San Martin
– Separation anxiety. Empty nest syndrome. Persisting
thoughts.
Such phrases are typical of parents who have just sent a child
off to college. But many dog owners
– and their pets – know those same feelings all too well when
leaving for work in the morning.
San Martin – Separation anxiety. Empty nest syndrome. Persisting thoughts.
Such phrases are typical of parents who have just sent a child off to college. But many dog owners – and their pets – know those same feelings all too well when leaving for work in the morning.
The Casey family in San Martin is launching South County’s first official dog daycare, devoted solely to caring for dogs while owners are away at work, the Caseys said.
The family – Bill and Vicke of San Martin and 28-year-old Kelly Casey-Davis of Gilroy – is transforming their 2.5-acre San Martin property into a dog’s dream: open space to play in and run around, other dogs to make friends with, comfy crates to sleep in and an entire yard just to go to the bathroom.
“The daycare is mainly intended for dog owners who are either really young or getting older,” Casey said. “For young couples just getting married who don’t have kids yet, their dogs are their kids. They’re their babies. And for older people, it’s the empty nest syndrome: All of their children are gone, so again, their dogs are their babies.”
Although several pet care facilities in Gilroy and Morgan Hill offer grooming, veterinary services and day boarding, the Caseys said their business – called Four Paws Dog Daycare – will center on keeping dogs occupied and active during the day. That way, Vicke Casey said, the dogs aren’t tearing up furniture when they’re home alone, and they’re not exploding with energy when their tired owners arrive home at night.
Four Paws’ 50-foot-by-50-foot play area will host doggy tug-of-war, games of fetch and other organized activities, Vicke Casey said. A 1,200-square-foot fenced-off area will serve as the dogs’ bathroom. When the afternoon heat hits, dogs can get their paws wet in a cold-water wading pool. Except for puppies, dogs will not receive meals but will get treats prior to structured naptimes.
Four Paws will give dog owners weekly report cards detailing their dog’s behavior, including how well their dog plays with other dogs. If dogs become too rowdy while playing, they’ll go to time-out.
“Some of the hyperactive dogs get really into it when they play, and they can get on other dogs’ nerves,” Vicke Casey said. “So then they’re put by themselves for a bit, until they calm down.”
Calm will be the general atmosphere the Caseys hope to maintain at Four Paws, Vicke Casey said. Barking will be discouraged with a humane, sprayed mixture of water and vinegar, she said, and owners should make an appointment if they want to see their dogs during the day so the dogs don’t get too excited.
The Caseys are targeting their business toward dog owners who work long days or commute a lengthy distance to work, Vicke Casey said. Additionally, she said, apartment dwellers without a backyard or other open space might feel better knowing their dogs are expending their energy on something other than the new leather couch.
Although many dog owners walk their dogs at night or on the weekends, Vicke Casey said that exercise may not be enough, especially for larger dogs. But exercise isn’t the only benefit dogs will receive at Four Paws, she said.
“Socialization is also an issue. When dogs can learn how to interact with each other and be around other dogs, it makes it easier to go take them to dog parks and festivals,” Casey said. “Knowing how to interact with other dogs makes a good, well-rounded dog.”
Greg Melendez, a Morgan Hill resident relaxing with his black lab at a coffee shop in Gilroy on Sunday, said he’d probably take his dog to daycare on workdays he knows will be long.
“When I get off work, sometimes I feel like I need to rush home really quick to get to (my dog). You know, to feed him and let him outside to run around and stuff,” Melendez said. “I’d feel better knowing he was somewhere safe and happy rather than sitting at home all depressed, or being destructive. Whatever the case may be.”
Making dog daycare a daily routine, though, is something Melendez said is unlikely.
“(The money) does add up after a while,” he said. “It’d definitely be a once-in-a-while thing.”
Vicke Casey said Four Paws will open for business in October. The Caseys will accept up to 12 dogs per day, Vicke Casey said, and dogs will be separated by size for safety reasons. Each dog will receive a temperament exam its first time at Four Paws. Dog owners must provide proof of current shots for their dogs.
Four Paws Dog Daycare
• Located on Murphy Avenue in San Martin
• Open in October
• Phone: 683-4279
• Hours: 7am to 6pm
• $30 per dog per day (drop-in rate)
• $108 per package (guaranteed spot for four visits)
