Be Kind to Animals Week kicks off May 2-8, 2010. This is the American Humane’s annual event celebrating the unique bond between people and animals, and encouraging the humane treatment of all animals. I thought it would be fun to write about a new hotel opening in May - the services they're offering dog owners are certainly great examples of how we can all *be kind* to our dogs this spring!

Sniff Dog Hotel (complete with a daycare in addition to overnight boarding) opens May 24 in NW Portland at 1828 NW Raleigh St. Do we need another dog daycare or dog *hotel* in PDX? I'll let readers decide after reading about all the cool things this hotel offers dog owners that are truly unique. Since the hotel doesn't open until late May, I'm posting a Q&A with one of the owners rather than a review based on my personal experience.

The idea of enjoying my latte while I watch my dogs chase each either around at Sniff's daycare sounds fabulous... I'm also a real advocate for dog massage so I like that Sniff offers this service while my dog is there overnight. These are just a few highlights...

I was impressed after meeting Corey Murry, Sniff Dog Hotel owner, at the NW Pet and Companion Fair so here's how he answered a few of my questions: 

Q. How is Sniff Dog Hotel different than other boarding facilities (Ok readers, I hate the way "boarding facilities" sounds but not every kennel is a hotel!) or hotels in the area?

A. First our location, we're conveniently located in downtown Portland, with easy freeway access. Secondly, our range of guest services, like our wide variety of overnight options including, Standard Rooms, Junior and Deluxe Suites all the way up to our swanky Penthouse Suite with skylights. Thirdly, we encourage dog lovers to enjoy our facility too, whether it’s using our self-dog wash, joining a group training class or hanging out in our café for humans.

Q. What features differentiate your hotel's services from other *dog hotels*?

A. We've gone to great lengths to design our hotel for maximum cleanliness and guest comfort. Sniff was built from the bottom up with a wide range of specialized features -- Like our non-porous, easy to clean flooring throughout our facility, which acts like a shock absorber and it’s easy on our guests' paws and joints. We have a superior air circulation system that filters all air several times per hour, which is better than the average office building. Our private suites even have individual ventilation systems to keep our scent-sensitive guests comfortable.

Our hotel is for dog lovers to enjoy too, we offer evening and weekend training as well as dog-friendly events where owners can meet up and mingle. Our Café for humans is another extension, where people can enjoy a coffee while watching dogs romp about in our 2000 sq. ft. play area.

Q. Why now? What inspired you to open a dog hotel when spending overall is down? (although I know that doesn’t really apply to the pet category but PDX was hit hard the past year or so...)

A. Even with the economy, people are still looking for exceptional care for their dogs. Portland dog owners are especially savvy to this idea. We wanted to provide "affordable luxury" with outstanding customer service for both our canine and human guests.

Q. If I book my dog in one of the standard rooms – what’s the experience like overall? For example, can I sign my dog up for training while he’s there? Grooming?

A. With our standard rooms, our canine guests have a choice to join the daycare for the day or opt for a more relaxing stay with play breaks instead. After a day of play, they retire to their private room, enjoy
dinner while relaxing music plays and roll up for a nights rest on a cozy Sniff bed. Canine guests can also enjoy our full-service grooming salon, inboard training or a relaxing massage during their stay.

Q. The daycare described sounds really cool – what are you offering that most doggie daycares don’t?

A. One of the leading differentiators in our daycare is the special K9 turf flooring, with proprietary drainage and flushing system, resulting in a clean, fresh-smelling environment that’s easy on dogs’ paws and joints. Also our Café for Humans has large viewing windows looking out onto the daycare, so you can watch your four-legged-friend enjoy playtime.

Think it's worth checking out? Contact Sniff at 503-208-2366. They're currently booking for Memorial Day weekend. Sniff Dog Hotel is located at: 1828 NW Raleigh St., Portland, OR 97209.

Another great doggie hotel is the Stay Pet Hotel near PDX.  This dog boarding hotel offers spa services so your four legged friend doesn't miss out on their massage during vacation.