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Dog Daycare Owner

Animals: Lucky Dog, Colorado Springs, CO

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Do you believe that man’s best friend deserves to be pampered? Are you a “people” person and a “dog” person, good at shaking both hands and paws? Can you visualize how an average work day might include everything from swinging a mop, to keeping the books, to planning a doggie birthday party? Then join Debi Ropes, owner of Lucky Dog Resorts and Training School, for a VocationVacation® with her and her canine friends.

Debi is a natural caretaker and has been caring for either people or dogs all her professional life. Trained as a nurse, Debi moved around a lot in her job. When she left the nursing field, she turned to taking care of “four legged” patients and began working for a veterinary clinic on the east coast and then in Colorado Springs. She later ran her own pet sitting service for a few years and worked as an assistant manager for a dog daycare center. When a friend, who wanted to invest in a dog care business, offered her part ownership in the business in exchange for her “sweat equity,” Debi knew her career was truly “going to the dogs,” but in a very good way. “I named the business ‘Lucky Dog’ because that was what I truly felt I was,” laughs Debi.

Opened in 2004, today, Lucky Dog Resorts are the largest canine activity centers in Colorado Springs. It is a full service “dog city” offering boarding, daycare, training, agility, and grooming. But getting the business up and running did have its challenges. “We were ready to do just about anything to earn people’s business,” says Debi. “That was pretty evident when a client insisted his favorite pooch had to have his own recliner brought in for his kennel stay, and we made it happen.”

With two locations in Colorado Springs, Lucky Dog employs a staff of 23. On an average day, 40 – 45 happy dogs enjoy the care and activities offered in spacious indoor and outdoor play areas. Owners can feel at ease with leaving their dogs at Lucky Dog by tuning into their webcam to check on their pet. They can also take advantage of training and grooming services available while their dog is in daycare. “It really saves people time when they can take care of all their dogs needs in one place,” explains Debi.

Lucky Dog takes its billing as a full service “resort” seriously. In the summer, it offers its pampered pooches a chance to take a dip in bone-shaped pools and enjoy doggie ice cream. And if you need your dog picked up or taken to the airport, the Lucky Dog limousine is at your service.

The boarding facilities at Lucky Dog can accommodate 80 dogs. Each dog receives special care from their own “guardian angel.” “Every dog is assigned their own ‘angel’ who spends one-on-on time with them to insure all their needs are met,” says Debi. “Providing quality care in a safe, clean, healthy environment is what Lucky Dog is all about.”

So is playing with dogs all day truly a dream job? “In this business, of course, it is important you love being around dogs, but it is also important you recognize this work is not all warm noses and puppy kisses,” cautions Debi. “As an owner of a facility like this, you need to be prepared to do everything from mopping the floor, to writing checks, to assuring anxious “parents” that their dog will be given excellent care.” Debi leads by example and also provides excellent training for her staff. “We have fun, but it is important to remember that we need to function like any other business with the ultimate goal of pleasing our customers….both the two-legged and four-legged ones,” says Debi.

While on your Dog Daycare Owner VocationVacation® dream job holiday with Debi Ropes, activities will include some or all of the following:

The safe introduction of dogs in a playgroup setting
Employee education and management in a dog daycare business
Heath and safety issues of dogs in boarding and daycare
Customer service issues in a boarding and daycare business
Play vs. problems – how to recognize the player from the bully
Introduction to a popular kennel software program
Pack management in common and stressful situations
How to staff your kennel successfully
Sanitation and cleanliness for the dog care facility

The Dog Daycare Owner VocationVacations® holiday with Debi Ropes includes:

One day of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a dog daycare owner
The ability to take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), an online personality assessment designed to identify interests and skill sets
The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post-VocationVacation career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job becoming a reality
Light lunches with your mentor

Available: All year based on mentor's availability with exception of holidays

Price: $549 Per Person

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Suggested Accommodations

The Broadmoor

Holden House 1902 Bed and Breakfast Inn

(Not included in the price of the VocationVacations® holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® adventure:

Reservation, Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules and Conditions:

Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.