Despite the name, excessive barking not okay at new doggie day care

By Ashley Mackin | SDUN Editor

Bark Boulevard, a doggie day care center, opened in North Park on March 21.

“It is important to us that every canine and canine owner have the option of a safe, reliable, loving and reasonably priced home away from home when needed,” owner Coral VanLandingham said.

Some of the services offered at Bark Boulevard include washing and drying; curbside drop-off; access to outdoor play areas and an indoor “romp room;” a retail shop for dog clothes and toys; and special event planning for dogs and their owners.

Bark Boulevard offers hourly and overnight kennel-free care for dogs of all sizes. Keeping the dogs in individual “suites,” the dogs are kept in separate spaces unless an owner of multiple dogs prefers they stay together.

Bark Boulevard came after 20 years of brainstorming and VanLandingham said she initially wanted to develop a private dog park, but didn’t have the finances due to the high cost.

After developing a solid concept and receiving a small business loan, VanLandingham moved on-site into the building that houses Bark Boulevard, located at 2311 El Cajon Blvd., with their son, Bill, and their four-year-old Chocolate Lab, Charlie Brown.
A former medical facility, built in 1963, is 5,000 square feet and required some electrical and plumbing repairs. Living on-site, VanLandingham said the home away from home feeling is important to her and her son.

VanLandingham said she always had pets growing up, including dogs, cats, ducks, rabbits, hamsters, birds and a horse. “The care for those animals was a family responsibility and taken very seriously. Each pet was always well cared for and treated as a member of the family, much loved and often spoiled rotten,” she said. “This is also how I have raised my son. We both care deeply for animals.”

Bark Boulevard requires all dogs to have current California licensing and up-to-date vaccinations and prefers dogs receive regular flea treatments.

A majority of the routines and socialization is determined by owner’s preferences.
When it comes to bathroom breaks, owners are asked about the dog’s normal schedule. The dogs are walked and taken outside often and the turf bathroom area is cleaned daily. If an owner prefers their dog be kept alone, there are upstairs suites and the animals would not engage in group play.

There are, however, rules at the facility, including specific off-leash and on-leash areas, and dogs must adhere to them.

“That’s just for the safety of the dogs…. We don’t want our dogs to get out,” VanLandingham said. She said she has lots of experience with dogs getting out and how to prevent it. Other rules include no aggressive behavior and no excessive barking.

“We really we want to serve our immediate community [in] North Park, University Heights, Hillcrest, Kensington [and] Talmadge,” she said. “Obviously we’re not large enough to handle a whole lot of dogs and people, so we just really want to concentrate on our community here.”