What dog doesn’t need a “pawdicure” every month, or 24-hour access to the baths at a “pet spaw?"
For $250 a year, residents at Related Companies’ luxury Manhattan rental towers at MiMA on the Far West Side and Abington House, along the High Line on West 30th Street, can sign up to use the Dog City facilities in their buildings, where membership to the doggy day-care service includes a monthly pawdicure and ear wash, off-hours access to play areas and a self-service “spaw,” along with complimentary pick-up and drop-off service to the doggy care.
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There are other a la carte services to pile on, including “Pee & Play” sessions that include obedience training, overnight dog sitting, “buddy” walks or “solo” walks, and on-site veterinary services providing both conventional and alternative therapies.
The most expensive package costs $750, according to Related spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti, and the average Dog City parent at these two buildings spend about $450 a month on top of the annual membership fee, she said.
As more New Yorkers are involving their pets in real estate decisions, more developers and management companies are catering to these animal-loving residents with amenities like Dog City, which is perhaps the ultimate luxury for busy pet owners.
The real estate company is also bringing Dog City to its affordable housing complex at Hunter’s Point South and recently began accepting applications to its Long Island City outpost where the membership fee is waived and prices overall are lower.
The most expensive package at this location will cost $400 — some $350 less than its Manhattan counterparts.
The buildings aren’t simply throwing dogs a bone with these services.
They’re dedicating some serious real estate. MiMA’s 5-year-old Dog City — which has about 80 members — is 1,000 square feet with a dog bone-shaped pool on the terrace, which is currently being expanded by another 100 square feet. Abington House, which has roughly 20 members since opening in March, has 800 square feet for its pooches, while Hunter’s Point South has 700 square feet.
Dog City also prides itself on its low dog-to-handler ratios (less than 7 dogs per handler at its daycare) and high standards for its staff. Handlers receive ongoing training on all aspects of dog care — from CPR, first aid, safety and health, to understanding how dogs are feeling or connecting nonverbally, Scaperotti said.
There is also a one-month trial period before someone becomes a full-time staffer at Dog City and then there is a 6-month training program before that worker can officially become a handler.
On top of all this, Dog City offers one more perk for its pet-loving members: staffers who will be cat nannies.
