Pets can be globetrotters, “visiting” Paris, Hollywood, Hawaii and beyond, at the new Pink Dog Parlor resort.
“Individual suites are decorated for a destination,” said Michelle Kennedy, owner of Pink Dog Parlor.
When Kennedy moved her pet grooming and retail business to a larger location, she added a boarding facility for small dogs and cats that don’t fare well at traditional kennels.
“It’s really designed for dogs that wouldn’t do well in a boarding kennel; that just sit there and shake and shiver,” said Kennedy. “[Here] they’re in a home-like environment. It’s less stressful and they don’t have a bunch of barking dogs or large and overwhelming dogs.”
The resort features an “Arabian Nights” suite, Paris, Hollywood, Hawaii, Nantucket, Adirondacks and others. Whole families of dogs and cats can board together to provide added comfort.
“There were dogs and a cat and the cat could be with them or in the cat room,” said Kennedy. “I put the cat in the cat room for feeding so the dogs didn’t eat its food but it could be with the animals it was used to being with.”
Cats who aren’t used to dogs will be perfectly comfortable in their own quarters, though, said Kennedy.
Pink Dog Parlor will debut its new resort feature during a Grand Opening event on Sunday, Sept. 18. from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be tours of the facility, an adoption clinic with Heaven Sent Animal Rescue, activities for the kids, cupcakes for humans and pets and grooming and obedience demonstrations.
Kennedy used to own a boarding kennel, so she said she knows the toll an unfamiliar situation can have on smaller pets.
“I found the small dogs were very unhappy in that situation. When a dog is very stressed it can become ill, stop eating,” said Kennedy.
The resort already hosted a pair of dogs as boarders and Kennedy said they seemed to enjoy themselves just fine.
“We had a couple dogs in Hawaii and they were laying there together and enjoying the bed. They were quite happy there,” said Kennedy.
Dogs get walked on a leash outside instead of free-for-all run around time. Dogs also get a little playtime in the daycare area during the day. And while “guests” have access to a play area, dogs who aren’t boarding can take advantage, too.
Kennedy said Pink Dog Parlor offers Doggie Playcare, which is open to small and medium sized dogs who are spayed and neutered and older than four months. Playcare is new, just beginning in September, and it’s divided into three levels based on energy level with no more than 10 dogs per day. There’s an indoor playground, morning and afternoon snacks, water and outdoor walks.
Pink Dog Parlor has grown substantially since it got its start out of Kennedy’s home in 2005. After adding a grooming school, retail space and staff, the store’s latest move (it’s right next door) is a jump from 1,300 square feet to 8,000 square feet.
“Our offerings have increased. We moved into the boarding and day care and we have a self serve dog wash for people who want to bathe their own pets,” said Kennedy.
Each service offered at Pink Dog Parlor, from the grooming to the boarding, is individualized and catered to the specific needs of the pet, said Kennedy.
“We try to cater to what the people are looking for and live with in a haircut for their dog versus just a standard haircut,” said Kennedy. “I’ve worked with a lot of groomers over the years … we don’t take the cookie cutter approach. These pets are pet dogs, they’re not show dogs.”
Cats can get pampering at Pink Dog Parlor, too.
“We do a lot of cat grooming … people think cats are grooming themselves when they’re licking themselves but they’re really just spreading saliva all over themselves, not cleaning, so they do need to come in occasionally,” said Kennedy, who said she grooms her own shorthair cat every few months. “Cats are separated from the dogs to make it a little less stressful for them,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy said in every situation she and her staff are extremely cognizant of how a pet is reacting to its surroundings and what’s being done to them.
“Stress is a big thing, especially in cats, and they can have severe reactions to stress. Cats could have heart failure because they’re afraid so we’re on the lookout for signs of stress in a cat, everything from eyes dilating to things like hissing or when they pant,” said Kennedy.
Pink Dog Parlor’s new location is at 627 Plank Road. For more information, visit pinkdogparlor.com or call 371-5118.
