Meet The Comb & Collar Grooming And Daycare Team

Experienced groomers and pet care professionals dedicated to safe, compassionate, low-stress pet care.

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Our Team

Meet The People Behind Comb And Collar

The Comb & Collar team is built around experience, compassion, and individualized pet care. Every groomer and daycare team member brings their own specialties, handling strengths, and passion for animals into the salon and daycare environment. From breed-specific styling and giant breed handling to puppy introductions and behavioral support, our goal is to create a safe and welcoming experience for every pet and owner who walks through our doors.

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Heidi Balamatowski

Owner

Heidi is the owner of Comb & Collar and brings more than 10 years of professional grooming experience to the salon. After managing corporate grooming salons, she created Comb & Collar to provide a calmer, more personalized alternative focused on one-on-one care and pet comfort. Heidi has a special passion for large and giant breeds and works closely with heavy undercoat grooming, deshedding, and specialized handling for bigger dogs. Her approach centers around patience, safety, and creating positive grooming experiences for every pet.

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Mandy Benoit

 Grooming Specialist

Mandy specializes in grooming small breed dogs and enjoys building trusting relationships with pets that may be nervous or sensitive during appointments. Her calm approach and attention to detail help create a positive grooming experience focused on comfort and coat maintenance. Mandy works closely with personalized styling, maintenance grooming, and helping dogs feel safe throughout the grooming process.

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Erika Draho

Grooming Specialist

Erika brings extensive knowledge in canine behavior and body language to the Comb & Collar team. Her background includes working with film animals and assisting with high-profile dogs, helping her develop advanced handling and communication skills with pets of all temperaments. Erika’s calm approach helps support anxious dogs, sensitive pets, and dogs requiring extra patience during grooming or daycare interactions.

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Amber Poloway

Grooming Specialist

Alyssa is dual certified in both dog and cat grooming and focuses on providing safe, individualized care tailored to each pet’s coat and personality. Her grooming approach emphasizes patience, gentle handling, and creating a low-stress environment for pets needing additional reassurance during appointments. Alyssa works with maintenance grooming, styling services, and comfort-focused care plans.

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Kristine Eisthen

Henderson Salon Manager

Kristine combines professional grooming experience with holistic pet care techniques including certification as a human and animal Reiki practitioner. She has also completed studies through the Animal Behavior College, helping her better understand pet communication and handling needs. Kristine enjoys working with Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and dogs needing calm, compassionate support during grooming appointments.

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Alyssa Sossai

Grooming Specialist

Alyssa focuses on creating positive experiences for pets through patient handling and individualized care. She supports grooming appointments and daycare operations while helping maintain a calm and welcoming environment for pets of all ages, breeds, and personalities. Her approach centers around comfort, consistency, and helping pets feel secure throughout their visit.

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Kassidy Zelinsky

Grooming Specialist

Kassidy specializes in large double-coated breeds including Great Pyrenees and other heavy shedding dogs. She enjoys helping owners manage difficult coats through advanced brushing, deshedding techniques, and coat maintenance services designed to support healthier skin and coat conditions. Kassidy focuses on gentle handling and patient grooming methods for larger breeds requiring additional care.

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Reggie Valdez

Grooming  Specialist

Reggie graduated from the Apex Academy of Professional Grooming and specializes in Oodle grooming, teddy bear styling, and detailed scissor work. Her grooming style focuses on maintaining coat health while achieving clean, balanced finishes tailored to each dog’s coat type and lifestyle. Reggie enjoys working with poodle mixes and high-maintenance coats requiring precision grooming and consistent maintenance.

Our Philosophy

Safe, Compassionate, One On One Pet Care

At Comb & Collar, we believe grooming and daycare experiences should prioritize comfort, trust, and safety above all else. Our team works hard to provide individualized care plans tailored to each pet’s personality, coat condition, and comfort level. By maintaining a calmer environment and focusing on one-on-one handling, we help pets feel more relaxed while building positive long-term relationships with both pets and their owners.

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