“It’s definitely a market that isn’t saturated yet,” said Cody Osborne of Camp Bow Wow, which opened a franchise on Austell Place a little over a year ago.
Steve Neagus, Bow Wow’s owner, and Luis Martinez, who runs City Dog Lounge on Vernon Boulevard, both said the two facilities that opened in the last four months near the waterfront haven’t drawn customers away.
Most attribute the success of pet-care facilities to the Queens West development, which has brought several skyscrapers to LIC in recent years. As the new waterfront apartments fill up, the dog population is burgeoning, causing some to dub the neighborhood “Dog Island City.”
There are an estimated 1,000 canines in the Queens West complex alone, and developers are going out of their way to welcome more. AvalonBay, the company that runs the Avalon Riverview tower, set aside a prime piece of real estate — a corner unit with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline — for a pet-care facility and signed a 10-year contract with an entrepreneur named Bruce Barlin.
Barlin, who previously ran a pet-care business in Jackson Heights, opened Pooches Sport & Spa in late 2009 and said the new facility is a big draw for prospective residents.
“[Avalon] realized they had to get dog-friendly in order to be competitive,” he said.
Daycare costs can add up quickly — the going neighborhood rate is $25 or more per day — but that isn’t dissuading people from sending their pups to the sitter.
Those who run the centers say the service is popular because people want their dogs to socialize and exercise.
“Dogs come home exhausted,” Barlin said — which means their humans can come home at night and relax.
The daycare centers in LIC all feature cage-less “playpens,” where dogs can romp about together. Dog Island City, which opened four months ago on 50th Avenue, even has a miniature treadmill for dogs.
“They know the concept: You have to run, and the more you run, the more cookies you get,” said owner Lidia Lozovsky.
Fran Cimino, who has lived in the City Lights building for four years, said she has noticed a change in her dog, Bodhi, since he started going to daycare.
“For the first couple of years, I would just have him walked,” Cimino said. “Now he’s much more sociable. For his 11 years, he acts pretty spry.”
Some pet owners also say their dogs suffer from separation anxiety, which is eased by being around other canines and people.
In case personalized care and all-day stimulation isn’t enough to draw customers, LIC’s dog facilities seem to be one-upping each other when it comes to fancy amenities.
Camp Bow Wow has webcams situated around the doggie playpens, so owners can watch their pals from the office or the Caribbean. And for dogs who spend the night, the lights are turned down low and classical music is played.
Pooches, in contrast, claims fame with its “Pet-a-potty” — a fake fire hydrant atop a patch of artificial turf, which drains directly into the sewer. Read Entire Article

Animal Planet's latest and greatest in products for your pet

From an airline catering exclusively to pets, to GPS tracking units for your dog and robotic litter boxes for your cat, “Your Pet Wants This” showcases the latest and greatest in products for your pet.

PETaPOTTY provides all the relief on the 2010 Natural Balance Rose Parade Float

PETaPOTTY supplies all the relief for Tillman and Rose on the 2010 Natural Balance Float Rose Parade Float. This year Natural Balance is going for a record, the longest float ever seen. Here we are in the Natural Balance Training Center equipped with XL custom PETaPOTTY’s.

Enter to Win a Seat on the Natural Balance Pet Foods Rose Parade Float on New Year’s Day 2010!

We are very proud to be apart of the float that’s going for the gold. PETaPOTTTY and founders are all big fans of Snowboarding, and add dog’s to the mix is just plain “Animal Comedy” Tillman earlier this year set the world record for the fastest skateboarding dog and PETaPOTTY will be there on the float thats going to break the record for the longest float!
Go, Natural Balance, GO!!

Tillman is now the ambassador of the rose parade and has his own 32 Ft. “Rock Star” Motor Coach that he’s touring in. PETaPOTTY will be installing another custom PETaPOTTY in the coach later this month.

PETaPOTTY Gallery located on the corner of PCH and West Channel in Santa Monica. We will be using the showroom as another location for weekly sod pickup. Get your sod orders in by Sunday for pickup on Tuesday. If you are in the area for a day at the beach stop by and check us out. The address is 107 West Channel Road Santa Monica CA 90402. The Showroom telephone number is 310 454 0045. Store hours are Monday thru Friday 10-6 and weekends 11-7. Thank you for your continuous support. Hope you get a chance to stop by.