PETaPOTTY.COM Blog

Doggie ‘daycares’ mushroom in LIC
by Willow Belden, Editor
01/21/2010
Judging by the daycare centers for dogs in Long Island City, you’d never know we’re in a recession.
Within about a one-mile radius, there are at least four facilities, three of which sprouted since 2008 — and all are hopping. Each takes in 15 to 35 dogs on an average day, and demand is still rising.

“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

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.

Farmers Market a rich history
In July 1934 a contingent of farmers pulled their trucks onto an expanse of empty land at the property known as Gilmore Island at the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles. They displayed their produce on the tailgates of their vehicles, to their delight, customers quickly arrived and parked their cars on a hastily created dirt parking lot in spaces designated with chalk. They strolled among the trucks purchasing fruit, vegetables, and flowers.

The atmosphere was casual, the open air commerce enticing, the goods fresh, and the result remarkable. Farmers Market became an instant institution.

With a partner, Arthur Fremont Gilmore purchased two ranches in the Los Angeles vicinity. The purchase inaugurated a string of serendipitous events which not even the far-sighted Gilmore could predict. When Gilmore and his partner elected to dissolve their arrangement, they drew straws – Gilmore’s straw secured 256 acres on which he created a successful dairy farm. A.F. Gilmore had no plans for a world-renowned institution when he moved to Los Angeles from Illinois in 1870. Rather, he was seeking a better life on the promising West Coast. When he married Mary Elizabeth Bell in 1882, the small adobe on the property became the new home for his family.

At the turn of the century, while drilling for water for his herd of dairy cows, A.F. Gilmore hit oil. By 1905, the dairy was gone and the Gilmore Oil Company born.

As Farmers Market at Gilmore Island became an international landmark, the property surrounding it grew famous with it. E.B. Gilmore, rarely missed an opportunity. Thus in the 1930s and ’40s, he gave Angelenos the opportunity to experience live sporting events.

In 1934, a few months before Farmers Market opened, Gilmore built the first race car track designed specifically for midget car racers, a venue built of love and commercial savvy. Gilmore loved racers and his marketing sense led him to support them as a “demonstration” of Gilmore Oil products.

His romance with cars extended well beyond the construction of Gilmore Stadium. As a sponsor, E.B. Gilmore took vehicles to the Winner’s Circle at the Indianapolis 500 in 1935 and 1937. As a patron, he helped establish a land speed record which lasted for eight years. As a businessman, he created “Economy Runs” which evolved into modern stock car racing. In 1987, E.B. Gilmore was elected to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and in 1992, he was inducted into the Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.

Gilmore Stadium was also home to the Bulldogs, the first professional football team in Los Angeles. Art Aragon, the Golden Boy of boxing, fought in the 18,000 seat stadium. The site was also used for rodeos, wrestling matches and even swimming. This was also where presidential candidate Harry Truman delivered his famous “stiff upper lip” speech.

PETaPOTTY products and services are proud that they will now be available in what is truly the heart of LA. Look out for events as well
Three Dog Bakery and PETaPOTTY 6333 W 3rd Street. Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 935-7512

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.

PETaPOTTY -”The pet’s place of business” Opens new distribution point in Hollywood Calif. Across the street from the famous Chateau Marmont Hotel makes for easy access to fresh grass or even pick up a new potty for your pooch while staying anywhere in the hollyhood! A loading zone in front makes for a near drive threw experience for sod pick up.

Todays Celeb gossip on the Chateau:
“JOSH HARTNETT The actor was rushed to hospital with stomach pains.
Josh Hartnett was rushed to hospital yesterday with stomach pains. The ‘Pearl Harbor’ star was staying at the Chateau Marmont hotel in West Hollywood when he began complaining of “excruciating” abdominal pain at around 2am. An ambulance quickly arrived and took the star to Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he is currently “under observation”. In a statement, Hartnett’s representative Susan Patricola said the 30-year-old actor had suffered a “flare-up” of an ongoing gastrointestinal problem. Hartnett is currently “resting comfortably” and will see a specialist today.”- Bild.com

OrangeBone (formerly The Puppy Store), the first puppy store to open its doors to date with one big dramatic difference–OrangeBone carries only shelter and rescue puppies and some mature dogs!

OrangeBone is the first store of its kind to evolve from selling purebreed puppies (puppymill dogs) to shelter and rescue animals. Located on Melrose Avenue (between Fairfax and La Brea Avenue) in Los Angeles, the Mecca for fun, fashion and celebrities. Their aim is to provide a fun informative and exciting shopping experience and above all to support the human-animal bond. They are always on the front line with the latest trends, hottest pet fashions and accessories. We are searching everyday for unique and exciting pet products so you can rest assured your pet will be wearing the latest in chic, hip and fun apparel. We only carry the highest quality products. Come and see for yourself what everyone is talking about! OrangeBone.com

With a length of 70m, a beam of 12,5m and her seven decks, Reverie is the largest yacht built in Italy in the last fifteen years. This fabulous vessel of 1500 tons combines the space of a cruising ship with the richness and luxury of a magnificent megayacht. The interior design and decor were entrusted to the famous English designer John Munford, who proposed classic furnishing in dark mahogany and walnut. The furniture is in Regency and Imperial English style with vaulted ceilings showing fresco paintings. Columns, pilasters and capitals with floral design have been widely used, as well as a profusion of exclusive marbles. Every single detail has been carefully selected in order to make this yacht a very exclusive and unique vessel.

RNR Yachts

Los Angeles based PETaPOTTY flies to New York and takes on 3000 dogs in a week at the 133rd Westminster dog show. They say if you can make it there you can make it anywhere, well PETaPOTTY definitely made it there. Let the urine flow. From The hotel Pennsylvania’s Penn Top Ballroom where 300+ dogs used the PETaPOTTIES to the Hotel Pennsylvania’s green room where the PETaPOTTIES accommodated 3000+ dogs. The PETaPOTTIES managed to contain tens of gallons of urine in their lower trap pans. Top Dogs from around the world converged on the Hotel Penn’s green room to use the facilities ranging from potty facilities to dog grooming stations to doggy masseuses. It was a raging river of urine and the PETaPOTTIES withstood the torrent. The hotel was so happy with the performance of the PETaPOTTIES that they spread several units around the hotel in key dog traffic areas.

While in town PETaPOTTY owner/creator Brandon Hochman took in the entire Westminster Dog Show. He was able to rub elbows with all the top dogs including last year’s winner Uno. Brandon and Uno bonded and had many in depth conversations about dog’s potty needs.

The entire Westminster week was a huge success for PETaPOTTY. PETaPOTTY plans to make an annual pilgrimage to the event and become part of the Westminster tradition.

The big night is approaching for 2,400 pampered dogs in New York.

T.J. Simers
February 8, 2009
Los Angeles Times

From New York — Page 2 here at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which begins Monday, but first the PETaPOTTY party.

Try saying that three times in a row while having a drink and watching the floor to avoid stepping on a Shih Tzu.

The Celtics are playing across the street in Madison Square Garden, while here at the Fashion Show on the 18th floor of the Hotel Pennsylvania, hundreds of guests and dogs are dressed alike, Eli the Chihuahua wearing a wonderful silver satin fabric shirt, full vest, of course, with black and clear rhinestones.

Eli the Chihuahua, by the way, is better dressed than Myung J. Chun, The Times’ videographer, who is here to document the next few days. Chun, told he’d be shooting video of the dogs in New York, initially thinks he’s going to a Clippers game.

AIRFARE TO New York, cab ride, hotel room, expensive restaurants and there is no prize money at Westminster. Yet there are more than 2,400 dogs here representing 170 breeds competing for ribbons and an ego boost — Choking Dogs for some reason not recognized as an official breed, but still California with 265 entrants to lead all states.

A beagle, Uno, won last year. A Brussels griffon, Lincoln, is favored this year. A writer, Charlotte Reed, quotes Uno extensively in something called “the blue boo,” and people think Uno is special.

There are 1,000 dogs staying in the Pennsylvania, and while I wonder who is checking into these rooms next week, there’s no containing the excitement of Jerry Grymek, who is wearing a name tag that identifies him as hotel “doggie concierge.”

“We welcome you with open paws, ha, ha,” Jerry says, obviously wanting to be a doggie concierge ever since he was a little pup.

“Oh, let me show you our doggie spaw — ha, ha,” he says, “where everyone is considered a VIP, ha, ha, very important pooch.”

There isn’t a blade of grass or a tree within miles of here, “but we have a loo downstairs for our guests with separate his and her areas because everyone gets their privacy,” says the concierge.

Wow! We didn’t know it was the “Top Pet Product Of The Year“-
“Pet-a-Potty Named Top Pet Product of the Year on About.com’s ‘Weird News’”
"Great news everyone. On the CSN Blog, They’ve been HUGE advocates of the Pet-a-Potty ever since they began carrying this wonderfully quirky item. The Pet-a-Potty, the revolutionary indoor dog toilet that features real grass and a unique drainage system, is the ideal accessory for the always working pet owner. Though it may look a little silly, it sure beats having your rug transformed into a toilet every time you stay at the office a little late.

“We’re big proponents of items that serve a purpose and also have a sense of humor and that’s we’re excited that About.com’s ‘Weird News’ named the Pet-a-Potty ‘the top pet product of the year.’ Author Buck Wolf included this in his ‘Weird Gift Wish List,’ a gift guide in which two other blog favorites also appeared – an Aquarium End Table and a Giant Croc Pet Bed. It’s important to chuckle more than ever these days, so it’s great when silly products like these get recognized. Great work Buck and your ‘Weird News’ Team. Also, be sure to check out this past Tuesday’s Top Ten for Ten Great Silly Gifts.” -CSN