Pawlacio Kicks Off Their Fourth Year of Pampering Rockaway’s Pets

By Dan Guarino

February is a special month for Pawlacio Pets, as it rounds the corner into its fourth year in business caring for the peninsula’s pups. Rockaway’s only indoor doggie daycare, grooming and skincare salon, whose motto is “Dog is Love,” opened its doors on February 10, 2022, at 114-06 Rockaway Beach Blvd., and has continued building from there.

As its founder Florence Chong relates, Pawlacio is about more than a nice haircut and pet playtime. It’s their care, concern and attention that keeps bringing in clients from Rockaway, Broad Channel, Brooklyn, the Five Towns and beyond.

Between Chong, who oversees all grooming and skincare operations, and co-owner Dr. Jody Blanco, a retired OB/GYN surgeon, who manages the doggie daycare, Pawlacio focuses first on each pet as an individual. Chong recalls the idea started as “a simple responsibility in taking care of my own pet, (which) blossomed into a profound love for pet care.

“This journey not only enriched my life but also allowed me to touch the lives of countless pets and their families,” she says. Seeing a niche a new business could serve, she noted, the Rockaways “did not have a dog daycare and grooming salon. I love the beach living and its community. So, I decided to open a facility to fill the void, need and necessity in an ever-growing pet population on the peninsula since the Covid pandemic.”

Like its name, Pawlacio, a play on the word “palacio,” meaning “palace,” treats dogs royally. From the beginning, Chong says, the aim has been to provide “a pet care business that is quality and affordable for pet owners in the community. Ours is a fully interactive daycare facility. Our skincare and grooming promote quality, gentle skin and hair care and styling for your pet.”

Their daycare services provide both indoor and outdoor areas for dogs to socialize and play in. Even before a prospective pup joins in, under the supervision of several staff members, each dog is carefully introduced into the group to see how they interact with the others and how others interact with them. Recently, it was no time at all before a new addition was happily playing with toys and socializing with the group. Blanco points out they get to know the personality of each and every dog that comes in. Noting the staff’s specific training, he says the dogs naturally acknowledge them as the pack leaders.

Their goal, Chong states, is to provide supervision “without interjecting or projecting on your dogs. Your dog will interact as naturally as they would in their natural environment. Dogs are placed in a group appropriate to their size and energy to play.

“Our 3,400 square foot facility is big but our play groups are small so that every pup has plenty of room to play in a safe, fun, and home away from home environment.”

Here, Pawlacio works first from the philosophy of what is best for the pet. “While this interaction with other dogs promotes a well-balanced life for your dog and naturally enriches your dog’s life,” Chong says, “it also helps reduce separation anxiety and socialize your dogs in a pack facility.” This helps promote their mental health and well-being, as well as their success and happiness in life.

Similarly, when it comes to grooming, Pawlacio does not go for the standard trim or doggy shave down, but rather approaches it from the skin up. Their grooming services use Iv San Bernard Products’ exclusive line of fine Italian pet spa products which, Chong states, have been described by European press agencies as leading the pet field in quality, design and market. Top-selling pet grooming products in Europe and Asia, each Pawlacio client has a custom batch individually mixed just for them.

All grooming is done with consideration for each pet, their health, the environment, and even the weather, around them.

Rather than rush through to increase business volume, Chong and her staff take whatever time is necessary to gently treat each dog from nails to coat to skin. Quick razoring a pet’s fur, as some groomers might do, she says, strips away your dog’s natural sun and weather protection and unnecessarily exposes their skin to harm.

Chong notes, “our skincare and styling processes adhere to the AKC S.A.F.E. Groomer best practices on pet care, health, and safety. We are certified and trained in pet grooming and skincare.”

Originally “we wanted to establish ourselves and be recognized as a leader in pet care on the peninsula in the early years of the business,” Chong says. Now “we fill the need and necessity. We grow our business through word of mouth. We utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google ads and local papers.” They sponsor local events, like the Rockaway Dog Parade and shows at the Rockaway Theatre Company. Now Florence Chong even writes a column for the Rockaway Times, “Pet Care You Can Trust,” which debuted last week. “We want the dog owner community to know the benefits we provide to their dog and them alike.”

Still there are challenges, like competition for skilled labor and reliable help, rising rents and costs of doing business, storm risks, seasonal business fluctuations and more. Also, though many often complain about local small businesses going under, they may still choose to go off the peninsula for goods and services, not realizing what’s already right here, the cost and quality benefit of shopping locally and the value to the Rockaway economy. “When you don’t support your local business and they move or close, (it’s hard) to complain that there are no amenities in your neighborhood,” Chong observes.

Looking at the bigger Rockaway picture, she says, “Small businesses like ours help create jobs and keeps the local economy vibrant. We offer a service that fills a need for many. Pets do not have to be transported long distances to get service. We are the only dog skincare salon in NYC and we are right here.”

As they enter Pawlacio’s fourth year, Chong, Blanco and their customers agree, right here in Rockaway is a good place to be.

Photos by Dan Guarino.