Daycare centers for pets have come a long way from traditional kennels. Today’s doggie daycare
centers are a cross between a camp, a spa, and a nursery school. So if you’re worried about sending
your beloved pooch to daycare, rest easy. They’re probably having a lot more fun than you are while you’re working or doing last minute holiday shopping.
“If a parent is nervous about leaving their pet, especially a smaller breed or an older dog,” says Kelly Callum, owner of Joppa-based Best Friends Fur Ever, a 2.5-acre fully astroturfed day camp for dogs, “we invite them to come to our monthly special events, like our Valentines for Vets coming up on February 7th, and see the group dynamics. For geriatric dogs, many of their “parents” call us five to six times a day, and we put the phone up to their pet’s ear.”
Nurse practitioner and midwife, Jessica Abernathy, who works in Bel Air, takes her “high maintenance”
six-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, Shorty, to Best Friends Fur Ever, at least three days a week.
“Without Kelly’s camp I would not survive. Shorty has a lot of energy and with my crazy hours of work I wouldn’t make it. He needs the outlet. Kelly’s place is a godsend. I know they love him as much as I do.”
Abernathy enjoys watching Shorty on her webcam at work. “He takes a two-hour nap midday and he gets lullabies and cookies. All the staff is really knowledgeable and they bend over backwards to keep him happy.”
City Pet Center in Baltimore, offers a 5,000-square-foot indoor facility with a hospital-grade, bacteria-free rubber floor, and a commercial-grade plastic puppy playground with a ramp, steps, and a bridge.
“From the time the owner pulls up to the ramp, the dogs charge like little kids happy to see their friends,” says owner Karen Gamble. “They play tag and ball, take a power nap at a scheduled time of day, and get up and play again.”
According to Gamble, people bring their dogs for a variety of reasons. “People are having babies, redoing their homes, doing holiday shopping. It’s a nice, warm atmosphere and owners don’t have to worry about exercising their pets in the cold.”
Lisa Mantakos, manager of Bay Café in Canton, brings her Doberman, Zoe, to City Pet Center every day. “I’ve been bringing Zoe for three years. When she was five months old, I took her to get socialized; she
even learned from the other dogs where to go to the bathroom. When I’d go to pick her up, she wouldn’t
come to me. She wanted to stay with her buddies. It’s great. She’s exhausted when she gets home. If
I’m shopping, I know Zoe is playing the entire time, and I don’t have to feel guilty about leaving her in the house alone.”
Dogtopia, chosen as having the best pet care services in the Washington, D.C., area by Washingtonian magazine, offers one-stop shopping, multi-service grooming and training, and a self-serve dog wash for customers.
“One of the main reasons people bring their dogs to daycare is they work and it’s difficult to get their dogs out and exercised,” says Sue Dietrich, owner of Dogtopia. “Especially during the cold months, it’s a great opportunity to leave their dog here for the day; then the owner doesn’t need to go for that five-mile walk when they go home.”
Dietrich started “meet-up groups” in time for the winter. “It’s like an indoor dog park. People who take their dogs to outdoor parks come here at scheduled times and there’s no fee. It’s a great social thing. You get to know other dog owners and watch your dogs play.”
After shopping around for a daycare facility for her Westie Yorkie mix, Nylah, Antoinette Jordan selected Dogtopia because of their personal touch. “I’m crazy and psychotic about my dog. I just want her to be loved and cared for and protected from harm. The staff at Dogtopia remembers her name, as with all of the dogs they have. And I can click on the webcam and see her. In the winter I know she’s dry, she takes a nap, and she’s tired out when we get home.”
Jordan says she knows Nylah is in good hands. “I love the owners. They really care about the dogs. That makes a difference in the product you offer. It’s not just about the money for them. They care about the welfare of the animals while they’re under their roof. They know how I feel about my little girl.”
If you live in the Columbia area and are looking for daycare for your dog, Camp Bow Wow will assure your pup is a happy camper.
Franchise co-owner Eric Neumann says, “Dogs can romp, play, jump, swim in a 6 by 4 pool and they’re always supervised by staffers.” Dogs also learn social skills by interacting with others, and “they get tired from their activities so they’ll sleep in the car with mom on the way home.”
His staffers, known as camp counselors, are trained on site in doggy CPR and first aid by employees of the Camp Bow Wow headquarters in Boulder, Colo.
And no request is ever too big. “If a camper’s parent requests a nap or lunch during day camp, the camper will be put in a spacious cabin with a comfy, cozy cot and a fleece blanket.”
At first, Camp Bow Wow daycare client, Tara Soesbee, a project manager for RailPlan International, felt anxious about leaving her eight-month-old Newfoundland pup, Thor. “I was crying the first day I dropped him off. He’d never been left alone, put in a cage, or spent time around other dogs. Eric said, ‘I’ll make sure he takes a nap.’ Thor slept in the office next to Eric. I watched him on the camper cam (web camera) from work for eight hours, and Thor was so happy. After that I thought he didn’t love me anymore; he was having so much fun there. There’s no guilt factor.”
Neumann points out that Camp Bow Wow is perfect for dogs with a few extra pounds to lose, especially in the winter. “In cold months when it’s more difficult for parents to bring their dog outside, when they can’t go to parks and play ball, we offer a facility with indoor and outdoor options, so dogs can play all year round and get the exercise they need. They play all day and snooze the night away. And when parents are busy preparing for the holidays and going to social events, dogs can expend their energy here.”
A Separation Solution
If you have separation anxiety from your pet when you’re at work or on vacation, Chris Whong, president of Charm City Networks, can offer you peace of mind. Whong, who specializes in small business IT services, networking, and network camera systems, can set up a camera in your home or office. “This webcam service came out of a personal need. I had a brand new puppy, a Puggle [a Pug-Beagle mix] named OP, and I worked too far to come home at lunch. I set up a webcam that kept me a little entertained at work and let me know if he was upset, or sleepy or happy and what to expect when I got home.” Whong, who can also bring up shots of OP on his cell phone, is developing an internet dog feeder which will allow a pet owner to play voice commands for their dog over the internet and dispense treats. “The possibilities are limitless; pretty neat stuff I’m going to be working on.”
Lisa Mantakos, manager of Bay Café in Canton, brings her Doberman, Zoe, to City Pet Center every day. “I’ve been bringing Zoe for three years. When she was five months old, I took her to get socialized; she 
At first, Camp Bow Wow daycare client, Tara Soesbee, a project manager for RailPlan International, felt anxious about leaving her eight-month-old Newfoundland pup, Thor. “I was crying the first day I dropped him off. He’d never been left alone, put in a cage, or spent time around other dogs. Eric said, ‘I’ll make sure he takes a nap.’ Thor slept in the office next to Eric. I watched him on the camper cam (web camera) from work for eight hours, and Thor was so happy. After that I thought he didn’t love me anymore; he was having so much fun there. There’s no guilt factor.”
