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Dog owners get a peek of their pets at play

By Shelley Kinser from the Orlando Sentinel

An Orlando animal day care equipped with Web cameras lets people look in on their canines.

Customers who board their dogs at the K-9 Lounge are never more than a mouse click away from their beloved pets.

Shana Cannon, 37, owner of the Orlando doggy day care, had Web cameras installed so that customers can check in on their pooches anytime during K-9 Lounge's regular hours. Three indoor cameras are set up in separate play areas inside.

"I am the first in the market [in Orlando]. It is my niche," Cannon said.

KidsVision, a company that usually outfits children's day-care centers with these systems, set up the Web site and the cameras.

Viewers may choose between two software programs, depending on whether they have a digital subscriber line or dial-up service. The Web site is k-9lounge.com.

For peace of mind, dog owners can see if their dog is sleeping, playing or relaxing anytime between 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. five days a week.

Joanna Tubb of College Park searched online for doggy day care when she returned to work after she and her husband relocated here from Atlanta.

"One of the big selling points was the camera," Tubb said. Her 5-year-old boxer, Cleo, has been going to K-9 Lounge for eight months.

"My in-laws are completely addicted -- they are doting grandparents, and my father-in-law keeps checking on Cleo," Tubb added.

Tubb herself checks in on Cleo once or twice a day. Besides the reassurance, she said she and co-workers use the Web cam as a coffee break.

"We go online and watch her. It is a nice departure from the hustle and bustle. It is calm and soothing," Tubb said.

Cannon came to her new job after a 10-year stint as an information technology recruiter. She started the day care because, during her office work days, she would return home from work exhausted but her boxer, Pye, was hyper and ready to play.

"I started thinking about doggy day care, thinking it would be nice if the dogs were as tired as their owners," Cannon said.

After visiting doggy day cares and researching for about nine months, she realized she needed to come up with a unique angle and launched her doggy day care with a Web cam.

Bella Mae, a 1-year-old black Labrador, visits each Monday when owner Maile Moore of Orlando has her busiest work day at home editing medical documents for a company based in Hawaii. Initially, she was searching for a boarding facility and her vet referred her to Cannon. Friends encouraged doggy day care for socialization. An added benefit is that Bella Mae's favorite friend is there on Monday.

"I went on the Web site and was thoroughly impressed. I thought the Web cam was fantastic. My family in Guam and Hawaii can see her growing," Moore said. "She is our only child."

Bella Mae is taking obedience classes at K-9 Lounge taught by animal behaviorist Colleen Hurley.

Dogs are separated into three play rooms by size and energy level. Owners can simply go to the appropriate room and watch their dogs. The 2,500-square-foot space includes play rooms, cabanas for boarding, an office, a grooming area and the front reception area.

Two VIP boarding rooms have mood music and lighting. One has a futon, the other a raised dog bed. Cabanas for boarding dogs allow the dogs to have space to move around, as opposed to being crated.

Both boarding and day-care dogs get regular exercise for up to half an hour every two hours in the fenced, almost 900-square-foot area in back, where an additional camera is to be installed in January. Day-care fees start at $22 per day and cost less when bought in multiple-day packages.

"People love the cameras. If they are new, they can't get off -- they can't get anything done at work," Cannon said, laughing.

She added, "I have gotten many clients because of the Web cam. They know there is nothing to hide. It gives them peace of mind," Cannon said.

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