There’s a luxurious new social club in downtown Toronto that’s solely dedicated as a space for dog owners and dog lovers to mix and mingle.
Hound House is the city’s first-ever canine social collective that operates as an indoor dog park, co-working space, café & bar, shop, and social club for both pups and their people.
CEO and co-founder Lauren Guizzetti says the club launched on Oct. 6 and is offering a free first visit to every new customer to try out the space. She says she was inspired to create it following several experiences where she was denied her pup at some social spaces.
“I used to live in Los Angeles, which was where I bought my dog Sky. LA is such a dog-friendly city and I took Sky everywhere with me. Moving back home, I found that I would be denied bringing her into many places and would feel like I had to leave her at home with me if I wanted to go out and socialize,” she said in an email statement to Now Toronto on Wednesday.
“I wanted to create a place where people could go with their pups and not feel like they have to choose between going out and enjoying their weekends or working out of their homes and leaving their dogs alone at home,” she continued.
In comparison to other dog-friendly spaces in the city, Guizzetti says Hound House stands out because it is a completely off-leach indoor dog space that includes a dog potty pad and sanitization station.
In addition, the house offers a full-service cafe with fresh food, cafe beverages, fresh-pressed juice, and goodies for the pups. To make things better, there is a self-serve spa that is free to use with a membership or day pass.
To ensure dog safety, there are “cha-paw-rones” monitoring the dogs at all times who are dog CPR-trained and trained in dog behaviour to handle any fights.
“They are constantly engaging with the pups, encouraging playtime and breaking up any fights that happen immediately which dog parks do not offer. Our amazing cha-paw-rones also clean up after the dogs immediately eliminating all odours and taking this off the owner’s plates,” Guizzetti said.
For extra caution, it is also a requirement for all dogs to be vaccinated for rabies, bordetella and DHPP and no outside treats or toys is allowed to minimize “possession aggression.”
HOW TO JOIN
Hound House aims to combine canine companionship with the comfort of luxury. To join the club, Guizzetti says every dog and their respective owner must apply on their website. From there, owners must fill out a medical and information form and upload vaccination records.
Once approved, a link will be sent to book a first free visit and temperament assessment which is a 30-minute visit where cha-paw-rones will observe how your dog plays with others. Once your dog passes the test, they are free to become a monthly member or book drop-in passes.
A monthly membership to the club includes access to the entire house, amenities for the full month, access to member-only events and doggy daycare services. Up to two individuals are allowed to be on one membership and can attend separately as a member.
Monthly Memberships Pricing:
0 Dogs = $130 per month
1 Dog = $170 per month ($120 per month for 3 months with a founding membership)
2 Dogs = $210 per month ($160 per month for 3 months with a founding membership)
3 Dogs = $250 per month ($200 per month for 3 months with a founding membership)
Daycare:
$15 for a Half Day
Mornings: 8 am to 2 pm during the week and 9 am to 1:30 pm on weekends
Evenings: 2 pm to 8 pm during the week and 1:30 pm to 6 pm on weekends
$30 for a Full Day
Weekdays: 8 am to 8 pm
Weekends: 9 am to 6 pm
For more information on Hound House, click here.
