FOX LAKE – Instead of a dog-eat-dog world, Vanessa Low got the chance to live in a groomer-eat-groomer world.

Low, the owner of Dog Tag Resort and Spa in Fox Lake, is one of 12 contestants appearing on the second season of the Animal Planet reality show “Groomer Has It.” As part of the show, she and the 11 other groomers compete – both with and against each other – in a series of grooming-related challenges.

The winner will get $50,000 and the title of “Groomer of the Year.”

Although Low said she enjoyed watching the first season of the series, she did not think of herself as a possible contestant. But while at a pet-industry trade show last summer, Low interviewed for a spot on the program and eventually was picked from thousands of other applicants.

“It looked really fun, but honestly I hadn’t really thought about it,” Low said. “It was on a whim. It was not planned.”

Each episode of the show, which was filmed in October 2008 and began airing April 11, includes challenges that test the skills of the experienced groomers. The contestants must make the best of dingy looking dogs in each episode – and even will use their dog grooming skills on pigs in a future episode.

Low got off to a good start as she was on the winning team for both challenges in the show’s first episode.

“The challenge literally started when we first got [to the set],” she said. “All of a sudden, [out] walked these four dirty, disgusting St. Bernards. We had to groom them right then.”

Low also possess the unique ability to communicate with dogs way beyond a typical groomer, she said.

This “sixth sense,” as she calls it, lets her talk with and better understand dogs she works with, particularly older dogs or ones that have had bad experiences with past groomers.

“I really use it as a check-in, to make sure they’re OK,” she said. “Mainly it helps to calm dogs down.”

How long Low lasts on the show remains a secret to friends and family, including her husband, Gordon.

“I have no idea what’s going to happen; she never tells me anything,” he said.

“I was surprised she got picked from thousands of people, but I knew she had it in her.”

Even though she was on the show, watching each episode can bring surprises, Low said.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen all the time; it’s definitely interesting to see everything unfolding,” she said.

“[The challenges] will help viewers take better care of their dogs. Whether you won or lost, they were really fun to do.”