All dogs can go to local daycare heaven

Despite having a PHD Tirau’s Marian Brenssell is letting herself go to the dogs.

Brenssell, who is a doctor in proficiency medicine as well as a dog behaviourist, has opened the South Waikato’s first dog daycare, Red Brae Farm Doggy Daycare, on her 30 acre rural property in Paparamu Rd with husband Cameron.

The couple, who have four dogs of their own, were motivated to do so after moving to Tirau from Dunedin last year and being shocked by the lack of places available to exercise dogs due to the South Waikato District Council’s ban on dogs in town.

‘‘One of the things I noticed as soon as we came up was there is nowhere within a 20 minute drive where you can just let your dogs play and be dogs,’’ she said.

‘‘We were living in town at the time and we were paying $200 a year to register each dog but we couldn’t even walk them down the street. I feel sorry for dogs here.’’

Now that they have purchased their own farm, and with Marian being made redundant by her current employer, she said it was the perfect opportunity to help other frustrated owners.

‘‘Having a dog facility has been a real dream and when I found out I was being made redundant I had to start looking for a new job and thought life is short why not do something you enjoy,’’ she said.

‘‘I saw on the side of a job advert that you should do the job you love and you will never work another day in your life and that is exactly what I am going to do.’’

She said the daycare will cater for all dogs as well as grooming.

‘‘We’ve had it deer fenced so the dogs can’t get out, there’s a huge pond where they can go swimming, and at the back there is an acre of trees,’’ she said.

‘‘Basically they will be able to just go for it and be dogs. We keep saying it is like doggy heaven as there is long grass and we do things like hiding tennis balls.’’

‘‘We will also have structured games and go for walks so they are being asked to think as well,’’ she said.

Marian said there are separate areas for big, small, and older dogs and while not kennels, dogs can also stay overnight if need be.

‘‘We are going to cover Matamata, Putaruru, Arapuni and surrounding areas and I will do a pick up run in the morning. It will just be a day of fun and the dogs will go home having been stimulated,’’ she said.

Visit facebook.com/ redbraefarm.