Four Paws Pet Ranch provides boarding and day care services for dogs, cats, and exotic pets at its 5.5-acre facility in Santa Rosa. In addition to offering both short- and long-term boarding in a climate-controlled environment, the company offers personalized training programs, onsite grooming, animal adoption, and a membership-only dog park that requires all dogs to be screened for shots and follow behavioral guidelines.
Owner David Weiss says Four Paws Pet Ranch’s model property has been a crucial element of its success. “Instead of being cooped up in a concrete building all day, our clients’ pets have a lot of room to play and socialize. This property has been here since the 1900s, so it has more of a ranch feel than a high-tech feel. We work hard to make it as warm and inviting as possible.”
Four Paws Pet Ranch’s staff takes an interactive approach to caring for cats and dogs, which Mr. Weiss says is important for maintaining an engaging environment where animals feel safe and comfortable. “Our employees are very animal-centric people, and that’s obvious to anyone who sees them interacting with their pets. When a dog doesn’t really want to go home after staying with us, we know we’ve done our job correctly.”
“We believe that if we take care of our customers (both the animals and their owners), they'll take care of us. We want every dog and cat to have an engaging, fun time when they stay with us, and we make sure their owners get their questions answered and feel confident in our expertise.”
Properly socialize your dog to help avoid long-term behavioral problems.
Whether your dog is big or small, young or old, calm or active, experts recommend keeping him or her well-socialized. Often, this is simply a matter of making sure your dog gets plenty of exercise and is regularly exposed to positive interactions with other sociable dogs.
An easy way to socialize your dog is to regularly take him or her to a facility that provides dog daycare services. During these supervised play sessions, dogs get a chance to meet other dogs and fulfill their pack animal instincts by playing, chasing and building social skills. “Many dog owners find that providing weekly play changes the way their dogs react to other dogs in public,” says David Weiss, owner of Four Paws Pet Ranch in Santa Rosa. “Instead of getting overly excited, they’ll be calmer and better behaved because they’re used to being around other dogs.”
Mr. Weiss compares socializing dogs with raising children. “Imagine a child who never gets to play with other children—he or she will always be missing an important aspect of their personality,” he says. “The same thing happens to un-socialized dogs; they meet other dogs and don’t know how to get along because they don’t have previous experiences to draw from.”
According to Mr. Weiss, socialization is also a way to break the monotony that can contribute to unwanted behaviors in dogs. “Sometimes people complain that their dogs dig in the yard, chew up shoes or bark when they’re left alone, but those things tend to happen when dogs get bored,” he explains. “Exercise, mental stimulation and regular socialization are important for preventing this unwanted behavior, especially with very young or active dogs. Chew toys and games like hiding food give dogs jobs to do, which helps them burn off excess energy and stay well-balanced.”
Pet boarding companies are always looking for ways to distinguish themselves from their competition, and those that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award are already several steps ahead. In addition to its Diamond Certified status, Four Paws Pet Ranch sets itself apart by focusing on meeting the needs of both the animals that stay at its facility and their owners. "We know we actually have two customers in every situation: the pet and the human," says owner David Weiss. "Our staff members are the keys to keeping both types of customers happy. The pets have a great time with them and feel safe, and the pet owners feel confident in their expertise."
Four Paws Pet Ranch has been boarding dogs and cats at its 5.5-acre, climate-controlled facility in Santa Rosa since 2009. In addition to its short- and long-term boarding services, the company offers personalized training programs, animal adoption, a membership-only dog park that requires all dogs to be screened for shots and follow behavioral guidelines, and more.
Unlike some pet boarding facilities that simply warehouse animals while their owners are away, Four Paws Pet Ranch utilizes its sizeable property to allow animals to play freely and socialize with each other, which Mr. Weiss says makes for a better overall experience. "Our animals aren't cooped up all day–they're out running around and playing in our 16 spacious play yards. Dogs are pack animals that want to be outside with other dogs, and we provide them with that experience."
Another unique feature of Four Paws Pet Ranch is its onsite grooming facility, which accepts drop-in and grooming-only appointments in addition to serving boarding and day care animals. "All our groomers are certified and award-winning, and we're very proud to have them here," says Mr. Weiss. "We offer a lot of options, from dropping off pets for grooming only to treating them to daycare visits. Either way, we'll have them clean and ready to go at a specific time."
