Furry furlough: New pet getaway focuses on training, pawsitivity

Kelly Johnson and Jacque Murray are co-owners of the business, which aims to provide pet owners with a safe place to leave their four-legged friends, whether it be for a weeklong extravaganza or just for the workday.

The pair have worked together long before this new venture started, Murray as a veterinarian and Johnson as a certified vet technician. About 10 years ago, they got the idea to start a pet boarding facility to serve the needs of their clients, some of whom were traveling all the way to Fort Collins, Colorado for boarding services.

“The idea is to have a safe place where you know your pet is secure, but also to provide them with enrichment,” Murray said.

The facility offers overnight boarding and daycare, and a variety of daytime activity options such as off-leash play, walks, enrichment toys and nap and cuddle time. It has 10 employees and 20 kennels for overnight stays, and averages about 15 guests per day for daycare.

The canine residents of the facility appeared content with their situation Thursday afternoon, when they were busy greeting staff members and perching atop the many play structures located throughout the room.

“We know the problems associated with bored pets on being destructive and anxious,” Murray said. “We want to help those dogs currently, but also give people the tools on how to avoid those issues.”

The staff at Elevation Pet Resort are educated in best practices for dog training, and the entire facility uses a non-aversive, fear-free method when interacting with the animals. This means taking the time to work with each unique dog’s needs, whether that be coaxing, rather than forcing, them into a kennel or providing them with a quiet space to get used to their new environment.

This even includes giving the dogs treats when they respond to their names, because so many have a negative connotation to their own names, which are often associated with scolding.

“There’s really good scientific research about positive training and not using punishment in dogs, and it’s really disappointing how much shock collars and other aversives are still used,” Johnson said.

The owners plan to share their training knowledge with the community soon with puppy socialization classes scheduled to begin in January.

These classes will include exposing puppies to new surroundings and people, and getting them used to seeing people with large clothing items or being held in odd positions, as they might encounter when visiting a vet or groomer.

“A lot of people don’t realize that dogs need to come out and see the world, otherwise it is scary when they get older,” Murray said.

The pair has already encountered some challenges to get the resort up and running, such as finding a contractor and the supplies to remodel their building at 2052 N. 3rd Street.

Despite the challenges, the owners are excited about their new venture and are already considering expanding their services in the future. These ideas include grooming, cat boarding, expanding the outdoor play area, K9 fitness coaching, and even a pet pick-up shuttle.

“I think we have at least a benefit of our medical background and our experience already with animals and knowing what we wanted in our facility,” Murray said.