Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Are you looking for something for your canine buddy to do while you’re busy?
Look no further than the new Second Star to the Right Doggy Daycare in Peace River for all your pup’s entertainment needs!
“It provides a safe place for your pup to get out of the home away from you for the day,” says Second Star to the Right Kennels and Doggy Daycare owner Ashley Whittleton.
“The different smells, sounds, noises and people help round your pup’s character much like we round our children’s personalities by teaching and instructing. So, while we don’t train your pup, we do teach them the do’s and don’ts of public interactions,” she adds.
Whittleton says exposing your canine to as many new experiences as possible will help your pup learn how to react to strange things in a controlled environment.
She adds there are many benefits for bringing your pooch to doggy daycare.
Whittleton originally opened Second Star to the Right Kennels near Grimshaw six years ago. She says families were not travelling, so to subsidize the kennel she started a doggy daycare program there.
“It grew very quickly with a waitlist of over 15 families,” she says of her original daycare in Grimshaw.
“It is too far away to drive every day for most, so I would pick pups up and drop them back off at the end of the day. Naturally, I could only fit so many pups in my truck, so I decided to start one in Peace River.”
Offering extensive services, Whittleton offers overnight boarding of pups in her kennel near Grimshaw, and now the daycare in Peace River, located at 9814-100 Street in the old Lift Fitness and Dance Studio building.
“Peace River has never had a doggy daycare, and it’s extremely important to socialize your pup properly,” Whittleton expresses.
“With guidance at daycare your pup is trained to play appropriately with other pups. They are exposed to many different people, a different place, and different sounds. All these things help make your pup less jumpy at the unknown, happy and open to meeting new people and new friends.”
She says maybe most notably is your pup gets to be exercised and have fun all day while the owner is at work.
Daycare for one pup is $30 plus GST each day, with each additional family dog costing $10 plus GST.
Whittleton and her employee, Halle, hope to have 20 dogs in their care every day.
“Halle and I love all the pups, and socializing your dog makes your dog a good functioning member of society, that’s why I think you should bring your pup to us,” she says.
“Plus, they make friends much like kids and it’s so cute!”
Whittleton says they also teach the pups that it is not OK to bark at guests, at cars outside, nor to snap at their dog friends. She says they teach dogs timeouts to eradicate bad behaviour, noting that being too rough or rowdy will get the pup “jail” time.
“In turn, the pup should return after some time exposed to and taught right from wrong essentially for their families,” she says.
“And daycare usually wears out the pup, so the families don’t have to walk them and throw a ball all night after they’ve worked all day. They have played all day with friends now it’s time to cuddle.”
The doggy daycare is suitable for most types of dogs. Whittleton says Tuesdays and Thursdays are dedicated to Tiny Tots, dogs 15 lbs and under or very timid animals.
“If your pup is older and has never been socialized, probably not a good fit,” she explains.
“We recommend the younger the better for teaching and retention.”
She says the downtown doggy daycare location was chosen strategically because it is a central location. She says lots of people walk over after work to pick up their pups and will even stop by at lunch to say hi to their canine.
The facility is currently open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. She says to keep the pups safe, they keep the front doors locked all the time, so if you want to enquire about their services or stop in, please text them first at (780) 618-7976.
Whittleton says if you’re looking for a place for your pup to go while you’re at work, where you know they will be treated like a member of the family, consider Second Star to the Right Doggy Daycare.
