Scenthound is a wellness center for dogs — a place for grooming, health and wellness. It’s a national company, and it now has two locations in central Indiana.
“You don’t have to be a member to come here, but to get the full benefit of our services, you become a member, and you’re coming once a month or more. Our packages include maintenance for coat, nails, ears and teeth, because that’s what every dog needs. Not every dog needs haircuts, conditioning treatments and shedding treatments, so those are add-ons, and members get 25% off those.”
Some dog owners might assume that since their pet doesn’t have long hair, they couldn’t use a service like what Scenthound provides, but co-owner Sarah Davis disagrees.
“Even if someone doesn’t need our grooming services, every dog needs to be checked for things like gingivitis in their gums, or things that could cause an ear infection. You could be preventing them from having a severe issue that could cost thousands of dollars at the vet,” she says.
“Our goal is to keep all dogs as healthy as they can be, because a healthy dog makes for a happy dog, which makes for a happy family.”
Co-owner Doug Davis always knew he wanted to start his own business. His wife, Sarah, came from a professional organizing business. When they came across Scenthound, they loved the business model, and they realized there wasn’t anything quite like it in the area.
“You’ve got your grooming center where you can get your dog’s hair cut, you’ve got your vet where you can get your dog checked annually, but there’s nowhere to get that maintenance done every single month, where our team is checking your dog from head to tail — cleaning their ears, teeth, coat and nails to ensure that they’re staying healthy,” Sarah Davis says.
They opened their first location in Carmel in 2023 and then opened a second in Zionsville six months later. Davis says both cities are great places to raise a family, and dogs are a part of that family.
“Dogs are beloved to their families, so it’s a big responsibility, and we don’t take it lightly. We love the impact that we’re having on the community by providing this service,” she says.
“Pretty much all of our employees have backgrounds in working with dogs, whether that be a vet office or a grooming school. Scenthound has specific standards. We have a training program for all of our employees. They’ll start as a bather, or scent tech, and learn how to do all of the basics like washing the dog properly, how to trim their nails, how to clean their ears and brush their teeth,” Davis says.
At the beginning of all visits, scent techs look and feel over the dog, especially their belly, to check for any lumps or anything unexpected. While an owner who sees their pet every day might not notice small, gradual changes, a tech who sees them once a month could be more likely to spot them.
“We’re always looking out for the dogs and their well-being. Each dog is taken care of based on how they are feeling. We take our time with them — if we’re doing a haircut, and they’re skittish, we’ll take a break,” Davis explains.
She says her ultimate goal is to make sure her customers know they can count on Scenthound to take care of their dog every month.
“A lot of people want to do these things themselves, but don’t necessarily have the time to do it. We’re giving you your time back, and an extra set of eyes to make sure you’re not missing something.”
The Davises are planning to open a third location and eventually expand across the state of Indiana. Scenthound is located at 61 Boone Village, Zionsville, IN 46077. You can reach them at 317-559-3556 or scenthound.com.
