NORTH BEND – There is a simple reason why Tove Titus wants to shower dogs with affection.

“Dogs are better than people,” she said. “They don’t judge. They just love you.”

That is why Titus is willing to be around dogs, and cats, all day. On April 1, Titus opened North Bend Pet Salon where dogs and cats can get the treatment she thinks they deserve.

“Dogs feel better when they are clean,” she said. “They start to prance around.”

Prior to opening her shop, Titus had a six-month pet grooming apprenticeship and worked out of her home for another six months. Her new space on North Bend Way is equipped with kennels, a bath area and a room for a licensed dog masseuse, who comes in on a part-time basis.

While Titus does a majority of the grooming herself, she allows owners to wash their own pets, which, she says, is becoming a popular feature at grooming businesses since it saves owners money and time. There is even a television and toys in the grooming area so parents can plop their children down while they wash their pets. Since most people are willing to wash their own cats and dogs but just don’t want to deal with the mess, the self-wash area has been popular.

In addition to making pets cleaner, Titus wants to help make them healthier and happier. She offers health-wise dog biscuits that don’t contain sugar, soy, wheat or corn and are made by Issaquah-based Bodacious Bowwows. Titus has also developed partnerships with local pet-sitters, trainers and veterinarians who she refers clients to.

“We recommend each other because we respect what each other are all doing,” Titus said.

In the future, Titus will offer even more services for pet lovers. She wants to hold a dog social on the first and third Sunday of every month where dogs and their owners can get a chance to know each other. She will also be offering classes on basic pet care. Eventually, Titus will be offering dog day care where owners can drop off their pooches for a day of play.

“There are some dogs that have never seen other dogs and that’s not good,” Titus said. “Those dogs grow up to be timid and shy.”

If it sounds like a lot to offer a household pet, North Bend Pet Salon’s services are just the beginning, according to Titus. Pet spas in New York and Los Angeles have been around for years and Titus would like to fashion her care after the New York Dog Spa, which offers top-of-the-line dog services.

“People want their dogs to look and smell good,” Titus said.

Many pet owners in the Valley apparently agree.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook,” she said.

* North Bend Pet Salon is located at 301 North Bend Way, Suite E, in North Bend. For information, call (425) 888-3120 or visit www.northbendpetsalon.com.