I spend a lot of time ranting about businesses that treat customers poorly. I have a rule on Yelp that I have to post more positive reviews than negative, and while this isn't Yelp, I figured it was time to highlight someone doing something right.
So I was in Jersey City, NJ - just across the water from Manhattan, with the French Bulldog in tow. Since I didn't exactly want to leave her for more than a few hours, I looked up doggy daycares in the area. Turns out, there was a highly-rated place not too far from where I was staying, so I took her in to check the place out. (It's rare you see a place with 5 stars on Yelp, but this is one of the few.)
This place was incredible. Plush couches, a fireplace, TV, and carpet. In addition, there's a glass pane going from the lobby to the dog area, and glass from the street into the lobby, meaning you can walk by anytime - unannounced - to see how your pup is doing.
The owner, James, has a very low ratio of staff to pups (around 1:5), whereas other places will have 10x that. He records the times when the kids relieve themselves. He factors in specific feeding instructions for each dog. He has a maximum size of dogs he'll allow, to ensure safety for the rest of them. He knows the ins and outs of specific breeds and how to care for them. He'll even walk them home at the end of the day if you need him to! In addition, he got some great video footage of my Frenchie playing with the other pups.
Try getting any of this at any other doggy daycares.My Frenchie came home at the end of the night completely wiped from playing with the other kids all day.
I think what I appreciated most about James, is that he treated my dog the way I treat her. You won't get that most places.
But it doesn't stop there. Last night when I brought her home, I left in a rush, but James emailed me after I had already left, to let me know the last time she "did her business". Talk about going above and beyond.
There's something to be said for businesses, started by individuals who love what they do, and are still an integral part of it. I wish there were more James' in the world. How James runs his business is how I try to run FolioHD. Go the extra mile. Do the right thing. Treat people how you would want to be treated. It's a lost art these days. But there are still the gems in the world.
So next time you're traveling through NYC - or near Jersey City - with your pup, swing by Executive Dog Lounge. Because that's where pups are spoiled just as much as you do at home.