Near my apartment, on 1st Avenue and 80th Street, is a doggy day care business called Biscuits & Bath. I stop every single time I pass by, because I simply must watch the dogs playing in the window (the entire front is glass, so you can see right into the playroom, and even into the grooming area). Biscuits & Bath provides full day-care, boarding, and dog-walking services for a wide array of needs and budgets, as well as grooming, veterinary services, and training. The place really is quite remarkable – the employees clearly are enamored with their jobs, and the dogs, which are supervised extremely closely, seem ecstatic to be there.
Lucy has been desperately in need of a grooming for some time (her very scruffy “before” shot is above), so this morning I put her in Victor’s capable hands, and in the meantime sat down with Mark to get some tips on keeping your dog healthy in the city.
– Make sure to see the vet regularly (ideally twice a year), as urban dogs are exposed to a great deal of dog-on-dog interaction that can result in the transmission of diseases such as upper respiratory infections;
– Make sure vaccinations are up-to-date;
– Pay careful attention to your pet’s diet, especially if he/she isn’t getting regular exercise;
– Try not to leave your dog alone for too long; the maximum recommended time is about 4-6 hours. If you need to be away for longer than that, consider doggy day care or hiring a walker.
Oh, and this is fun: Biscuits & Bath offers free puppy and small dog play groups on Monday nights (puppies 7-8PM, small dogs 8-9PM). I’m so there.
Biscuits & Bath has six locations around the city; see the website for addresses and contact info.
