Owner Denise Einkauf cuddles canine guests in the little dog playroom. Dogs at Waggin' Tails Pet Ranch are separated into play groups based on size and temperament.[/caption]After Denise Einkauf earned animal science and biomedical science degrees from Texas A&M University, she worked with veterinarians and saw firsthand how pet owners struggled to find boarding and day camp services for their dogs and cats. She found most family vets didn't have the space or the staff to provide doggie day care or long-term boarding services for dogs and cats. To meet the needs of families in her community, Einkauf decided to create a high-quality, all-inclusive resort ranch for pets in the Katy area.
"An investor thought the idea was great, so we found 15 acres [in Fulshear]. It's close enough to Katy, but far enough to enable us to have a lot of land," Einkauf said.
Waggin' Tails Pet Ranch opened in 2005 as a family endeavor, with Einkauf's husband, Derek, and sons Daylan and Donovan helping out around the ranch. The family lives in a house on the property, so they're always close to the dogs and cats in their care.
Word-of-mouth spread quickly and Einkauf hired full-time staff and added grooming and training services to the mix. Since it opened, Waggin' Tails has served more than 5,000 pet owners, with 150 dogs currently coming and going per day. Sign-up for holiday boarding starts months in advance.
"You get what you give," Einkauf said of the ranch's success. "A lot of it is respect and referrals, but we were also at the right place at the right time."
The facility is undergoing an expansion that will bring a 6,000-square-foot pet day care pavilion to the ranch to provide additional boarding and event space. The ranch also has a spring-fed pond and an in-ground saltwater pool. When construction wraps up in early April, a total of 18 outdoor pens will be sectioned off to accommodate dogs of different sizes. Three to four times each day, staff members supervise canine clients for 45-minute outdoor playtimes spaced throughout the day.
"It takes their mind off [being away from home]," Einkauf said. "We come in at night [to check on them] and there's not a peep. They're all asleep."
Cats have their own room upstairs, complete with a bright window, several cat climbers and a flatscreen TV for entertainment. Family suites for dogs have TVs, raised dog beds and enough room for multiple pets from the same family to bunk together. Staff members give tours of the facility on weekdays after 10 a.m.
"We encourage people to stop in and look around," Einkauf said.
Waggin' Tails Pet Ranch
7631 Katy-Fulshear Road, Fulshear
281-533-0500
www.waggintailspetranch.com
Hours: Mon.–Fri. 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sat. 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Sun. (pickup only) 4–6 p.m.
