Jolene Siebeneck shares a moment with her poodle, Weller, who is showing off Siebeneck’s creative grooming designs showing characters from the Disney movie, “The Emperor’s New Groove.”
Submitted Photo | Courtesy of Jolene Siebeneck
LIMA — In the Disney movie, “The Emperor’s New Groove,” Emperor Kuzco is accidentally transformed into a llama. At the Groom Expo in Hershey, Pennsylvania, standard breed poodle Weller was transformed into a live display of the movie’s characters. That transformation was the culmination of years of work and a vibrant imagination on the part of the artist.
Dog groomer Jolene Siebeneck received her first dog at age eight. The Rough Collie puppy, named Tyler, became Siebeneck’s best friend.
“I trained him myself and I groomed him,” recalled Siebeneck, who grew up on a farm near Leipsic.
Siebeneck began grooming dogs professionally about 20 years ago. In 2004, she started her own business, Paw Prints, which now includes locations in Lima and Leipsic, along with two mobile grooming vehicles.
The same year she started her grooming business, Siebeneck was exposed to creative grooming while attending Groom Expo for continuing education in grooming techniques.
“I was hooked,” recalled Siebeneck. “I said, ‘One day I’m going to be up on that stage doing that.’”
Ten years later, Siebeneck began creative dog grooming. She honed her skills and has been traveling to competitions in other states six to eight times per year for the past four years.
From her most recent competition in Massachusetts, she obtained a second-place prize. Siebeneck said she always listens to the advice of the judges and incorporates their recommendations into plans for the next competition.
Siebeneck has three standard bred poodles. The poodle breed is well-suited for creative grooming because “they’re curly and fluff out nice,” she said.
Her oldest dog, Chopper, at age 12 is now retired from competition. This year, Siebeneck competed with her youngest dog, Weller, who will be two in November. The current plan is for Charlie, age five, to be used for competition in 2023 with a “Jumanji” theme. Plans for 2023 include trips to Washington and California.
“It’s time for me to head out that way and win more,” said Siebeneck.
Siebeneck said she selects a theme each year and continues that same theme throughout the entire year. The designs, sketched on the dog’s fur, can take between 150 to 200 hours to cut, carve and dye. The dog’s roots are re-dyed before each subsequent competition and that process typically takes 40 to 50 hours. Siebeneck said her dogs are so accustomed to the process that they often lie on the grooming table and sleep while the fur is dyed. The vegetable-based dyes are pet-friendly.
“You could eat this stuff,” said Siebeneck.
Eight-year-old Lincoln and three-year-old Elliana, Siebeneck’s children are accustomed to creative designs and colors on their dogs, prompting speculation as to how they must react seeing dogs that are not designed.
“They probably think something is wrong because they aren’t colorful,” she said
In September, Siebeneck’s goal was to win the People’s Choice Award and the accompanying $500 prize at the Groom Expo in Hershey. Typically, 15 creative groomers from around the country attend the expo, known as the “Super Bowl” of dog grooming competitions. Realizing that goal was a memorable experience for her.
“I was ecstatic,” she said. “That’s what I came for.”
Moments later, when the first-place winner was announced, Siebeneck recalled that she was “stunned” to learn that she had also won that very prestigious award and the accompanying $2500 prize.
Siebeneck said she and Weller have an agreement. “If I place [in the competition], he gets a cheeseburger. If I win first place, he gets a steak.” Following her recent first-place win in Hershey, she acknowledged that she owes Weller a steak.
