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Business & Tech

Sometimes the Dog House Means Reward, Not Punishment

Dogs benefit from canine interaction at overnight boarding facility.

As Christmas approaches, dog owners might do their pets a favor by making out-of-town plans.

Malcolm Smart, owner of the Brooklyn Dog House at 327 Douglass Street, makes a good case for the benefits of giving dogs a break from their owners. At his overnight (and daycare and dog-walking) facility, dogs can play with their peers in the former industrial space, monitored by Smart and his staff. The experience is good for developing canine social skills, Smart said, and without their owners around, dogs can truly relax.

At the Dog House, "most dogs plays with other dogs most of the day," he said. "It's like a dog run but dogs aren't as tense because there's no feeling of needing to protect their owners. It's all about having a good time."

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Smart, a British expat living in Prospect Heights, opened the Dog House nine years ago, shifting gears after 15 years of working on Wall Street as a computer consultant. He spotted a gap in the market in Brooklyn and, as a dog lover dating a veterinarian, the timing was right for him to set up the business.

However, during the last few years, other dog boarding facilities in Park Slope have closed, Smart said.

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"Business has been slower because people are not traveling as much or they've lost their jobs," he said. "It's been a very tough time for all of us in Park Slope."

Christmas remains one of the busiest times of the year at the Dog House, though, along with Thanksgiving and Labor Day weekend. Maximum capacity is as high as 100, depending on kennel-sharing arrangements. For owners who have not yet figured out their holiday plans, there is still room for more dogs this Christmas.

Rates depend on dog size but range from $38 to $45 for overnight boarding. Daycare (between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.) costs $25.

Mixed breeds are most common in Park Slope, Smart said, to the extent that some owners are sheepish about having anything else.

"Park Slope is such a politically correct neighborhood, I've had people apologize for having purebreds," he said. The corollary is that owners tend to care deeply about the wellbeing of their pets.

"Park Slopers don't just treat their dogs like dogs," he said. "It's not like Manhattan that way. It's not like an accessory."

Such concerned owners will want to know their animals are being looked after well while they are away. At the Dog House, staff take note of dietary requirements and observe canine behavior closely. Dogs sleep in crates and are divided by size between two separate play areas, where they are monitored but otherwise allowed free reign.

"They can chew on each other as long as nobody gets hurt," Smart said. Staff know how to break up fights, but they also look out for aggressive behavior to prevent situations from happening.

After nine years, many pups at the Brooklyn Dog House are regular visitors. New boarders receive some extra attention.

"We watch the new ones a bit more carefully," Smart said. "Sometimes it's like a kid who's never had a sleepover," meaning that not all dogs react well to separation from their owners.

If dogs do get depressed, staff at the Dog House are sure to give them some one-on-one attention. But dogs benefit from varied experiences, Smart explained, so not being coddled by owners occasionally can make for emotionally healthier, more confident pets.

"You need to give a dog the social experiences it needs, not just a small world with lots of love at home but nothing else," Smart said.

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