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By Natalie Nickson from the Downtown Orlando Leader
Clients can enter the web site any time during business hours
and watch their dog through the cameras.
ORLANDO, FL -- Big ones, small ones, short or long haired, cute and cuddly
or ferocious. Dogs...who doesn’t love them? Well, me for one, since getting within
ten feet of one causes me to break out in hives, sneeze my head off and have eyes
that itch for days. Luckily for Shana Cannon, owner of the K-9 Lounge, this is
definitely not the case.
Big ones, small ones, short or long haired, cute and cuddly or ferocious. Dogs… who doesn’t love them?
Well, me for one, since getting within ten feet of one causes me to break out in hives, sneeze my head
off and have eyes that itch for days. Luckily for Shana Cannon, owner of the K-9 Lounge, this is
definitely not the case.
Arriving at the Doggie Daycare off of Robinson Street downtown, I am greeted by two boxers and a very
friendly golden retriever. A frazzled woman, I can only assume is Shana, has two more on a leash.
"Don’t worry," she calls over her shoulder, "they won’t hurt you. They think you’re here for playtime."
Once they realize I am certainly not going to risk death by playing with them, the dogs run off and
start chasing a ball they found in the corner. This picturesque scene could be straight out of a pre-school, only instead of children playing with blocks, it’s three
huge dogs batting around a ball like best friends.
Suddenly, Shana returns, minus the two dogs, and ushers me into her office. "They should be calming down
soon." She laughs as barks fill the air. "It’s almost nap time." Nap time? I think to myself. Dogs have a
nap time? As strange as that may sound, Shana is very serious when it comes to her job and the dogs
she cares for. "Being a dog lover myself, I know how precious a pet becomes to their owner. When my
clients drop off their dogs every morning, for many of them, it’s like dropping their child off at
school. They trust me to take care of basically what they consider their family."
Watching Shana interact with her "students", I understand why so many people trust her. The dogs know her
and obviously adore her, but Shana has taken client satisfaction to a whole new level when she installed
web cams in every room of her business. "When I decided to open a doggie daycare, I knew I needed
to set myself apart from the other doggie businesses in the area," she explains. "That’s where the web cam
system came in." Clients can enter the web site any time during business hours and watch their dog through
the cameras. This allows them to keep up with their dogs’ daily activities and schedule, monitor their
development and socialization, and see their dog interact with others. This ingenious idea has given
Shana a major advantage over other daycare’s because people feel more comfortable knowing they
can check on their dog at any time.
"The only way I’m going to stay in business, is if people are happy with the service I provide them," she
says. "That’s extremely important to me. But even more so, is the privilege I feel when people
trust me enough to take care of their dog. I take that responsibility very seriously."
For those of us who have never heard of a doggie daycare, Shana explains. "I provide a fun and stimulating
play environment for dogs, instead of leaving them home alone all day. You'd be surprised at how depressed
and anti-social a dog can become when it's by itself day in and day out." Shana continues by telling me a
story of a Greyhound that came to her a few months ago. "It was obvious this dog had not interacted with
other dogs right from the start. He wouldn't play; he just sat by himself all the time. Then one day he
decided to join in a game, and he's never looked back." She laughs. "He's one of my most active dogs now.
Watching him play makes me feel good. I feel like I've helped him in some way lead a happier life." Shana's
face beams with pride, and for a moment I wish I had a dog for her to watch just so they could be around
this remarkable woman.
When Shana first toyed with the idea of opening a daycare, she realized location was going to be the
biggest challenge. "I needed a place big enough for what I had in mind, but I also wanted to be situated
in a locale where it would be convenient for my clients." She struck gold when she discovered
a building off of Robinson, between Thornton Park and Baldwin Park. "It was absolutely perfect,"
she explains. "I was able to set up the three different indoor play areas, but also have a 700 sq. ft.
outdoor play area. Now I have the ability to house many dogs, but at the same time, give them the freedom
of roaming around in a back yard. They love it!" And with summer fast approaching, Shana will be able to
plan all those fun outdoor activities, including doggie pool parties, complete with wading pools,
sprinklers and doggie ice cream. Not a bad way to spend those hot summer days in Florida.
In addition to providing the daycare service, Shana also offers Full Service Grooming and Do It
Yourself Bathing, plus in-home pet sitting.
For more information about the K-9 Lounge, you can visit the web site at www.k-9lounge.com. Or call Shana at 407-896-4866. Trust me when I say your
dog will thank you for it!
Email your questions and comments to business@theleader.us
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