Keep Your Dog Busy

Have your dogs started to get antsy for green grass and the warmer weather? Thanks to the folks at Gizmodo we are able to provide you with the 6 best toys to keep your dog really busy. This will keep them out of your hair for a little while just in time for it to get nice out! Preview the article below or read the full article here.

"The 6 Best Toys to Keep Your Dog Really Busy"

BY: ANNA JANE GROSSMAN

The Kong

The granddaddy of all work-to-eat toys, the Kong is a chew toy made of nearly indestructible rubber. It was originally based on a part of a Volkswagen bus' suspension device that the creator's German Shepherd found particularly irresistible. Kongs can be stuffed with a wide variety of yummies. Kong sells especially shaped treats and different things you can squeeze inside, but you can stuff it with whatever your dogs' weakness might be: cream cheese, Cheez Whiz, wet dog food, peanut butter, liverwurst, frozen blueberries, hamburger meat. Yummers.

There used to be a great product that operated on a timer and dispensed Kongs at intervals, so you could stuff four of them and then leave for the day and your dog would get them doled out at neat intervals. The product was discontinued a few years ago, but you can occasionally find a used one on Ebay, and they're well worth the $100 or so that they usually sell for. Search the ‘Bay for Dogopolis KongTime Automatic Dog Toy Dispenser.

Find the rest of the toys here.

Good Health in Cold Weather

It is vital to keep your pet active, but more importantly we need to take into consideration the steps to properly keep them in good health when the temperatures drop. This article from NPR provides some great tips as to how to do so. Read full article here or preview below. 

"Cold Weather Tips To Keep Your Pets In Good Health"

by SCOTT HENSLEY


Here I sit shivering, wishing I were a dog or cat to get through this cold snap.

A built-in fur coat, no commute and maybe some quality time by the fireplace. What could go wrong?

Quite a few things, it turns out.

The friendly animal lovers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's Ryan Hospital report seeing a few wintery problems for pets in the ER over the last few days. Some you might not have expected.

"One thing that we saw this weekend was rabbits who were in a basement during the cold weather," Dr. Deborah C. Mandell tells Shots. The rabbits were sick with a life-threatening condition called gastrointestinal stasis. Their intestines stopped working. Exposure to cold can trigger the problem, says Mandell, an emergency and critical care vet. The rabbits did fine after they were gently warmed.

Read full article here. 

"Forty-six fascinating ideas that raised 1/2 billion dollars"

The producers of CNBC’s “Power Pitch” posted a year-in-review video featuring highlights of the last year on Thursday, December 26th. View the video here!

"Forty-six fascinating ideas that raised 1/2 billion dollars"

By: Erin Barry

This year, Power Pitch featured 53 founders from 46 start-ups—all with the courage to step up and deliver a 60-second pitch to experts and potential investors. They faced tough questions (and judgments) from some of the biggest names in venture capital, social media, fashion and food.

We’ve had a blast producing this series and look forward to featuring more in 2014.Thanks to all the founders and panelists for participating, and to all our viewers! And a huge thanks to all of our startups for sharing their big ideas:

You can view the entire highlight video here.

"Winter weather tips for pet owners"

This article focuses on winter weather tips from K-9 Resorts to pet parents and how to make sure they stay warm, safe and healthy during the cold months. Preview below or read full article here.

"Winter weather tips for pet owners"

By: Alternative Press

With the cold weather and holiday season upon us, it’s important for all pet parents to know the best advice to take care of their furry family members. K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel would like to share some winter weather tips for you and your pets. For more information about K-9 Resorts in Fanwood, more tips for your pets or to find a location near you go to www.k9resorts.com, fanwood@k9resorts.com or call at (908) 490-0808. 

1. When you bring your pet in from outside, make sure to wipe its paws and underside to remove any ice balls that could cause frostbite. Check ears, tail, and paws for any signs of frostbite as well.


2. Make sure you check your house for plants that could potentially harm your pets. Poinsettias are extremely poisonous to dogs and are most commonly found during the holidays around the home.

Read full article here. 

K9 Resorts Featured on FIOS1 News

K-9 Resorts was featured on FIOS1 News  in a segment titled, "K-9 Resorts Offer Luxury Lifestyle to Four-Legged Clients".

In the segment, Long Island K-9 Resorts owner Earl Blasi spoke about why he decided to open a K-9 Resorts and how he is looking at this business as a passion. Founder Jason Parker discussed why Long Island is a good market for the brand. 

Click HERE to view the segment on FIOS1's website or use the link below:


K-9 Resorts Offer Luxury Lifestyle to Four-Legged Clients

K-9 Resorts Featured on Pet Life Radio

K-9 Resorts was recently featured on Pet Life Radio’s Six Figure Dog Business in a segment titled, "America's Youngest Franchisers Share Their Secrets".

In the segment designed for current and prospective pet business owners, founders Jason and Steven Parker spoke about their story, what marketing and business development initiatives they have used to become successful, and the opportunity in the pet care industry.

Click HERE to listen to the full segment or begin reading the synopsis below:

America's Youngest Franchisers Share Their Secrets

You read that correctly.  America's youngest franchisers are in the pet industry....and they are blowing up.  Steven and Jason Parker of K-9 Resorts have been franchising their award winning pet hotels for only two years and territories are being gobbled up.  People looking to get into the pet care industry realize these brothers have figured out a system for bringing in the revenue, taking care of customers, and running a successful company.

In this episode these brothers are going to share three of their biggest marketing strategies that have helped propel them to such big success at such a young age.  What's best is that most of what they share is not being done in the pet industry.  If you want to learn from some industry leaders and put some distance in between you and your competitors then this is the show for you.

Steven and Jason Parker Featured on MO.com

The founders of K9, Steven and Jason Parker, have been featured in an online article on MO.com. See the full article and interview below. 

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel Founders

By: MO.com

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel was founded in 2005 by brothers Steven and Jason Parker in Fanwood, N.J. When in their early teens, their parents denied them a dog of their own, so the entrepreneurial pair opened a professional pet-sitting business to prove they were not only willing, but ready to care for a dog. That business not only became a highly profitable enterprise that they sold for a six-figure sum in 2006, that revenue became the expansion fuel for their burgeoning K-9 Resorts business.

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel, which is rated #1 in NJ, offers both doggie daycare & luxury cage-free boarding services. K-9 Resorts has cage-free accommodations which are spacious and well appointed. K-9 Resorts is the only facility in New Jersey to have been rated Number 1 by multiple major publications. K-9 Resorts started franchising in 2011, and has been offering franchises throughout the Northeast U.S.

MO: Where does your strong entrepreneurial spirit come from?

Steven & Jason: That’s a good question! We don’t know exactly where it comes from, but we can tell you we’ve both had a very strong entrepreneurial spirit from a very young age. We had lemonade stands, leaf blowing business, snow removal business and a dog walking business all before I was 14 and Jason was 12.

MO: Did anyone think you were crazy when you first started to pitch your idea of a luxury dog hotel?

Steven & Jason: Absolutely! Everyone thought we were crazy! Our parents, our friends, and most banks were not ready to listen. But, then we met a bank who believed in us and our idea and loaned us the money, which enabled us to grow our business and live our dream!

MO: Your facility is pretty impressive and had to be built to specification to accommodate your unique requirements. Can you talk about some of the challenges you encountered along the way and how you overcame them?

Steven & Jason: We had to overcome many challenges. The most difficult one was our age. We knew what we were doing, but convincing a bank to loan a half a million dollars to two teenagers was a different story. So, if I had to pick one obstacle, our initial financing would definitely be high on the list.

(Read More)

K-9 Resorts Holds Second Franchising Event

We had a great turnout again on June 27th, 2012 as we held our second Franchising Event for those interested in becoming a K-9 Resorts owner. About 75 groups and individuals attended the event, which included a presentation from co-founders Steven and Jason Parker, break-out tables with lenders, real estate experts, and vendors, as well as the first few signed franchisees in the system. It was a fun an informative event, so check out some photos below, or view the rest on our Facebook page!

K-9 Resorts featured on CNBC.com

K-9 Resorts was featured on CNBC.com in an article titled “10 Unusual Franchise Opportunities,” which ran on Thursday, June 21, 2012. The slideshow features how K-9 was started and the various amenities. Click here for the article or read it below.

10 Unusual Franchise Opportunities

K-9 Resorts
Number of franchises: 3
Fee: $35,000
Year started franchising: 2011
Visit the website

Jason Parker, owner of K-9 Resorts, began his business with his brother Stephen as a dog-walking business back in 1999. By 2005, the siblings had opened their first luxury hotel for dogs in New Jersey. The cage-free environment includes private rooms for dogs with plasma TVs (tuned to Animal Planet), high-end dog food and a window in every room.

“People want the best for their dogs,” said Parker. “They want to go away knowing their pet is safe, healthy and happy. So we offer the Ritz Carlton of dog hotels."

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel Signs Third Franchisee in New Jersey

New Jersey native makes bold career change and teams up with K-9 Resorts to pursue his true passion for dogs

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel, the nation’s emerging pet facility franchise, has signed its third franchisee since its franchise launch in early 2011. New Jersey native, Bill Ippolito, will become a first-time business owner as he plans to open the brand’s third location in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

“Bill’s decision to change his career and pursue his true passion for dogs is exactly the type of entrepreneur we want to help launch our franchise system,” said K-9 Resorts’ Co-Founder and CEO Steven Parker. “We are thrilled to now be the go-to luxury pet facility in Monmouth County, and look to be a community leader in the area for many years to come.”

Bill Ippolito has been a physicians assistant for the past 10 years, and while he enjoyed his career in medicine, Bill felt it was time for a change. A lifelong dog owner, Bill has always had a strong connection to the pet care industry. Inspired by the entrepreneurial success of Steve and Jason Parker, the co-founders of K-9 Resorts, Bill decided to invest early in the franchise. Despite the brother’s young age, Bill was impressed by their professionalism, customer service and passion for pet care.

Over the years, Bill had experienced many other pet care facilities that did not make safety, care and customer service priority. When deciding to open a pet care business, K-9 Resorts was the first choice that came to mind because of the high-quality daycare experience each pet receives, and the incredible trust Steven and Jason have built with each customer. Bill saw a high demand for these types of services in the Monmouth County area and approached the Parker brothers about opening a franchise.

“As a lifetime dog owner, I understand the need to have a safe, clean and trustworthy place to leave a pet,” said Bill Ippolito. “I share the same values as Steven and Jason and ultimately have similar visions and goals. I am not only excited about becoming a first-time business owner but also helping build K9 from the ground up. This brand has incredible potential and I can’t wait to be a part of its future.”

“Our goal is to build K-9 Resorts into the nation’s largest pet care franchise company, but do so, staying true to our mission of being No. 1 in quality,” said Jason Parker. “We believe we’ve got our business down to a proven system that works, and can’t wait to teach our secrets to our first franchisees.”

Based in Fanwood, NJ, K-9 Resorts is expanding throughout the region and plans to open six locations this year alone throughout the state. Targeting areas where time-strapped pet owners are looking for a way to keep their pooch occupied during the day, K-9 Resorts has aggressive growth plans in greater New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut region.

K-9 Resorts featured on TheStreet.com

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel was recently featured on TheStreet.com in an article titled "An NFL Panther Runs the Pet Care Field." In a story on the rise in doggy daycares and pet care facilities, K-9 Resorts was included because they are a company in this industry growing and finding success. The piece also gives a brief overview of the business and inception story, and includes a quote from Steven Parker about how they expect to be the best and number one in quality within the industry. Click here to read the full article or read K-9 Resorts' section below.

And NFL Panther Runs the Pet Care Field

By Laurie Kulikowski

K-9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel is also looking to expand its doggy day care business. The company was founded in 2005 by two brothers, Steven and Jason Parker, who had experience in the dog-walking and pet-sitting business in New Jersey but decided to combine those operations and expand in the quickly growing business of luxury dog day care. Last year they started to franchise their operations.

(Read more)