By Ameera Steward | For The Birmingham Times
From dog grooming to dog breeding, Chrissy Scott, also known as “The Fairy Pup Muva,” is dedicated to offering teeth cleaning, boarding, treats, meals, breeding for canine companions—”a one-stop dog shop,” she said.
“… It’s hard to place myself into one pet category. The Fairy Pup Muva—pronounced mûh-vah—is all encompassing,” she added.
Scott even hosts dog parties (she calls them “dog pawties”) and birthday, aka “barkday,” celebrations because “we aren’t the only ones that want to be celebrated and feel special,” said the business owner.
“Our fur babies bring us so much joy and support,” Scott added. “It’s important to celebrate them whenever we can because they don’t live forever, even though I really wish they did.”
Scott is happy to help people invest in their pets because “dogs are part of our family. We love them, we want to see them just as happy as we are, if not happier.”
Even though animals are nonverbal, their love for humans speaks volumes, so they should be taken care of in the best ways possible, she said.
“Taking care of fur babies provides them a high quality of life and extends their life expectancy,” said the 30-year-old Birmingham native. “The more care, love, [and] affection we pour into them, the longer they’ll stay around to receive it. … Why wouldn’t you invest in their well-being and spoil them whenever possible?”
Nature’s Best Friend
Growing up in Birmingham’s Ensley neighborhood, Scott always had a love for animals. “My dad and my dad’s side of the family are big animal lovers, so I always thought I was going to be a veterinarian,” she said.
Scott loved anything that had to do with animals. For example, “The Wild Thornberrys,” an animated show on the Nickelodeon television channel about a family of wildlife documentary filmmakers that ran from 1998 to 2004, and “Doctor Dolittle,” a movie about a doctor who could speak to animals, were among her favorites when she was younger.
Scott loved the shows so much that she befriended a squirrel in her Ensley neighborhood. “I literally adopted a pet squirrel,” she laughed. “Every morning when the squirrel would come out of the tree, my mom [told me], ‘You would take your snacks out of your daycare bag and feed the squirrel, The squirrel would grab the snack and run right back up the tree.’”
Scott has an older sister and older brother on her mother’s side of the family and an older brother and two younger brothers on her dad’s side. She attended Fairfield High School and graduated in 2012. She enrolled at Tuskegee University, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in Tuskegee, Alabama, to start her veterinary studies. Before she could make her mark, though, “life took some unexpected turns,” she said.
“God was leading me down a different path, … so I had to pivot. There were times I felt discouraged, … but I always knew I would be doing what I love—and here I am,” she said.
After a year at Tuskegee, she returned to Birmingham and tried to finish her studies at Bevill State Community College. However, while she was studying, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and changed everything.
“The way that classes were being operated was hybrid, and I’m more of a hands-on learner. I like to be in the classroom. I need that type of foundation and stability,” Scott said.
Dog-Friendly Recipes
Although the pandemic halted her studies, it lit a fire in her to start a business. Scott woke up one day with an idea to make dog Christmas stockings, treats, and holiday boxes, and this prompted her to look into dog-friendly recipes for snacks. She also went to speak with a veterinarian at the Caldwell Mill Animal Clinic in Birmingham to ensure that the treats she wanted to create would appeal to dogs.
“It started with dog stockings, and I sold out within one week,” said Scott, who began selling her handiwork via social media and word of mouth because she wasn’t sure about the response she would get from the community.
When a friend mentioned dog parties, “That pushed me into a different realm,” said Scott.
“I was able to throw these elaborate, themed dog parties with the help [and creativity of a friend, India Brown-Johnson]. … Before I knew it, I was prepping dog buffets and cakes all over the city.”
Scott’s celebrations run the gamut: she’s hosted dog parties for Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day that consist of treats and cakes based on the theme of the party, so the dogs get to eat and play—almost like a child’s birthday party.
Making the Cut
Before Scott knew it, people started asking if she cut dog hair, which made her nervous because it was something she hadn’t explored yet: “I had to do a lot of research,” she said.
Scott decided to take virtual courses on dog grooming, and she practiced on the four-legged companions of her family and close friends.
“I just stepped out on faith, and I started accepting a few more people,” she said. “People started coming back [for my grooming services], and then they told other people. … Before I knew it, God blessed my business and my hands so much that the word of mouth and [number of] clients started to be bigger [than I could handle].”
Scott not only needed a bigger place but also struggled to keep up with the grooming needs of her own dogs—Roscoe, a 5-year-old Bichon Frisé; Honey Bee, a 2-year-old Shih Tzu, and their baby, Milkshake, a 6-month-old Shihchon.
Scott found a groomer for her own dogs: Ashley’s Loving Touch Grooming in Irondale, Alabama, where she was offered a grooming table after a few months of taking her fur babies for regular visits. Scott has been operating at Ashley’s for a year now, while also working at a banking and financial services company, where she’s been employed for 10 years.
“There are a lot of things on my plate,” said Scott. “[Still], I believe that my business is really going to go to the top.”
The Fairy Pup Muva
“We love our dogs just as much as [everyone else],” said Scott, who operates out of Ashley’s Loving Touch Grooming in Irondale, Alabama. “My overall mission is to continue to educate people that look like me so that we can continue to provide the best care for our dogs.”
The Fairy Pup Muva—pronounced mûh-vah—knows her trade well. In 2013, she worked as a kennel tech for Mercy Animal Clinic, where she learned how to bathe dogs, as well as clean their ears and trim their nails.
“It helped build the foundation for me to birth my business,” she said.
As for teeth cleaning, in 2024 she attended GROOM’D, a grooming-focused pet trade show held annually in Atlanta, Georgia. After the competitions were over, all of the Black groomers did a giveaway, and Scott won a full doggy dental cleaning system along with training and advertising merchandise.
Investing in Pets
Overall, Scott believes her skill set comes from genetics, God, the motto of “never stop learning,” and constant motivation from her mother, Veronica Lewis. Also, her dad, in addition to being an animal lover, is a self-taught barber—and Scott remains a student of her craft, as well.
“I’m always looking for grooming courses to learn different techniques. I make sure I follow a lot of groomers and grooming pages, so my social media is also being used as a learning tool versus a distraction,” she said. “I am human, [though], so I do find a balance between educating myself … and using it to decompress.”
Scott connects with other Birmingham-area groomers, too. “We help each other, and that’s what I love about the grooming community here,” said Scott, who believes people invest so much into their pets because “dogs are part of our family, [and] we love them.”
She added, “Taking care of fur babies provides them a high quality of life and extends their life expectancy. The more care, love, [and] affection we pour into them, the longer they’ll stay around to receive it. … Why wouldn’t you invest in their well-being and spoil them whenever possible?”
An Array of Services
Scott’s grooming services range from $65 to $95 and up, depending on the animal’s size. She emphasized that she does not accept aggressive dogs or dogs that have to be sedated to be groomed; this protects not only her but also the dog and its peace of mind. She offers bath-only services, too, which include a full bath, ear cleaning, and nail trimming that range from $25 to $65 and up, depending on size. Scott’s teeth-cleaning services include a basic cleaning, from $10 to $15, and deep cleans, which are $85 and involve the removal of tartar buildup, a gum detox, and a tongue scrub. She also provides coloring services, done with dog friendly dye, and offers dog boarding, ranging from $25 to $35 per day.
In addition to dog-care services, Scott hosts dog parties, which can include a full setup with decor, dog food, and more. Parties can cost $500 and up; if she provides a cake, it starts as low as $12 and increases depending on how elaborate of a cake the customer wants. She also can provide dog treat table or dog food buffet, with prices ranging between $50 and $75.
Outside of parties, Scott also creates and sells dog treats and meals, for which the prices vary. Many of her treats and meals are themed based on the current holiday, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving specialty meals.
The investment is well worth it, said Scott, because we want to see our dogs be as happy as we are, if not happier.”
Animals are nonverbal, but their love for humans speaks volumes, so they should be taken care of in the best ways possible. “They are my babies,” said the business owner, who sees infinite possibilities for The Fairy Pup Muva.
“I want to be able to, one day, visit different farms [and service animals],” said Scott. “I really don’t have just one species I have a passion [for working] with. I really want to work with all animals. … I love learning about them [and] being around them, so it’s just a matter of time before I’m at a farm near you.”
Visit The Fairy Pup Muva for more information and to schedule an appointment.
