The canine day care, boarding and grooming service referred to as Camp Diggity Canine wasn’t at all times such an revolutionary possibility for pets.
At first, Ashley Hopkins and her husband began the enterprise primarily as a grooming service and her authentic purpose was to change into a veterinarian, she stated.
“Initially, I used to be alleged to be a veterinarian and was accepted at LSU,” she stated. “However I had labored for a vet and simply noticed a variety of heartache, too that went in that I did not assume that I used to be actually able to face. There’s much more that goes into it, regardless that I cherished the motion of being a vet tech.”
Hopkins’ grooming service was primarily based in Sizzling Springs Village for twenty-four years.
“I actually loved being a groomer,” she stated. “Particularly grooming poodles. I actually loved grooming poodles and terriers, however my physique is just not in a position to try this anymore.”
The enterprise’ progress began after prospects would ask Hopkins for suggestions on locations to board their canine the place they would not be saved in a cage. The boarding service started with solely 12 suites, she stated. The entire canine have been set free of the suites to play with one another through the day, the identical as they’re now.
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“We do not take anyone that has to remain locked up,” the proprietor stated. “They’ve to have the ability to come out and be social with different canine and people. There’s loads of locations for different canine that are not like that, however I simply noticed such a necessity for it.”
After a while, Hopkins realized it was time for an improve, which led to the creation of Camp Diggity Canine at 1850 Higdon Ferry Street in October 2019.
“We love watching the canine drag their house owners in right here as a substitute of the house owners drag the canine in right here,” she stated. “They actually do benefit from the firm of different canine.”
The enterprise nonetheless homes a full-service grooming division with 9 staff providing providers together with bathing, breed trimming, nail cutting and even fur coloring.
With 28 staff whole, Hopkins spends a lot of her time managing her enterprise and its staff, she stated. Though, she nonetheless spends as a lot time as she will “loving on each canine.” Her personal giant poodles even come to work along with her and comply with her wherever she goes.
With as much as 150 canine out and in per day, whether or not for boarding, grooming or day care, the canine are separated by dimension and temperament. They play with one another all day in one in all 4 separate, giant play teams, however by evening, the canine are separated by households and brought to their suites to sleep.
“We have no cages,” Hopkins stated. ” All of our suites have glass fronts to allow them to see out. Now we have TVs on at evening. We attempt to make it extra of a home-type atmosphere.”
It might be a shock, however the day care even homes one cat, as properly. They even settle for small animals resembling gerbils, hamsters and birds, she stated.
Open day by day of the week, Camp Diggity Canine’ pricing for day care is $28 per day, with packages out there for normal prospects. Boarding is priced at $46 per evening and grooming begins at $52.
“I’ve at all times been accused of going to work and enjoying with puppies, and I do know all people’s jealous,” the proprietor stated. “It is a variety of onerous work, however I completely take pleasure in it.”
Ashley Hopkins cuddles one of many canine throughout day care at Camp Diggity Canine on Thursday. – Picture by Courtney Edwards of The Sentinel-Document
Ashley Hopkins discusses how she and her husband began their enterprise, Camp Diggity Canine. – Picture by Courtney Edwards of The Sentinel-Document
