Janita J. Plungė on Turning Love for Animals into Everyday Care
Janita J. Plungė’s journey began in Lithuania with Kika, the Poodle she had always dreamed of, and a determination to learn how to care for her herself. Today, the pet care specialist and founder of KIKA GROUP shares her expertise around the world. In her book, The Art of Coat and Skin: My Journey, she brings together nearly four decades of knowledge and her personal story. In this interview, Janita reflects on the lessons that challenged her to start learning again, the work that followed her into her dreams, and what every owner can do to improve their pet’s life.
You have spent more than three decades working with animals. What made you feel that now was the right time to bring your experience together in a book?
I have lived and worked with dogs for almost forty years. From the very beginning, I have shared my knowledge with people who love animals, through seminars, lectures, consultations and teaching around the world. I also teach at our grooming academy and train ambassadors who go on to share that knowledge with others.
Wherever I taught, people kept asking the same questions. Why is my dog losing hair or scratching? What causes dandruff or coat breakage? Why am I putting so much effort into care and buying products without seeing results? The country might change, but the owner’s concerns remained the same.
Over the years, my discoveries, practical experience and lessons came together into a clear understanding of how closely an animal’s skin, coat, nutrition and daily care are connected. I felt it was time to bring that knowledge together in one place. I wanted readers to be able to open the book and understand where to begin, what might need to change and why.
I also wanted to reach people who would never attend one of my seminars or come across my social media or YouTube channel. When I was starting out, I would have loved to have that kind of foundation. Now I can offer it to others.
When I see an opportunity to do something useful for people and their animals, I find it difficult to let the idea go. I feel compelled to follow through. That is how this book came about.
Your new book, The Art of Coat and Skin: My Journey, is both personal and educational. Why was it important to tell your story alongside the practical advice?
Every piece of advice I give comes from experience. I wanted readers to understand where my knowledge and convictions came from, how much learning was involved and which ideas I had to reconsider along the way.
My beginnings were very simple: a fifteen-year-old girl and her much-loved Poodle, Kika. Watching her groomer work made me want to learn how to do it myself. I had no money, but I had a strong desire to learn. Once I began grooming dogs, I wanted to become the best groomer I could be. I sought out experienced professionals, travelled to learn from them, worked, made mistakes and eventually began teaching others. Today, people see the results, but behind them are countless hours of practice and many mistakes. I wanted to tell that story honestly.
The products I develop grew out of that same everyday experience. Initially, I needed them for my own dogs. I wanted my dogs to look their best and succeed in the show ring, and I wanted their white coats to stay white, full and free from breakage. I saw what was missing and worked with specialists to find solutions. That is how Nature’s Protection, Tauro Pro Line and Misoko developed.
It matters to me that readers feel I understand their concerns. I am also an owner who loves her animals and looks for answers. I share my experience openly, and readers can decide what to apply in their own lives. I hope my story also gives them the confidence to keep learning.
What do you believe is the biggest misconception pet owners have about their animals’ skin and coat?
That the coat is somehow separate from the rest of the body, so a good shampoo or an attractive haircut will be enough. In reality, it can reflect an animal’s overall condition. Changes in the coat may also indicate what is happening internally. That is why nutrition, health and everyday habits all matter. Grooming products alone cannot make up for a lack of essential nutrients.
When choosing care products, I encourage owners to read the labels: what the product is intended for, what it contains and how it should be used. Natural ingredients matter to me personally, but the word “natural” does not, on its own, guarantee safety. The whole formulation and its suitability for the individual pet need to be considered.
Good care should make everyday life easier and help an animal feel comfortable. A beautiful coat is a pleasure to see, but I also care about whether the skin is irritated, whether mats are pulling on it and whether the animal is comfortable being touched.
If every pet owner could change just one thing about the way they care for their dog or cat, what would you want it to be?
I would like them to give their pet a few minutes of undivided attention every day. Stroke them thoughtfully, run a hand through their coat, check their skin and paws, and notice how they respond to touch.
We often pet our animals while looking at our phones or thinking about work. Yet those few attentive minutes can help us notice a new mat, redness, a sensitive area or a change in behaviour. When you know what is normal for your animal, you are more likely to recognise when something changes.
The habit I would most like to bring from caring for show dogs into every home is consistency. Good results come from small things done regularly. That time together also strengthens your bond. Your animal learns to trust you, and you learn to understand them better.
Was there a particular dog, another animal or an experience that permanently changed your approach to animal care?
The Maltese dogs I began raising after many years of working with Poodles taught me a particularly important lesson. I understood Poodle coats well and knew how to prepare them for shows. I felt I had a very solid foundation. Then, suddenly, I was working with a long, silky, flowing coat, and my existing knowledge was no longer enough.
I had to learn to choose different products, combs and brushes, and to protect the hair from breakage. Even the wrong brush or an incorrectly tied section of hair could cause damage that took months to put right.
Later, Pomeranians brought new questions: their double coats, undercoats and shedding patterns. Once again, I studied care, nutrition and the relationship between them. The more I learned, the more clearly I understood just how different dogs and their coats can be.
Those experiences taught me to understand each coat type in its own right and to pay close attention to the individual animal. What works beautifully for one may not suit another. I remain willing to change my habits and learn again.
What have animals taught you that you feel you could not have learned from people?
Above all, animals have taught me how to love. It was an intensive education: I had to learn very quickly how to care for them, understand them and take responsibility for them. Being with them has shown me what it means to be accepted as I am. Whether my day has gone well or I come home exhausted, my dogs are happy to see me and want to be close.
To me, an animal is an extraordinarily loyal friend and the best companion to talk to. You can tell them anything. They do not criticise or complain, and sometimes their presence alone is enough to bring a sense of calm. That bond is very precious to me.
Experiencing that devotion teaches me to be present in return: to make time, notice when I am needed and respond with care. I carry that lesson into my relationships with people, too.
Is there a story, a particular case or a chapter in the book that feels especially personal to you?
Yes, the chapter “Grooming in My Dreams.” The title is quite literal: I really did dream about grooming dogs.
There was a period when I was raising children, building a business and handing some of my work over to the groomers I had trained. I could no longer spend as much time at the grooming table every day. At night, however, I would dream about that familiar work: picking up scissors, feeling the coat and grooming.
However many other responsibilities entered my life, that work remained part of me. Even today, at a dog show, I feel the urge to pick up the scissors myself and refine a line. I am glad the book reveals that side of me. Readers may know me as a business founder or product developer, but here they can see how much joy I find in working with my hands and being close to an animal.
What can a pet’s skin and coat tell us about their overall health and wellbeing?
They can offer valuable clues, particularly when something changes: the coat starts to break, dandruff or bald patches appear, the skin becomes red, or the animal scratches more often or repeatedly licks one area.
There can be many causes, ranging from care and nutrition to parasites, allergies or other health conditions. You cannot make a diagnosis from the coat alone. Normal seasonal shedding is also different from unusual hair loss. Persistent itching, skin lesions or unusual coat loss should be assessed by a veterinarian.
I would encourage owners to think back over recent changes. Has there been a change in food, grooming products, environment or behaviour? That information is valuable to the professional assessing your pet. You see your animal every day, so your observations can help them understand what is happening more quickly.
What is the most important advice you would give someone bringing home their first puppy or kitten?
Welcome them as a new member of the family and be prepared to take responsibility for them. In many ways, a young animal reminds me of a child: their safety and wellbeing depend on our decisions and care.
When we are expecting a baby, we think about food, care products, a cot and even the little scissors we will use for their nails. We should prepare for a pet with the same sense of responsibility. Before choosing one, consider their needs and whether you can meet them throughout their life.
Just as we learn to bathe a baby or trim their nails, we can learn to care for an animal safely: brushing, trimming nails and bathing when needed. Ask a professional to show you how to do these things for your particular pet and which products to choose. Introduce care gradually, in short, calm sessions, paying attention to their reactions.
Help them understand life in your home, too. Just as we patiently teach a child what is and is not allowed, a dog needs clear, consistent rules. Show them the behaviour you would like to see and reward it with praise, play or an appropriate treat. Give them time to settle in, a quiet place to rest and a predictable daily routine. You are only beginning to get to know each other, so build trust from the first day.
After reading The Art of Coat and Skin: My Journey, what would you most like readers to see differently when they look at their pets?
I would like them to understand their own animal better: their personality, habits, breed characteristics, coat type and needs. I would like them to recognise when their pet is comfortable and when something has changed. Getting to know the animal you share your life with is, to me, one of the most beautiful parts of that relationship.
I also want readers to understand the significance of their everyday choices. A pet cannot read a label or seek help when they need it. That responsibility belongs to us. Love for an animal needs to become everyday action: taking an interest, paying attention, learning, providing care and doing the best we can for them.
To every family, their dog or cat is the most special of all. We all want as many happy years together as possible. If this book helps someone understand their pet better and inspires even one positive change in their daily life, I will know exactly why I wrote it.