MARYSVILLE If Marysville is going to the dogs, then Cassandra Erickson is going to be in dog heaven.
She is the owner of A Bark Above, one of the citys newest enterprises offering canine day care and gourmet pet treats at her State Avenue site.
The shop is in the Marysville Mall next to Value Village and Jones & Co. pet store, where Erickson also has taught obedience classes, something shes done for the last seven years. The doggie day care center is the fulfillment of a longstanding dream for her and attracted a well-heeled clientele (bad pun, sorry) and their owners, who tend to be pretty upscale too, according to Erickson.
Its really active people who leave for work and dont come home until 7 p.m. or so, Erickson said during grand opening exercises last week. Ive gotten calls all day long so it seems like its going to be popular.
About an hour after opening her doors there were close to a dozen dogs romping around with her two (human) assistants and her own trio of furry friends from home. The assortment of sizes and breeds created an interesting mix, with a new round off sniffing every time a new customer was introduced into the play pen.
Debbie Barger Smith of Marysville dropped off Jughead, her 3 1/2-year-old brindle boxer who proceeded to ignore the ball and toys thrown for his benefit.
We work quite a bit and its a great way for him to get exercise, Smith said.
Erickson said her facility can handle as many as 30 dogs at a time and no advance notice is required for when owners need to drop off their pet. In addition to day care A Bark Above offers training classes in several categories. Puppy training and play is for dogs 10 to 20 weeks old and there are obedience and agility classes too. Children six years and older can sign up for an eight-week class with their dog; the classes range from $75 to $100 for five to eight weeks.
I have a lot of people for my obedience classes, Erickson said.
Erickson also bakes her own gourmet dog treats that she said are more healthy than the store brand types. They contain no corn, soy or wheat and no sugar, artificial colors or preservatives either. Avoiding those no-nos can help with a dogs behavior, Erickson said. She will soon offer pet portraits and is getting a dog-bone shaped pan to bake birthday cakes.
Were going to be doing birthday parties, Erickson explained.
There are other doggie day care centers in the area, including Lake Stevens and Everett locations, but she urges buyers to beware; a similar Arlington business operates out of somebodys house and doesnt give pets room to run, she said.
The trend has been around for a while, according to Maryke Burgess, a Marysville city employee who drops off her dog at a Snohomish day care center every week day. Rosie is a 5-year-old Australian shepherd and yellow Labrador mix who has been going to day care all her life. Burgess said the industry is picking up as people get busier and want the best for their animals.
Its been around for a while but I think people are starting to see the benefits of taking their dogs to day care, Burgess said. Another thing is my dog is really well socialized around other dogs. Shes very friendly around other dogs.
The other owners Burgess sees when she picks up Rosie run the gamut and arent just upper crust folks, she said. She thinks her dog benefits from the contact with other animals.
I love it because my dog is a very high-energy dog and she is able to run and play all day and I feel it makes her a very well-behaved dog because she is able to get her energy out and the quality of her life is enhanced by her being able to play with other dogs, Burgess said. I dont mind spending the money because its worth every penny.
A Bark Above charges $18 per day for the first dog and $15 for a second pet. A half hour of training is $15 per dog and package deals are available. Shorter sessions are available with corresponding discounts for multiple animals.
The store is open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, with a two-hour nap-time starting at noon. Saturdays run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Separate sessions are available for large and small dogs and gatherings of specific breeds are in the works.
Like any other day care, there are some rules: fleas are not welcome, shots must be current and owners need to have proof of vaccination at their pets first session. Dogs six months or older should be neutered or spayed in order to play and all should be social animals.
A Bark Above is located at 1332 State Avenue in Marysville at the intersection of 76th Street. The phone number is 425-231-0231, and the websites are www.A-Zpetcare.com and www.customPetStore.com.