Molly Beasley may run a business that specializes in dogs, but her main focus is people.

Beasley, who has lived in Fairhope with her husband Dave for 11 years, recently opened Give a Dog a Bone, a do-it-yourself dog wash boutique on Church Street in downtown Fairhope.

As a dog owner herself, Beasley said she knows the hassles of trying to bathe dogs indoors and the guilt that comes with spraying furry friends with cold water from a yard hose.

“This is designed for between going to the groomer and dogs that just need a good bath, and you don’t want to punish them with a cold water hose,” she said. “I lost a dog back in December of last year. We tried to bathe her when we lived in an apartment inside, and we found out real quick that that just did not work.”

For $10, owners of dogs of all sizes can bring their pets to Give a Dog a Bone and bathe them in an elevated tub equipped with a grooming loop and consistently warm water.

The basic package includes shampoo, a blueberry facial, as many towels as needed and a facecloth. Nail trimming is also available, and Beasley said she is always available to help.

Customer service for canines and their human companions is Beasley’s top priority. After working at a local veterinary clinic, in real estate and in dentistry, she said she learned people have come to expect bad customer service.

“In the industries that I’ve been in and the situations I’ve been in, customer service has fallen off,” Beasley said. “I want people to enjoy shopping for their pet or taking something as mundane as giving your dog a bath and make it a fun experience.”

Beasley kept people in mind when she designed the tubs, making some shorter than others and providing built-in stairs and adjustable grooming loops to accommodate short and tall humans as well as large and small dogs.

Being bathed in a place with plenty of room and a relaxed atmosphere seems to calm even dogs that normally do not enjoy bath time, Beasley said.

“Nine times out of 10, people are like ‘My dog hates the bath,’ and then you look over and they’re sitting still, doing fine,” she said. “So we try to make it a positive experience for everybody”

Beasley said she expects business to pick up during the holiday season.

“This time of year we’ll see it start pick up with the holidays — people want clean dogs,” she said. “We’re trying to prepare and get some inventory.”

Because there are so many dog owners in Fairhope, Beasley said she hopes Give a Dog a Bone will become a gathering place for them.

“Really, I would like for it to become a social place for people to come,” Beasley said. “I go out on the bay all the time, and it’s almost like a little cult of dog people, and so we just need to get the word out so this can become the social place to go and hang with your dog.”

Give a Dog a Bone can also accommodate nail trims, luxury bath experiences, blow drying and hair trimming. Beasley also stocks treats, dog sweaters and canine college apparel.

Nov. 17, Give a Dog a Bone will celebrate its grand opening in conjunction with an adoption event sponsored by The Haven.

For more information, call Molly Beasley at 251-929-1800.