Pet boutique focuses on finer side of canine life

By Dylan Scott

Saturday, March 26, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.

Debbie Bledsoe couldn’t find the right groomer here in the valley for her five dogs. So, six years ago, she founded Sniffany and Co. on Sahara Avenue, a “pet boutique, bakery and salon.”

The business has done so well that Bledsoe opened a second location on Rainbow Boulevard last year.

It was paid for by All Seasons, a landscaping business the 56-year-old Bledsoe has operated in Las Vegas for 18 years. But since Sniffany and Co. opened its doors, she said, it has become her true passion and one she plans to continue through “her golden years.”

As the owner of three shi tzus, one Maltese and a German shepherd, caring for other people’s dogs has been an easy transition, Bledsoe said.

“There isn’t any business I could imagine I would enjoy as much as this one,” she said. “To see people’s reactions when they see their pet decked out, walking out the door like a princess or prince, that’s really fun.”

That’s what distinguishes Sniffany and Co., Bledsoe said: a focus on the finer side of canine life. The shop sells designer lines of pet accessories — Paris Hilton, Christian Audigier and Little Lily, for example — and higher-end organic food brands, she said.

Professional grooming services are available and the store has a self-wash station for owners to give their best friends a good scrubbing and brushing.

The shops cater to “people who spoil their dogs,” Bledsoe said. She understands the mentality, having owned many dogs through her life, she said.

“Each one has their own special personality,” she said. “Every time you come home, they’re so excited to see you. They give you their heart and love you unconditionally. They’re just great pals to have.”

The business is a family venture. Bledsoe’s daughter, Danielle, helps her run the Rainbow Boulevard location, and her father, John, who used to work in the kitchen at the Las Vegas Hilton, cooks the tasty morsels for sale in the bakery.

They make it a point to “try to give back to the community,” Bledsoe said. They coordinate with the local chapter of Best Friends to hold adoption clinics at the new store, and a portion of proceeds are donated to The Animal Foundation, an animal shelter on Mojave Road.

Opening a new location in the midst of the recession has been challenging, Bledsoe said, but business has been picking up on Rainbow Boulevard. She hopes, with a convenient location just off the Las Vegas Beltway, she’ll attract customers from Henderson and the southwest valley.

“We’re trying to go with the flow,” Bledsoe said. “But I get to do what I love, and that’s the dog business.”

Sniffany and Co. is located at 6115 Rainbow Blvd. and 9420 W. Sahara Ave. To schedule an appointment, call 702-248-7643 or 702-880-7643, respectively.