Los Alamos Doghouse PHD owners Ruth Scott, left, and Amanda Robertson. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
If pet owners choose to board their animals at Ruth Scott’s and Amanda Robertson’s Los Alamos Doghouse PHD (Pet Hotel and Daycare), 127 EastGate Dr., they can rest assured their dog or cat will stay in a lap of luxury.
The business is in operation but will have a grand opening celebration June 17-18. The celebration will feature a ribbon cutting, cake, champagne, barbecue and pet photography with a July 4 theme. Tours of the business, which occupies 9,500 square feet, will also be held.
Los Alamos Doghouse offers numerous services including overnight boarding, daycare, and dog training. This is really just the tip of the iceberg; Scott and Robertson provide private and group training classes, as well as pet drop-off at customers’ homes, night-time snacks for pets, private walks and other services.
The building features four separate dog daycare rooms with three separate outside play yards. Dogs can stay in 20 dorm rooms which include a private web cam, LED night light, music and orthopedic raise Kuranda beds. For cats, Scott and and Robertson offer the Cat Frat, multi-level “condos” and a cage-free, romping and exercise room.
On top of this, numerous services are being planned for the future including a professional groomer, a fitness and rehabilitation room and a geriatric and puppy room. Scott and Robertson said they plan to install a pond in the building as well as a man-made tree for cats.
Robertson explained, “We’re really trying to tailor this to … this community. It hasn’t had a dedicated space for boarding.” She noted people can either bring their pets to a veterinarian clinic or go to a boarding business off the Hill.
“We’re trying to make it as comfortable and easy as possible and take away all the worry of taking care of their dogs and cats while they’re gone,” Robertson said.
This is not entirely a new venture for either Robertson and Scott. Before teaming up to open Doghouse PHD, Scott owned LA Doghouse and Robertson operated Ready, Set, Sit. In December 2016, they decided to merge and open a business together.
Scott said their paths kept crossing and eventually they talked and “We recognized in each other the same values and mission and we recognized our paths were similar.”
So they gave up their individual businesses and Robertson left her job at the Los Alamos National Laboratory to begin this new entrepreneurial venture. “We burnt the boats so we could take the island,” Scott said.
Robertson has lived in Los Alamos for 16 years. She said she came here with a doberman and was encouraged to join the Schutzhund Club, which means working dog in German. “So I’ve been training dogs ever since,” she said.
Although Robertson did not grow up training with dogs, she said working with the animals-whether it is in agility, obedience or other skills – “It’s a huge passion of mine. I’ve just been driven toward dogs.”
Scott has also worked with dogs. She said the first dog she had when she lived on her own was trained to hunt duck and geese. Scott said she has lived in Los Alamos for 28 years and worked in various areas. However, “I’ve always known I’m an entrepreneur at heart. I don’t want to work for the man, I want to be the man,” she said, adding, “I just knew I wanted to work in my own business and I wanted that business filled with love and compassion and integrity.”
Scott and Robertson not only want to assist pets and their owners, they also want to assist their community. They hope to connect with veteran organizations and offer training in emotional and therapy dogs. Doghouse PHD also is involved in a work study program through Los Alamos High School.
“We want to extend our programs,” Robertson said. “We’re really excited to partner with the schools and other organizations. It’s a mutual benefit for the dogs and the people.”
Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. begin July 1. The business will be open late for dog owners who wish to drop off their pets ahead of the July 4 fireworks show.
For more information on Doghouse PHD, call 505.709.0690 or visit www.doghousephd.com.
