Making a SPLASH Downtown

Photos by Emily FitzPatrick

As someone who owns a miniature dachshund with food allergies, finding a food supply both for everyday meals and treats can be a challenge. Despite how challenging the dietary restrictions for my dog can be, they become a necessity when my four-legged friend’s skin becomes so unbearable that he begins to scratch and bite his fur away in an effort to soothe the itchiness the wrong food can cause.

Once you take out some of the most commonly used ingredients in dog foods—corn, wheat and chicken—you aren’t left with a ton of options. Or so it would seem until you explore the plethora of goods available at SPLASH, located on the south side of Historic Downtown Idaho Falls.

“I don’t carry anything I wouldn’t feed my own dogs,” Tina Dixon said as she showed me the variety of treats they carried that would be safe for my dog. The treats included everything from the salmon training treats I had searched far-and-low for at local chain stores and a little more out of the ordinary products, such as freeze-dried minnows and cod and blueberry dog treats. Of course, SPLASH also carries more traditional chicken and beef based treats, as well as oat cakes decorated with frosting in the front display case.

Although the bakery goods for dogs are a siren call to loving pet owners, SPLASH is best known for its pet wash stations. Customers wishing to wash their pets simply head over to the wash stations and use the provided towels, shampoo and other supplies. SPLASH takes care of cleaning up all messes your four-legged friends might cause, making the experience stress free and easy with lower tubs for large dogs (mastiffs, great danes, etc.). 

The self-serve spa works diligently to satisfy the needs of pet owners, not only by providing all of the necessary supplies for a proper washing, but also a few kennels for owners of multiple dogs to keep their pets while they wash each one at a time in the bathing area. After the washing is complete, dogs are rewarded with an ice cream at the cash register.

“We get a lot of people that travel,” Dixon said. “Especially in the summertime, they’ve got a doodle they can’t wash in their RV or if they’re staying in the hotel you can’t use the shower hotel, so they bring them in here.”

Although the store has grown from a smaller location on Broadway to its expanded location on Cliff Street, Dixon said there was a time when many people voiced their disapproval of her choice to open a self-serve pet spa, stating that the venture wouldn’t find a clientele in Idaho Falls. Eight years later, Dixon can no longer remember the names of her opposers, but she does enjoy a sweet taste of victory seeing her business thrive. The spa and supply store even weathered difficulties, such as the pandemic, more gracefully than she could have imagined.

All items in the store are made in the USA, a major defining characteristic between the local spot and other chains around the country. Because the products within the store are not imported from China, Dixon had no problems keeping products in stock during the worst of COVID-19, something which was a problem for many of her competitors.

One popular question Dixon and her colleagues frequently receive over the phone is whether or not the establishment has grooming services. Although that’s not something the location offers at this time, pet lovers will find plenty of supplies and other items to satisfy their cats and dogs alike.  

For more information, call 208-881-1021 or visit SPLASH on their Facebook page.