Bubble & Paws Pet Wash

Twenty dollars buys you twenty minutes of warm water, shampoo on tap and a drain that isn’t yours. That’s the pitch at Bubble & Paws, which opened this year on Douglas Crescent: bring the dog (or the cat), pick a time package, and leave the wet towels and the clogged tub to someone else.

How the self-serve wash works

Each bay is fenced off with a wood lattice gate, so a nervous dog can’t bolt. Inside is a raised stainless tub with a control cabinet beside it. The screen walks you through it: put your pet in the tub, choose a program, pay, then work through the wash steps with the sprayer. One knob dispenses the shampoo and conditioner, which the shop says are hypoallergenic and fine for sensitive coats, and the dryer is mounted right next to the tub so there’s no dripping across the floor to a separate station.

Packages are sold by the minute:

• $10 for 5 minutes
• $15 for 10
• $20 for 20
• $30 for 30
• $35 for 35

There’s turf in each bay for the shake-off, brushes on the wall, a vending machine of chews and treats, and a Pup Cup machine that dispenses a frozen dog treat made, per the shop, from lactose-free milk, Greek yogurt, honey and alcohol-free vanilla. Budget for one; that’s the bribe for getting back in the car.

Grooming, by appointment

Behind a curtain there’s a grooming room with a proper table and arm, where the shop’s groomer, Silvia, does everything from nail trims to full grooms. The grooming page has the whole price list. Rough guide: a bath-and-brush runs $80 to $100 for a dog under 22 pounds and up to $180 for a giant; a full groom with a haircut, nails and sanitary trim is $100 to $230 by size, with doodles on their own line. Dremel nail trims are $15 to $30, teeth brushing $12, a cat nail clip $35, and matted or heavy-shedding coats add about $20. Book by calling or texting 604-345-5823 or through the link on their site; last-minute openings get posted on Instagram.

Before you go

• The self-serve bays are first come, first served, and the machines take cash or card.
• There’s a tether cable on the wall beside the tub, so your dog stays put while you work.
• Send them a photo of your dog afterward and it can go up on the “pawtrait wall” inside.

If your dog is more presentable afterward than usual, Dog of the Month takes nominations. More downtown shops are on Shop Local in Langley City, and our off-leash dog parks guide covers where to get muddy in the first place.