There are lots of dog sitting options for mid-Michigan pet owners who go away on business or families whose travel plans make it impractical to include their pets.
Wag 'n Tails Pet ResortWag'n Tails offers dog and cat boarding, grooming services and dog daycare. The distinctive Wag'n Tails mobile grooming vans can be spotted every day servicing clients across mid-Michigan. They are really "salons on wheels," he says."I'm a firm believer that you don't need to spend a lot of money on things," he says. "Especially in today's economy, it's nice to recycle. We've always done it, but now more than ever, it makes total sense.""Just as in the restaurant business, you don't have to change the menu if it is successful," he adds.The former fashion manufacturer uses a vintage Dremel electric polisher to buff his collection of old shoes, after first conditioning them with a Kiwi leather cleaner, followed by a rub of mink or olive oil. Every two years, his 30 vintage watches make a trip to a certified Swiss watchmaker. Heller's collections of early 20th-century fountain pens, cuff links and silk ties get similar TLC.When Heller moved in six years ago, the couple knew they would need more space. They bought the adjacent loft and in 2006 broke through the shared wall, doubling the living space and allowing the home offices they both desired.The economic downturn has obviously hit Wag 'n Tails, which features large outdoor play areas for plenty of play and potty time, just as it has nearly every other enterprise across mid-Michigan, Metevier says.Jessica McNally, Manager2802 Alpha Access"I love that each piece has a story to tell," Kramer says. "We're not just buying something old. We're buying a piece of history -- as well as some part of the person who crafted it."Milligan said the success she has experienced since purchasing the business in 2005 from Hunting-Martin is partly attributable to having flexibility in serving the needs of clients."I always knew this was a beautiful area." Metevier says which is quite high praise for a guy from San Diego. "I knew someday I would like to move here to live."Wag 'n Tails, which is located on an access road near the campus of Ingham Regional Medical Center, has earned the trust of hundreds of clients. Metevier says that is very gratifying.Kramer's late-1920s Singer is a case in point. The designer, who makes custom men's suits for women, as well as silk ties studded with Swarovski crystals, says she used to own a modern sewing machine.Entering the couple's downtown loft, you feel as if you have wandered into a prop house filled with treasures from a bygone era. The 3,000-square-foot open-plan space, with its low-slung arches and concrete floor, was once a bakery. Now, half a dozen department store mannequins -- with and without heads -- are stationed throughout their bohemian world, which is decorated with vintage chandeliers, Grecian statues and a melange of flea-market and thrift- store furnishings.517-333-9663www.wagntailspetresort.comThe couple delight in bringing old possessions back to life. Kramer painted the ceiling off-white -- the better to show off the grain marks from when the construction crew poured the concrete and then removed the wood framing long ago. She also mixed magenta and brick red with a bit of yellow to achieve the terra-cotta hue accentuating pillars, arches and the concrete floor. The vintage stove, which the designer inherited from the former tenant, took hours to clean.Salt Lake CityMetevier's family was in the restaurant business in. California, so he learned the value of customer service very early on.She used a dry toothbrush to rid cobwebs and grime from the bronze base of a thrift-shop lamp, then gingerly took a soft cloth dipped in lukewarm water to renew the vintage silk shade.Heller has restored the '46 pickup, purchased from the neighborhood watch officer, and his 1971 Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 convertible purrs.Hunting-Martin, the winner of The Greater Lansing Business Monthly's 2002 Emerging Entrepreneur award, says Milligan has taken the business to another level.In addition to daycare, Doggy Daycare and Spa offers overnight boarding, group obedience classes and grooming services. But it's the cageless daycare aspect of the business that makes Doggy Daycare and Spa unique.Photographs by Irfan KhanDean Milligan, Owner"Since it is cageless, it's not a place every dog can come. We do have to turn clients away if their dog is not socialized to the point where it is suitable for their pet and the other dogs."These dogs and cats are really family members. We provide a safe and secure environment so our clients have peace of mind that their family members are well cared for," Metevier says.But if your dog passes the interview process and is enrolled, he is welcome to join in the fun. A typical day averages about 30 dogs at Doggy Daycare and Spa, Milligan says, with dogs getting lots of exercise and attention from Milligan and her 12 employees."I told her I would purchase this business one day. Well, she called in 2004 and I wound up with the business," Metevier states."The fact that Janice was a client. first has helped her understand what clients are looking for. She has done a marvelous job," says Hunting-Martin, who now lives with. her family near Rochester, Minn."People will still spend money on their pets during tough times. They might cut eating dinner out as much, but they still like to pamper their dogs. And it's an affordable solution for the times when they need pet daycare," Milligan says.5325 W. Mt Hope HighwayA decade ago, Kramer moved from a suburban bungalow into the loft, falling under the spell of the picturesque brick building overgrown with bougainvillea and climbing roses, an advertisement for the late U.S. Baking Co. still faintly visible on the side."People are taking fewer trips and shorter vacations. Clients are maybe going longer stretches between groomings. But compared with a lot of other industries, I think we are doing remarkably well. I count my blessings every day."www.doggydaycareandspa.com"I had to get the toothpicks out for that one," she says. "It was filthy."Milligan soon discovered she was a "dog person" and decided to go to work for Hunting-Martin, which led to Milligan eventually purchasing the business along with her father, Dean Milligan.Milligan, who recommends dog daycare for two or three days a week, is quick to mention that her facility is not for every dog.Wag'n Tails Pet Resort"We're like two kids in a candy shop when we're there," Kramer says, giggling.Lansing"Dogs can sit at home and be bored, or they can come here and expand their world beyond the backyard and the house. Dogs are naturally pack animals, so most of them love the socialization," Milligan says. "It does take a watchful eye though, just as it does for any business that cares for what many consider to be a valuable family member."Heller interjects. "And when you bring something old back to life, it's like continuing that object's history into the present. We have an emotional connection to everything here."What dog wouldn't want to spend a day at the spa? Just the name alone sounds inviting for dog owners who are searching for daycare. Doggy Daycare and Spa offers the area's only cageless environment, meaning the dogs all socialize together within 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor dog play area.The rooftop garden yields impressive views, but the biggest allure here is clearly all the old stuff inside.Tom Metevier, Owner"I gave it away," she says. "I prefer the old ones: The craftsmanship is stunning, and listening to the hand crank turning reminds me of the clickety-clack of distant trains. I like to take my time when I sew."That's the reason, Milligan says, her business is doing well despite the recession gripping the nation.
www.doggydaycareandspa.com
Author: Stine, Randy J
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