Dog Day Afternoon Still Going to the Dogs!

You must be dog-gone tired! Hey, I'm from Florida -- I wish I could send my dogs somewhere & yes, I am tired. -- LD

SANFORD, Fla. -- When Dog Day Afternoon opened its doors as a doggie daycare in Orlando eight years ago, a lot of people called to register their children. Their human children, that is. At that time, not many people had heard of a daycare for dogs. But times, and Central Florida, have changed.

When their second location, in Sanford, opened this summer, people knew
exactly what to look for. The expectation today is a level of care for a pet that is suitable for a member of the family.

Dog Day Afternoon, which was voted Best Pet Service by WESH-TV,
provides doggie daycare, boarding and grooming in a way designed to exceed customer expectations and that is fun for pets. There are webcams so people can watch their dogs playing in supervised playgroups; the facility is staffed 24-hours a day, every day; and dogs sleep in air-conditioned "bedrooms", not cages or runs.

"People are excited when their dogs have as good a time on their trip
as they do," said Emily Schlansky, owner of Dog Day Afternoon, Inc. "Customers log on and see their dogs having fun. "Some people board their dogs with us over New Year's because their pet is afraid of fireworks," she said. "It's better to be with us, than at home scared and shaking."

Trading Pantyhose for a Pooper Scooper
Before opening Dog Day Afternoon, Schlansky was in marketing. Opening a doggie daycare was quite a career change.

"I joked that I was trading my pantyhose for a pooper scooper," Schlansky said. "It was a great trade."

Dog Day Afternoon has more than fifty employees, mostly part-timers who enjoy playing with dogs.

Schlansky gets so many requests for franchises and from people who want
to open their own facility, she developed a "Start-Up Packet" which the company sells. Packets have been sold throughout the U.S. and franchising is underway.

Sanford is Dog Friendly
Dog Day Afternoon's new location is a converted warehouse which received a makeover including fire sprinklers and air-conditioning systems
throughout. Its colors make it look more like a child care facility than one for pets.

"This location has a historic feel, but with an updated, funky touch,"
Schlansky said. "We are walking distance from an award-winning dog park and many pet-friendly businesses."

SOURCE: Dog Day Afternoon, Inc.