All Tails has an A rating on
CAREY CHECCA
Advocate Reporter
September 14, 2003
Give a dog a bone, and a blanket, and a ... Story
A tree stump. Scrambled eggs. Spaghetti and meatballs.
Which of the above have pet owners dropped off at kennels with their furry companions?
All of them.
"Some of the people treat their pets like I treat my children," said Becky Klema, office manager of All Tails 'R Waggin on Worthington Road in Pataskala. Pets "now, are part of the family."
Like the dog who was dropped of with a tree stump, she said. It's dad knew the pup liked to chew on trees.
One dog had to have scrambled eggs and a piece of cinnamon roll every day for breakfast, said Cindy Cole of All Creatures Veterinary Care in Granville. So, the owner dropped the pooch off with pre-made and pre-measured portions of the treats, she said.
"In fact, we have a rabbit that gets a honeybun everyday," Cole said.
The spaghetti and meatballs were for a pooch in case it wouldn't eat while staying at the deluxe suites and kennels All Tails offers.
The American Kennel Club recommends owners bring along their dog's bed or favorite toys when sending their best friends on their own "vacations."
Some puppy mom and dads even drop of the owner's nightgown so the hound will have a cozy smell to curl up to, Klema said.
Good-byes should be short, sweet and positive, according to the kennel club. Animals will sense the discomfort of puppy moms and dads who leave and become more upset themselves.
"Sometimes it's heartbreaking when people are in tears and they're leaving," Klema said.
Many call the kennel to check in on their pets an hour after they leave , she said.
For the sake of pets' health, owners should choose kennels that require each dog to have vaccinations for rabies, distemper and bordetella, said Dr. Christine Merla, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Cats should be required to have a rabies and a feline distemper vaccination, she said. It may be wise to vaccinate cats for feline leukemia, especially if the kennels handles many cats.
Cole said, "People need to realize if their animal becomes ill under our care we will have to treat them and (owners) will be charged for the care."
As pets are considered more like family members instead of animals, boarding is getting more luxurious.
For example, All Tails offers 16 private deluxe suites for cats and dogs at $24 a night. They include a raised bed with mattress, a window, a color television playing "various pet favorites," four outdoor play times and potty breaks. Kitties' suites come with a bird feeder view.
"I can remember leaving behind baby-sitting instructions for my kids," Cole said. "I can guarantee the list is just as long for my animals."
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Luxory Hotels and Grooming
Most people dislike having to leave their cat or dog behind when they travel, but because of specialty animal hotels and sitters, pets can be boarded in the lap of luxury.
For $10 to $28 per night, All Tails 'R' Waggin offers standard and private deluxe suites for cats and dogs of all sizes.
While deluxe suites include color TVs, elevated beds with mattresses, outdoor viewing and playtimes, all rooms at All Tails are private and include easy listening music, bedding and full-service housekeeping, according to the kennel's Web site.
"(Luxury kennels) definitely keep the owners more comfortable, but it's for the comfort and security of the animal, too," manager Abby Hastilow said.
All Tails 'R' Waggin opened six years ago and was the first kennel in Ohio to offer private rooms, Hastilow said.
"We're busy all year round. We pretty much don't have a down season," she said.
"Owners know it's going to be more quiet, more like home."
The kennel also offers training classes and grooming packages that include medicated and HydroSurge baths, nail trimming, ear cleaning and specialty cuts for pets.
"About 75 percent of our clientele use the grooming services," Hastilow said. "Most will at least get their dog a bath before checking out."
Pet Vacations in Mount Vernon also offers luxury boarding rooms for dogs and cats, with prices ranging from $12 to $16 per night.
While the kennel's deluxe doggy suites are much like those at All Tails 'R' Waggin, Pet Vacations' multi-level cat condos include canopy beds or couches, fine dining glassware, air purifiers and private litter boxes.
Pets also may receive a "spaw treatment," which includes a bath, nail trim and cologne finish.
Joe Blundo
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Decking the dogs
Scruffy canines beg for full beauty treatment at festive times
During the holidays, pet owners tend to ask for extras: brushed teeth, polished nails and pretty bows.
• Not for themselves - for their bowwows.
• "It's kind of like they're getting their turkey and their hams ready and their house all cleaned up, and then they look at the dog and say, 'Oh,' " said Renee Nichols of the All Tails Are Waggin' pet-care center in Pataskala.
• From now until Christmas is the busiest time of year for dog groomers.
• Last week, Nichols had 19 dogs in for beauty treatments.
Tomara Herring, who calls her mobile grooming business Your Canine Chariot, has appointments booked for as early as 6 a.m. this holiday season.
"I've been working 11- or 12-hour days," she said, "but I'm not complaining. It's good for business."
Herring makes haircut house calls in a van equipped with a bathtub, two 30-gallon water tanks, a grooming table and dog-bone curtains.
She charges $48 to $90 for a standard bath, haircut and nail clipping, depending on a dog's size.
Many owners who aren't on a regular grooming schedule look at their matted, bedraggled pups this time of year and ask her to work miracles, she said.
"I get a lot of 'miracle' calls. You can't have a nice-looking house and a scroungy-looking dog."
No miracle was necessary when she made a recent stop in German Village to beautify Bernie, a gray Havanese owned by Shelley Handler. It was his regular three-week tuneup, said Handler, who likes to keep him looking good, holidays or not.
Bernie won't be the only goodlooking dog in town this year.
At Uptown Pups, 384 Nationwide Blvd., Margaret Smith spruced up Oliver, a wheaten terrier, for his Thanksgiving trip.
"He is traveling to Indiana to visit family," said his owner, Patty Bengel. "Usually, when we travel with him to see family, we like him looking his best. . . . He'll probably get another touch-up before Christmas."
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates that people spent $2.5 billion on grooming and boarding (the association doesn't separate the two) in 2005.
Grooming is overwhelmingly a canine concern: Dog owners spent an average of $107 on grooming in 2005, the association says. Cat owners spent only $24.
Prices in central Ohio range from about $25 to $100 for a standard wash and cut.
The popularity of holiday pet photos also fuels the demand for grooming.
Owners of purebreds want their dogs to look just like the animals they see at dog shows, said Nanette Wright, who operates Complete Animal Hair Care in Galena.
Often, that means giving the hair "pouf."
Wright, who grooms show dogs and less-exalted animals, said the secret to getting dog hair fluffed and puffed to perfection is in the drying.
"Believe it or not, the hair dryer will make the dog," she said. "If you don't get the right fluff, you're not going to get this fabulous look." Jackie Zimmerman of Lewis Center took her two bichon frises to Wright for a holiday makeover. "They get more grooming than I do," Zimmerman said. "It's a little bit out of control. "We're retired, and our children our gone, and the dogs just do become your children." She let the bichons get shaggier than usual because she wanted them to have a fresh cut for the festive season. "They have to look their best, or Santa Claus won't come."
Local business owner trying to help sister
Sunday, December 10, 2006
JERSEY TOWNSHIP -- Renee Nichols, owner of All Tails 'R' Waggin', on the corner of Ohio 161 and Mink Road, is accepting donations for her sister-in-law, whose house burned down Nov. 26.
Cindy Stevens, of Hillsboro, in Pike County, is a single mother with three young boys. She did not have insurance and has lost everything. Donations of new or used clothes and money will be accepted at the store, 12591 Worthington Road, from 10 a.m. to noon and 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, and from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Items needed include boys' pants sizes 5/6, 8 and 10 husky; boys' shirts sizes 5/6, 7/8 and 12/14; and boys' shoes and boots sizes 11.5, 3.5 and 5.5. The mother needs size 7/8 pants, medium shirts and size 7/8 shoes and boots. For more information, call Nichols at (614) 788-0427.