Local groomer goes to great lengths for training

By Russ Krebs/Tribune Staff

Most area pet groomers can't say they've groomed the dog of a multi-million CD selling R&B singer who's won numerous awards.

Some can say they've trimmed the dogs of politicians or other pseudo-celebrities, but only Jamie Kumm, owner of Royl Kennels, can say he's groomed music superstar Usher's Siberian Husky.

No, Usher didn't make the trip to Royl Kennels, just off U.S. Highway 77 near the edge of Fremont and Inglewood.

Kumm groomed the pooch at the International Academy of Pet Design near Atlanta where he trained for 600 hours to become a certified groomer.

"I was nervous, but it was basically just a bath," Kumm said. "It was one of my first days there, so thankfully I didn't have to do much more than that."

Royl Kennel started in 1968.  Jamie and Alison Kumm bought the strictly kennel business in 2002 wanting to remodel and add services.

"We just completely repainted and refurbished our kennel," he said. "We designed a play area where I want to pay a kid to get out there and play ball with (the dogs) in the summer."

Currently, the couple both still work part time until the grooming business takes off, but as word gets out grooming is more of a full-time job for Kumm.

The kennel business is not a problem. It's not uncommon for all 32 indoor/outdoor temperature controlled runs to be filled.

"It's always cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We have a standard here of cleanliness, and we annually get a 100 percent on our inspections," Kumm said. "We live right next door, so 24 hours a day we can be here."

There have been no grooming services at Royl for 25 years, but since Kumm recently graduated from the International Academy of Pet Design, that has changed.  "It's ranked up there as the top school in the nation.  I did every breed of dog imaginable at school, and I'll probably never see half of those breeds here," Kumm said. "Now, we're not only a full-service kennel, we offer full-service all breed pet grooming. I know how to groom breeds that you're not going to get too much opportunity for in the area, but it's nice to know how to if it happens."

There's a whole lot more than a haircut involved with bathing, brushing, anal gland expression and nail trimming.

"There's no dog too big and no dog too small," Kumm said. "I did some monsters out there. I give my best shot at cats, but some just don't like to be groomed."

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