Hounds Town of West Denver-Arvada offers a fun and welcoming place for pets to enjoy time away from home. The interactive doggy day care, boarding for cats and dogs, full spa, and a pet taxi service provide all the components to keep pets and their parents happy. Owner Chris McNaughton, who has extensive experience in revitalizing businesses in the restaurant business, says hanging out with dogs is a refreshing change from his previous work.
“I’m spending the day with dogs and really, nothing could be better than that,” he said. “I see dogs get very excited to come play with friends, socialize, and have fun. That’s what we’re all about here ... everything we do, we do for the dogs.”
For the interactive day care, dogs are placed in packs by grouping them based on size and temperament not discriminating due to breed or disabilities. The staff also works with dogs who show separation anxiety of shyness.
“We allow a natural pack to form. As I often say, it's not our idea, it's Mother Nature's idea and we just allow it to happen,” explained McNaughton. “But we also know that a 65-pound puppy and a 65-pound older dog don’t want to be in the same environment. So, we work with the dogs and make sure that we're placing them based on their temperament so they can play all day.”
Play areas are equipped with different fun items such as obstacle courses, tunnels, and play sets to keep dogs entertained. The facility currently houses five indoor play areas with the process underway to add outdoor play areas. Although pet attendants monitor the packs, they minimize contact that focuses on specific dogs to reduce jealous behavior or possessiveness.
Boarding pets participate in the fun interactions of day care and then enjoy comfortable and homey overnight accommodations. Boarding options for dogs include three sizes: townhouses, luxury suites, and king suites, which have room for family groups. “It like they are going into a hotel,” he said. “We wash all of their bedding every single morning, and we even put treats on their bed at night like you would find chocolates at your hotel.”
Cats stay separated from dogs in multi-level condos which are located close to the front office for a nice, calm visit. If desired, several condos can be connected to allow the cats a larger palace space to enjoy.
The full-service pet spa offers regular baths, which include shampooing and conditioning, and deluxe baths that include deshedding, shampooing, conditioning, brush out, and blow dry. Additional spa treatments include nail clipping, teeth brushing, and a luxurious blueberry facial pets and owners love.
“Dogs play with their mouths and paws around the necks and heads of other dogs and they can get a little dirty and smelly,” he said. “So, they enjoy a good spa day with a deluxe bath and then a blueberry facial where we massage their face a little bit. Most importantly, when the parents get here to pick them up, their pup smells like a blueberry.”
Hounds Town also recently added a pet taxi service for added convenience to pet owners who may have busy schedules or unconventional hours.
“We have a lot of nurses and people who have to go into work early, and although we open at 6:30am to try and help those people, some of them have to go in at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning,” he said. “So, we will go within a 15-mile radius, pick up your dog, and drop off your dog for you.”
Pets enjoy their time at Hounds Town so much that they often have what McNaughton refers to as a “Hounds Town Hangover” afterwards. “Our fully interactive daycare is designed to be challenging, both physically and mentally, for the dogs. So don't be alarmed that your dog goes home, is tired, wants to fall asleep for hours,” he shared. “They're not sick, they're just worn out from that full day of play.”
For more information and to book an introductory evaluation, visit houndstownusa.com/locations/denver-west-arvada or call (303) 284-8026. Also follow @houndstowndenverwest on Instagram and @houndstownarvada on Facebook.
"Dogs get very excited to come play with friends and have fun. That’s what we’re all about here; everything we do, we do for the dogs.”