Ruff Club was recently opened at 34 Avenue A in the East Village, in Manhattan, a luxury social club for dogs. This isn’t a hotel though, as it only accepts properly mannered dogs and adds some socialization into their lives. The Ruff Club is owned by Danny Frost and Alexia Simon Frost.
What’s interesting is that their owners must undergo an interview which lasts for around an hour and reaches the same levels of austerity as a private school. And it’s not just the owners that need to go through rigorous testing, but also their pet dogs, which are tested to ensure a facile handling, playful attitude and volition to meet and socialize with other dogs. Dogs with separation anxiety are also well taken care of, the club being able to provide a lavish separation anxiety window.
There is also the possibility for the owners to fully check on their dogs at any time through an iPad check-in system. They are even able to watch their dogs’ activities and attitude remotely, through superbly positioned webcams. Of course, due to health codes, Ruff Club won’t provide any drinks or food to your four-legged non-speaking friend, but they are reportedly looking forward to make it possible for the owners to bring specific foods in, for each and every dog.
According to Ruff Club’s owners, in addition to kennel and daycare services, they are also able to provide nighttime classes, which they can open up to general public, if the pet owners agree. There are also the options for dogsitting on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as setting the place up as a meeting spot for all sorts of organizations and local groups.
Ruff Club’s services are exclusive, members only, priced at $149 a year. Boarding starts at $49 a night, while daycare starts at $29.
[Nytimes]
