Did you know that dogs have allergies too? We did!! Learn more about dogs seasonal allergies from our friends at WCCO-TV. We see lots of our customers that come in with medicated shampoo for baths!
Warm weather is finally here and we are all so excited to get outside. Before we get ahead of ourselves it’s important to remember to give your dog the proper pest preventatives. Heartworms are a deadly parasite spread by mosquitoes. Your vet can prescribe monthly preventative chews to protect your dog. Flea and tick preventative is also very important. I’ve heard many reports of ticks found after trips to dog parks and wooded areas already this year. These simple preventative measures will keep your dog and your family safe from pests. Remember that Bubbly Paws is a pest free zone and if you find a tick or flea on your dog notify a staff person right away. Have fun in this warm weather and keep pest free!
Franklin and Roxy took over the bobbing for hot dogs booth at the Bubbly Paws Dog Wash anniversary party! Watch this fun video that we put together.
We were proud to be chosen for the cover of the St Louis Park Magazine – Pet edition. Below you can read the article that featured Pampered Pooch Playground and Bubbly Paws.
Pampered Pooch Playground
Owners: Trycia and Keith Miller
Services: Dog day care, boarding
The tale:
Trycia and Keith Miller launched their dog day-care center five years ago. They initially opened it for their beloved Bernese mountain dog named Roxy. Today the Millers manage about 95 dogs per day at the Pampered Pooch Playground. They have three separate rooms for canine frolicking, including 11,000 square feet of climate-controlled indoor space and a 3,500-square-foot outdoor area. There are also luxury suites for the extremely pampered pooch.
“Minnesota is unregulated for doggie day care, so it’s a point of concern for dog owners,” Keith Miller says. “Someone could rent any old garage and put 60 dogs in it.” The Millers do everything they can to alleviate worry. Pampered Pooch is the first dog day care in the country to have iPhone, Android and Blackberry apps so owners can watch their pups at play, day and night. There are 11 live webcams streaming from the three playrooms and regular Facebook posts and tweets. The outside play area is made with recycled sports turf, which is ecologically appropriate and, unlike gravel or Astroturf, easy to clean.
“The St. Louis Park pet business network is really supportive,” Keith Miller says. “If someone had a fire or got sick, they could bring their dogs to us or I would go work at their place to help out.” Miller stays current on developments in the doggie care world and is a fan of the “busman’s holiday”: Whenever he travels, he stops by other pet care facilities to take notes on what they’re doing right and what he would like to avoid in his own establishment. “There’s a real difference in big-city day cares,” he notes, adding many have a less than fragrant smell. 7020 Walker St.; 952.922.8183; pamperedpoochplayground.com
Bubbly Paws
Owners: Trycia and Keith Miller
Services: Self-serve or full-service dog washing, grooming
Hangers-on: Roxy the Bernese mountain dog
The tale:
Bubbly Paws is the Millers’ laidback little brother to their high-maintenance big baby, the Pampered Pooch Playground. The Millers opened Bubbly Paws two years ago, mainly as place to wash their own Roxy, a 100-pound Bernese whose bulk and thick hair demand an elaborate bathing process. They nabbed a light and airy space in the busy Excelsior/Grand complex and outfitted it with five elevated step-in tubs with shower hoses, a grooming room and a drying room. Customers can bathe their dogs themselves or pay a bit more for a house shampoo.
The Millers are dedicated to the St. Louis Park community and even use a locally made shampoo, which is actually a reformulated horse shampoo. “I like it because it doesn’t smell fake or overpowering,” Keith says. “I mean, I’m a guy, so I couldn’t care less about smelling like flowers.” Nevertheless Bubbly Paws’ grooming services offer plenty of bling for their canine clients, including toenail polish and in one unusual case, a pink polka-dot dye job.
The couple loves the tight-knit animal owning community in St. Louis Park. “People know each others’ dog’s names. Everyone goes to the Dakota dog park and people recognize each other [from the dog park],” Keith Miller says. “I’ve seen love connections happen here. Seriously, if you were a single guy, why wouldn’t you get a dog?” Miller dreams about opening a pet rental business for hopeful single guys hanging around the dog park. In the meantime, “we just have fun here,” he says. “C’mon, it’s a dog wash!” Each month Bubbly Paws gives back to support a different pet rescue organization, donating $5 from each bath, and hosting creatively awesome occasions like doggie yoga and doggie happy hour. 3730 Grand Way; 952.657.5300; bubblypaws.com
Pet Friendly SLP
We also provided St Louis Park Magazine a list of some of the pet friendly businesses in St Louis Park:
Primp
Hosts fundraisers for a local pet rescue
1628 West End Blvd.; 952.303.3791; primpyourself.com
Lululemon
Stop in with your dog and get a treat
1639 West End Blvd.; 763.545.9069; lululemon.com
McCoy’s Public House
Dogs can hang out and get treats on the patio
3801 Grand Way; 952.224.9494; mccoyspublichouse.com
Yum!
Free house-made doggie treats
4000 Minnetonka Blvd.; 952.922.4000; yumkitchen.com
The Four Firkins
Browse the local beer selection with your discerning pooch
5630 W. 36th St.; 952.938.2847; thefourfirkins.com
Galaxy Drive-In
Bring your pooch while you enjoy a superb burger
3712 Quebec Ave S.; 952.277.7777; galaxy-drivein.com
Frattallone’s Ace Hardware
Great nosing around for dog and man (or woman)
5025 Excelsior Blvd.; 952.456.6630; frattallones.com
Filament Lighting
This business provided the lighting for Bubbly Paws
5007 Excelsior Blvd.; 952.926.5007; filamentlighting.com
I can’t tell you how excited I am for the 2013 season of Beer With Your Buddy to kick off! Join us this Saturday from 3-5:30 at the Nomad Pub in Minneapolis. You can buy tickets online by clicking here. Pampered Pooch Playground and Bubbly Paws are a sponsor of this great Minneapolis dog event powered by the K9-Connection.
Have a good day!
Keith
I can’t say I’m sad to see all the snow melting but it was nice to be reminded of how pretty fresh snow can look. Roxy and Franklin both love to play in the snow so I took them on a nice walk to enjoy the sunshine and fresh snow. They loved having a snow day to sniff around and stretch their legs off leash. Roxy in particular loves to run in the snow!
I’m ready for spring to arrive but we had fun for our (hopefully!) last taste of winter!
Thanks to all the great readers of CityPages who voted for us for the “Best Pet Spa” in the Best of the Twin Cities 2013. We are so honored to have won! Below you will see the article that ran in City Pages. Click Here for a complete list of other winners.
The weather is warming up and all the snow is melting so Franklin and I are so excited to get outside and have fun. We collected a few things that will make it easy to get out and have fun with your dog.
It’s no secret we love Stunt Puppy products and the Stunt Runner lead is a great tool to walk, jog, or run with your dog. It straps around your waist (or a light post if you need coffee after your work out) and has a bungee section to minimize stress on you and your dog if they happen to pull on the lead.
After your run you and your dog should drink plenty of water. OllyDog makes a great water bottle with a detachable bowl so you can pour your pooch a drink while you get one. Made of BPA-free plastic it is sturdy and streamlined.
If your dog gets messy at the dog park or likes to swim, roll or splash around get a collar that repels water and smell. Dublin Dog no-stink collars are tough and good looking. They have a solid buckle and come in sizes for small to large dogs. They wipe clean with no fuss and don’t hold on to scents.
Happytails makes great all natural grooming products. Must-haves for summer are the Itchin’ for Relief and the Flea the Scene sprays. Itchin’ for Relief soothes irritation and hot spots on your dog’s skin. Flea the Scene is a 3-in-1 spray that protects your dog from sunburn, repels insects and conditions the coat. Both of these sprays are safe even if your dog licks them off.
The best part of spring is the relief of getting outside after the long winter. Have fun, be safe and don’t be afraid to get dirty!
Bubbly Paws Dog Wash and Dog Spa will be turning 2 years old this April and we want to thank all of our loyal customers for making this possible. Join us from April 22-28th for a week long of Special events and goodies at both of our businesses! Plus we will have free hot dogs from Nate Dogs on Sunday, April 28th from 11:30-1:30. Our doggy daycare, Pampered Pooch Playground will celebrate their 5th anniversary in April!
Thanks again for being part of the Bubbly Paws family!
We all know that traveling can be a stressful time, but it had to have been really hard on Hendrix the dog that was placed on the wrong United Airlines flight. He flew all the way to Ireland!! You can watch the story below or read more here! My personal favorite part of the story is when the mom said “not even frickin’ Florida.. Ireland”. I think i might have said something like that, but i would have used more words that needed to be beeped out.
Have a good night.
Keith
