Liz Blondy has seen it firsthand, that look of anxiety creeping over a dog owner's face as they go to board their three-pound Yorkie and a 120-pound shepherd walks through the door. Often it's the owners of small dogs, and not the small dogs themselves, that are afraid of the bigger breeds of dogs. It's why Blondy created Tiny Town, a day care and boarding facility specifically designed for small dogs.
Blondy is the owner of Canine to Five, the dog day care and boarding businesses located in Detroit and Ferndale. She opened Tiny Town this past June. It's a facility reserved for dogs 20 pounds and under. While it's located in the same building as the Ferndale Canine to Five, Blondy characterizes Tiny Town as a completely separate business.
The play area is designed for small dogs. The kennels are designed for small dogs. The small dogs receive more hands-on attention from a staff that is specific to Tiny Town. Blondy even has an HVAC system set so the small dogs can't sense the large dogs. And a separate entrance limits those anxiety-inducing encounters between small dog owners and the big dogs themselves.
"I'd say Tiny Town is about 50 percent for the dogs, 50 percent for the owners," says Blondy.
While space is currently unavailable for a Tiny Town at the Detroit location, Blondy says that she's working with a bank and architect to build an addition to that building.
Tiny Town will be hosting a free play date on Sep. 11 that will be open to the public. This Friday, Aug. 26, Canine to Five will help celebrate National Dog Day at the Shinola shop in Midtown, where they'll be providing complimentary nail clippings for friendly dogs—emphasis on the
friendly, says Blondy.
Tiny Town is located at 1221 E. Nine Mile Rd. in Ferndale.
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