Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Belcher.
Hi Taylor, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey with Perfect Paws started in 2020 with Perfect Paws House Calls. I’ve always had a huge love for animals, as well as entrepreneurship. After graduating grooming school, I had been thinking of starting my own business, but just didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. I thought a bit about opening up a salon, mobile grooming van, and even putting in a home salon in my house. Then one day I got a call from my dad who lived three hours away in Pennsylvania. He explained that his senior German Shepherd desperately needed her nails done. But he was unable to put her in the car to bring her to the vet, and she was also unable to even get into a mobile grooming van. This is where the idea for Perfect Paws House Calls came to be. I decided to create a service that made pet care easier and less stressful for both pets and their owners by bringing nail trimming directly to them. What started as just an idea has grown into a house call service that has taken over Monmouth and Ocean Counties. It has been especially rewarding to work with senior pets, anxious pets, and animals who may have difficulty going to a traditional grooming salon or veterinary office.
A few years later, in 2024, I expanded with the launch of Perfect Paws Bakery. After spending years working with thousands of pets and their owners, I saw firsthand how much people care about giving their pets the best they can, but also how difficult it can be to find treats me with without a bunch of unnecessary ingredients. I realize that in the world where we’ve become so conscious about what we put in our own bodies, we should have the same opportunity to be conscious about what we give to our four-legged family members. I had always made homemade treats for my own dogs, so I took the same approach and turned it into Perfect Paws Bakery. I wanted to create treats with simple, recognizable ingredients that pet owners could feel good about giving their dogs, just as much as the dogs enjoy getting them. Since then, the bakery has grown to include every day and seasonal treats, dog cakes, custom treats for everything from birthdays to weddings and special events, giving people away to include their dogs in life special moments. We’ve also grown through partnerships with local retailers and events throughout New Jersey along with the Perfect Paws Barkuterie Cart, a build your own dog treat bar.
Working so closely with my local community has also given me the opportunity to give back through supporting local shelters and rescues, fostering dogs in need, and bringing people together through fundraisers and community events. That passion for giving back is what led to Pawtectinig Paws NJ, a nonprofit I’m currently working to establish.
Looking back, I could have never imagined where one simple idea would lead me or everything that Perfect Paws would become. But I’m constantly creating and coming up with new ideas and I always seem to have another one in the works. Even after everything Perfect Paws has grown into. I still feel like this is just the beginning for me!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest challenges of being an entrepreneur is that there really isn’t a handbook for it so much of what I’ve learned has come from simply figuring things out as I go. There has been plenty of ideas that didn’t work the first time, or at all, things I’ve had to completely change, and moments where I’ve had to learn through trial and error. All that being said, I will forever say that the “worst” part of my job is losing the pets I’ve grown to love over the years. It’s a part of working with animals that not many people think about. There have been many times I’ve walked into a client’s home knowing it will be the last time I’d be there, so I spend a little extra time saying goodbye. Other times, I get an unexpected text, letting me know that a pet has passed, and it breaks my heart every single time. When I’ve cared for the same pets for years, they become so much more than an appointment on my schedule. I’ve shared many tears over pets that weren’t technically mine, and I don’t think that part of my job will ever get easier.
As you know, we’re big fans of Perfect Paws House Calls & Bakery. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Perfect Paws is built around making life with pets a little easier while giving pet owners service as a products they can feel good about.
Perfect Paws House Call specializes in in-home nail trimming throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Instead of pet owners having to bring their pets to a groomer or vet just for a nail trim, I come directly to their home. This is especially helpful for for senior pets, anxious pets, pets with the mobility issues and even owners who may have difficulty transporting their animals. I work with dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, lizards, you name it. Being able to provide that one-on-one experience in an environment, where they’re most comfortable is a huge part of what sets Perfect Paws House Calls apart.
Perfect Paws Bakery is focused on creating dog treats with simple ingredients and natural colors. Our treats are made without all of the unnecessary extras. We specialize in custom treats for all occasions, partner with local small businesses, and offer the Perfect Paws Barkuterie cart, a build your own dog treat bar. We may be biased, but we believe that dogs should never be left out!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about the community that I work in and am part of is how supportive people are of small businesses and one another. I’ve met so many amazing people through Perfect Paws, from clients who have supported me for years to other local business owners, rescues, and organizations I’ve had the opportunity to work with.
My least favorite part? Definitely the New Jersey shore traffic!
Contact Info:
- Website: perfectpawshousecalls.com | perfectpawsbakerynj.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/perfectpawshousecalls | instagram.com/perfectpawsbakery
- Facebook: facebook.com/perfectpawshousecalls | facebook.com/perfectpawsbakerynj
