By Clyde Noel

If you’re not among the canine cognoscenti, you probably wonder what all the big fuss is over pooches — but visit a Los Altos dog-grooming shop and you’ll realize that “man’s best friend” is no misnomer.

“I have a couple of dogs coming in before 8 a.m. the day of the pet parade,” said Debbie Willson, dog grooming operator at Beaugay’s in downtown Los Altos. “When they march down Main Street, the owners want to be proud of their pets.”

In many cases, people treat their animals better than their children, and if they don’t have children, the dogs are their children. A canine pet never has a bad day. No matter what your day is like, when you get home they’re always glad to see you.

Lisa and Shane Frederito, owners of The Grooming Works, get involved with their pets after a long day in the “office.” Their 5-year-old daughter, Keira, has been raised in the shop and assists her parents by leading clients from cage to bathtub to grooming table.

Keira has two rabbits and a guinea pig; and Shane has “Niko,” his 12-year-old dog who brings in the paper on a daily basis. He is also part of the Grooming Works team.

According to Shane, business has been excellent. “We do a lot of different breeds, but right now I am working on Maddy, a wheaton terrier,” he said. “I’m giving him an allover trim, basically a field cut, not the traditional terrier cut.”

Shane recommends puppies be brought in as soon as they have their shots, between four and six months. “Lisa enjoys grooming, and it’s like hitting a jackpot when a puppy comes in for grooming,” he said.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Willson got into the business by accident and has taught grooming for years at Beaugay’s. She wanted to bring the concept of customer service to something as simple and unsophisticated as pet grooming.

“We do most breeds but probably more standard poodles than any other,” Willson said. “Most dogs are brought in monthly and clients have standard appointments.”

Willson said she looks for strange lumps and any health problems when she grooms a dog. “I always tell the owner the dog’s condition, and if they have an ear infection I suggest they go to the vet.”

Shane said most of their business is from the surrounding areas of Mountain View, Palo Alto and Los Altos. “Most people in Los Altos have purebred dogs,” he said.

Dog-grooming salons seem to be recession-proof. Salons are busy because people don’t skimp on their dogs. When seeking comfort, many people turn to their dogs because they never let them down. You can take your dog for a walk, you can give your dog a hug, and in many cases you have a friend at the end of the bed. So you want a clean dog.

Dog groomers are well-versed in the dog owner subculture.

“There are lots of dogs in Los Altos,” said a grooming operator. “When you walk downtown, look at the windows of cars and count the dog-slobbered windows. When you talk to people, check out their clothes and their subculture of dog hair. And when you’re in Safeway or Draeger’s, when the clerk asks ‘paper or plastic?’ a responsible pet owner will always say plastic.”

Beaugay’s is located at 385 First St., Los Altos; for more information, call 948-4911. The Grooming Works is located at 1182 Los Altos Ave., Los Altos; for more information, call 948-9230.