At the Rex Dog Hotel, which opened three years ago, the maximum 50 or 60 dogs that occupy the premises daily are treated to a sumptuous décor of exposed brick, floor to ceiling glass windows, individual lounging beds, a computerized water park and multiple TV lounges throughout the 10,000 sq. ft. space - throughout which they're allowed to roam freely, by the way.
"The older guys like to go upstairs to the upper lounge area around 2 p.m., hang out before dinner and catch up on sleep, relax by the TV," says owner Barrie Balshaw, who often talks about the dogs as if they are people. "They watch a little Oprah before dinner."
The hotel is not a dog shelter, Balshaw emphasizes. Dogs are not confined to a limited space throughout the day. At the Rex, small and big dogs are segregated at all times. Each dog is fed individually according to his particular diet. There is a vet technician on hand to administer doggy medications and at night there is an overnight staff person who sleeps on a cot in the doggy lounge. The dogs have their own beds but are free to also sleep on the cot. For the dogs, it's the next best thing to home.
Balshaw says 90 per cent of his clientele are regulars, and because he offers them package deals, the overall cost is not prohibitive. For owners of two or three dogs, Balshaw even offers suites to keep the dogs together.
"Most people are pretty blown away," he says. "The look of the place is a very calm atmosphere."
Balshaw has been in the dog service business for more than a dozen years, beginning with The Doghouse daycare for dogs. When he and wife and co-owner Karen started taking dogs home for overnight stays, they realized they could better serve their clientele by opening a proper dog hotel. The most difficult part of the business plan was finding the proper location. Due to zoning restrictions, he had to search extensively for a building that would allow animal boarding. He found it in a 1938 former slaughterhouse.
The interior is modern and sleek; the exterior heritage building is warm brick. Best of all, the ramp once used by cattle can now make life a little easier for elderly dogs who can't easily negotiate stairs.
And despite what you might think, the place is kept so clean that it's not far from smelling like a bed of roses - as opposed to a dog's bed.
"You come in here and it looks and smells like the Opus Hotel," says Balshaw, referring to a Vancouver luxury boutique hotel. "We get comments on how clean it is."
It's civilized, too. New customers are screened to make sure they won't get snappy with the other guests. Balshaw says he's got a nose for troubled canines.
"Being in the dog business for the last 13 years and having looked after 100 dogs a day, you really get to know the dogs and breeds and personalities, and the body language and how to pick up on how a dog is going to do."
As for the Hotel for Dogs movie, Balshaw says he will be there.
"I have an 8 year old, so I know she'll definitely want to go."
