Gentle grooming for anxious, senior and hard-to-groom dogs.
Erin Ago has groomed since 2010 and runs The Pooch Pawlor herself, with appointments booked like a hair salon.
664 Humphrey Street, Swampscott · dogs and cats
Does your pet have any issues relating to anxiety?
Shakes at the door. Hates the dryer.
Example form. Not a real client.
The rule Erin won’t break.
A badly matted coat can’t always be brushed out without hurting the dog. So The Pooch Pawlor does not offer full-body de-matting, and says so on its price list.
“The Pooch Pawlor puts humanity before vanity … We will not cause undue discomfort for any amount of money.”
Service requested: tick one.
Four packages, each priced by breed and the condition of the coat when your dog arrives. Ask for the price when you call or text; have your dog’s breed and age ready.
The Yuppy Puppy
Puppies 6 months and younger
The introductory package: a gentle hand wash with all-natural puppy shampoo, hand drying, a thorough brushing, nails and pads, ears, and a light trim around the face.
The Clean K9
Clean between full grooms
A massaging bath with premium shampoo and conditioner, hand drying, a thorough brushing, nails, feet, pads and sanitary trim, and ears cleaned with hair removal.
The Dapper Dog
Maintenance between full grooms
The same massaging bath and brush-out, nails, pads and sanitary trim, ear cleaning, and a light trim of the face and feet.
The Pampered Pet
The signature full groom
Everything in the bath packages, plus a breed-specific clip, or a modified clip personalised to your dog.
Every package includes
- Ear cleaning
- Nail trimming and filing
- Anal gland expression
- Fluff drying
- Brush out
- Your choice of shampoo: all-natural with silk proteins, or hypoallergenic and fragrance-free
Bandanna or bow. Every package ends with one. Your dog leaves wearing it.
Add-ons, with their prices.
These are the extras The Pooch Pawlor publishes, at the price its own site gives. De-matting is charged by the half hour, and only where it won’t hurt the dog.
Treatments marked “by size” are quoted for your dog when you book.
| Ear cleaning | $10 |
|---|---|
| Ear cleaning with hair removal | $15 |
| Nail clipping | $10 |
| Nail clipping with Dremel | $15 |
| Nail grinding, with a grooming package | $8 |
| Nail polish on or off | $10 |
| 3 Step Dental | $8 |
| Flea and tick | $10 |
| Colouring | $10+ |
| Temporary designs | $10+ |
| Feather extensions | $8 |
| Shed-Less, Mobility Soak, dry-skin treatment | by size |
Prices as published on thepoochpawlor.com, checked October 2026. Confirm with Erin when you book.
Before the first visit.
New clients fill in the salon’s one-page form and bring it to the first appointment. It is where you tell Erin what your dog is afraid of.
The new-client form
Print it, fill it in at home, bring it with you. Download the form (PDF, from their site).
Rabies record
Required by the health department. Bring a copy or email it ahead. Bordetella is recommended.
24 hours’ notice
The salon asks for a day’s notice if you need to cancel.
Erin, and the dogs she’s proudest of.
In her own words, the work Erin is proudest of is with senior dogs, anxious dogs, and dogs that couldn’t be groomed in a typical salon. She specialises in hand-scissored haircuts, breed-standard grooming and what she calls behavioral grooming.
At home she has two adopted pit bulls, Sookie and Shamus, who do training classes and dog sports.
- 2007Starts in pet care, at a doggie daycare and grooming facility
- 2010Finishes professional grooming school
- ThenGrooms at a busy salon in Marblehead
- 2016Opens The Pooch Pawlor on Humphrey Street, Swampscott
On the shelf above the tub.
Mobility Soak
A peppermint and menthol soak.
Dry-skin clay
A mineral-rich clay treatment for dry skin.
Flea and tick wash
A d-Limonene wash. $10.
3 Step Dental
Enzymatic toothpaste with an instant fresh foam. $8.
Call or text Erin.
The salon’s own site says the best way to reach it is to call or text. Have your dog’s name, breed and age ready, and mention anything your dog is afraid of.
- Where
- 664 Humphrey Street, Swampscott, MA 01907
- Who
- Dogs and cats
- Hours
- By appointment. Ask when you call.