Doggin' it down at day care

KYLE BERGER

The concept of pet owners treating their canines like they were their own children is not so new. But it certainly has become more and more common in recent years, as the doggy day care business has boomed in city centres like Greater Vancouver.

Cheyana Van Dender, who has been in the dog-walking business for many years, has brought more of a childlike touch to daily dog care by shuttling the dogs around in a yellow school bus.

Her new business, Dogcity Services Ltd. (formerly For the Love of Dogs), uses the school bus as its office, picking up furry friends all around Vancouver and walking, running, feeding and even training them for the day.

"It's becoming more of an added service that most households with a dog are wanting," Van Dender said of doggy day cares. "People's working hours are longer, so they don't have the time that they used to in order to care for the animals. And I also find that a lot of people are getting dogs like huskies or golden retrievers that really do need an active lifestyle."

The concept of the school bus popped into Van Dender's head when she considered how safe the vehicles are for children.

"Because it is a school bus, it's really safe and there is a lot of room," she said. "I also wanted something that would stick out and the bus is a driving advertisement."

The bus has been renovated for the dogs, including a gate that separates the dogs from the driver and adjusted seating so that none of the passengers, who don't generally appreciate seatbelts, fall forward when the bus stops.

Van Dender, who described her company as more of a wilderness day care, initially got into the dog-walking business just as a part-time job. She soon found that she had a great connection with the animals she worked with and fell in love with the whole operation.

"I found that I had that alpha mentality, where I could be in control of the pack," she said. "Being with packs of dogs and being outside was such an awesome job for me."

She also hopes to combine this job with one of her other passions, working with youth. A former mentor for teens, Van Dender plans to invite troubled youth to work with her and spend some quality time with the dogs.

"A lot of [the teens I worked with] loved animals and I always thought I should make this connection," she said. "It puts the teens in a place of a little responsibility and dogs are full of love, which is perfect for those kids."

Dogcity Services can be reached by calling 604-733-0012 or online at www.dogcity.ca.

Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer living in Richmond.

^TOP