About Pawlette
The little studio where every dog is family.
Pawlette is a small boutique studio in Brookside built around one promise — no rushing, no cages, no stress. This is who we are, and how we work.
Great Danes to Chihuahuas — every coat, every size, every temperament.
Our Story
It started with one chair and a very nervous terrier.
— Maya Okafor, Founder
In 2014, Maya opened a one-chair studio behind a Brookside bakery. Her first regular was a rescue terrier who trembled through every groom — until she stopped watching the clock and let him set the pace. That single appointment became the blueprint for everything we do.
The studio has grown since — more gentle hands, more tubs, a much sunnier room — but the house rule has never changed: the dog decides the rhythm, and the day ends with tails still wagging.
2014
One chair, one tub
Maya opens the first studio behind a bakery, taking one dog at a time.
2019
A team of gentle hands
Priya and Elena join, and the calm-first ritual becomes the house rule.
Today
Brookside’s quiet favorite
A bright studio on Willow Lane where nervous dogs — and their people — can exhale.
Meet the Team
Three groomers, one gentle standard.
Every Pawlette groomer trains in fear-free handling before they ever pick up shears — and it shows in the wag.
Maya Okafor
Lead Stylist & Founder
Maya still takes the nervous first-timers herself. Doodles, poodles, and shy rescues are her happy place.
Doodle transformations
Priya Shah
Senior Groomer
Precision hand-stripping and breed-standard cuts, delivered with endless patience and a pocketful of treats.
Terrier coats
Elena Ross
Groomer & Spa Lead
Elena leads our slow spa ritual, keeping senior and anxious dogs comfortable from first rinse to final fluff.
Senior dog care
Our Grooming Philosophy
We groom at your dog’s pace — never at the clock’s.
Every choice in the studio — soft lighting, quiet dryers, one-dog-at-a-time booking — exists to keep heart rates low and tails loose.
01 · Calm before craft
A settled dog comes first
We begin with slow introductions and breaks whenever they’re needed. A beautiful finish follows naturally.
02 · Consent at every step
We listen to ears and posture
Dogs tell us plenty without barking. When your dog asks for a pause, they get one — every time.
03 · A finish that lasts
Coat health over quick fixes
Gentle, natural products and breed-aware technique keep the cut looking good long after the spa day ends.
Why Clients Trust Us
Small promises, kept every visit.
No mystery behind the studio door — just careful hands, honest updates, and a dog who’s happy to come back.
Fear-Free certified
Every groomer is certified in low-stress, restraint-free handling — and recertifies each year.
A report card, every time
You’ll always know how it went: coat notes, mood, and a photo before pickup.
Insured & vet-trusted
Fully insured, with local vets referring their trickiest coats and shyest patients to us.
Consent-based handling
If a dog needs a break, they get one. We reschedule before we ever force a finish.
Come Say Hello
Meet us before you book anything.
Drop by for a five-minute hello-sniff. We’ll show you around the studio, answer everything, and let your dog decide if we’re friends.
