Want a perfect vacation for your dog?

In 2011, the USA was noted for having the highest spending pet owners in the world, with almost $51 billion spent according to a report in the Associated Press. I mean, many dogs nowadays get a lot of comfort and are treated like humans themselves, with toys, good food, clothes, and even air-conditioned dog houses.

Do you want a perfect vacation for your dog? Now there is a firm called Dog Vacay, a business in Santa Monica, California, offering vacations especially made for dogs.

A dog-loving couple, Aaron Hirschhorn and Karine Nissim Hirschhorn, looked at the problem of dealing with their dogs while they went on vacation or trips. Since the dogs typically needed to be in a kennel during the vacation for safety purposes, they could not completely enjoy themselves without their masters. Dog needs are, after all, different from human needs.

Then an idea sprouted from when they took their two dogs, Rocky and Rambo, to their friend’s house when they went on a trip. When they came back, Rocky and Rambo seem to have enjoyed themselves very well, as if they had a vacation of their own. From this concept, both Aaron and Karine decided to give dog sitting a shot, and it worked well. Investors and capitalists from Silicon Valley and Los Angeles also decided to contribute to the idea. According to Aaron, “Why should humans have all the fun? We want dogs to have their own”vacay” when their owners travel.” Thus, Dog Vacay was born and opened for business.

According to them, dog sitting is a helpful tool for humans who want to enjoy their own vacation without the anxiety that may come from worrying about keeping their dog trapped in a kennel or restrained from good fun. However, you cannot always find a good friend available to do the job, and it may even sound like you are being a burden to the friend. This is why the couple has brought in a solution – to bring around professional dog trainers and dog lovers who are always free to do the job. Their business first opened by opening their own home for dog sitting. Around 100 dogs became their clients. Soon after that, they began turning it into their expanded online business.

How does it work? Dog Vacay brings together dog trainers and pet owners in a social networking method. Dog trainers post their qualifications, rates and offers for customers. Keep in mind that these trainers are not your ordinary dog lovers- they have passed certain trainings and certifications which make them qualified to train dogs. On the other hand, pet owners who are looking for dog sitters look for a good offer from these trainers online. For example, an owner has a dog that she wants to be watched while away. He or she makes a deal with a dog trainer, and the trainer may even offer a vacation package specially made for the dog.

When customers want updates on their dog’s vacation, they can simply connect to social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, and even from their iPhone or Android app. Cell phone, text messages, and e-mail notifications are also frequently used. Pretty soon, they will be also implementing GPS-enabled dog collars for better tracking.

Aside from dogs, they are also planning to expand the service to other pets such as cats, hamsters, birds, and many others. So if you want a perfect vacation for your dog, check with Dog Vacay. They may have expanded into your area.

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