About - Heavenly Scent Pet Resort & Spa

Heavenly Scent Pet Resort and Grooming Spa is a compassionate, caring grooming spa, luxury overnight resort, obedience training facility and day care for the dogs in your life. Your cherished family dog will be cared for by a professional team, romp on a beautiful five acres with fenced play yards, rest or slumber in luxury home-like suites, meet friends in an indoor playroom, attend obedience class in the training barn and go on country walks or adventurous hikes on surrounding trails. The resort boarding is open for all major holidays throughout the year. Visit the calendar on this web site to see Open/Closed dates prior to making your reservation for boarding. Due to popularity, the Resort books several months in advance. Please check availability for your dates as early as possible.

Because we offer a luxury, homelike environment, we may not be the best choice for your dog if you struggle with barking, behavioral, destructive, aggression, obedience or housebreaking issues (please discuss in advance).

Grooming Spa customers may simply call 989-277-0740 for the next available appointment. There are occasions when we are unable to accept new clients due to a full schedule. We are the best choice for customers who commit to a regular,repeating grooming schedule of every 2-10 weeks. Take a look at Carol’s article, “How to Choose a Dog Groomer”, to help you make an educated decision on where to have your dog groomed.

The Resort is staffed day and night for boarding guests yet staff may need to leave the locked building on occasion. Unstaffed overnights will be announced in advance of the reservation date.

Heavenly Scent Pet Resort and Spa reserves the right to refuse any services, to any pet, at any time, and for any reason.

Carol Vaughn is a Certified Master Groomer with the International Professional Groomers Association and a 2006 graduate of The Paragon School of Pet Grooming. She is also an Obedience Trainer/Instructor offer basic, advanced, puppy and private obedience classes. She entered the pet industry as the ‘passion’ work of her life and volunteers for the local Humane Society doing pet foster care, rehab and adoption, grooming and fund raising. She and her husband, Dean Smith, live on the premises of Heavenly Scent Pet Resort with their dogs.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

Say Hello to Our Staff!

Carol Vaughn

Carol Vaughn, Owner, Certified Master Groomer and Obedience Trainer/Instructor.

Carol graduated with a BBA from the University of Michigan and had years of corporate management before pursuing a dream of entering the Pet Industry. She left the corporate world in 2005, opened Heavenly Scent Pet Resort later that year, graduated from the Paragon School of Pet Grooming in 2006, and earned her Obedience Trainer/Instructor certification in 2016.

Dean Smith

Dean Smith, Owner, Husband and Facility Manager.

Dean is a recently retired Air Traffic Controller/Air Traffic Manager and takes care of the grounds, equipment and facilities at Heavenly Scent Pet Resort.

Nicole Mahar

Nicole Mahar, Professional Groomer and Salon Manager.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baker College and has been with Heavenly Scent Pet Resort since 2016. She graduated from Paragon School of Pet Grooming in 2018.

Jennifer Carman

Pet Services and Grooming Assistant

Jennifer started with us in 2021 bringing her background of animal care and 4H leadership to Heavenly Scent. Having just retired from human healthcare services, Jennifer’s gentle touch is now directed to our guests. She raises prize-winning goats, has several horses, cats, and her dog.

Shawn VanFleteren

Customer Service/Admin

Shawn came to us early in the Covid pandemic to help with curbside customer services. We loved her help at the front desk and asked her to stay. She has administrative experience with her family-owned elevator business and banking. She is the face you’ll first see to get your groom/board experience off to the perfect start.

Becca Lake

Pet Services and Groomer Assistant

Becca began with us in 2022. She has brought her childcare and pet experiences to her new career in the Pet Industry.

Allie Shaydik

Professional Groomer in Training

Allie is enrolled in The Paragon School of Pet Grooming Distance Learning program and is doing her hands-on training with us. She began with us in 2022 and is expected to graduate in early 2023. She came with lots of dog background from the Shiawassee 4H Canine Program and also had a year experience as a Bather/Brusher.