This June, Paws to Play, a doggie daycare, will be celebrating its 8th year in business.
Cindy Moore and her assistants, Cameron Bruno and Kyle Olson, make sure the dogs in their care are never left alone and are able to enjoy themselves whether outside or indoors. They have been voted the best in ScottsValley in our Faves & Raves issue.
Cindy is a Certified Dog Trainer and has taken a course given in Oregon on how to operate a doggie daycare. She has also incorporated some of Cesar Millan’s philosophy of dog behavior modification in her repertoire but her style is uniquely her own.
Her right-hand person is Cameron, who has been with her 3.5 years and loves dogs as much as she does. They, along with Kyle, make sure the 20 to 25 doggies in their care are enjoying their stay.
Some of the activities they offer the doggies besides supervised play on agility equipment, are (during warm weather) jumping in and out of cool pools of water, running around with friends, or playing with toys. They also provide a TLC massage during the day to help keep the dogs’ muscles relaxed.
They have some very interesting doggy clients. Halle, a much-loved big black dog, has been coming on Mondays and Thursdays for eight years because he hates his “parents’ ” gardener and house cleaner, who come in every Monday and Thursday! They also have a few geriatric dogs which need and receive special attention.
Before they accept a dog into Paws to Play, they have a meet and greet with the family at no charge so Cindy can decide whether or not the dog would fit into the mix of the “regulars.” Once in a while, a dog may be too young or not quite ready to join the group.
All dog owners need to certify that their dogs are in good health and have not had a communicable disease in the last 30 days. Dogs must not be aggressive toward other dogs or humans as all of the dogs’ safety and health is of primary concern to the staff.
Usually owners feed the dogs at home before bringing them in but sometimes when they are running late, the owners bring dog food in a plastic bag labeled with their dog’s name
and staff feeds the animal. Or, they bring in their pet’s favorite lunch. Occasionally they may need to give eye drops or medication to a guest.
Paws to Play is now open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. They are a member of the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce and support the community whenever they are able.