Kenosha News

Puppy pampering

Man’s best friends still gettingfirst-class treatment from owners even in down economy

BY BILL GUIDA

bguida@kenoshanews.com

The down economy doesn’t have local dog owners who pamper their pets cutting out their pooches’ play dates with other canines altogether, but some are tightening the leash a bit to save money — in some cases even spending less on themselves so Fido and Fifi don’t miss play time with the pack.

Gladys Salus, a Kenosha native who now lives in Wintrhop Harbor, Ill., brings her Eskimo-poodle-lab-terrier, Moxie, twice a week to Puparotzi Palace, 7707 Sheridan Road, for day care, happily paying $25 for the full day service. (Puparotzi’s half-day charge, for four hours or less, is $12.)

“My dog needs socialization with other dogs because she’s the only dog in the house,” Salus said. “The first couple days, she was shy about going there. Now, her tail starts wagging as soon as we get there and when she sees (Puparotzi co-owner) Connie. I need her to go to day care because I have to run errands, and I do things with friends and stuff. It gives me a time-out with the dog, too. Otherwise we’re together 24/7 — not such a good thing.”

Watching spending

Despite the twice weekly $25 fee, Salus figures she’ll be saving money. The savings will come at the expense of the soon-to-be-former groomer who made house calls to keep Moxie looking pretty.

“I had a lady who comes here, gives her a bath and does all her grooming. With a tip, it’s like $80. At Puparotzi, with day care, it’s only $30, $35. Why would I pay somebody else to groom her? Why would I not let Connie bathe her? She does a beautiful job with the grooming. I hate to do this to this (groomer), but that was an economic choice,” Salus said.

“Money gets tight,” she added. “I’m a widow. But even though I don’t have to struggle, I have to watch what I spend. I have a house and a car and other bills.”

Cathy Conger trimmed back on dining out so her collies, Scorpio and Gracie, could keep romping with their canine buds at Central Bark Doggy Day Care, 7600 75th St., where she brings them for dog day care once a week. Central Bark’s full day rate for one dog is $22. Like Puparotzi, Central Bark discounts the fee for a second dog.

“We used to eat out twice a week. Now, we do it maybe twice a month because I want them to be socialized with other dogs, and I want them to have as much exercise as they can,” said Conger, of Kenosha. “I do walk them every day, but when you see them play there, it’s a whole lot better. One day I stayed and watched them play, and it was nonstop running. I was tired watching them.”

Savings add up

A retired civil servant, Conger still puts in some time working as a sales representative for a broker who sells to military grocery stores. She said she would like to have Scorpio and Gracie go to day care twice a week, but she can’t afford it. On the other hand, Conger has managed to reduce some pet care costs related to grooming and food. She also found she could save money by buying flea and tick drops online.

“Before, they were probably getting groomed quarterly. Now, it’s like every four months,” Conger said. “I also changed where I was groming because they were about $75 apiece. At Central Bark Day Care, it’s $50. So, I actually looked around for the best price. I’m probably saving close to $200 (a year)”

As for the flea and tick drops, she was paying $60 for three applications from a pet store. Online, she paid $105 but got 12 applications.

Central Bark owner Laura Kriofsky steered Conger toward a dog food choice that tallied even more savings. Conger had been feeding her dogs high-end, national brand products. Through Kriofsky, she found American Natural Premium, by Mequon-based Fromm Foods. “It’s like $30 for a 40-pound bag, and the others were like $40, depending on where you got them. And it’s more natural,” Conger said.

Pets are Family Members, worth costs, owners say

BY BILL GUIDA

bguida@kenoshanews.com

When Laura Kriofsky opened Central Bark Doggy Day Care, 7600 75th St., in March 2008, the economy already was tanking, making it hard for her to tell the effects of the continued down economy on the franchise.

“I would say, if anything, people don’t stop coming, they cut back. If they were coming four days a week, they’re coming two days a week,” Kriofsky said.

Greg Frost, who owns Puparotzi Palace, 7707 Sheridan Road, with wife Connie, said their family-owned businesses has experienced negative effects directly and indirectly due to the poor economy.

“I’d say it’s 33-percent less than it was four years ago,” Frost said, citing the boarding side of the business as an example. “It’s either board your dog (while you go) on vacation, or you’re not going on vacation. If they have nobody in the area to take care of their dog, and the choice is pay me $350 to board their dog, they won’t go on vacation.”

Grooming is going the same way, he added.

“They’re going longer in between groomings,” Frost said.

That makes it tough to keep up with the overhead needed to accommodate half- and full-day dog day care, parties and boarding: 21 individual kennels, 16 6-foot-by-6 foot boarding suites, three large play areas where dogs play together when here for boarding or day care, a grooming area with two washtubs and a cage-free drying room. An outside play area features turf to prevent paw burns and includes a 16-foot-by-40-foot swimming pool.

“In another 20 years, I’ll get my money back,” Frost said wryly.

Still, some 25 percent of clients tell him they cut elsewhere to afford extra pet care, according to Frost.

To supplement income, Puparotzi, like Central Bark, sells premium dog food, treats, accessories and toys. Both businesses offer percentage discounts for second dogs and other savings through various “specials.” But will people continue buying services and products if the economy stays down?

“Absolutely, I think they will — as long as they can,” Kriofsky said. “Pets now are definitely family members. Of course, they want them to be as happy and healthy as they can. Day care makes them very happy, socializes them. Sometimes, it will even make them a better dog at home. If the dog is getting what they need, they’re usually a better dog.”

Central Bark is averaging seven to nine new day-care clients per month this year, with new grooming clients up two to three per month, according to Kriofsky. That’s against a cutback or dropout rate of 10 to 15 percent over the total client base, which doesn’t account for clients relocating geographically, death, illness and other factors.

“Why do I think people keep spending money on their pets even in this economy? Pets add so much love and joy to our lives and families that (pet owners) just want to give them a happy and healthy life in return,” Kriofsky said.