning of the store . Rona , whose two dogs are Chupie and Meemu , has trained her total staff to figure out the agency she does , focusing on energy and leave every frump beautifully groomed .
That’s OneHaute Dog!
With her new showHaute Dog , Rona ’s passions for acting , drollery , and dog train continue to clash . " This is my dream , " she says .
Haute Dog , the grooming contention show Rona created , premier on Sept. 24 , 2020 , onHBO Max . She createdHaute Dogto show the worldly concern what detent groomers do . Because dogs will get distracted if their parent is in the elbow room for their training seance , pet parents do n’t commonly see groomers at work . " People do n’t know what find behind the scenes , which is bananas , " she says .
" It ’s also showing the world what vauntingly - hearted , frank - loving , passionate dog groomers do for a life , " she tell . " They make your frump feel good , they give your dog a ton of honey and care , and they clean your hound to make certain they ’re ok and healthy .
" We are honoring these dogs , and we ’re showing the mankind on this tv set show , " Rona says .
Rona ’s favorite dress look from the show so far wasElizabeth Gibbs ' win flavour from Episode 2 . She brought her own firedog , a blackstandard poodle , and snipped off his fur using only scissor hold in the short time allotted . " That Canis familiaris was perfectly sculpted with shear , " Rona state . " A lot of groomers go crazy with a ton of doorbell and whistling , but with what Elizabeth did with shear — she just put a small lid on her pawl . "
Grooming look like Gibbs ' reveal a groomer ’s true endowment and technique , or as Rona put it : " Do you have skill , Baby ? Do you know this breed ’s standards ? " Her creative sixth sense have brought her from someone who did n’t know what a trail was to being a leader in her diligence .
