DOGGIE

You know it’s gotta be chi-chi when the name of the doggy day care is The Ritzy Canine. And this establishment definitely lives up to its name! It looks like a bed and breakfast that should be set in Amish country, but is, instead, a haven for our four-legged friends. How can you not help but love a place that says they were, “conceived with the purpose of providing a loving, safe and luxurious haven for our beloved dogs and cats. Our staff will go to any lengths to make our guests’ stay a true delight.”

Follow the “sweeping” stairway down to your pet’s suite accommodations which feature custom-made bedding, and various other special features. Walk beyond the suite areas and you’ll find the indoor playroom and the outdoor skytop “play solarium.” If you were doubting that this place is all about catering to you – I mean, your pet’s! – every need, words like “solarium,” and “custom-made” should put such doubts to rest.

The Ritzy Canine has remembered our feline companions as well, with a well equipped “cattery” complete with orthopedic bedding and a separated compartment for the kitty litter pan.

If you’re afraid your precious pet might be missing something while you’re away, fear not! – as The Ritzy Canine guarantees, “No request will be left unadressed.” And if you’re really worried all the stress might just be too much for her to handle, you can treat her to a massage – that’s right, a massage!

Before or after you drop your darling off for either a day or fun or an extended stay, don’t forget to stop by the boutique. As you might expect, it’s quite extensive and will NOT disappoint!

So what will this canine finery set you back? Massages range from $30 for 15 minutes, to $60 for 60 minutes. For small dogs, boarding is $60/night and on the larger end, they charge $80/night. Day care is $42/day for small pups, and medium or large dogs will run you $48.

The Ritzy Canine Carriage House
148 East 40th Street
212.949.1818

While a vacation means time away from the “real world,” there’s always a part of me that couldn’t enjoy it if my li’l baby wasn’t with me. Sometimes, the hassle and cost isn’t worth it, but that’s not typically the case in New York City.

If you’re a resident New Yorker, you may say, “OK, well so what? I already LIVE here!” Sometimes it’s nice to get “away” to a different part of town than you’d normally frequent, or to treat yourself like you’re on vacation without really going very far. Aside for the “hometown get-away,” you never know what life circumstances may crop up that would make having a pet-friendly hotel VERY important! What if your apartment floods? What if you need a temporary place to stay in between moves? I have a friend in California who had to live in a hotel – with her dog! – for several weeks while initiating divorce proceedings.

Not that you want to PLAN on something bad happening, but – shouldn’t you be prepared? To that end, here are a few of our favorite pet hotels.

1. SoHo Grand Hotel
You’ve gotta love a hotel that allows you to LEAVE with more pets than you CAME with! This hotel provides complimentary gold fish when you check out, if you wish. Not that gold fish are cute and cuddly like your precious pooch, but if the hotel is that giving, you can imagine what lengths they’ll go to to assure your pup is comfy-cozy.

2. Loews Regency New York
This Park Avenue hotel has comparable pricing to other NYC digs – y’know, not cheap, but (sadly) about average – around $250/night. Plus, they have special amenities for your dog or cat.

3. 70 Park Avenue Hotel
A luxury hotel that’s also pet-friendly. This means you’ll be pampered to death while resting assured your canine companion is pampered nose-to-tail as well. This is a hotel in the Kimpton family (where my divorcing friend ended up while she was “in between” homes), which is a pet-friendly chain.

4. Jolly Hotel Madison
Possibly a good bet if you have a small dog or cat. They take pets under 6.6 pounds and don’t require a deposit or increased rates. We know, the name sounds kind of hokey, but the rooms don’t look half bad!

5. Waldorf Towers
Ah … I had to include something super-chi-chi, and with rooms from $400 a night, we’re definitely glad they don’t charge a pet deposit! We could see this being a possible anniversary outing or celebration of a special occasion – an occasion that wouldn’t be complete without your pet (that’s under 25 pounds) of course!

*alexis

~happy pampering~

Doing research for these articles, I see and read a lot of over-the-top options for your precious pup. Now, I will be the first to admit that I treat my dog like family and love her more than some people love their kids (OK, well *I* think that’s true!) but even my dear mom and sissy only get spa treatments for gifts on really special occasions! Spa treatments, you say? That’s right. Oh, I’ve posted about pet spas in the past – chi-chi grooming options, relaxing pet massages, etc. – but I think I’ve found a category that really takes the cake! I couldn’t just lump these pet-friendly hotel options into my previous hotel list. No, no – this family of hotels deserves a post all to itself!

These hotels go above and beyond “pet friendly” – they are pet-indulgent! Here are a few to give you an idea of what your baby is missing out on in her day-to-day life:

As a general rule, all of the Affinia hotels participate in the “Jet Set Pet Program.” This includes a pet spa “kit” – a bone-shaped travel amenity that includes massage cream, lavender spray, and an “instant wipe pet bath.”

And if you’re thinking, “massage cream? Whatever am I to do with that?” Fear not! At New York’s “W” hotels, an in-room doggie massage is only a phone call away. These hotels also offer things like temporary ID tags with hotel contact info, custom designed beds that look like your bed, doggie robes, special collars and even turndown treats.

Le Park Meridian Hotel, pets enjoy mood music, scratch pads, and a special menu featuring foods like steak tartare. And – if you have a pet other than a dog, this may be the place for you. Apparently, they welcome all pets “from aardvarks to zebras.”

Not quite on the level with “in room massage,” but quite an upscale treat for you and your dog is The Loews Regency, which offers pets sleep mats, bowls, a special menu (developed by a vet), dog walkers, and pet videos. (Pet videos? I think they’re designed to keep your pets occupied? How very telly-tubby of them.) They also have a “Did You Forget?” closet that features pet beds, toys and leashes.
Don’t forget to check out the relatively moderately-priced Hotel Pennsylvania. Their doggie amenities might not be on par with in-room massage, but they know a thing or two about dog care away from home; they’re the hotel of the Westminster Dog Show!

These homes away from home for your loved one are really re-defining what it means to be a “pet parent!”

*alexis

~happy pampering~

Dog spa massage schools are become more and more ubiquitous – probably in proportion to the number of people out there who have dogs and also have too much money. I feel like people figure – “I love massages, why wouldn’t my precious pooch?” While this reasoning may be true in part, do you think your dog will really appreciate the professional hands of a trained dog massage therapist the way we appreciate a good day spa rub-down as opposed to that of our significant other? The jury’s out on that one.

In cases where the dog is injured, suffers from arthritis or has particular muscle pain, you could get away with saying it’s justified. If that’s the case – or if you just think your dog will really benefit from a good rub down – there are some well-qualified sources out there.

Broadway Dog Spa is one such place. Not only do they offer “relaxing and calming” massage (to the tune of $35 for a half-hour session), they also offer Reiki and other holistic techniques. Broadway Dog Spa is also a doggie day care, boarding and grooming facility.

If you want more concentrated effort to be paid to your pooch, Companion Chi might be the place for you. They offer “healing sessions” which “involve the use of Massage and Energetic Healing techniques. The Energetic Healing techniques used include Reiki, Healing Touch for Animals®(HTA), Emotional Freedom Technique(EFT), and Quantum Healing. Flower Essences are also used when needed. Each session is tailored to meet the current needs of your animal.”

This I could see, again, if your pet was injured in some way. Otherwise, I feel like your pooch will be like, “oooo … someone’s petting me … it feels good!”

As for my li’l Bailey, she rarely deigns to be petted by someone other than family members. Which is why I say, give ’em a lot of attention, a good back scratch and belly rub, call it good, and save yourself the chunk of change!

*alexis

~happy pampering~