Million Dollar Dog

Charlotte Humane Society Month

2009-08-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

The month of August, MDD will donate $1 from every tip to the Charlotte Humane Society. We are also collecting blankets, food, coupons and supplies to bring to the shelter at the end of the month. Spread the word and help us raise some money and gifts for the poor pooches that don't have homes. Last year we raised $65 and gave them 5 bags worth of goodies. Let's do better this year. Tell your friends and families!!!

Janet having a wonderful mostorizing mud Bath

2009-04-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Janet is enjoying her monthly relaxing mud bath. Our mud bath Moisturizes and replenishes Her coat.. When you book your next appointment ask about the mud bath your pup will thank you for it!!

AKC Dog Registration Statistics

2009-04-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

BREED	2008	2007	2003	1998
Retrievers (Labrador)	1	1	1	1
Yorkshire Terriers	2	2	6	9
German Shepherd Dogs	3	3	4	3
Retrievers (Golden)	4	4	2	2
Beagles	5	5	3	6
Boxers	6	6	7	12
Dachshunds	7	7	5	5
Bulldogs	8	10	16	23
Poodles	9	8	8	7
Shih Tzu	10	9	9	11
Miniature Schnauzers	11	11	11	14
Chihuahuas	12	12	10	8
Pomeranians	13	13	13	10
Rottweilers	14	15	15	4
Pugs	15	14	12	17
Pointers (German Shorthaired)	16	18	21	24
Boston Terriers	17	16	18	19
Doberman Pinschers	18	21	22	22
Shetland Sheepdogs	19	20	17	15
Maltese	20	19	20	20
Spaniels (Cocker)	21	17	14	13
Great Danes	22	23	27	28
Siberian Huskies	23	24	23	18
Pembroke Welsh Corgis	24	22	24	34
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels	25	25	35	56
French Bulldogs	26	34	54	76
Spaniels (English Springer)	27	27	28	27
Mastiffs	28	28	33	41
Australian Shepherds	29	33	34	40
Brittanys	30	29	30	32
Weimaraners	31	30	29	37
Miniature Pinschers	32	26	19	16
Basset Hounds	33	31	25	21
West Highland White Terriers	34	35	31	33
Bichons Frises	35	32	26	25
Havanese	36	37	55	-
Papillons	37	36	36	47
Collies	38	38	32	31
Bullmastiffs	39	40	48	52
Bernese Mountain Dogs	40	41	47	63
Bloodhounds	41	43	49	51
Vizslas	42	42	45	48
St. Bernards	43	39	39	38
Newfoundlands	44	44	46	53
Chinese Shar-Pei	45	46	40	35
Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay)	46	47	41	43
Scottish Terriers	47	45	43	42
Rhodesian Ridgebacks	48	53	53	57
Cairn Terriers	49	48	42	44
Akitas	50	51	44	36
Border Collies	51	54	65	71
Chinese Crested	52	52	61	69
Pekingese	53	50	37	26
Lhasa Apsos	54	49	38	29
Bull Terriers	55	58	72	83
Airedale Terriers	56	55	50	50
Alaskan Malamutes	57	56	57	46
Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers	58	61	58	59
Italian Greyhounds	59	59	51	49
Great Pyrenees	60	57	52	45
Whippets	61	62	59	64
Portuguese Water Dogs	62	65	71	82
Shiba Inu	63	67	62	58
Chow Chows	64	63	60	39
Brussels Griffons	65	60	70	87
Australian Cattle Dogs	66	64	73	67
Setters (Irish)	67	66	63	60
Spaniels (English Cocker)	68	69	75	77
American Staffordshire Terriers	69	68	64	68
Pointers (German Wirehaired)	70	70	74	75
Samoyeds	71	73	67	54
Japanese Chin	72	71	76	73
Old English Sheepdogs	73	72	69	65
Dalmatians	74	77	80	30
Silky Terriers	75	74	68	61
Staffordshire Bull Terriers	76	85	92	94
Belgian Malinois	77	79	96	91
Border Terriers	78	81	84	86
Irish Wolfhounds	79	80	83	81
Cardigan Welsh Corgis	80	78	81	88
Bouviers des Flandres	81	84	86	72
Parson Russell Terriers	82	75	66	-
Basenjis	83	89	79	70
Setters (English)	84	93	94	90
Giant Schnauzers	85	83	82	79
Toy Fox Terriers	86	88	95	-
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs	87	90	98	106
Fox Terriers (Wire)	88	82	77	62
Schipperkes	89	86	78	55
Setters (Gordon)	90	91	87	78
Afghan Hounds	91	94	90	84
Borzois	92	98	93	80
Keeshonden	93	99	85	66
Tibetan Terriers	94	92	91	93
Norwich Terriers	95	95	100	102
Retrievers (Flat-Coated)	96	100	103	96
Standard Schnauzers	97	102	97	101
Norwegian Elkhounds	98	96	88	74
Welsh Terriers	99	97	89	97
Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling)	100	110	56	-
Belgian Tervuren	101	103	108	98
Tibetan Spaniels	102	104	106	103
Wirehaired Pointing Griffons	103	105	112	120
Fox Terriers (Smooth)	104	101	99	85
Manchester Terriers	105	113	107	100
American Eskimo Dogs	106	109	102	95
Bearded Collies	107	107	101	89
Anatolian Shepherd Dogs	108	111	123	-
Pointers	109	106	104	92
Neapolitan Mastiffs	110	115	-	-
Australian Terriers	111	108	109	99
Spinoni Italiani	112	117	119	-
Norfolk Terriers	113	112	114	110
Belgian Sheepdogs	114	119	121	109
Spaniels (Clumber)	115	122	120	113
Salukis	116	118	110	107
Petits Bassets Griffons Vendeens	117	120	121	109
Kerry Blue Terriers	118	114	105	105
Black Russian Terriers	119	131	-	-
Spaniels (Welsh Springer)	120	124	116	116
Briards	121	123	115	108
Miniature Bull Terriers	122	127	132	130
English Toy Spaniels	123	121	122	118
Bedlington Terriers	124	129	118	122
Plotts	125	116	-	-
Tibetan Mastiffs	126	128	-	-
Greyhounds	127	133	131	117
Irish Terriers	128	126	113	111
Lakeland Terriers	129	130	126	121
Affenpinschers	130	125	117	119
Scottish Deerhounds	131	137	128	123
Ibizan Hounds	132	140	140	134
Kuvaszok	133	134	127	112
Spaniels (American Water)	134	138	125	115
Lowchen	135	139	134	-
Retrievers (Curly-Coated)	136	143	137	125
Beaucerons	137	76	-	-
Spaniels (Field)	138	132	124	124
German Pinschers	139	135	144	-
Pulik	140	141	129	126
Skye Terriers	141	152	138	127
Spaniels (Irish Water)	142	147	130	128
Polish Lowland Sheepdogs	143	142	135	-
Dandie Dinmont Terriers	144	148	142	135
Spaniels (Sussex)	145	154	139	133
Pharaoh Hounds	146	145	133	129
Swedish Vallhunds	147	87	-	-
Canaan Dogs	148	153	145	132
Komondorok	149	144	146	131
Sealyham Terriers	150	146	143	136
Finnish Spitz	151	151	141	138
Otterhounds	152	156	149	140
Harriers	153	149	148	139
Glen of Imaal Terriers	154	150	-	-
Foxhounds (English)	155	157	150	141
Foxhounds (American)	156	155	147	137

Notes
Because the Dogue de Bordeaux was a new breed in 2008 it is not included in the ranking as its total reflects the conversion of the breed from the AKC Foundation Stock Service registry. It would have placed 41st if it had been included.

The Black and Tan Coonhound was excluded due to consolidation of the FSS Black and Tan Coonhound into the Black and Tan Coonhound studbook. It would have ranked 42nd in 2008, but was 136th in 2007.

Disclaimer
Any breed transitioned in the prior year is not included as a result of the conversion from the Foundation Stock Service.

CHARLOTTE’S TOP DOGS 2008

2009-04-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

CHARLOTTE’S TOP DOGS 2008

1. Labrador Retriever

2. Golden Retriever

3. German Shepherd Dog

4. Yorkshire Terrier

5. Boxer

6. Rottweiler

7. Bulldog

8. Dachshund

9. Poodle **

10. Doberman Pinscher

* Registration data pulled from Charlotte zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service

** Tied for 8^th

"While not on the Top 10 list nationally both the Rottweiler and the Doberman Pinscher made their mark as the sixth and tenth most popular breeds in Charlotte respectively," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "The Bulldog also made a quite an entrance, being ranked sixteenth in 2007, and now becoming Charlotte’s seventh most popular breed."

Friends For Life!!

2009-03-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

The friends made here at Million Dollar Dog are friends for life.. The bond between the pups that come here is amazing.. They truly care love and RESPECT each other..Its beautiful..!! the excitement in there eyes when there friend pup comes in is so cute..Kinda like " Hey i have been waiting for you lets go check out some new smells out over here"
when you bring you pup to MDD they are not only getting what they need physically but they are getting what they need emotionally from other dogs, In a pack setting something they will never get in a caged facility..Here they can just relax, get pamperd and enjoy..

WELCOME BACK

2009-02-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

We would like to welcome Sophie and Boo Boo back to the Million Dollar Dog Family. Thank you so much for coming to see us again!!

Check us out in the Gaston Gazette!!

2009-02-24T16:55:00.000-08:00

MDD would like to thank Daniel Jackson from The Gazette for the AWESOME article he wrote about us. Thank you for taking the time to come out and meet us, We really appreciate it..

Million Dollar Dog grooms pets for clients in a ‘ruff'' economy

A sign in Tara Pellegrino's Belmont office reads, "66 percent of dog owners would not give up their pet for $1 million" - a quote that inspired the name of her professional pet grooming and spa service Million Dollar Dog Inc.

Pellegrino recently added a whole list of premium spa services to her menu for those that still have money in the budget to pamper their pets, but she also realizes that most dog owners are not millionaires. And for many the current recession has been - to quote her canine friends - "ruff."

Recently a client called to cancel an appointment, saying he'd been laid off from Microsoft, she said. And many other families are spreading appointments out longer in an effort to save money. But after eight weeks without a bath and a cut, some dogs are a big mess and grooming is more expensive, she said.

So Pellegrino has approved a "Stimuwoof Plan" that caters services to meet the specifics needs of a particular dog and fit within the owner's budget.

"The Stimuwoof Plan is designed to help owners out so pets aren't ignored during this time," Pellegrino said. "At this point, the important thing is making sure these pets are provided for."

The staff is e-mailing recession coupons to clients and offering basic grooming services à la carte

to help them save money. Plus, Pellegrino is offering grooming classes and self-service bathing with assistance from her staff if clients want to go the "do-it-yourself" route.

Meanwhile for those that have the means, Million Dollar Dog offers new spa services, including milk baths, blueberry facials, pawdicures, deep conditioning, moisture wraps, mud scrubs, 30-minute walks and aromatherapy.

Pellegrino, who is certified to groom show dogs in the sporting group, left corporate marketing around the turn of the century and went into pet care. And in 2005, she turned her unfinished basement into an office that has been approved by South Point Pet Hospital in Belmont.

For Pellegrino and her staff of three, pet care is more than a job; it's a passion, she said. And that's evident from the happiness of the all-female staff - who are allowed to bring their kids to work when necessary - her clients and their dogs.

At Million Dollar Dog, pets are not crated unless they misbehave. Dogs are allowed to socialize or relax on the couch while they wait to be groomed. So dogs enjoy the visit and usually arrive with tails wagging, like Larkin, a big yellow dog that came for his fourth appointment last Friday.

"They just hang out. They play. And the owners see them walk out of here happy," Pellegrino said. "The way people handle dogs now is completely different from even when I was growing up. ... These are people's babies."

I am ready for my close up!!

2009-02-19T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody .. I'm Kipper but i am sure most of you know that already! I am kind of a fixture here at MDD. Well i am here to tell you guys about the Awesome blueberry facial that I am getting on Friday. Its so awesome that the Gaston Gazette is coming to take pictures of me. Can you believe it me Kipper in the Gaston Gazette. I am so excited if you cant tell.
I have had a blueberry facial once before and it really helped with that straining that i get around my eyes and my mouth. The Blueberry facial smells so good that my mom cant help but give me extra kisses. So next time you come in just ask for the Delicious Blueberry facial.. And OH don't forget to look for me in the Gaston Gazette..I will be the one with the blue face..

Welcome to our Blog!!

2009-02-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone Welcome to Million Dollar Dog Blog! We are so excited to now be apart of the blogging world! Well first let me tell you a little about MDD. Tara Pellegrino opened MDD in September of 2001. Tara created he business to reflect where she would want to bring her pups! MDD from the beginning has only done a small number of dogs in a day. Even as her business has grown from one groomer to two Tara has stayed true to keep her spa non Assembly line.Each Pup gets one on one personalized attention from the very moment they walk in the door. We take our time and try to create a positive, personal and loving experience. The most exciting thing about our Spa is is is kennel free! That means the pups can run around and play for the time that they are here! or if they don't want to run around they can take a nap on the nice comfy couch!!
MDD uses the latest products and state-of-the-art equipment this ultimately creates better looking haircuts! We are also proud that we only hand dry MDD has never and will never use cage dryers this is for the safety as well as for a better looking groom. We take our time, we care and we love what we do!
Continuing education is very important to the staff at MDD. The staff attends grooming seminars,workshops and receives training by the worlds top groomers. MDD understands the importance of keeping up to date with the latest tricks and trends!!
Tara is Sporting Group certified and on the fast track to becoming a Master groomer.
Melissa MDD newest groomer has been fully trained by Tara and is on her way to become Sporting group certified!!